ENGLISH FILE 4TH EDITION ADVANCED PLUS AUDIO SCRIPTS

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FILE 1
Listening 1

Speaker 1 I know a lot of people don’t do it these days but for me, it’s really important.
I’m Greek, and, you know, cooking is an incredibly important part of our
culture. It’s the way my grandmother always used to do it, and my mother and
all my aunts and family friends. When I was young, we’d go to the markets
and select all the fresh fruit and vegetables we needed. And we’d go down to
the harbour to buy fish directly from the fishing boats as they came back in
from the sea. We’d take those ingredients back and work together to make
something with them. There was hardly any packaged stuff in the shops back
then, not like there is now. Yes, it takes longer but it tastes a million times
better. I’d never buy convenience food because for me food is always a
pleasure and never an inconvenience!

Speaker 2 Look, I realize that if I live in a rural area, the lorries have to drive a bit further
to deliver goods to my door. But I honestly can’t understand why it’d cost fifty
quid to deliver a sofa here when it’d be free if I lived in the city ten miles away.
Most companies advertise their deliver charges as being ‘Free to mainland
UK’ but then when you go to the checkout and enter your postcode, you
suddenly find there’s a massive delivery charge added. I always thought
‘mainland’ meant ‘not an island’ but it seems for delivery purposes my rural
part of the mainland is classed as an island too … I wouldn’t mind paying a bit
extra … you know… to make up for the carbon emissions. And these lorries –
they’re always packed with the stuff that other people have bought too. That’s
a lot of fifty quids! It shouldn’t be allowed – it’s outrageous!
Speaker 3 Well, I wouldn’t usually go to the expense but you only get married once,
don’t you? – well at least I hope so! – anyway, me and Siobhan, that’s my
bridesmaid, we’re going to go to that new salon, you know, the one on Smith
Street, ‘Hermanas’ I think it’s called, on the morning of the wedding. I haven’t
done anything like this before so I don’t really know what to expect but’s a
two-hour appointment so we have to get there really early if we’re going to
make it to the wedding on time. We’re getting our hair and makeup done …
oh and our nails too! I don’t tend to go for heavy make-up so I’m going to ask
them for the natural look. But my hair… I’m actually thinking of getting it
lightened a bit. Do you think that’d look good?

Speaker 4 What a day! I’ve spent most of it on my knees in the kitchen. That little kitten
we got yesterday, it’s so small and cute – absolutely adorable actually – the
kids have called it ‘shadow’ because it’s a lovely dark grey colour. Anyway,
they were all enthusiastic about their new pet and so this morning all three of
them rushed downstairs and gathered round him wanting to pick him up and
give him hugs. Well, I guess he’s wary of us because we’re new, and the
noise and attention must’ve been too much for him because he jumped out of
Katy’s arms, ran across the kitchen and squeezed through a gap. He’s been
hiding there under the kitchen cabinets since. The kids are at school now so
I’ve been trying to get him to come out. I’ve called him, offered him water and
food, but still no luck. I guess he just feels safest under there...

Speaker 5 You’ll never guess what happened at work today. I’ve told you before how
unreasonable my boss can be at times. I mean, I get on OK with him but I
think I’m pretty tolerant really, besides he doesn’t bother me if I keep out of
his way. Anyway, we had this unexpected staff meeting – the whole team was
told at very short notice. Usually that wouldn’t have been so bad, but some of
our team members had an important deadline for a project they’ve been
working on for a while. So, at the meeting, the boss told us he’d changed the
work schedules and some of us would have to postpone our holidays. Well,
my colleague Maura who’s usually really quiet just completely lost it and
started shouting at him saying she’d had enough and was going to quit.
Normally no-one would speak to the boss like that but she told him exactly
what she thought of him … and she was fierce! You should’ve seen his face!
Listening 2

Lecturer Good morning, everyone. In today’s lecture we’re going to consider what we
call the ‘flow state’ in creativity. We’ll examine what happens when a person
enters the flow state, and its resulting effects on their creativity. I’ll also
mention how some artists and psychologists believe the flow state can be
achieved.

OK, so I’m sure you’ll all have heard about the flow state, even if you haven’t
personally experienced it. But just to recap, it’s the state of mind where a
person becomes so involved in the act of creating that they lose all sense of
what’s going on around them and become highly productive.

But before we look at the flow state and its effects in more detail, I’d like to
give you a bit of background into the beginnings of flow state research.
Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, grew up in the years
following World War II. And he observed adults, who had lived through so
much adversity, struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. This had a profound
effect on Mihaly, and as a result he became preoccupied by the question:
what makes life worth living? As a young adult, Csikszentmihalyi moved from
Hungary to the US to study psychology. The haunting question of his
childhood had stayed with him..., and it occurred to him that creative people –
artists, painters, musicians – might offer some insight. He assumed there
must be some compelling reason why they would work so committedly on
projects that were unlikely to result in fame or financial success. He wondered
what it was about the creative process that brought them fulfilment, making
their personal sacrifices worthwhile. And that’s where his research started.

During the course of his studies, Csikszentmihalyi’s assumptions were proved

correct – there was indeed something special happening in the minds of
creative people. He called the state of total absorption that his subjects
described ‘flow’. He discovered that for those who experienced it, it was an
effortless concentration which occurred when they entered an altered –
almost trance-like – state of mind. In the flow state, people reported that the
creativity just literally flowed out of them – onto the page or canvas, into the
muscles to make them move … for example… the hands on a musical
instrument or the body in dance.
And that was decades ago at the beginning of his research. Researchers
worldwide have studied a wide range of people from many cultures, and with
various occupations and interests…. They have found – and you may be very
pleased to learn this – that ‘flow’ is not the exclusive realm of creative artists.
It can in fact, be experienced by all of us when we are fully engaged with our
activities. According to Csikszentmihalyi, he heard similar accounts of the flow
state phenomenon from poets, chess players, and athletes.

So, now we have a little bit of context. Let’s move on to looking at this state of
‘flow’ in more detail…. There are a handful of conditions which characterise
the ‘flow state’. People have reported experiencing an intense focus,
accompanied by a sense of clarity, like any task, no matter how challenging,
is possible. When in the flow state, people lose themselves completely to
inspiration, they forget what’s around them, and no longer notice the passing
of time as they become wholly immersed in their creative or productive
process. This state it seems in some leads to a feeling of ecstasy, a
heightened form of existence in that moment.

Some people also refer to this state as being ‘in the zone’, but whatever you
call it, it is a powerful force. And as such, it is accompanied by physiological
changes. In a Swedish study, classical pianists in the flow state exhibited
reduced heart rates which coincided with deeper breathing. And interestingly,
the facial muscles that enable us to smile were also activated… Obviously the
benefits of being ‘in the zone’ stretch beyond the experience itself to our
health as well. And this relates of course to Csikszentmihalyi’s idea that those
in the flow state are experiencing erm, I guess you’d describe it as … a pure
form of happiness. Flow is associated with mental well-being, and life
satisfaction, increased motivation, and greater productivity … and therefore it
is a highly desirable state which many of us hope to achieve.

