Listening paper

Part 1
You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1 – 6, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits best
according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear two students talking about a lecture on social networking websites which they attended.

1 The woman doesn’t agree with the lecturer’s point that

A online friendship isn’t true friendship.
B all friendships need time to develop.
C face-to-face friendship is in decline.

2 The students agree that the lecture

A made controversial points.
B had a positive conclusion.
C was thought-provoking.

Extract Two

You hear part of a discussion programme about interviewers on TV chat shows.

3 The man says his main priority when interviewing is to

A avoid any political content.
B make the guest feel comfortable.
C ask things the viewer would want to know.

4 What do the man and woman disagree about, regarding chat shows?
A where the real focus of interest should lie
B who should initiate the conversation
C what such shows should be called

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 Extract Three

You hear two friends talking about a bike shop.

5 When the woman speaks, she is

A sympathizing with the man’s predicament.
B offering a possible explanation for what happened.
C questioning the bike shop’s motives.

6 The man was annoyed with the bike shop staff because
A they made no effort to contact him.
B they didn’t do what he asked of them.
C they caused him considerable inconvenience.

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 Part 2
You will hear a man called Richard Hunter giving a talk about his work as a sports trainer. For questions
7 – 14, complete the sentences.

SPORTS TRAINER

Richard publicises his Boot Camp exercise sessions in (7)

in local villages.

At Boot Camp, Richard gets his clients to lift things like (8)

rather than using weights or other gym equipment.

The aim of some of Richard’s personal clients is simply to (9) .

Among Richard’s personal clients is a (10) ,

who is recovering from a bad injury.

Richard’s website will eventually contain written information about (11) .

Richard asks for volunteers to assist in the making of (12) ,

which will show his training principles.

In the kids’ version of Boot Camp which Richard is planning, the children will do things like walking in

(13) .

Richard needs someone to create a (14)

for his kids’ Boot Camp.

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 Part 3
You will hear a radio interview with two writers called Caroline Stevenson and Simon Webb talking about
writing crime fiction. For questions 15 – 20, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best according to
what you hear.

15 According to Simon, what do his books offer the readers?

A a social issue to think about
B a complicated mystery to solve
C a shock which will thrill them
D a record of contemporary society

16 Simon deals with the brutality of crime in his novels by

A concentrating on the psychological aspects of the crime.
B describing the research which produces the evidence.
C writing mainly about what happens after the crime.
D referring to it in a light, almost humorous way.

17 How does Caroline account for the personality of her main character?
A It has evolved from her observations of real life.
B It reflects the dark side of the criminal world.
C It offers an alternative to the usual serious detective.
D It allows Caroline to analyse a secretive lifestyle.

18 What is Simon’s attitude to the suggestion that he could write a different type of book?
A He wishes he had written different books.
B It is irrelevant which type of book he writes.
C Only detective novels offer scope for deep feelings.
D Detective novels allow him to write about areas which interest him.

19 How do Caroline and Simon both feel about receiving a writer’s award?
A proud to have been selected by other writers
B valued for having made a contribution to people’s lives
C dismissive of the real significance of the prize
D embarrassed about being pushed into the limelight

20 How does Caroline feel about writing a novel with a new main character?
A She is unwilling to talk about her plans.
B She is seriously tempted to do so.
C She recognises the commercial value of her current work.
D She would feel lost if she abandoned her chief inspector.

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Adv p001-038 Practice Test A.indd 23

23

Part 4
CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: ADVANCED | TEST A

You will hear five short extracts in which students who are living away from home are talking about their accommodation.

TASK ONE TASK TWO

For questions 21 – 25, choose from the list A – H, what led For questions 26 – 30, choose from the list A – H, the unexpected
each speaker to choose their current accommodation. benefit of their choice of accommodation each speaker mentions.

While you listen you must complete both tasks.

