Files 1&2

Oxfam

Hi, I’m Louise, and this is Oxford. Oxford is a beautiful city that’s most famous for its historic
university. But there’s a lot more to Oxford than just an old University. The city is also the
birthplace of another world-famous organisation: Oxfam – a charity that has been helping people in
need since the 1940s.

The Oxford Committee for Famine relief was set up in 1942. The charity, which soon became known
as Oxfam, encouraged people to donate food and clothing to help the peopl e of Europe who were
suffering during the Second World War.

The British people were very generous and after the end of the war, Oxfam continued to raise
money to relieve suffering caused by wars and disasters around the world.

This is the Oxfam shop at 17 Broad Street, Oxford, a small shop on one of Oxford’s busiest streets. In
1947, this shop became the first permanent charity shop in the UK – and it’s still going strong today.

Charity shops are great when you haven’t got much money and you need to give your credit cards a
rest. They are full of cheap second-hand clothes, books, music, and many other things that people
have donated. For someone like me they are the perfect place for a low-cost shopping spree. And,
most importantly, none of the money you spend here is ever wasted – it all goes to support a very
good cause.

Today Oxfam has more than 1,200 charity shops all over the world, and 750 of them are in the UK.

Today I’m meeting Joan Massey, who has volunteered at Oxfam for 15 years, since she retired.

'What kind of things do people donate?'

'Well, mostly clothes, household goods, and, er, some years ago there was a donkey donated. Er, it
had a tag around its neck saying ‘I’m for sale’ and it had been sold within ten minutes. '

Oxfam has changed a lot in seventy years and the small charity that started in this tiny shop now has
its headquarters here – just outside Oxford on the Cowley Road. Today Oxfam is an international
charity working in more than 92 countries around the world and helping over 15 million people
every year.

This is the headquarters of Oxford GB, the British division of Oxfam. About 700 staff work here, but
Oxford GB also employs almost 6,000 employees working in 70 different countries.

Oxfam does amazing work around the world, and none of it would be possible without the help of its
volunteers, the generosity of individuals donating money and goods to the charity, and even people
like me who love shopping for bargains!

© Oxford University Press English File third edition – Intermediate

Files 3&4
Boris Bikes
Hi, I’m Jack Foster and I’m a Londoner. I love my city. I think it is one of the most exciting cities in the
world.

I enjoy driving, but I almost never drive in London. For one thing it's too expensive – you have to pay
a congestion charge to drive in Central London. And if you do drive in the city, you spend most of
your time stuck in traffic, and parking is even more expensive than petrol. So, I always get around
the city by public transport.

London has a great bus network and the Tube is the oldest underground system in the worl d, but it
definitely isn’t the cheapest. Public transport in London is much more expensive than in many other
cities. Luckily, since 2010 there’s been a cheaper alternative to the buses, Tube, and cars in London –
and it’s a healthier alternative, too.

This is London Waterloo, the busiest railway station in Britain. And right next to the train station is
this… one of the many Cycle Hire docking stations around London.

At each of these stations you can borrow a bike for making short journeys around the cit y. About
3,000 people hire bikes from here every week. Londoners nicknamed these bikes ‘Boris Bikes’ after
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London when the scheme started. You have to pay a small fee to join
the scheme, but then you can borrow a bike for up to 30 minutes for free. The bike-sharing scheme
has proved popular both with commuters and visitors to the city.

Of course London isn’t the only city with a bike-sharing scheme, and it isn’t a new idea. There have
been schemes around since the 1960s, but, with new technology like GPS, cash cards, and
smartphones, local authorities have been able to make the schemes more secure and much easier to
use. There are now bike-sharing schemes in over 165 cities around the world, with more starting up
all the time. Some of the most successful schemes are the Velib’ in Paris, DublinBikes in Dublin,
Ireland, Bicing in Barcelona, and Bixi in Montreal, Canada. But the biggest scheme is in Hangzhou,
China, which has more than 60,000 bicycles.

Unfortunately, despite the success of the Boris Bikes, London still isn’t the most bike -friendly city.
There are some bike lanes, but often bikes, cars, and buses have to share the roads, and this can be
dangerous.

