MACMILLAN EXAMS
Ready for
First
coursebook with key
3rd Edition
Roy Norris
Updated in line with Cambridge English: First (FCE) 2015 revisions
Contents map
Unit
Language focus
Vocabulary
Writing
1
Lifestyle
Page 6
1 Habitual behaviour: tend to; frequency
adverbs; used to and would
2 Be used to, get used to and used to
1 Lifestyle
2 Get: Expressions and meanings
3 Clothes
Informal letter (Part 2)
2
3
High energy
Page 18
1 Indirect ways of asking questions
2 Gerunds and infinitives
1 Music
2 Sport
1 Letter of application (Part 2)
2 Article (Part 2)
A change for the better?
Page 30
1 Comparisons
2 Articles
Technology
Essay (Part 1)
Ready for Use of English
Page 42
Part 1: Multiple-choice cloze
Part 2: Open cloze
4
A good story
Page 46
1 So and such
2 Past tenses
1 Films
2 Take: Expressions and phrasal verbs
1 Review (Part 2)
2 Report (Part 2)
5
Doing what you have to
Page 58
1 Obligation, necessity and permission
2 Noun phrases
The world of work
Essay (Part 1)
6
Relative relationships
Page 70
1 Defining relative clauses
2 Non-defining relative clauses
3 Causative passive with have and get
1 Phrasal verbs
2 Describing people
Article (Part 2)
Email (Part 2)
Ready for Reading
Page 82
Part 5: Multiple choice
Part 6: Gapped text
7
Value for money
Page 88
1 Present perfect simple
2 Expressing preferences
3 Present perfect continuous
1 Shopping
2 Paraphrasing and recording
3 Towns and villages
Email (Part 2)
Essay (Part 1)
8
Up and away
Page 100
The future and time linkers
1 Sleep
2 Travel
3 Phrasal verbs
Essay (Part 1)
Article (Part 2)
9
Mystery and imagination
Page 112
1 Modal verbs for speculation and
deduction
2 Question tags
3 Contrast linkers
1 Ways of looking
2 Give: Expressions and phrasal verbs
Review (Part 2)
Ready for Listening
Page 124
Part 1: Multiple choice
Part 2: Sentence completion
10
Nothing but the truth
Page 128
1 Too and enough
2 Passives
3 Passive of reporting verbs
1 Crime and punishment
2 Paraphrasing and recording
3 Phrasal verbs
Article (Part 2)
Essay (Part 1)
11
What on earth’s going on?
Page 140
1 So, neither and nor
2 Conditionals
1 Weather
2 Put: Expressions and phrasal verbs
Essay (Part 1)
Email (Part 2)
Review (Part 2)
12
Looking after yourself
Page 152
1
2
3
4
5
1 Food and drink
2 Health matters
Report (Part 2)
Countable and uncountable nouns A
Countable and uncountable nouns B
Reported speech
Reporting verbs
Reported questions
Ready for Speaking
Page 164
Part 1: Interview
Part 2: Talking about photos
13
Animal magic
Page 168
1 Hypothetical situations
2 Prepositions and gerunds
1
2
3
4
14
Mind your language
Page 180
1 Compound adjectives
2 Expressing purpose
3 Ability
1 Phrasal verbs with turn
2 Make and do
Ready for Writing
Page 192
Part 1: Essay
The Arts
Paraphrasing and recording
Animals
Verbs followed by prepositions
Email (Part 2)
Article (Part 2)
Report (Part 2)
1 Article (Part 2)
2 Letter of application (Part 2)
Part 2: Article, Email/Letter,
L
Additional materialWordlistGrammar reference
Page 202Page 205Page 209
2
Reading Use of English
Listening
Speaking
Multiple matching (Part 7)
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Multiple matching (Part 3)
2 Multiple choice (Part 1)
Talking about photos (Part 2)
Gapped text (Part 6)
Word formation: Affixes
Word formation (Part 3)
1 Sentence completion (Part 2)
2 Multiple choice (Part 4)
Multiple choice (Part 5)
Word formation: Nouns 1
Word formation (Part 3)
1 Multiple choice (Part 4)
2 Multiple matching (Part 3)
1 Collaborative task (Part 3)
2 Further discussion (Part 4)
Part 3: Word formation
Gapped text (Part 6)
Word formation: Adjectives ending in
–ing and –ed
Transformations (Part 4)
Word formation (Part 3)
Preparing for listening: Focus on
distractors
Multiple choice (Part 1)
Talking about photos (Part 2)
1 Multiple matching (Part 7)
Word formation: -en­ suffix
2 Open cloze (Part 2)
Word formation (Part 3)
Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Multiple choice (Part 4)
2 Sentence completion (Part 2)
1 Talking about photos (Part 2)
2 Collaborative task (Part 3)
2 Multiple choice (Part 5)
1 Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
Open cloze: Relative clauses
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Multiple matching (Part 3)
2 Multiple choice (Part 1)
1 Collaborative task (Part 3)
2 Interview (Part 1)
Part 7: Multiple matching
Gapped text (Part 6)
Open cloze (Part 2)
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Sentence completion (Part 2)
2 Multiple choice (Part 4)
1 Talking about photos (Part 2)
Supermarket psychology
2 Interview (Part 1)
1 Gapped text (Part 6)
Word formation: Adjectives
2 Word formation (Part 3)
Transformations (Part 4)
Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
1 Multiple choice (Part 1)
2 Multiple matching (Part 3)
1 Interview (Part 1)
2 Talking about photos (Part 2)
1 Multiple choice (Part 5)
3 Multiple matching (Part 7)
Word formation: Adverbs
2 Open cloze (Part 2)
Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
Word formation (Part 3)
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Multiple choice (Part 4)
2 Sentence completion (Part 2)
Collaborative task (Part 3)
Part 3: Multiple matching