A financial constraints A the proximity of work opportunities
Speaker 1 21 Speaker 1 26
B convenient location for college B the interesting neighbourhood

C a wish to be independent Speaker 2 22 C the opportunities for getting Speaker 2 27

exercise
D the excellent local facilities
D the chance to economise
E the chance to pursue a hobby
Speaker 3 23 Speaker 3 28
E meeting like-minded people
F an invitation from other residents
Speaker 4 24 F discovering an unsuspected talent Speaker 4 29
G a desire to be close to friends
G finding it easier to study
H the space available for social events Speaker 5 25 Speaker 5 30
H having to master a new skill
© Cambridge University Press 2014
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 Listening
Answer key
Part 1 Part 2
one mark for each correct answer one mark for each correct answer
1 A 7 (primary) schools
2 C 8 (heavy) pots
3 B 9 lose weight
4 A 10 rugby player
5 B 11 diet / nutrition / eating habits
6 C 12 video clips
13 (deep) water
14 logo

Part 3 Part 4
one mark for each correct answer one mark for each correct answer
15 B 21 E
16 C 22 D
17 A 23 F
18 D 24 C
19 A 25 H
20 C 26 G
27 E
28 B
29 D
30 A

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 Script for Advanced Listening
A1 This is the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced
English Listening test.
Test A
I’m going to give you the instructions for this test.
I’ll introduce each part of the test and give you time
to look at the questions.
At the start of each piece, you’ll hear this sound:
FX *****
A2 You’ll hear each piece twice.
Remember, while you’re listening, write your
answers on the question paper.
You’ll have 5 minutes at the end of the test to copy
your answers onto the separate answer sheet.
There’ll now be a pause. Please ask any questions
now, because you must not speak during the test.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A3 Now open your question paper and look at Part 1.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A4 You will hear three different extracts. For questions
1 – 6, choose the answer (A, B or C) which fits
best according to what you hear. There are two
questions for each extract.
A5 Extract one.
You hear two students talking about a lecture on
social networking websites which they attended.
Now look at questions one and two.
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
FX *****
M: Good lecture, eh?
F: Yes. The lecturer seemed basically to be saying
that the more people sit in front of their screens,
the less time they have for spending quality time
with real friends – the small group of friends that
really count.
M: Yes, I suppose it was all about friendship really,
wasn’t it? About how you need time and effort to
build up loyalty and trust – and this is best done
face-to-face.
F: But what I didn’t get is, why can’t some of your
online friends also be your real ones? It didn’t seem
to me to be a distinction worth making.
M:  ight. Anyway I thought the best bit was about how
R because maybe you just couldn’t get to the shop
people will hopefully see the whole thing as some
kind of game, like any other computer game. So in
that way, online networking won’t affect them too
much.
F: Yes, but the lecturer also suggested it might go the
other way. It might be damaging and make people
cynical about friendship in general.
M: It certainly gave us all food for thought.
F: Yes, about the nature of friendship and who your
true friends really are. And the end was really funny.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
FX*****
REPEAT EXTRACT 1
PAUSE 3 SECONDS
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Adv p001-038 Practice Test A.indd 25
A6 Extract two.
You hear part of a discussion programme about
interviewers on TV chat shows.
Now look at questions three and four.
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
FX*****
M: Well, I’ve interviewed on TV for 20 years now and
I believe you really get your famous guest to open
up to you by being nice and encouraging. A chat
show isn’t like a political interview, and if you really
try and put your guest on the spot, then you end up
with a defensive unwilling guest and viewers who
feel uneasy.
F: But surely you don’t want to end up with an
interview that’s all just bland and nicey-nice.
M: Well, I’m not sure. It is just entertainment, after
all. But also another mantra of mine is to let the
guest do most of the talking. So many of the TV
interviews you see nowadays are effectively all
about the funny interviewer rather than the celebrity
guest. But the show’s meant to be an interview with
so and so, not an interview by so and so.
F: Surely not! The name of the chat show is the name
of the interviewer – that’s how it was with your
show! It’s their show and they’re in charge. What’s
happened is these newer interviewers you refer