So there a few things everyone can do to make their bike trip safer – whether you’re on a Boris Bike,
or your own bike. Firstly, you have to obey the rules of the road. You mustn’t cycle on the
pavements and you mustn’t cycle through red lights. You should wear a helmet and bright clothes.
You don’t have to wear a helmet to ride a bike in the UK, but it’s probably a good idea. You really
shouldn’t use your phone or wear headphones while cycling. You must be able to see and hear what
is going on around you.

But if you are careful, a bike is the best way to see a city like London. And being able to borrow one
for free makes it even better!

© Oxford University Press English File third edition – Intermediate

Files 5&6
Iconic film locations

Hi, my name’s Jean Goto. I’m from New York City and I’m a huge movie fan. I’ve lived in New York all
my life and, for a film buff like me, it must be the greatest place in the world.

Walking through the city is like walking through one gigantic movie set. You can see famous movie
locations wherever you go.

This is Cortlandt Alley in Chinatown. It might not look iconic, but it’s probably the most famous alley
in the world. The Hollywood version of New York is full of dark, secret alleyways like this. You know
the type: rusty fire escapes, graffiti on the walls, and trash on the ground.

But in the real New York, there are hardly any alleyways at all. So this one little alley has appeared in
many blockbuster films, like Crocodile Dundee, TV dramas like Boardwalk Empire, and of course New
York cop shows like NYPD Blue and Law and Order.

Unlike in the movies, the real Cortlandt Alley is perfectly safe. The most dangerous activity here is
construction work.

This is Flushing Meadow’s Corona Park in the borough of Queens. I used to live near here and it’s still
my favourite park in New York. And it’s also the setting of one of my all-time favourite movie scenes
– the climax from the first Men in Black.

In the film, Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) shoot down a huge UFO just over
Flushing Meadows. It crashes straight into this: the Unisphere, which was built as the centrepiece of
the 1964 World’s Fair. The Park became the ultimate symbol of the space age. And the creators of
Men in Black were able to use the Unisphere to create the perfect sci-fi setting.

Flushing Meadows might have the space-age factor, but Manhattan is still the most recognizable
area in New York. And nowhere is as iconic as the Empire State Building. When it first opened in
1931, the Empire State Building was already world-famous. It was the tallest structure in the world
and symbolised the modern age. In 1933, it became an international icon when it starred in the
movie King Kong. The film was an instant classic. The image of a giant ape clinging to the top of the
building is still one of the most famous in cinematic history. In fact, this one building is almost as
iconic as the city itself.

Almost, but not quite. New York has appeared in thousands of films. People who have never been
here feel like they know the place. You should come and see the city for yourself. It really is just like
the movies.

© Oxford University Press English File third edition – Intermediate

Files 7&8
Trinity College, Dublin

Hi, my name is Lisa O’Connor, and I live in Dublin. I love living here. Dublin’s got great museums,
brilliant art galleries, and, of course, hundreds of fantastic pubs. But if you only have time to visit one
place in Ireland’s capital city, you must see Trinity College.

OK, I am a student here, so maybe I’m biased. But if I were a tourist in Dublin, I’d definitely come
here. Of course, Trinity is a lot more than just a tourist attraction. It’s also the oldest and most
famous university in Ireland. Trinity was founded in 1592.

It has always had a tradition of excellence and is particularly well -known for producing famous
writers. The author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift, obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree here in
1686. The playwright Oscar Wilde also studied at Trinity. Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, began
writing here. And Samuel Beckett, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, studied here from 1923
to 1927, and taught here in 1930.

When I decided to come here to study, everybody told me it was a great university. But people all
said that I wouldn’t get a place here unless I got really good exam results. They were right, but it was
worth it. And if you don’t mind working hard, you’ll love studying here. But do other students agree?
I decided to ask some students what they enjoyed about studying at Trinity.

'What are you studying?'

'Computer Science.'
'I’m doing a Masters in Applied Psychology at the moment.'
'I’m doing a PhD in English Literature.'

'Why do you enjoy studying at Trinity?'