So, how do you actually go about achieving that flow state? Well … it appears
that some people may actually be naturally prone to entering flow – this is
especially true of those who score high on personality tests for being
conscientious and open to experience. But if you don’t experience flow every
day, you can attempt to trigger it by engaging in an activity that is personally
meaningful. And ideally, one that you’ve already practised and already have
some level of skill at. Under the optimal conditions – avoiding noisy
environments and eliminating potential interruptions some people may be
able to (with practice) activate the flow state. But of course, this isn’t
something that will necessarily come easily – if at all. According to American
author Steven Kotler, who wrote a book about peak human performance,
“flow is still a happy accident when it happens.” However, a side effect for
those who are lucky enough to access that sought-after flow, it can be
extremely exhausting. This is because …
 FILE 2
Listening 1

Speaker 1 I never anticipated that I’d end up in that situation. I mean, I’d been working
for the company for decades – an established member of the team – and I
was fifty-five, getting near retirement age, which was sixty at the time …Well,
at first when we were told about the merger, I was excited at the prospect of
joining with a larger, more successful company. So, when the boss called me
into his office, I walked along the corridor feeling a sense of excitement –
perhaps I was to be given a new role in the company, maybe even a pay rise.
The news hit me like a tonne of bricks. What was I going to do? How would I
find a new employer with just five years of pre-retirement service left? The
depression I felt during the months afterwards was severe but I made sure I
kept busy. I walked every day and after a few weeks began applying for jobs
again. I was absolutely amazed when I was offered an even better job
because I ‘had excellent experience’. So … success can follow failure, even
for an old guy like me …

Speaker 2 It wasn’t until I was about 15 that my problems started to become more
apparent. I’ve learnt since that that’s often the case in girls. I’d always thought
I was just a bit shy and sensitive. But as I got older, I started to feel like I was
somehow different. All the people around me … of my age … seemed to be
able to just converse naturally and interact much more easily than I could. I
was always missing my opportunity to speak in a group, or misunderstanding
people. And I didn’t seem to be able to relate so much to others either – I felt
like I was sort of umm … living in a bubble. I gradually became more anxious
and less inclined to want to communicate with others in case they didn’t like
me or I said the wrong thing. It was such a relief when I got the diagnosis for
Asperger’s and realised there was a reason why I felt different. I no longer felt
alone. And since then I’ve developed strategies to manage my anxiety. I have
friends and I’m doing a college course. I’m not going to let anything hold me
back.
Speaker 3 When I told my parents, they were pretty gobsmacked. Of course, they were
absolutely delighted with my decision – they’ve always been very supportive
of me – but they admitted that they hadn’t seen it coming. You see, they both
grew up in working class families in the UK, and that meant they were
expected to leave school and go out and get a job fairly early in life. For
instance, my dad was working in the steel industry by the age of 18, and I
think my mum, and mum was errr … 17 when she started working in the
bakery. Being from a relatively deprived area of Glasgow, the majority of my
classmates had a similar attitude to that of their parents and grandparents.
None of them aspired to anything other than the life they had as a result of
their working-class upbringing. Luckily, I had the support of one particularly
inspirational teacher. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Speaker 4 It was eleven months after the accident that I got out of my wheelchair and
walked two steps. Two steps might sound like nothing but to me, it was like
climbing Everest. Until the accident, I’d been a fit 21-year-old, playing rugby
at quite a high level. I don’t remember clearly what happened, just that I was
running very fast when a player from the other team slammed full-force into
me and I went flying into the air. As I landed, I heard a sharp crack and my
body was flooded with an intense pain and then I lost consciousness. When I
woke up in hospital the surgeon told me that I had broken my back and that it
was unlikely that I would ever walk again. Well, thankfully I’m growing
stronger every day and the doctors now believe I’ll have a chance to become
fully mobile again.

Speaker 5 To be honest, I think my parents were more concerned about it at the time
than I was. It was mainly that they felt I would be adversely affected by the
disruption to my education. My dad worked for an international medical
charity and that meant we travelled a lot when I was growing up. I’ve actually
lived in seven different countries excluding Ireland, which I now regard as
home, but I only remember three well – Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Jordan. I
liked Jordan the best because it’s the country I lived in the longest but then
that was only for seven months. I loved it there though, I had friends there
and we’d play football out in the street together and we’d sometimes go to
social events in the evening. I felt part of the community …. for a while
anyway …That was the hardest thing really, having to say goodbye and move
on.
Listening 2

Presenter I’m talking to Jenna Davies, who runs her own company Adventure4All. So,
Jenna, you started your company, Adventure4All, last year, is that right?
Jenna Yes, it is. We’ve been going now for err… about fourteen months and it’s
been a really exciting experience – we’re growing and learning every day.
Presenter That’s great … your company, it offers … a very important, and relatively new
service to its clients, doesn’t it?
Jenna Yes, that’s right. As far as I know, we’re the only company of our type in the
area.
Presenter Mmm, and can you explain a bit more about what it is that you do at
Adventure4All?
Jenna Well, our job is very varied but our basic remit is to provide people who
wouldn’t usually be able to access outdoor activities – people with disabilities
and health conditions, the elderly, or those recovering from illness or injury –
to get out and participate in outdoor activities and adventure sports.
Presenter And by that you don’t just mean walking or being pushed around in a
wheelchair do you?
Jenna Not at all. Our aim as a company is to help people to test their boundaries, try
new things, and realize their potential regardless of their personal challenges,
level of fitness or ability. Anything goes with us. If you want to try something,
and it’s physically possible, and safe to attempt it, we’ll try to facilitate that. Of
course, everyone has their physical limits. It’s our job to work with each client
on an individual basis to determine realistic goals and work out how we’re
going to achieve them.
Presenter It sounds like an incredible opportunity. I mean, there can’t be many
organizations out there that give such a broad-ranging service.
Jenna Yes, as I said, I think we’re the only service provider of this type in our area,
and although for many businesses that would be a good thing – because
there would be less competition – we’re not like that. We hope to actively
encourage other businesses to join us in promoting sports for all. And I want
to stress as well that we’re a fully inclusive company. Although our focus is
people with reduced abilities, for whatever reason, or disabilities, we don’t
want to be labelled as ‘disabled only’. There are many great sports initiatives
which operate exclusively for disabled people, and that’s great, but in real life,
the world is full of people of all abilities. That’s why at Adventure4All, we invite
 able family members, carers and friends to join our clients – to share their
experiences, whether we’re doing a day of bush crafts and fire lighting,
canoeing, mountain biking, or climbing.
Presenter That sounds like a very good philosophy …
Jenna Yes. Having a disability shouldn’t lead to being separated from our able-
bodied family and friends. It means a lot to my clients to feel part of
something truly inclusive. In reality, even if society might say they’re ‘included’
they often feel excluded from the opportunities all of us tend to take for
granted.
Presenter You mentioned activities like climbing and canoeing. I assume your
instructors need to have a fair level of expertise in these areas.
Jenna Absolutely. We all have the latest qualifications in instruction, and also health
and safety, to ensure that we can deal with each person as an individual. For
example, in the water, some people might want to just paddle, others might
wade, swim or canoe. All of these activities are good for physical and mental
health. Safety is of paramount importance to us, especially considering that
some clients have limited control of their movements – they might be
paralysed, for instance, or have limited sensation in certain parts of their
bodies. So, they are perhaps more prone to injury or becoming cold or
dehydrated without noticing. When we’re in the water, we need to ensure that
people remain safe and don’t become hypothermic. Aside from the potential
dangers, we do want people to have fun and there’s nothing like a bad
experience outdoors to put people who are perhaps already lacking in self-
confidence off doing a similar activity in future. Our motto is manageable,
safe, and fun!
Presenter So, how you do get someone who is a wheelchair user, for example, climbing
or canoeing?
Jenna You would be surprised at how much specialist equipment there is nowadays
to help disabled people access adventure sports. Grants are available from
several organizations, making it possible for us to offer a very broad range of
activities. There are all sorts of special harnesses and lifts which help get
people in and out of canoes, onto bikes, or into climbing harnesses.
Sometimes we will be able to share a harness and help the person move,
other times they may be able to paddle an adapted canoe or ride a specially
designed bike themselves. Apart from all these adaptations and equipment, a
lot of the time we spend on encouragement and motivation. Many people,
whether they have a mental or physical disability, will suffer from low self-
esteem and reduced body confidence. Perhaps the most important part of our
job is to ensure that they finish the day exercised, relaxed, and feeling like
they want to come back and do it again. …
 FILE 3
Listening 1