Part 4: Multiple choice
Multiple choice (Part 5)
Transformations (Part 4)
Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
1 Multiple choice (Part 4)
2 Multiple matching (Part 3)
Talking about photos (Part 2)
1 Multiple matching (Part 7)
2 Gapped text (Part 6)
3 Open cloze (Part 2)
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Sentence completion (Part 2)
2 Multiple choice (Part 1)
Collaborative task (Part 3)
1 Multiple matching (Part 7)
2 Open cloze (Part 2)
Word formation: Nouns 2
Word formation (Part 3)
Transformations (Part 4)
Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
1 Multiple matching (Part 3)
2 Multiple choice (Part 4)
Talking about photos (Part 2)
Part 3: Collaborative task
Part 4: Further discussion
Gapped text (Part 6)
Word formation: Suffixes –ible and
–able
Word formation (Part 3)
Transformations (Part 4)
1 Multiple choice (Part 4)
2 Sentence completion (Part 2)
1 Collaborative task (Part 3)
2 Further discussion (Part 4)
1 Multiple choice (Part 5)
Word formation: Suffixes –ful and –less
2 Open cloze (Part 2)
Multiple-choice cloze (Part 1)
Transformations (Part 4)
Word formation (Part 3)
1 Multiple matching (Part 3)
2 Multiple choice (Part 1)
Talking about photos (Part 2)
Letter of application, Report, Review
Listening scriptsAnswer key
Page 222Page 241
3
Introduction
Welcome to Ready for First, a course which is
designed to help you prepare for the Cambridge
English: First examination, also known as First
Certificate in English (FCE).
This book contains a wide range of activities aimed
at improving your English and developing the
language and skills which you will need to pass the
examination. As well as providing relevant practice
in reading, writing, listening and speaking, each unit
of Ready for First includes one or more Language
focus sections, which revise the main grammar
areas, together with Vocabulary slots which will help
you to increase your word store.
A significant feature of the Use of English syllabus
in the book is the systematic approach to Word
formation. At regular intervals you will find special
sections which focus on the most important aspects
of word building, ensuring that you are properly
prepared for this part of the examination. There are
also sections, in Units 7, 10 and 13, devoted to the
important skill of paraphrasing and recording new
vocabulary.
At the end of every unit there is a two-page Review
section, which enables you to revise and practise the
new language you have encountered in the unit.
Overview of the Examination
The Cambridge English: First examination consists of
four papers, as shown below. The Writing, Listening
and Speaking papers each carry 20% of the total
marks; the Reading and Use of English paper carries
40% (20% for the Reading tasks and 20% for the
Use of English tasks). A low mark in one paper
does not necessarily mean a candidate will fail the
examination; it is the overall mark which counts.
Reading and Use of English
There are seven parts to this paper: Parts 1 to 4
are grammar and vocabulary tasks; Parts 5 to 7 are
reading tasks. For the Use of English tasks, each
correct answer in Parts 1 to 3 receives one mark;
each question in Part 4 carries up to two marks. For
the reading tasks, each correct answer in Parts 5 and
6 receives two marks, and there is one mark for each
question in Part 7. For more information on this
paper, see the Ready for Use of English unit on pages
42 to 45 and the Ready for Reading unit on pages
82 to 87, as well as the relevant sections in the main
units of the book.
Part Task Type
Throughout the book you will find the following
boxes, which are designed to help you when
performing the different tasks:
What to expect in the exam: these contain useful
information on what you should be prepared to see,
hear or do in a particular task in the examination.
How to go about it: these give advice and guidelines
on how to deal with different task types and specific
questions.
Don’t forget!: these provide a reminder of important
points to bear in mind when answering a particular
question.
Useful language: these contain vocabulary and
structures which can be used when doing a specific
writing or speaking activity.
Further information and advice on each of the
papers in the Cambridge English: First exam is
included in the five supplementary ‘Ready for …’
units. These are situated at regular intervals in
the book and can be used at appropriate moments
during the course. The Ready for Writing unit
contains model answers for each of the main task
types, together with advice, useful language and
further writing tasks for you to complete.
At the end of the book you will find detailed
explanations of the grammar areas seen in the units
in the Grammar reference, together with a topicbased Wordlist and the Listening scripts.
4
1 hour 15 minutes
1
Multiple-choice
cloze
Number
Task Format
of questions
8
A text with 8 gaps; there is a
choice of 4 answers for each gap.
2
Open cloze
8
3
Word Formation
8
4
Key word
transformations
6
5
Multiple Choice
6
6
Gapped Text
6
7
Multiple
Matching
10
A text with 8 gaps, each of which
must be completed with one
word.