to have simply brought their own personality out
more, which makes it all much funnier in my view.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
FX*****
REPEAT EXTRACT 2
PAUSE 3 SECONDS
A7 Extract three.
You hear two friends talking about a bike shop.
Now look at questions five and six.
PAUSE 15 SECONDS
FX*****
M: They’re a small family-run business, and I’ve
started using them for repairs. I think they’re the
best in town for that – it’s a same-day service, but
you have to bring your bike in before 10 a.m. The
only thing is they charge you extra for leaving the
bike over night, which sometimes isn’t your fault
before it closed.
F: Sounds fair enough, I suppose. I mean, from their
point of view, an uncollected bike is taking up
valuable space. It isn’t a big shop, is it?
M: The only trouble is, though, I’ve known them to
close the shop a bit early if they’re not busy. The
other day I actually got there five minutes before
their advertised closing time – arranged to leave
work a bit early and ran over there all the way from
the office, but they were already shut. Which was
really frustrating. Especially as it meant I then had
to get a bus home, plus another bus back into
work the following day. And I ended up paying the
overnight fee!
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
FX*****
REPEAT EXTRACT 3
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 PAUSE 3 SECONDS
A8 That’s the end of Part 1.
A9 Now turn to Part 2.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A10 You will hear a man called Richard Hunter giving a
talk about his work as a sports trainer. For questions
7 – 14, complete the sentences.
You now have 45 seconds to look at Part 2.
PAUSE 45 SECONDS
FX*****
Richard: Thank you. I’m Richard Hunter, and I’m going to be
talking to you about the sports training work I do, and
also about some future plans which I need a bit of
your help with.
You may recognize my face from an article in the local
paper recently. This was mainly about my so-called
Boot Camp. As the name suggests, this consists of
some quite tough military-style exercises, designed
to make a man of you! That’s a joke – most of my
clients are women. I do mostly morning sessions in
particular villages, and I advertise in local primary
schools. I find that’s the best way of reaching the
younger mothers who make up most of my clientele.
The sessions are always outdoors, in all weathers.
I’m very much into showing that you don’t need
complicated gym equipment or heavy weights. So I
like to use unusual equipment, real things which you
can find around your house or garden; we do things
like sprinting while pushing a wheel barrow, carrying
heavy pots, pulling a cart full of bags of compost – I
got those from a farmer.
As well as Boot Camp, I also do private coaching.
I use the same unusual training methods to help
individuals with their fitness. Everyone has different
priorities, ranging from just a desire to lose weight
right through to a need to improve professional
sports performance.
I’ll take on anyone – at the moment on my books
I’ve got a 55-year-old woman who’s just left work, a
rugby player who’s doing a rehabilitation programme
following a broken leg, and a wrestler who’s working
on his agility and flexibility.
My business is still very much at the developing
stage, and the same goes for my website. At the
moment, it’s basically just advertising what I do
and that you can hire me. It’s also got some pages
of advice about fitness conditioning and training
principles, although that’s work in progress and will
be expanded. Long-term, diet is next on the agenda
for the website, although I haven’t started that yet.
It’s all designed to be relevant to people starting out
in any sporting discipline. Within six months, I hope
to have video clips of people demonstrating some
of my techniques. I’m looking for some helpers, if I
can interest any of you. I might even turn these into a
book, but that’s just a vague idea as yet.
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Adv p001-038 Practice Test A.indd 26
I’m also planning to organise some sports camps
for young children in the summer holidays and I’m
looking for more volunteers for that. They’ll be a bit
like army assault courses – Boot Camps for kids –
things like climbing ropes, wading through deep
water, crawling under nets. You won’t need any
expertise – I’ll provide that when I train you up – but
an interest in physical education would be useful. I’m
also looking for a budding artist who can design a
logo that will appeal to young children. This would
appear on any publicity material I use for the camp.
So if anybody is interested…
PAUSE 10 SECONDS
A11 Now you’ll hear Part 2 again.
FX*****
REPEAT PART 2
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A12 That’s the end of Part 2.
A13 Now turn to Part 3.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A14 You will hear a radio interview with two writers