Speaker 1 I can’t believe I managed to put up with living there for so long. It’s not as if I
had much of a choice at first. I mean … I was a student and I had very little
money for rent. I knew the flat was in a bit of a dodgy area, but some of my
friends lived nearby, and there was a great little takeaway at the end of the
street. At the time I thought the fact that it was really old gave it ‘character’ but
as time went on, I realized that there was virtually nothing in it that wasn’t
either broken, or about to break! I dread to think of how much of my phone bill
went on calling my landlord to ask him to fix the heating system… and the
lights, and the lock on the entrance door… Well, I didn’t even glance back
once I’d packed my stuff and gone out the door for the last time!

Speaker 2 I remember the first time I took Alannah out for a date. It’s funny to think there
was once a time when we didn’t know each other – we’ve been married for
over twenty years now! Anyway … never had I felt so nervous in my entire
life. Which surprised me a bit because I was generally quite confident, and I
would usually manage to find something to talk about with most people. But
that night, as we sat down in the restaurant … I couldn’t think of a thing to say
… and neither could she, it seemed. We sat in silence for what was probably
just a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. Then suddenly, a passing waiter
dropped a bottle of ketchup on our table! What a mess! It certainly gave us
something to laugh about, and from then on, we didn’t stop talking!

Speaker 3 My younger brother ended up studying at university in the same city as me.
And, although we lived in different areas, we’d try to meet up for dinner
around once a week. The problem was though, he was in his first year and
lived in the university halls of residence – when I visited him, I had to pay for a
meal at the canteen. But … I’d been there a couple of years longer and lived
in a flat so I’d cook him dinner. You’ve met my brother, so you know he’s
really tall. Well, I think at that age he was still growing. They obviously didn’t
feed him enough at the halls of residence because when he came to visit, he
was always so hungry! I had to do extra grocery shopping before he came
round. It cost me an absolute fortune, but I don’t think he ever noticed!
Speaker 4 I guess the reason Calum and I hadn’t got together before was that people
always say it isn’t a good idea to go out with your best friend. I can appreciate
the reasons why … you know … it might change your friendship … if you
break up, you’ll lose a friend, etc., etc. And I suppose deep down I couldn’t
know for sure that he felt the same. It wasn’t until he told me that he was
going for an interview in Ireland that I realized how devastated I’d be if he got
the job. I hadn’t anticipated the fact that it could all change in an instant and
he wouldn’t be there anymore. I knew I was risking our friendship, but I
realized then that if I didn’t tell him how I felt, I’d lose him anyway. So, I told
him … and luckily, he felt the same way!

Speaker 5 I definitely had a love-hate relationship with birthday parties when I was a kid.
Of course, I was always delighted to get an invitation and would be very
excited about the whole concept of it but, to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy
them. What often happened was that I’d manage to tolerate all the noise and
silly games to win tacky plastic prizes by looking forward to what, for me, was
the main event – the birthday buffet. That was always the thing I’d look
forward to most. There was always so much choice – all foods that I was only
ever given now and then as a treat – stuff that was either really sweet or
really fatty and salty – it was so exciting! But the reality was often quite
different from what I had imagined. By the time the cake was served, I was
often feeling like I was about to throw up!
Listening 2

Dr Chen Li Thank you, thanks … umm … So, I’m Chen Li, and I am a biogerontologist
…. um … in simpler terms, I’m a researcher studying the science of ageing.
And I’m going to talk about what we know about ageing, and how it is
informing our future research. It’s important, isn’t it? I mean, we’re all ageing,
right? Even those of us who are still very young. Well …. it’s true!
So, my colleagues and I have been very excited recently because … several
studies have now confirmed what many of us have suspected for some time:
that age really is nothing but a number.

It makes sense to us scientists, but generally it’s quite a tricky thing to get
your head around nevertheless because … traditionally, the concept of
biological age is thought to relate to the proportion of an individual’s estimated
average lifespan that has already passed. However, in the context of recent
studies, researchers have concluded that the measurement of age in terms of
years and the actual reality of how ‘old’ we are biologically can be quite
different.

It’s always been obvious that the rate of ageing varies between individuals.
By examining the participants and analysing a range of data collected from
both male and female volunteers, researchers on several studies, in various
parts of the world, have determined that the biological ages of the participants
can be years above or below their age. In fact, the results are actually quite
shocking.

After collecting data, including blood pressure, waist-hip ratio, lung and kidney
function, blood pressure, cholesterol, and general physical health from
participants, studies found that although all of them were the same
chronological age, they varied widely in biological age ranging between 28
years to 61 years.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the volunteers with older biological ages

demonstrated a faster pace of ageing. They therefore looked older and
reported more health problems than participants with lower biological ages.
They also exhibited poorer cognitive, or brain, function, strength, balance and
motor skills – basically, the ability to make accurate movements.

So, to sum up the findings, your chronological age – that is, the number of
years you have been alive does not necessarily present an accurate account
of how well you are ageing. Instead, a scientific analysis of biological age
which could identify any age-related changes in the body or mind could more
accurately predict an individual’s chances of developing an age-related
condition or disease.

So, why are these research discoveries about ageing significant? Well, we’re
all aware that growing older is a major risk factor for several debilitating
diseases. Ageing has always been considered an inevitable consequence of
life, caused by an underlying biological process, and influenced by a wide
range of both genetic and environmental factors.

As the global population becomes steadily older, there will be a

corresponding rise in the social, medical and economic costs to our society.
But … what these studies reveal is the possibility that, if ageing is governed
by biology, then the process could perhaps be biologically altered or slowed
in some way. By gaining a better understanding of the factors which
contribute to ageing, scientists could develop treatments and therapies which
could lead to improvements in age-related health.

A challenge for us biogerontologists is that the biomarkers of ageing – the

physical differences in a person’s genetic or physical make-up – that could
potentially be used to identify those at risk of age-related disease, have so far
proved difficult to find. Distinct physical differences do exist between older
and younger people, however, measuring these differences with any kind of
confidence is challenging as they can vary greatly from one person to the
next.

Unfortunately, basic age-related research of this type has been poorly funded
in the past, but as the amount of data on the subject increases, and the
potential financial and societal benefits become more widely understood by
investors, we are hopeful that we can secure more funding to advance our
studies. If we can discover more reliable bio-markers, we will be able to use
them to check the effectiveness of any new anti-ageing therapies.