A text containing 8 gaps. The task
is to complete each gap with the
correct form of a given word.
Gapped sentences which must be
completed using a given word.
A text followed by multiplechoice questions with four
options.
A text from which sentences
have been removed. Candidates
replace each of these in the
appropriate part of the text.
A text preceded by multiplematching questions which
require candidates to find specific
information in a text or texts.
Introduction
Writing 1 hour 20 minutes
There are two parts to this paper, each of which
carries the same number of marks. Part 1 is
compulsory, so must be answered by all candidates,
whereas in Part 2 candidates choose one from three
tasks. You are required to write between 140 and
190 words for each part. For more information and
advice on the questions in this paper, see the Ready
for Writing unit on pages 192 to 201, as well as the
relevant sections in the main units of the book.
Part
Task Type
1
Essay
2
Number
of Tasks
1
(compulsory)
3
(candidates
choose one)
Task Format
Candidates are given an essay title
and notes to guide their writing.
A writing task with a clear context,
purpose for writing and target
reader. Candidates write one of
the following: article, email/letter,
report, review.
Listening Task Type
Number
of Questions
8
1
Multiple choice
2
Sentence
completion
3
Multiple Matching 5
4
Multiple choice
10
7
Task Format
14 minutes
There are four parts to this paper. There are usually
two candidates and two examiners. Candidates
are given marks for range and correct use of
grammar and vocabulary, pronunciation, discourse
management (the ability to organize language
and produce extended responses) and interactive
communication. For more information on this paper,
see the Ready for Speaking unit on pages 164 to
167, as well as the relevant sections in the main units
of the book.
Part
1
Task Type
Interview
Time
2 minutes
2
Talking about
photographs
4 minutes
3
Collaborative
Task
4 minutes
4
Further
discussion
4 minutes
about 40 minutes
This paper consists of four parts with a total of 30
questions, each of which carries one mark. Each
part contains one or more recorded texts, which are
heard twice. Candidates are tested on their ability
to understand, for example, opinions, gist, the main
points or specific information. For more information
on this paper, see the Ready for Listening unit on
pages 124 to 127, as well as the relevant sections in
the main units of the book.
Part
Speaking 1
Task Format
Candidates give personal
information in response to
questions from the interviewer.
Each candidate talks about two
pictures for about 1 minute,
and comments briefly on the
other candidate’s pictures.
Candidates are given
instructions with written
prompts which they use for
discussion. Candidates speak
for about 3 minutes in total;
the giving of instructions takes
about 1 minute.
The interviewer leads a
discussion which is related to
the topic of Part 3.
Roy Norris
Short unrelated extracts of
approximately 30 seconds
each with one or more
speakers. There are 3
options for each question.
A monologue lasting
approximately 3 minutes.
Candidates write a
word or short phrase to
complete sentences.
Five short monologues,
each lasting approximately
30 seconds. The
extracts are all related
to a common theme.
Candidates match extracts
with prompts.
An interview or
conversation between two
or more speakers lasting
approximately 3 minutes.
There are 3 options for
each question.
5
1
Lifestyle
1
2
Actor
Potter
Vocabulary 1: Lifestyle
1 a Look at the verbs and adjectives that can all be used with the noun lifestyle to form
collocations. Collocations are pairs or groups of words that are often used together.
have
live
a/an
lead
alternative
luxurious
busy
quiet
chaotic
relaxing
comfortable
sedentary
exciting
simple
healthy
stressful
lifestyle
Underline those adjectives which could be used to describe your lifestyle.
b
Work in pairs. Compare your adjectives with your partner, explaining your choices.
Example:
I have quite a healthy lifestyle at the moment. I’m eating sensibly and doing a lot of exercise.
2
Discuss the following questions. As in other parts of this book, common
collocations are shown in bold.
• Would you like to change your lifestyle? Why/Why not?
• Do you lead an active social life? What kinds of things do you do?
• What do you think is meant by the American way of life? How would you describe
•
the way of life in your country to a foreigner?
What are some of the positive and negative aspects of our modern way of life? In what ways, if any, was the traditional way of life in your country better?
• Why are people so interested in the private lives of celebrities? Do they interest you?
6
Lifestyle
Speaking
Part 2
Talking about photos
1 Look at the four photographs. They show people who have different lifestyles. Before
you do the speaking task, read the information in the boxes below.
Student A Compare photographs 1 and 2 and say what you think the people might find difficult about their lifestyles.
Student B When your partner has finished, say which lifestyle you would prefer to lead.
2 Now change roles. Follow the instructions above using photographs 3 and 4.
How to go about it
Student A
•
In Part 2 of the speaking exam you are not asked to describe the photographs in detail, but to compare
them. When doing this, comment on the similarities and differences:
Similarities: Both pictures show …
Differences: In the first picture … whereas in the second one …
•
When talking about what the people might find difficult about their lifestyles, give reasons for your
opinions. You could comment on some of the following:
daily routine
working hours
leisure time
type of home
eating habits
health
travel
family life
friends
Student B
•
In the exam you have time to develop your answer fully and give reasons for your choice.
Useful language
I get the impression it’s a stressful life.
I expect/imagine she has to get up early.
He probably spends a long time away from home.
I doubt that she has much time for a social life.