called Caroline Stevenson and Simon Webb
talking about writing crime fiction. For questions
15 – 20, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits
best according to what you hear.
You now have 70 seconds to look at Part 3.
PAUSE 70 SECONDS
FX*****
Int: We’re very pleased to have with us in the studio
today crime writers Caroline Stevenson and
Simon Webb, whose famous detective novels
are proving very popular. Welcome, both of you.
Caroline
and Simon: Thank you.
Int: Now, Simon, a lot of people seem to be getting
concerned about crime fiction writing just making an
entertainment of crime. What’s your view on that?
Simon: Well, I know the actuality and reality of crime is far
from entertaining, but when you look at crime writing
you can see all sorts of motives, if you like. It can be
seen as documenting and articulating the times that
we live in and engaging society in a larger debate.
Then there are those who want to shock the reader
and that in itself is really a form of entertainment.
Being a crossword addict myself, I present the
readers with a puzzle which they have to try to
unravel. And that’s a far cry from any sort of need to
communicate a moral message or say anything of
true significance.
Int: But we can’t get away from the fact that a crime has
to be committed and that’s usually something quite
violent in crime writing, isn’t it?
Simon: I suppose that’s one type of crime fiction but I never
have gory scenes in my books. I get all the horror
over within the first few chapters and then make
things a little bit lighter. And there’s quite a fashion
among crime writers at the moment to focus on the
psychological profile of the criminal which can be
another way of avoiding the gore. And of course
the new TV drama series based on my books,
Westwood, focuses on the clinical analysis of the
whole business, seen through the eyes of a forensic
scientist.
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 Int: Mm. Now, turning to you, Caroline. Your main
character, the chief inspector – many people find him
an unfathomable character. He seems to have so
many sides to his personality.
Caroline: Over the years I’ve worked with a lot of the
professionals whose jobs revolve around crime.
Now, I do realize what a grim life many people lead
but there is a bit of humour among undertakers and
pathologists. In fact, in those jobs there needs to be
a counterbalance to the seriousness of the situation.
And my chief inspector reflects this aspect of what
I’ve witnessed. Some readers think there’s a sub-plot
going on because he’s single but that’s purely in their
imagination, I can assure you.
Int: And Simon – have you ever thought of writing
about something else?
Simon: Well, I suppose I could have turned my hand to
other genres but there would always have to be
characters who showed a depth of passion and
I’m quite interested in what motivates people’s
behaviour. With any good complex plot you can
work in all those elements, but quite honestly, the
whodunit offers all that, so I haven’t really felt the
need to explore.
Int: And now you’re both at the top of your profession,
which has been recognized in the form of a
number of crime writer awards. How does that
feel? Caroline?
Caroline: Well, I know it’s quite fashionable these days to
play down awards like this, you know, you get all
these suggestions that it’s rigged and so on, but
it does make you feel good when you’ve been
judged worthy by your peers. The response of the
general reading public is important too, of course,
irrespective of what the ‘experts’ might think of
your work.
Int: Simon?
Simon: Mmm, for me it’s a great thrill when I meet someone
who says, ‘I just couldn’t put the book down, I had
to find out what happened next’. For me, these
personal encounters count too, although the
recognition of one’s fellow authors in the form of
these glamorous awards does feel very special.
I’m a rather unglamorous person, really, though,
and not always comfortable being the focus of
attention.
Int: Right ... So, Caroline ... what does the future hold?
Rumour has it that you’re going to make your
famous chief inspector retire. What then?
Caroline: Have you heard that from me? Although sometimes
it appeals to me because it’s become so expected
of me, that every year I’ll churn out another one in
the series, I sometimes wonder if I shouldn’t be
trying something new. But on the other hand I know
my chief inspector so well. It’s almost as though
I’ve lived with him for all these years. And when it
comes down to it, it’s proved an extremely lucrative
business.
PAUSE 10 SECONDS
A15 Now you’ll hear Part 3 again.
FX*****
REPEAT PART 3
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A16 That’s the end of Part 3.
A17 Now turn to Part 4.
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