Such research might be considered controversial by many, but we need to

look at the bigger picture. Of course, the idea of officially estimating biological
age will raise big questions both at an individual level – I mean, do you really
want to know how long you’re going to live? and for society as a whole – in
both the public and private sectors – what are the ethical implications of
monitoring an ageing population? But we should not avoid them. We need to
start a conversation about ageing now … we just might have the ability to
extend the healthy lifespan of the majority of the world’s population in the next
20 years. And that is progress …
 FILE 4
Listening 1

Speaker 1 It really frustrates me when sceptics dismiss climate change on the grounds
that it is just part of a natural cycle. The ‘natural changes’ argument is based
on the claim that the climate is still recovering from cooler temperatures
experienced during the Little Ice Age, which occurred between 1300 and
1850 AD, and that temperatures today are no higher than those of the
Medieval Warm Period from 900 to 1300 AD. The hole in this theory is that
neither of these temperature changes were global – they were regional,
affecting only small areas of the Earth. It’s a scientifically proven fact that in
the last 150 years, over 98% of the Earth’s surface has warmed significantly.
And this is the only time in history that the global climate has changed in the
same way at the same time …

Speaker 2 Training to be a medical doctor is a long and hard process. I spent the best
part of seven years at university and then went on to do my practical work in
the Accident and Emergency Department of a busy inner-city hospital. I guess
I sort of just got used to always being the student. You know, following
qualified doctors, surgeons and nurses around, and only doing procedures
and treatments when I was supervised. Basically, although I learned a great
deal, I’d never had to take full responsibility for a patient. After I graduated, I
was actually given a job in the A&E department where I’d been a student.
Things were going pretty well on my first day until an emergency case came
in … at one point in a moment of panic I shouted ‘Can we get a doctor in
here, please?’ The nurses just stared at me and then one of them said, ‘You
are the doctor’. It wasn’t until then that I finally realized I was, and it was now
my responsibility.
Speaker 3 An old friend of mine did this thing on social media recently – where someone
nominates you to post the front cover of a music album that has influenced
your life in some way. You do it each day for ten days without comment or
explanation. I used to share a flat with this guy, and we had mostly the same
taste in music. But there was this band he liked that really irritated me. And
they had one particular song which he used to play again and again which
drove me crazy (though I never had the heart to say anything). Anyway, as I
was scrolling through my social media, I saw they’d posted the album cover of
the band I disliked. Well … that was it – for the last few days it has been the
soundtrack to my life wherever I go, whatever I’m doing… I just can’t work out
how to switch it off!

Speaker 4 I’d never realized before I started learning to sail how difficult it would be. The
type of boat I’m learning to sail is steered by a tiller, which is essentially a
pole attached to the top of a rudder … that is ... a vertical, underwater blade,
which is moved left or right by the tiller to steer the boat. So … it turns out that
steering with a tiller takes a lot of practice. You see, it doesn’t work like a
steering wheel; if you want to turn left, you have to turn the tiller to the right
and vice versa. So basically, you constantly feel like you’re going the ‘wrong’
way … well actually for most of my lessons so far I have been going the
wrong way … Anyway, my tutor taught me the saying ‘Tiller towards trouble’,
to remind me to push or pull the tiller towards (not away from) another boat,
obstacle or potential danger. I still find it pretty scary! I think it’s going to be a
while before I can take the boat out on my own.

Speaker 5 I’ve been looking at examples of instinctive behaviour in animals for my

biology assignment. These include simple behavioural patterns, displayed
within a specific context or in response to a specific common stimulus. So
basically, it’s when an animal behaves in a certain way or performs a certain
action without pre-planning, and without learning from the situation after they
perform that action. For example, a mouse will scamper away and hide if a
light is switched on in a dark room – afterwards it won’t consider why it has
fled. … or … erm … another example – I have a dog … and she turns in two
or three circles before she lies down in her bed because – way back in time
her ancestors living in the wild would have done this to trample vegetation
before settling down to sleep. It’s basically a behaviour which occurs because
it is genetically programmed in all animals of that species.
Listening 2

Presenter … in the studio today we have Patrick who has managed to do something I
think we’d all like to do – release himself from the shackles of work and retire
at 40. Patrick, thanks for coming in today. …. Just to clarify– you’re … how
old?
Patrick I’ve just turned forty.
Presenter OK … and you have actually retired? Stopped working entirely?
Patrick Yes, I have. I … err… think a lot of people can’t really get their heads around
the concept of stopping work in their forties. I mean, the average retirement
age is er, I think at the moment is 60 for women, and 65 for men, but there’ll
be many people who work far longer than that…
Presenter Uh-huh, I think most people accept that’s just the way it is. You get a job, you
work for forty to fifty years, and then you retire and live off any pension or
savings you might have at the end of it.
Patrick Umm, I just couldn’t imagine doing that.
Presenter So, what made you start thinking about retiring early? Did you have any
incredibly high-paid job? A rich uncle? Where did the idea come from?
Patrick Well, I did have a relatively well-paid job – as an accountant, but that was
only what brought me to the solution – working out how I could retire early – it
didn’t give me the financial stability to do it.
Presenter OK, I’m intrigued … so you’re saying anyone could … theoretically does it not
matter what their salary is?
Patrick Well, technically yes but it really depends on what your vision of a happy,
retirement is. You see, I did the accounts for a lot of very wealthy people. I
spent all my time working out what they spent and what their profits were. I
realized that it’s all relative – the more you want in terms of material
possessions … you know, a fancy mansion house, a luxury yacht, designer
clothes, parties, expensive holidays – the more you need to earn in order to
maintain that lifestyle. Obviously, if you earn less but you’re happy with that,
your lifestyle will be more modest. Not everyone could manage it though. I’m
aware that I’m one of the more privileged people who has had opportunities in
life – to be able to go to university, get a good job, make choices about my
situation …
Presenter Mmm, yes, that’s a good point. But no doubt many of our listeners are at
home right now thinking, ‘I’d like to do that’. How much money do you actually
need in order to retire?
Patrick I’d say twenty-five times your annual expenditure. If you can save that, you
could potentially achieve financial independence and never have to work
again.
Presenter I can imagine it takes a fair bit of effort on your part, achieving that goal,
doesn’t it?
Patrick Absolutely, only a lottery win, or unexpected inheritance from a super-rich
relative, will get you the sort of instant release from financial burden that we
all dream about. It’s ironic really but you have to work hard, really hard in
order to retire early too.
Presenter What does that mean though, in terms of commitment … say… if I wanted to
retire, what proportion of my annual salary would I need to save, and how
long would it take me?
Patrick OK, so you’d need to be willing to reduce your spending and save money. For
example, if you are able to save 50% of your salary, it would take you
approximately 19 years to achieve financial independence.
Presenter So, if I started today with no savings it’d take me less than twenty years?
Patrick Yes. And if you could get your savings up to 75% a year, you’d only have to
work another seven years until retirement.
Presenter Wow! How long did it take you?
Patrick Erm, 17 years and three months. I started saving when I was twenty-three. I
hadn’t been working that long after graduating from university.
Presenter So, you managed to save over half of your salary then. How did you do it?
Patrick Well, it takes a lot of discipline. I was lucky that I only had a small apartment
at the time so I didn’t own loads of stuff. And that’s the way I tried to keep it. I
only bought what I actually needed, and if I found that I wasn’t using
something much, I sold it. There are plenty of online auction sites where you
can sell your old stuff – someone always wants it for some reason.
Presenter So, you adopted a kind of minimalist lifestyle then?
Patrick Yes, but also frugal. You know, I only bought things second-hand or borrowed
things. I didn’t buy a TV – I still don’t own a TV – because I can watch TV on
my tablet. I don’t buy books because I can go to the library and get them for
free. Also, my apartment had a small garden so I grew a lot of my own food. It
wasn’t a large space but you’d be surprised how much you can grow if you
put a little bit of effort in. Anyway … little by little, my savings increased and
my bank balance started to look pretty healthy. It just encouraged me to keep
going …
 FILE 5
Listening 1