Perhaps he doesn’t see his family very often.
She might/may get lonely during the day.
What might the people find difficult about their lifestyles?
3
Farm vet
4
Fisherman
7
1
1 Lifestyle
Reading and
Use of English
Part 7
Multiple matching
You are going to read an article in which four people talk about their lifestyles. For
questions 1–10, choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than
once.
How to go about it
•
•
Read all the questions to see the kind of information you are looking for.
Read section A, then look again at the questions, answering any that you can.
To help you, one part of section A has been underlined. Match this part to one of the questions.
Then look in the rest of section A for any more answers.
•
Do the same for the other three sections. Underline the relevant parts of the text as you answer the
questions.
•
If there are any questions you have not answered, scan the whole text again looking for the information
you need.
Which person
admits to having an untidy house?
1
could not imagine doing any other type of work?
2
likes the unpredictable nature of their work?
3
is not particularly keen on taking exercise?
4
says they start the day like many other people?
5
does not have to go far to get to their place of work?
6
never has any trouble getting to sleep?
7
used to feel lonely while working?
8
says that people have the wrong idea about their work?
9
would prefer to go to bed earlier on many occasions?
10
This is your life
Four more personal accounts in our series on different lifestyles
5
10
15
A Colin Dobson: television and stage actor
Normally I get out of bed around midday. I’ll
sometimes go for a run after I get up, though it’s
not really my idea of fun. I’m not a fitness fan, but I
realize it’s important.
When I’m not rehearsing or on tour, afternoons usually
involve reading scripts or learning lines. My wife and
two sons are also actors, so at home there are usually
scripts lying all over the place. It’s a bit of a mess, I’m
ashamed to say. I’m passionate about history, and if
I’m working away from home, I spend the afternoons
in museums or historic buildings. I always get to the
theatre at the last minute, which annoys my co-actors,
but I don’t like arriving anywhere early.
After a performance I eat and spend a few hours
unwinding, so bedtime is often two or three in the
morning. I always fall asleep as soon as my head hits
the pillow.
8
Lifestyle
20
25
30
35
40
45
B Jodie Miller: potter
Before I started renting the workshop at the open-air
museum, I would crawl out of bed in the morning, get
dressed and go straight into the garage, which I’d
converted into a studio. Now I get the train and a bus,
so I have to get up early and my morning routine is
dull and conventional, the same one that’s played out
in millions of households.
On the plus side, though, I get to meet lots of people:
there are the museum visitors that come into the
workshop every day to watch me working, the other
craftspeople – the broom maker, the blacksmith or
the glassblower – and I also give classes. Working at
home was a solitary business and I hated the fact that
I would often go for days without speaking to anyone.
I get lots of requests for personalized mugs, and
evenings are spent packaging up orders to send out
the next day. I often get to bed later than I would like.
C Janie Collins: farm vet
I used to have a dog and we’d go running together
most mornings, but I gave him to my mum in the end.
I tend to be out all day visiting farms and it wasn’t
fair to leave him alone. So now I don’t get as much
exercise as I’d like to.
I love my job, especially the variety and not knowing
what you’ll be doing from one day to the next. But
being a vet – any type of vet – is not what people
think. It’s not all cuddly lambs and cute little pigs. We
have to do some pretty unpleasant things sometimes,
things which would put you off working with animals
for life.
My mum wants to know when I’m going to settle down
with someone, but there’s no room for a dog in my
life, so I don’t see how I’ll be able to fit marriage in.
50
55
60
D Mark Fudge: fisherman
My flat overlooks the port, so it’s just a short walk to
the Ellie May. That’s our boat, the place I think of as
home. I get lonely if I’m away from her for longer than
a week or so – the crew is like a family to me.
I’m one of four deckhands, which means that the first
mate – the second in command after the captain – gets
us to do cleaning and maintenance work as well as
pulling in the nets, then washing, salting, icing and
storing the fish. We work hard – six hours on, six
hours off, six hours on, six hours off – every day for
seven weeks. It’s tough, but I can’t see myself in any
other profession. There’s nothing else I’d rather do.
Reacting to the text
If you had to choose, which of the four people would you prefer to change places with
for a month? Why?
9
1
1
Lifestyle
Language focus 1: Habitual behaviour
C Used to and would
A General tendencies
1 Used to and would can be used to talk about past habits.
Look at these sentences from the reading text and answer
the question.
a I would crawl out of bed and go straight into the
garage.
b I would sometimes go for days without speaking to
anyone.
c I used to have a dog and we’d go running together
most mornings.
In all three sentences, used to could be used instead of
would/’d before the verbs crawl and go, but in sentence c,
it is not possible to say I would have a dog. Why is this?
1 Which of the alternatives in this sentence is not possible?
I tend to be/use to be/am usually out all day visiting
farms.
Look at the Grammar reference on page 209 to see
how tend to is used.
2 Make three general statements about some of the following
groups of people in your country using tend to.
• football players
• teenagers
• elderly people
• teachers
• people in cities
• people in villages
Example:
The best football players in my country tend to go abroad.
They can earn much more money playing for foreign
clubs.
B Frequency adverbs
1 a Look at the following extracts from the reading text. In
what position is the frequency adverb placed in relation to
the verb?