'Trinity is an old College, lots of history, and it’s a very friendly college to be at. '
'I like studying at Trinity because it’s very well internationally recognized. Umm, It’s just got a good
reputation as, you know, a good university, and the campus is really nice as well. '
'Umm, I like it that it’s such an international place, you meet so many people from all over the world,
and that’s really great.'

Of course, going to university isn’t all about studying. There are plenty of other reasons to choose
Trinity when picking a university. For me, it’s the 400 years of history. I love the university’s beautiful
old buildings and rooms. And visiting places like the Old Library, with its atmospheric Long Room, is
always special. I could spend hours admiring the old books and manuscripts here. Especially the
Book of Kells. The Book of Kells is a 1,200-year-old manuscript, written and decorated by Celtic
monks. They were exceptionally good at illustrating, and the book is beautifully designed.

There are lots of things to do in Trinity. Students can play all kinds of sports here. And they can take
part in drama, music, and comedy clubs and societies, too. I asked some students what they did in
their free time:

© Oxford University Press English File third edition – Intermediate

'I am an editor at the University Times, it is a student paper.'
'Umm, I like to use the pool and just go for a swim, just to kind of clear my head between lectures.
I’m also, umm, thinking of joining a few more societies, but I’ve yet to do that.'
'Umm, I meet up with friends, go for coffees, go for beer in all the pubs, umm, have fun. '

'Are you a member of any clubs or societies?'

'I’m just a member of the university paper and the boxing club.'
'Actually I’m not, no. But I like going to the sports centre a lot, and take fitness classes there. '

Trinity’s a great place to come to study. And it’s a great place to spend time in, too. If I wasn’t a
student, I’d still come here. And even when I graduate, I’ll keep coming back.

© Oxford University Press English File third edition – Intermediate

Files 9&10
The Hound of the Baskervilles

This is Dartmoor, an area of moorland in Devon, England, that covers almost a thousand square
kilometres. This wild, wet, and windy countryside is the setting for the famous Sherlock Holmes
mystery, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

In 1896, Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who created the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, wanted
to stop writing detective stories. He wrote a short story called The Final Problem, in which Sherlock
appears to have fallen to his death at the Reichenbach Falls.

However, Sherlock Holmes was so popular that the author received thousands of letters asking him
to bring the character back. There were far too many letters to ignore. Conan Doyle needed a new
Sherlock Holmes story.

Then, in 1900, he met Bertram Fletcher Robinson. Robinson, who was working as a journalist at the
time, told Doyle about an old legend from rural Devon. The myth was about a cursed family and a
huge black dog that hunted, and finally killed, each member of the family.

When Robinson introduced Doyle to the mysterious landscape of Dartmoor, the author knew he had
found the setting for a brand new Sherlock Holmes adventure – The Hound of the Baskervilles.

In the story, Holmes and his friend, Dr Watson, investigate the murder of Sir Charles Baskerville. Sir
Charles was apparently frightened to death by a huge dog – the hound of the Baskervilles. If Holmes
and Watson can solve the mystery of Sir Charles’ murder, maybe they can save the life of his
nephew, Sir Henry Baskerville.

Dartmoor is a major character in the story, too. These rocky hills, called Tors, feature a lot. In this
wild landscape they are important landmarks. And it’s on a Tor like this that Watson sees a thin,
shadowy figure who he thinks is an escaped prisoner from the nearby Dartmoor prison… but who is
actually his old friend Sherlock Holmes.

Bronze-age hut circles like this one, which is almost 3,500 years old, are all over the moor. There are
24 hut circles here and they provide Holmes with the perfect hiding place, where he can watch
without being seen.

In the story, Holmes sends Watson to Baskerville Hall for two reasons – to investigate the death of
Sir Charles, and to protect Sir Henry.

Sherlock travels, too, but he goes alone and in secret. If he had gone with Watson, everybody would
have known that the famous detective was on the case. Instead, he secretly watches Baskerville Hall
from one of these stone huts.

In the end, Holmes reveals himself to Watson. He claims that if he hadn’t hidden, he wouldn’t have
solved the mystery. He explains that Sir Charles wasn’t killed by a big, black dog. He was actually
murdered by…

Well, if I told you that, it would ruin the mystery, wouldn’t it? You’ll have to read it for yourself!

© Oxford University Press English File third edition – Intermediate