Speaker 1 I knew we were pushing it, but we were just having such a nice time, and we
really hadn’t been to any big social events since our two-year old was born –
certainly not. So … there we were at the wedding reception and it was two
hours later than our daughter’s usual bedtime. We kept saying to each other,
we’ll go in a minute or two but then someone would come over and want to
hold her and have a wee dance. Of course, she was loving all the attention,
but I could see her starting to get a sort of ‘wild’ look in her eyes. Just as we
were about to leave, she went over to the buffet table and tugged the
tablecloth, and a paper plate of sandwiches slid off the table and onto the
floor. Poor thing, she just absolutely lost it and started screaming and
stamping on the sandwiches! She was just so over-tired, and it was our fault
for keeping her up so late. I felt awful about it!

Speaker 2 You’ve heard me talk about Alastair, haven’t you? The guy we know who’s a
plumber? Well, the first time I met him, I must say, I found him a pretty
imposing character. He’s really tall and he has this deep booming voice that
almost shakes the room … Well, I always chuckle when I think of how I
stopped feeling wary of him – he’d been working on our heating system, and
you know … there was this massive hole in the kitchen floor … he came in
one morning and, just as he was about to get into the hole, our cat came
shooting up out of it and whizzed past his head. Never have I heard such a
shriek –from Alastair, not the cat! He’d got such a fright poor guy, I had to
make him a cup of tea to help him recover!

Speaker 3 As you know, a colleague and I have been working really hard together on a
computer system which is designed to make the department documents
easier to access and share. It was all quite technical to design and set up but
once we got it up and running earlier this week, we called in our line manager
to check it out. She seemed fairly impressed with it and asked a lot of
questions... Then today in the staff meeting, the company director came in
and thanked our line manager for ‘developing’ the new computer system. Well
… she just nodded and said thank you when everyone clapped for her. I felt
absolutely livid, but I couldn’t say anything. We just both had to sit there in
angry silence while she stole all the credit!
Speaker 4 I’ve known my in-laws for twenty years now and I don’t think they actually
mean to be, but they’re pretty, what I’d call ‘hyper-critical’. You know, if they
disapprove of something, they can’t just let it pass, they have to ‘comment’ on
it. And I don’t think my house is dirty at all, but theirs is so clean that it does
make me feel like I have to scrub the whole house from top-to-bottom before
they arrive... So, anyway, I know they have to visit now and then, and I put up
with it but I still get that weird sensation when I actually hear they’ve set a
date for a visit.

Speaker 5 I don’t really consider myself that inspirational, so I was really surprised when
I got an email from an old colleague from years back. We worked together
around a decade ago and we’d got on really well, but I hadn’t heard from him
since then. So, you can imagine my surprise when I opened my inbox and
saw his name attached to one of the emails. He was writing to ‘thank’ me for
encouraging him to travel abroad. You see, when we met, he’d never been
abroad, but he was a curious guy and we used to talk about travelling quite a
bit. Anyway, it turned out that he had applied for a job in Japan and loved it –
learned the language and met his wife. I was so delighted. It brightened up
what had been an otherwise very ordinary day.
Listening 2

Presenter Now, let’s move on to a topic that’s everywhere at the moment: self-
improvement – the idea that if you tell yourself enough times that something
great will happen, it will … that is … as long as you believe it’s possible. Here
to tell us more is psychologist and researcher Leah Barraldo. … Leah, this
eternal optimism is all very well if you’re a generally very positive person, or if
you have the time to dedicate to it. You know, read all those pop psychology
books and self-improvement blogs, attend classes and seminars in
mindfulness and positive thinking …
Leah Yes!
Presenter But what about people like me – the ones who tend to see the glass as half
empty rather than half full? Should I be worrying I’m not taking advantage of
all the help out there to see the positive side of things?
Leah Umm … there is a large body of evidence to support the advantages of
positive thinking, particularly on mental health and well-being. But, is being
pessimistic always such a bad thing? Actually, no, it isn’t. In fact, the latest
research suggests that some forms of pessimism actually have significant
benefits.
Presenter Phew! I was hoping you’d say that! I guess with all this talk about positivity
and optimism, there isn’t as much will to consider the opposite, is there?
Leah Yes, you’re right to a certain extent … although us scientists do like to explore
all options … it’s just that not all of our theories become popular and
mainstream – that’s very much down to the media and how it influences
public opinion … You see, pessimism gets a bit of a bad press – we tend to
think that if we should all be aiming for optimism, pessimism – being the
opposite – is somehow ‘bad’ or undesirable. But pessimism isn’t just about
negative thinking, it includes a focus on future outcomes, and that can
actually have a beneficial impact on your prospects of happiness, health and
success in the long-term.
Presenter That sounds interesting …
Leah Yes, it is. Research in the field of personality science has revealed that while
optimists will, for the most part, predict positive outcomes, pessimists are
more likely to anticipate negative outcomes.
Presenter That’s not good really though, is it?
Leah Initially it doesn’t seem so but there is a particular type of pessimism, that we
psychologists call ‘defensive pessimism’, which takes this negative mode of
 thinking to a whole new level. A defensive pessimist can actually harness
their pessimism as a means to achieving their goals. Research has shown
that not only is this effective, it can also bring some rather unexpected
rewards … and that’s all without the pressure and fear of failure that an
optimist might experience because a pessimist doesn’t necessarily ‘expect’ a
reward. It’s important, however, to distinguish this form of defensive
pessimism from the main form of pessimism, which is definitely
counterproductive as it involves blaming oneself for negative outcomes or
perceived underachievement.
Presenter Yes, of course. That’s really important. I’m intrigued, can you tell us more
about what sort of benefits you can expect to get out of this defensive
pessimism?
Leah Well, a really positive one is that it can be used as a strategy to overcome
anxiety, or at least to alleviate its effects. You see, anxiety might otherwise
make you want to run in the opposite direction from your goal rather than
pursue it. But the crucial factor in defensive pessimism is that setting low
expectations – like expecting to fail an exam or be rejected following a job
interview, can work in your favour. You can use defensive pessimism to
anticipate all the details of the worst-case scenario. This preparation helps us
to develop a plan of action to ensure that any predicted mishaps don’t actually
happen in the real-life situation. Ermm, simple things like identifying any weak
points in your knowledge and revising carefully for an exam, or … anticipating
and then rehearsing interview questions beforehand, planning how you’ll get
somewhere early to avoid the stress of being late…
Presenter Mmm … sounds like a good strategy.
Leah Yes, and the benefits extend to performance. One study I read recently
showed that defensive pessimists performed poorly on a series of puzzles
when prompted to be in a good mood. Yet when researchers put them in a
bad mood by instructing them to imagine negative outcomes, their
performance in the tasks was significantly better. Pessimism can also be
significantly more beneficial than optimism in situations where you have no
ability to influence the outcome. If the outcome turns out to be negative, the
optimists will experience greater disappointment than the pessimist who
would have ‘prepared for the worst’. Basically, while optimists tend to either
neglect to anticipate problems, or use avoidance strategies in order to cope
with them, defensive pessimists are able to use their negative expectations to
motivate themselves to take action and gain some control over potential
negative outcomes. Ultimately, I guess it’s just what you do with your own
pessimism that matters…
 FILE 6
Listening 1

Speaker 1 So, anyway … I went over a bump and there was this sudden loud hiss and I
felt the pressure in my front tyre go down. I realized immediately what it was.
I’d bought one of those little kits with me in my bag, along with my snacks, air
pump, and a few plasters in case I fell off. Getting the outer tyre off was the
trickiest part as it’s quite thick but once that was off, I could see that the inner
tube had a hole in it. You take the patch and use this special super-strength
glue to fix it over the hole. Then you wait for a few minutes ’til it’s fixed, then
bend the inner tube back inside the tyre, replace the tyre, and pump it up. I
was on my way within minutes!