Check your ideas on page 209 of the Grammar
reference.
2 In the following paragraph, decide whether the underlined
verbs can be used with:
a both used to and would
b only used to
c neither used to nor would
I’ll sometimes go for a run after I get up.
At home there are usually scripts lying all over the place.
I always get to the theatre at the last minute.
b In this sentence, two of the adverbs are in the correct
position and two are not. Cross out the two incorrectly placed
adverbs.
Normally/Always/Sometimes/Never I get out of bed around
midday.
Check your ideas in the Grammar reference on
page 209.
2 For sentences 1–6, decide if the position of the adverb is
possible. If it is not possible, correct the sentence.
1 I rarely go out on weekday evenings.
2 I have usually my dinner in front of the television.
3 Never I spend more than ten minutes doing my English
homework.
4 Companies are always phoning me in the evening, trying
to sell me something – I get so annoyed.
5 Hardly I ever play computer games – I prefer reading.
6 It’s rare for me to go to bed before midnight, and quite
often I’ll stay up until two in the morning.
3
Say whether or not the sentences in exercise 2 are
true for you. Use frequency adverbs and the alternatives in
the Grammar reference on page 209.
Example:
1 It’s rare for me to stay at home on weekday evenings.
I usually do some type of sport; I tend to go running if
it’s not raining, and if it is, I’ll often go swimming or play
badminton.
10
In the bad old days my mum (1) had an executive position in a
pharmaceutical company. She often (2) worked long hours and
sometimes (3) went away on business trips for two or three
days at a time. Our dear old gran (4) looked after us on those
occasions, but it wasn’t the same as having a mum around. My
brother and I (5) didn’t like her being away from home, but we
never once (6) said anything, because we always (7) thought she
was happy in her work. Then one day she (8) announced she was
giving up her job to spend more time with her family. We (9) were
delighted at the change in lifestyle, but I’m not sure about my
mum: she often (10) said afterwards that being a full-time mother
was harder than being a business executive!
3 Write six sentences comparing your life now with your life
five years ago. Write about things which have changed.
Example:
I didn’t use to have a job, but now I work on Saturdays so
I have more money.
Lifestyle
Vocabulary 2: Get
1 a Look at these sentences from the reading text on pages 8 and 9 and try to remember
who said each one. The first one has been done for you.
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
I get to meet lots of people. the potter
Normally I get out of bed around midday.
I don’t get as much exercise as I’d like to.
I get lonely if I’m away from her for longer than a week or so.
I get the train and a bus.
I always get to the theatre at the last minute.
The first mate gets us to do cleaning and maintenance work …
I get lots of requests for personalized mugs.
Check your answers on pages 8 and 9.
b What is the meaning of the words in bold in sentences a–h above?
Example: a have the opportunity to meet
2 The following sentences all contain phrasal verbs or expressions with get. Underline
the correct alternative. There is an example at the beginning (0).
0 That jumper looks so old and dirty. When are you going to get away/along/lost/rid of it?
1 Here’s my telephone number. If you have any problems, just get in talk/speak/touch/
tact with me.
2 I heard she was a lovely woman. Unfortunately I never got the occasion/event/
ability/chance to meet her.
3 I asked him how much he got paid/earned/money/salary but he refused to tell me.
4 Come on, hurry up and get moved/ready/ordered/fit! Your bus leaves in five minutes.
5 His parents are concerned about his behaviour. He’s always getting into problem/
trouble/punishment/damage at school.
6 His girlfriend left him in March and he still hasn’t got past/off/by/over it.
7 I can’t speak French very well, but I always manage to get across/through/by/over
with a dictionary and a few gestures.
8 They wanted to get to the opera house but they got up/out of/on/off the wrong bus
and ended up at the football stadium.
3
Discuss the following questions.
•
•
•
•
•
How quickly do you get ready for school/work in the morning?
How do you get to school/work? How long does it take you to get there?
Did/Do you often get into trouble at school? What was the worst thing you ever did?
Did/Do your parents ever get you to do any jobs around the house? How did/do
you feel about this?
What sort of things do you do when you get angry? How quickly do you get over
your anger?
11
1
1 Lifestyle
Vocabulary 3: Clothes
1 How many of the items of clothing in the photographs can you name?
2 The following adjectives can be used to describe clothes. Which of them can you
match to the photographs?
tight-fitting
baggy
casual
Listening 1
Part 3
formal
colourful
plain
Multiple matching
tasteful
unfashionable
smart
trendy
scruffy
sleeveless
1.1–1.5
You will hear five different people talking about occasions when a person’s clothes and
appearance caused surprise or concern. For questions 1–5, match the speaker to the
correct occasion in the list A–H on page 13. Use the letters only once. There are three
extra letters which you do not need to use.
Before you do the task …
Prediction
guest
spectator
audience
competitor
witness
star
candidate
host
invigilator
opponent
1 Match each of the people in the box
to the appropriate occasion A–H in
the listening task on page 13. More
than one word may be used for each
occasion and some words may be
used twice.
e.g. A wedding: guest, witness
What other people might you also
find in each of the situations?
e.g. At a wedding the people who get
married are the bride and groom.
12
2 Where does each occasion take place?
e.g. A wedding usually takes place in a church
or a registry office.