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Adv p001-038 Practice Test A.indd 27
A18 Part 4 consists of two tasks. You will hear five short
extract in which students who are living away from
home are talking about their accommodation. Look
at Task 1. For questions 21 – 25, choose from the
list (A – H), what led each speaker to choose their
current accommodation. Now look at Task 2. For
questions 26 – 30, choose from the list (A – H), the
expected benefit of their choice of accommodation
each speaker mentions.
You now have 45 seconds to look at Part 4.
PAUSE 45 SECONDS
FX*****
SPEAKER ONE (F)
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
Basically, I’d have taken anything I could get when I first arrived
in town. I’d got a place on the course at the last minute, so
there was no chance of a room in a student residence – they’d
all been allocated. By chance, I found this little room just a
stone’s throw away from the campus. What clinched it for me
was not so much the low rent, though it is cheap, but the fact
that there’s a big park nearby and I’m a keen runner. Although
I’d rather have shared with other students, actually I’ve come to
realise that living alone suits me, because I’ve been able to get
down to my coursework without too many distractions.
PAUSE 3 SECONDS
SPEAKER TWO (M)
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
Living in a student residence has been a very good experience
for me. At the beginning I was worried it might be too
institutional, but actually you’ve got your own room and people
tend to leave you alone. You can hang out in the shared kitchen
if you want company though, and I’ve actually found I have a lot
in common with the people upstairs. I’d never have met them if
I hadn’t been living here. I was attracted to the place because
there’s everything you want nearby – shops, a gym, even a
hairdresser which gives a student discount – and it’s not too
near the campus – I like to get away from all that after lectures.
PAUSE 3 SECONDS
SPEAKER THREE (F)
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
The thing about living in a shared house with other students
is that you get invited to parties and things you’d never get to
hear about otherwise, which is brilliant. That’s why I resisted
the temptation to go in with people off my course because that
defeats the object. I knew I wouldn’t want to live independently,
however, so I was pretty thrilled when a friend of a friend sent
me a text saying there was a free room here if I was interested.
I didn’t know this part of town, but I thought it’d be Ok. Turns
out it’s really multi-cultural with loads of ethnic shops and stuff
going on that has nothing to do with the university. It’s great.
PAUSE 3 SECONDS
SPEAKER FOUR (M)
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
The whole point of getting my own place was that I wanted to
study when I wanted to and invite people round when I wanted
to see them. If you live in a shared house or a residence, you’re
always having to fit in with other people and that’s not me
somehow. Anyway, my flat’s tiny, so I don’t have many parties,
but I get invited out quite a bit. Thing is, the people in the flat
downstairs have got a little garden where they grow vegetables
and stuff – and they’ve always got more than they can eat, so
they’re forever giving me stuff – and they won’t take anything
for it. I’m saving a fortune on supermarket bills. Who’d have
thought it!
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 PAUSE 3 SECONDS
SPEAKER FIVE (F)
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
All my friends said ‘You’ll end up spending more if you live
alone, you know, sharing’s much more economical.’ But I didn’t
take any notice. I found this flat with a roof terrace at a very
reasonable rent and couldn’t resist it. The potential for parties
and stuff just seemed amazing. I didn’t realise the area was so
lively actually, but there’s lots of restaurants and places that are
always looking for part-time staff. Just as well, because I’ve
resorted to that when I needed to make ends meet. It surprises
my friends that I’m good at waitressing, but actually I’ve always
enjoyed it – especially if you’re kept busy. It’s reading for my
course I need to knuckle down to!
PAUSE 2 SECONDS
A19 Now you’ll hear Part 4 again.
FX*****
REPEAT PART 4
PAUSE 5 SECONDS
A20 That’s the end of Part 4.
There’ll now be a pause of 5 minutes for you to copy
your answers onto the separate answer sheet. Be
sure to follow the numbering of all the questions.
I’ll remind you when there’s 1 minute left, so that
you’re sure to finish in time.
PAUSE 4 MINUTES
A21 You have 1 more minute left.
PAUSE 1 MINUTE
A22 That’s the end of the test. Please stop now. Your
supervisor will now collect all the question papers
and answer sheets.

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