Speaker 2 Before I owned my own home, I didn’t even realize how much maintenance
I’d have to do. I’m fairly practical so when I first noticed the heating wasn’t
working as efficiently, I looked the problem up on the internet. Once I’d
established what was wrong, I had to search my house for the key. It’s
specially designed so if you don’t have one, it makes the job much trickier.
Once you have the key, it’s really easy. It was much easier than I’d expected
– you simply place the specially designed key over the valve in the top corner
and turn it until you hear the air hiss out. But you have to be prepared, once
the air’s gone out, it’ll be followed by a black liquid and you don’t want that
going all over you and the floor. I hold a towel around the hand I’m using to
turn the key, that way I can avoid spillage, especially if the liquid inside is hot.

Speaker 3 It took me ages to actually get the back off – it was so tightly fastened – I
guess because it was new. In fact, I have to admit, I actually dropped it once
and it banged on the floor. You know they tend to loosen off once you’ve
done it a few times .... I thought I had broken it but luckily it was fine! Anyway,
once I got the back off, it looked a bit different inside from my previous one. I
found the clip where the card should go but I couldn’t open that either at first.
In the end, I had to use a little bit of bent wire from my tool kit to open it up.
Then I was able to slot the tiny card in behind it and clip it back into place and
put the back on again ….
Speaker 4 It’s my favourite job actually. I can’t really explain why, I guess because it’s a
process which ends with everyone, me especially, having fun. And I’m from
Greece too so it’s second nature to me – it’s something we do a lot there, so I
learned how to do everything from an early age … by watching my father at
first and then being allowed to do bits myself once I was a bit older. The
whole process takes several hours, it starts with getting the charcoal together.
Once I’ve lit the charcoal, I have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t
burn too fiercely, you can’t have flames – you have to wait until the flames die
down before you put anything on it because otherwise …

Speaker 5 It hadn’t been long since we’d had them all put in, so I was really surprised
when they stopped working. What happened was, I walked into the hallway,
switched the switch, there was a sudden flash as though they were about to
go on and then I was plunged into darkness! I was really worried it was a
serious electrical fault, so I called the electrician. He explained that the
sockets are all connected and if one of the bulbs in the chain is faulty, the
others can’t connect so they all go off. I was so relieved! I had some spares
so I got my stepladder out, so I could reach. It was pretty tricky in the dark – I
had to remove each one in turn to find the one that was broken – but I
managed with a considerable amount of effort and I eventually got them
working again. I was quite proud of myself actually!
Listening 2

Speaker Thank you so much… Now … I’m sure you’ll all agree that we live in a society
that believes in ‘techno-solutionism’, that is, we’re conditioned to believe in a
future where high-tech innovations will solve all our problems and create a
world where everything is better: faster, smarter, more energy-efficient. There
will be all manner of novel gadgets and systems: smart technology, driverless
electric cars, renewable energy systems powering everything and so on and
so on. Society tells us that we humans are smart, and we will keep
revolutionizing the world with our limitless intellect and smart innovations, find
solution after solution and save the planet! Public faith in this high-tech
progress has been a driving force for technological innovation since the
Industrial Revolution. We have, until really quite recently in history, carried on
with ‘progress’, blissfully unaware of the extent to which the Earth’s finite
natural resources have already been exploited. We can’t simply continue to
take and take because they will – all of them – run out.

So, we urgently have to ask: can we really resolve issues such as pollution,
habitat loss, and climate change which were caused by our pursuit of
industrial and technological progress using industry and technology? Or will
we just be adding to our problems?

One of the biggest challenges we face as a society is that the negative

consequences of our reliance on technology are not necessarily evident in
our everyday lives. For instance, as an internet user, I cannot see the
immense data centres which allow me to access a seemingly infinite amount
of information online. Those centres use vast amounts of energy, and most of
it is derived from the burning of fossil fuels. So, next time you go to post a
tweet or watch a funny ‘cat video,’ try and bear this in mind. I see some of you
are looking a bit shocked at that … but it proves my point all the more – we
are so conditioned to our high-tech lifestyles we don’t give our actions a
second thought.

Much of the issue arises from the immense inequality of our world. Here in
the developed world, we have very little understanding of the impact of our
capitalist, technology-led system. And that’s mainly down to the fact that the
products we use are made in developing countries, and those developing
countries therefore bear the negative impact. Let me give you a few
examples: the textile industry has resulted in serious levels of toxic pollution
in waterways in India; the extraction of rare-earth elements in China, and …
er silver in South America … and diamonds in Africa. We are relying on
cheap labour, often conducted under terrible working conditions by grossly
underpaid workers. And all to get things that either we don’t need or – in the
case of technology such as mobile phones – will use and discard when the
next model becomes available. We’re operating under the illusion that a
never-ending increase in production will sustain our capitalist lifestyles,
forgetting the reality that the resources we are so used to having will soon be
gone.

Let me give a more specific example of how technology might not necessarily
be the answer to our problems: renewable energy. It’s touted as a solution to
sustainably meeting the world’s growing energy demands, but how realistic is
it in practice? Unfortunately, it isn’t …. because solar panels, wind turbines,
and electric batteries contain rare metals which are not renewable. Therefore,
a massive and continuous increase in the production of renewable energy
technologies is not possible. What about recycling? Well, it seems to be a
logical solution, until you hear the reality – almost 99% of the essential small
metal components in technology cannot be recycled because they’re mixed
up with other materials such as plastics or dyes. You start to see the problem,
don’t you? I won’t go into detail regarding the total capacity of renewable
energy sources, but basically, we just can’t generate enough renewable
electricity to simply switch over from fossil fuels.

The only solution is to reduce our energy consumption, and that means also
reducing our reliance on technology. In simple terms, we need to turn away
from the idea that high-tech will save us and start finding low-tech solutions.
Warning: this will be neither easy nor popular. To be successful, it will require
a massive shift in our perceptions … society’s perceptions … of what life
should be like. Every one of us must evaluate our life and determine how we
will live without fossil fuels. Prior to industrialization, every complex society —
the Romans, Egyptians, Mayans and Mesopotamians — had about a ten-to-
one ratio of food growers to craft specialists. We won’t have to go back to this
ratio, but we will undoubtedly need to spend a large proportion of our week
growing and preserving food, and we will have to develop low-tech industries,
which produce only sustainable products required at local level. It might
sound extreme, but it really is necessary … Our solution must be long-term
and sustainable into the distant future …
FILE 7
Listening 1

Speaker 1 I think it’s really important to take all of the details surrounding the committing
of a crime into consideration. There could be a wide variety of factors
contributing to the circumstances which drive a person to commit a crime –
whether it’s a deliberate act or a sudden unexpected reaction or overreaction
to an event. Where I grew up, there’s a lot of poverty and deprivation, people
grow up in some pretty poor living conditions, they don’t necessarily have
access to good quality education, health care and social work services. There
are very limited opportunities for people in some parts of the country. I’m not
saying it’s an excuse to go out and commit a crime … but it must … in many
cases contribute to the reasons why an individual might find themselves on
the wrong side of the law. What I mean is, I hope the authorities think about a
person’s personal circumstances before they punish them too harshly.