3 What clothes would you personally
wear on the occasions A–H mentioned
in the listening task on page 13?
e.g. If I was going to a wedding, I would buy an
expensive dress. I would probably wear highheeled shoes.
Now you are ready to do the task.
Lifestyle
What to expect in the exam
•
You will have 30 seconds to read the eight
options. Use this time to try to predict some of
the ideas and language you might hear, as you
did on page 12.
•
Some of the extracts may contain distractors
(key words or expressions which could cause
you to make the wrong decision). Pay close
attention both times you hear the recording.
A a wedding
B a friend’s birthday party
C a classical ballet
D a sporting event
E a film premiere
F an examination
G a job interview
Speaker 1
1
Speaker 2
2
Speaker 3
3
Speaker 4
4
Speaker 5
5
H a special family meal
Have you ever been in a situation where someone’s appearance caused surprise?
Language focus 2: Be used to, get used
to and used to
1 Look at the following sentences from the listening. In which
of them does used to
a mean ‘accustomed to’?
b refer to a past state which has now finished?
1 Her unconventional, yet practical clothing shocked
spectators, who were used to seeing women play in the
long, heavy dresses which were typical of that period.
2 And he used to live in France, which means he probably
wouldn’t mind changing countries if we needed him to.
3 …he will have to get used to wearing something a
little more formal.
2 What is the difference in meaning between be used to and
get used to?
3 What form of the verb is used after be used to and get used
to?
Check your answers on page 209 of the Grammar
reference.
4
Talk about all the things you have to get used to in
the following situations:
• you get your first job
• you become famous
• you go on a diet
• you get married
• you have children
• you retire
Example:
In a new job, you might have to get used to working
together with other people.
5 a If you went to live in Britain, what aspects of life there
would you find it difficult to get used to?
b Read the following text about Juan, who moved from
Spain to live in England. Ignore the gaps for the moment.
How many of the things which you spoke about in a are
mentioned?
Now that Juan has been living in England for five years he
(0) is
used to doing (do) things differently, but it
hasn’t always been the case. When he first moved there he
couldn’t (1) ____ used to _____ (have) lunch at 1pm, so he
often (2) ____ used to _____ (cook) for himself in his flat
and eat at 3pm, as his family does in Spain. Even now I don’t
think he (3) ____ used to _____ (eat) English food, because
when he comes home to Madrid, he buys Spanish ‘delicacies’
to take back with him.
I remember how he (4) ____ used to _____ (write) to me
and complain about the shop closing times. It took him a
long time to (5) ____ used to not _____ (be) able to buy
anything after about five o’clock. Most shops in Spain close
at eight or nine in the evening.
He bought an English car a year ago, so he should (6) ____
used to _____ (drive) on the left by now. I wonder if he’ll
ever be able to (7) ____ used to _____ (drive) on the right
again when, or if, he comes back to live in Spain!
c Read the text again.
In the first gap write either be, is, get, or leave it blank.
In the second gap write the correct form of the verb in
brackets.
There is an example at the beginning (0).
What do you think a British person coming to
d
your country might find it difficult to get used to?
13
1
1 Lifestyle
Writing
Part 2
Informal letter
1 Read the following letter, which you have received from your English friend, Mark.
What two things does he ask you to tell him?
Would you accept Mark’s invitation? Why/Why not?
Dear _______ ,
a) Many thanks for your last letter. The new house
sounds brilliant – how are you settling in? b) I’m
sorry I haven’t written sooner, but I’ve been really
busy helping my parents out on the farm.
It’s great fun, though I still haven’t got used to
getting up at six every morning to milk the cows!
We often have the radio on while we’re doing it, so
it’s not too bad. Then, once we’ve had breakfast, we
tend to spend the rest of the day outside, either in
the fields or looking after the sheep.
c) That reminds me, do you remember Lady, our
oldest sheepdog? Well, she’s just had puppies! If
you’re free in the summer, you could come and see
them all and help with the harvest as well. d) Let
me know if you can make it – we’d love to see you
again.
Anyway, e) I must go, as it’s getting late and
tomorrow we’ve got another early start. f) Can’t
wait to hear from you.
g) Best wishes
Mark
2 What is the purpose of each of the four paragraphs?
Example:
Paragraph 1: To say thank you for the letter and to apologize for not writing before.
3 Match each underlined expression a–g from Mark’s letter with an appropriate
alternative from 1–10. Which three phrases cannot be used and why are they
inappropriate?
Example: 1 e)
1
2
3
4
5
I’d better close now
Thanks a lot for the letter
Yours sincerely
By the way
All the best
6
7
8
9
10
I would be most grateful if you could inform me
I look forward to your prompt reply
Please write and tell me
I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write to you
I’m looking forward to hearing from you
Notice the use of contractions in Mark’s letter: I’m, it’s and haven’t. These are typical of
informal writing.
4 Find and circle the following linking words in Mark’s letter. Then use an appropriate
linker from the box to complete the gaps in sentences 1–5 on page 15. Each linker can
be used more than once.
but
14
while
so
and
as well
as
Lifestyle
1 You’ll never guess what happened to me ___________ I was shopping in the centre of
town the other day!