Speaker 2 I think it’s a great idea. I’ve seen them going about in my neighbourhood.
They’re quite distinctive wearing their high-visibility gear and there’s often a
sign that explains to the public what they’re doing. There are a lot of things
that wouldn’t get done around here if it wasn’t for them ... Some of my friends
would disagree – they say they feel intimidated and nervous when they’re
around doing their jobs in the community. One even said she was concerned
they would be, you know, checking out her house to see if it looked worth
burgling – but I think that’s just ignorance and paranoia. They deserve a
second chance, and what better way to set things right than by giving
something back to your local area.

Speaker 3 I know some people say it’s a waste of time but as a former prison officer, I
completely disagree. When I first started my job, the conditions inside prisons
were really quite basic and there wasn’t much for the inmates to do at all.
Boredom, along with thoughts and feelings related to the crimes they had
committed – shame, fear, remorse … it would all build up and the frustrations
that resulted from it would lead to all sorts of problems. Unrest and
aggression in the prison, mental health issues and serial offending after
prisoners were released were all common. Once things started to improve
and there were better resources, an increasingly diverse programme of
therapy, education and work experience activities was introduced. In my
 experience, they had a very positive effect. Instead of just ‘doing time’,
prisoners were given the opportunity to take a new pathway – go in a
direction which moved them away from crime towards a different, more
fulfilling life.

Speaker 4 Personally, I’m not comfortable with the idea of monitoring people’s every
movement. I feel uncomfortable – from a human rights perspective – with the
concept of watching people. However, I do acknowledge that for security
reasons – especially in the case of high security prisons – it’s probably
justified. The systems they have now are incredibly complex, in fact an
acquaintance of mine who installs them says there’s virtually nowhere that
can’t be covered. Of course, that means you have to employ someone to
watch the screens all the time … I suppose the converse of the argument is
that if there is any kind of questionable incident, the footage can be reviewed
rather than just relying on eye witnesses. Crimes can also happen in prisons,
and it’s not always the inmates that commit them …

Speaker 5 I know a lot of people think that the system introduces an element of freedom
for prisoners who have fairly long sentences, but perhaps aren’t considered
enough of a danger to the public to stay locked up. The problem is that
there’s a stigma attached – people will judge you regardless of the fact that
they might know absolutely nothing about the crime you committed or the
circumstances surrounding it. You’re allowed to get a job – if you can – but
you have that constant reminder on your physical person at all times of the
day and night. I try to wear clothing that keeps it covered up, but I’ve seen
people catch a glimpse of it – their expression momentarily changes – they’ve
realized, and they’ve judged you in an instant even if they didn’t mean to. I
sometimes wonder if it’d be best to serve my time inside and just wait to come
out unfettered ...
Listening 2

Presenter … when it comes to relationships, romantic ones often tend to grab the
spotlight. Yet a quick glance in the self-help aisle of any bookshop will reveal
literally dozens of books giving tips and advice on friendship. We’ve brought
in psychologist Lotte Valentjin to give us a bit more insight into how it all
works. Lotte, you have a specific interest in friendship, don’t you? Why is
that?
Lotte Well, during my career as a clinical psychologist – in both practice and
research – I’ve learned something which may come as a surprise to many
listeners: it’s actually our relationships with friends that seem to make up the
majority of the highs and lows we experience in our lives, and … that’s
because … in some ways, they affect our daily well-being to an even greater
extent than our closer, family relationships do.
Presenter That’s really interesting, Lotte. I mean, I know I value my friendships, … a
couple of friends in particular, but I hadn’t expected you to say that …
Lotte Uh-huh, that tends to be everyone’s first reaction, and I guess that’s because
it’s family we see every day regardless of what we’re doing in life. But there’s
strong scientific evidence that friendships play a big part in determining our
overall happiness. And that’s where my deeper interest in friendship comes
from. There are so many benefits to be derived from friendship, but it really
isn’t that easy to negotiate all the ‘bumps in the road’ that come along with it
either. Despite their vital importance, true, meaningful friendships in
adulthood can be much harder to make and maintain than they were during
childhood and adolescence.
Presenter Why is that, Lotte? Is it simply that we’re just too busy in our adult lives?
Lotte Basically, yes. That, and the fact that our emotional reserve – you know, that
extra store of mental strength we have to deal with everyday problems and
stresses in relationships, is often used up by family issues, and work. We
have a lot going on these days …
Presenter … but if you’re sitting at home wondering what to do about a friendship, how
to make one, or break one, Lotte will be taking your calls later on the usual
number. Meanwhile, what can we do generally to develop positive, long-
standing friendships?
Lotte Firstly, value the importance of friendship … give it a special place in your life.
This is especially relevant given the importance of friends in maintaining a
healthy life.
Presenter Oh really, you mean physical health as well as mental?
Lotte Yes, absolutely. It might surprise you to learn that poor-quality social support
is the health-risk equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes per day. And, studies
also show having supportive friendships in your 20s is a reliable predictor that
you’ll still be alive at 70. That’s because nourishing friendships actually boost
your immune system, reducing your vulnerability to various chronic health
conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety disorders.
Presenter So there’s no point maintaining a gym membership but putting off having
lunch with a friend?
Lotte Absolutely! The fact is, once you reach adulthood, it gets much harder to
make new friends because you no longer have the proximity you had to a
wide range of peers like you did in your school, college or university. And
once you’ve left those environments, it is common (and natural) that some
friendships will fade away when life transitions shift the relationship. Any
number of factors cause this — a geographical move, a new job, a marriage,
having kids … then later in life, retirement, health issues, divorce or
bereavement, they all affect your friendships to an extent. Inevitably many of
us end up ‘going it alone’ for a while after a major life transition.
Presenter Yes, and there’s that feeling too — you’re well … I guess you’d describe it as
ashamed — of the fact that we don’t seem to have many … or even any
friends anymore ... I’ve been there …
Lotte Yes, and yet it’s a problem which virtually everyone goes through at some
point. It has nothing to do with who you are as an individual ... the best way to
get through a transition period like this is to take it as a logistical challenge to
be overcome, not as an embarrassment. Making new friends takes effort. And
the reality is: you will experience some failed attempts. You wouldn’t expect to
marry the first person you ever dated, would you? So, if a friendship doesn’t
work out, don’t take it personally. But equally, if you really like someone,
accept a few minor misdemeanours. No one’s perfect and we all make
mistakes sometimes. Be assertive but forgiving. Put problems behind you and
hit the town together! Each and every failed attempt gives you a little more
insight into how you can refine your search and find a friendship that works
well. A common issue that people get trapped in with making new friends is
the small-talk stage. Where you can chat fairly easily but the conversation
never really gets past that first, superficial level.
FILE 8
Listening 1

Speaker 1 It’s an art form for me, you know. Everyone tends to assume that I’ve always
been a chef, but that isn’t the case. I did four years at art college, but my love
of food just gradually took over. It started when I worked in a restaurant
kitchen in my second year of university during the Edinburgh Festival. It was
my job to ‘plate up’, basically put the food on the plates. The thing is, the
chefs had to keep getting on at me for taking too long. Yes, it’s a precision
business, but apparently, I was too ‘creative’, taking my time to arrange every
dish. Now I have my own restaurant, making aesthetically pleasing dishes is
my speciality. I don’t paint anymore – the plate is my canvas.

Speaker 2 You can’t always rely on your first impressions. Living in Japan several years
ago was a real eye-opener for me. The food was so different from anything I’d
ever tasted before and I enjoyed trying new things. Anyway, my colleagues
had been going on about this food called ‘natto’ – I was intrigued and asked if
I could try some. Well, when they brought in this little dish full of light brown
mushy stuff, I was horrified by its appearance … and the smell! They all
laughed at my reaction – it was so pungent, almost overpoweringly
unpleasant to my untrained nostrils! Although I didn’t like the look or smell, I
politely nibbled a bit, found it was an absolute taste sensation and wolfed the
rest down! Back home now, when I say my favourite food is natto, a paste
made from fermented soy beans, people usually just give me a blank stare –
they don’t know what they’re missing!

Speaker 3 People are generally quite shocked when they see my garden. You see, it’s
really small – only about six metres by ten. If you have that sort of space in a
city, you’d usually just get some stylish garden furniture and a few pots of
flowers, but mine is … well … a bit different. I’ve put in literally thousands of
exotic and unusual plants and flowers, palm trees, cacti – if they can grow
here, they’ll get a space. It’s all about perception – you’d think that if you filled
a small space with plants, it’d look smaller but with some clever arrangement,
you can make pathways and secluded areas. The whole space opens up and
appears much larger. People say when they step into my garden it seems like
they’re stepping into another world – I love that!
Speaker 4 For me, a big part of gardening is that it stimulates the senses, sight, touch,
smell and taste. As a family, we grow a large proportion of our own food. We
have over twenty varieties of fruit in tree and bush form, we grow vegetables,
and salad greens as well as some more exotic types that you just can’t get in
the supermarkets. We also have flowers for pollinating insects and bees. We
spend most of our time in a very sensory-rich environment. I feel that’s vital
for my children’s development.

Speaker 5 It might seem like an odd choice of activity for someone who has lost their
sight. When I first told my family and friends I was considering it, they were
supportive, but also concerned. Climbing is considered a dangerous sport but
assuming you have the right gear, and a suitably experienced guide, the risk
is fairly minimal. As someone who had not always been blind, losing my sight
almost plunged me into depression but then I got to thinking … perhaps I
could use it as an opportunity to appreciate some of my other senses. Many
people think climbers do it for the danger element – you know – the
adrenaline rush of doing something daring. But for me, it’s the feeling in my
fingertips. I can feel every crack and bump in the rock, the temperature of it,
the little plants that grow on it. It’s a pretty intense sensory experience for me,
extremely therapeutic.

 
Listening 2

Elodie So, what got you into growing your own food, Pedro?
Pedro Well, I read a newspaper article a couple of years ago and realized that the
fruit and vegetables I’d been buying in the supermarkets weren’t actually
delivering the health benefits I thought they were. It seemed like
supermarkets had a fair variety of fresh produce, and although I’m not a
vegetarian, I tried to make sure I ate a lot of vegetables in line with all the
latest health advice. But this article … it said that in this country,
supermarkets only stock about 175 varieties of fruit and vegetable.
Elodie That actually sounds like quite a lot to me.
Pedro Well, yes, I suppose it does until you put it into the wider context – the world
has literally thousands of edible fruit species, each with its own unique set of
health benefits and nutrients. Yet we’re only consuming a tiny proportion of
that. That’s a missed opportunity if ever there was one. It might sound a bit
dramatic, but it was a real eye-opener for me. I realized I could grow a much
greater variety myself simply by buying seeds. And then I started looking into
how fruit and vegetables are mass produced for supermarkets, and what I
discovered was really quite shocking. Like, the use of chemical-based
pesticides. There are regulations which claim to ensure that the sprayed fruit
can be safely consumed, but the sheer number of different types of chemicals
that are supposed to be ‘safe for human consumption’ is staggering. Apples
are apparently one of the most-sprayed fruit - some varieties are coated in up
to fourteen different substances! Citrus fruit and soft fruits also come to us
coated in a kind of chemical cocktail. The more you read about it, the less
appetizing it all sounds.
Elodie Yuck, I get your point. Of course, there’s an increasing range of organic
vegetables on offer – I guess in response to customer demand – but not
everyone can afford to shop organic, can they?
Pedro No, and then whether your fruit and veg is organic or not, it’s likely to lack
flavour. It’s relatively common for people to say they don’t like a particular fruit
or veg because it’s bland, watery, or even bitter. Others complain that the
texture is mushy and unpleasant, and actually they’re right. One of the
reasons for the wateriness and lack of flavour is that so many products are
grown hydroponically, meaning their roots are submerged in water rather than
soil. They may never actually see natural daylight. What you’re getting is a
nutritionally inferior product. It might look good, but it really isn’t. And it’s
 probably been sitting in a refrigerator for days too which further destroys its
nutritional value.
Elodie Mmm, I’ve heard hydroponic growing is becoming increasingly popular
because it can produce high crop yields in a shorter space of time, but I
hadn’t appreciated that it could be to the detriment of the quality of the
product. Have you noticed a big difference in flavour since growing your own
fruit and veg?
Pedro Well, I’d be lying if I told you it was always superior – I’ve had some epic
fails… but honestly? Overall, there’s absolutely no comparison. Once you’ve
grown and tasted one of your own tomatoes, you’ll never want to buy one of
these pre-packed, watery ones again! And cucumbers … well… I have to say,
I absolutely hated them until a friend came round and gave me a plant he’d
grown from seed. I was secretly horrified, but I thanked him and popped it at
the back of the greenhouse. Several weeks later it was laden with little green
cucumbers. I tried to resist but curiosity eventually got the better of me and I
tasted one – it was a revelation. Nothing at all like what I’d expected. I grow
them every year now.
Elodie So what is it that makes the flavour so much better?
Pedro Ummm … the growing process involves multiple chemical reactions which are
constantly occurring within the plant. Even small adjustments to these can
make a massive difference to the productivity of the plant, as well as the size
and flavour of its fruit. I did some research and it’s pretty mind-blowing. All
fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars, and also flavour compounds,
which are made up of combinations of certain chemicals and trace elements
usually derived from the soil – you know, things like iron, magnesium, zinc,
selenium …. Anyway, you can actually influence the amount of sugar or
flavour you get in a fruit or veg by adopting various interesting techniques and
basically tricks. For instance, if you grow your strawberries in a red pot, they
will ‘sense’ that there is competition from surrounding plants and actually
increase their sugar production! It sounds strange, but it works – I do it
myself.
Elodie That’s incredible …
Pedro It’s about survival – the plant needs its fruit to be eaten by birds so it has to
ensure it’s tasty and attractive to them. If it isn’t eaten, it’s seeds won’t be
dispersed in other areas….