2 I’m writing to ask you to do me a favour ___________ I’ve got myself into trouble.
3 We’re having a party next Saturday ___________ we were wondering if you’d like to
come. Bring a friend ___________ .
4 I’d love to accept your invitation, ___________ I’m afraid I’m going to be busy.
5 I haven’t got any plans ___________ I’ll certainly be able to go.
5 Read the following instructions.
Six months ago you moved to a new house in another part of your country. Write
a reply to Mark’s letter giving news about how you are settling in to your new
surroundings and what a typical day is like. You should also say whether or not you
can accept his invitation to go and stay on his farm in the summer.
Write your letter in 140–190 words.
How to go about it
•
•
•
Listening 2
Part 1
Begin by referring in some way to the letter you have received from Mark.
Use some of the informal language and linkers that you have just studied.
Organize your letter into logical paragraphs, as in the letter from Mark.
Multiple choice
1.6–1.13
You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1–8, choose the
best answer (A, B or C).
What to expect in the exam
•
•
The eight recorded extracts are either monologues or conversations. You hear each one twice.
You will hear distractors. Listen carefully both times to the whole of each extract.
1 You hear two people talking about a friend of
theirs.What does the woman say about the friend?
A He talks a lot about his lifestyle.
B He leads a comfortable lifestyle.
C He may change his lifestyle.
2 You overhear a man talking to a friend on his
mobile phone. Why is he phoning?
A to persuade his friend to do something
B to ask for some information
C to change an arrangement
3 You hear a woman talking about her family’s
financial situation. What is she going to do?
A ask someone to help her
B try to find a job
C sell something valuable
4 You overhear a man and a woman talking about
their morning routine.
How does the man feel about his mornings?
A He hates travelling to work.
B He does not like getting up early.
C He finds it difficult to talk to other people.
5 You hear a woman on the radio talking about her
experiences in a foreign country.
What surprised her about the people?
A the importance they give to clothes
B the type of food they eat
C their attitude to work
6 You turn on the radio and hear the following.
What is it?
A a review
B a news report
C an advertisement
7 You hear two people talking about the village they
both live in.
What does the woman think of the village?
A People are not always very friendly.
B Some of the roads are dangerous.
C There are not enough children.
8 You hear a man talking about his job.
Who is the man?
A a hotel doorman
B a hotel receptionist
C a hotel manager
15
1
1
Review
Reading and
Use of English
Transformations
Part 4
For questions 1–6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to
the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must
use between two and five words, including the word given. Here is an example (0).
0 How long was your journey from London to Manchester?
TAKE
How long
DID IT TAKE YOU TO get from London to Manchester?
Write the missing words IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
What to expect in the exam
•
The second sentence of a transformation is a
paraphrase of the first sentence; it expresses
the same idea but with different words.
•
Transformations test your knowledge of
grammar, vocabulary and collocation.
•
More than one feature of grammar and/
or vocabulary may be tested in a single
transformation.
In number 1 below, for example, consider:
In the transformations below, all the language
which is tested appears in Unit 1, including the
Grammar reference on page 209.
– the verb and preposition used with the word rid.
– the form of the verb after How about.
1 Why don’t you throw away that old blouse?
RID
How about _______________________________________ that old blouse?
2 I still find it strange to wear glasses.
USED
I still haven’t _______________________________________ glasses.
3 He never asks when he borrows my things!
ALWAYS
He is _______________________________________ asking!
4 Simon doesn’t usually drink coffee.
UNUSUAL
It _______________________________________ drink coffee.
5 Helen is not usually so pessimistic.
LIKE
It is _______________________________________ so pessimistic.
6 I can’t wait to see you again.
FORWARD
I’m really _______________________________________ you again.
Vocabulary
A Adjectives
For questions 1–6, decide which of the three words is not normally used with the
word in capitals at the end of the line. The first one has been done for you.
1
2
3
4
5
6
16
evening
high-heeled
scruffy
unfashionable
stressful
long-sleeved
afternoon
expensive
plain
sleeveless
baggy
modern
fancy
tasteful
tight-fitting
trendy
chaotic
traditional
DRESS
HAT
SCARF
SHOES
LIFESTYLE
WAY OF LIFE
Review
1
4
2
5
7
6
8
9
10
12
B Expressions crossword
3
11
13
Expressions for use in informal letters
Across
1 Many __________ for your letter.
5 I’m looking __________ to hearing from you.
8 By the __________ , how did the exam go?
9 Write back soon.
__________ ,
Susie
12 I’m sorry it’s __________ me so long to write to you.
Down
2 Let me __________ if you can make it.
7 Anyway, I’d __________ close now.
11 Can’t wait to __________ from you.
Expressions with get
Across
3 Chewing gum is forbidden in class – get __________ of it now!
4 If you don’t get __________ the train now, it’ll leave without you!
10 They said they’d get in __________ with me, but so far they haven’t written or phoned.
13 How much do you get __________ a week in your job?
Down
1 He’s always getting into __________ with the police.
3 Turn off the television right now and get __________ for school.
6 I had a shower, got __________ and then went out for a walk.
C People
Each of the words for people 1–6 has a relationship of some kind with one of the
words a–f. Match the words and then use them to complete the sentences below.
You may need to use plural forms.
1 invigilator
a groom
2 host
b spectator
3 bride
c patient
4 competitor
d audience
5 performer
e candidate
6 doctor
f guest
1 The youngest ____________ in the stadium surprised the ____________ by winning
the 400 metres in record time.
2 The only person I recognized at the party was the ____________ ; I didn’t know any
of the other ____________ .
3 The ____________ and ____________ looked very happy as they walked back down
the aisle after the ceremony.
4 Many members of the ____________ left the theatre before the end of the play,
disappointed at the acting of some of the ____________ .
5 After a thorough examination the ____________ could find nothing wrong with his
____________ .
6 One of the ____________ was caught cheating in the exam by the ____________ .
Writing
Write a short article of 140–190 words about your lifestyle. Use texts A–D in the
article on pages 8 and 9 as models. Include some of the vocabulary and grammatical
structures you have studied in this unit.
17
11
2
High energy
Reading and Speaking
Look at the photos on pages 18 and 19 and read about the shows. Talk with
your partner about how much you think you would enjoy each of the shows, giving
reasons. Then agree on one show which you could both see together.
Pagagnini
An innovative musical show that brings to life some
of the world’s best-loved pieces of classical music.
But Pagagnini is more than just a concert: the
musicians dance, laugh, cry and generally clown
around in one of the most original comedy acts of
the moment.
Rhythm of the Dance
This two-hour dance and music extravaganza
contains a wealth of Irish talent. The show relives
the journey of the Irish Celts throughout history,
combining traditional dance and music with the
most up-to-date stage technology.
Vocabulary 1: Music
1 a How many of the musical instruments in the photographs can you name?
b All the words in each of the groups below can be used in combination with one of the words in the box. Write an appropriate word from the box in each of the gaps. There is an example at the beginning (0).
play (v)
rock
lead (adj)
on
in
instrument
live (adj)
a song
musician
rock
band
singer
star
3 talented
rock
session
________
1
________
vocalist
singer
guitarist
4
________
tour
stage
the radio
2 sing
perform
mime
________
5
________
a track
a tune
a record
0
6
________
album
performance
music
7
________
8 percussion
wind
stringed
the charts
concert
tune
________
2 Study the word combinations in exercise 1b for two minutes. Then cover the exercise.
How many word combinations can you remember?
3
18
Work in small groups. You are on the organizing committee for a local charity
and you want to raise money. Here are some events which have been suggested.
• A classical music concert given by a
• A series of music workshops led by
•
•
•
local orchestra
A sale of second-hand CDs and records
A talk given by a local jazz musician
local musicians.
The auction of an electric guitar
donated by a world famous rock star
Discuss how successful you think each event would be. Then decide which two events
would raise the most money.
High energy
Cirque Éloize – iD
Sixteen artists on stage, thirteen circus disciplines, and
a world of urban dances such as breakdance and hiphop. The rock, electronic and poetic music, together
with the presence of video, highlight the show’s playful,
energetic, and youthful aspects.
Jeannot Painchaud (Director)
Listening 1
Part 2
Sentence completion
Tap Dogs
Tap Dogs are currently taking the world by storm with
their tap show that combines the strength and power of
workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing.
1.14
1 a Read these Listening Part 2 instructions and the What to expect in the exam box.
You will hear a radio presenter called Jim Dunne talking about local entertainment
options. For questions 1–10, complete the sentences.
What to expect in the exam
•
The words you read in the question may not
be the same as the words you hear in the
recording, e.g. Question 1:
•
b
You may hear information which could fit the
gap but does not answer the question.
e.g. In question 2 below you will hear the
names of two places mentioned. Listen carefully
to ensure you choose the right one.
You read: Jim recommends Pagagnini to …
•
You hear: I can guarantee … will enjoy watching these four guys.
•
However, the word(s) you need to write are
actually heard in the recording.
You do not need to write more than three
words for each answer.
•
Minor spelling errors can be made (e.g.
musicall) but the words must be recognizable.
Read questions 1–10 and, as you do so, discuss the type of information you
might need to write for each one.
Example: 1 This is probably a person or a group of people.
c Listen to the recording twice and complete the sentences.
Jim recommends Pagagnini to the (1) ........................................
Jim saw a Pagagnini concert last year in (2) ........................................
As well as classical music, Pagagnini play rock, blues and (3) ........................................
Jim says the Pagagnini show has no (4) ........................................
The first performance of Rhythm of the Dance was in (5) ........................................ in
Norway.
More than (6) ........................................ people have seen Rhythm of the Dance live on
stage.
Jim suggests listeners look at the section entitled (7) ........................................ on the
Rhythm of the Dance website.
The name of the first show that the Cirque Éloize performed at the Regent Theatre
was (8) ........................................
‘
’
Some performers in iD appear on (9) ........................................ and Rollerblades™.
One review of iD says it is full of originality, energy and (10) ........................................
2
2
Having listened to Jim Dunne, do you feel the same about the different shows
as when you did the Reading and Speaking activity on page 18? Why/Why not?
19
2
High energy
Language focus 1: Indirect ways of asking questions
1 Compare these two ways of asking the same question:
Direct: What time does the Pagagnini concert start?
Indirect: Could you tell me what time the Pagagnini
concert starts?
Asking questions in a more indirect way, using expressions
such as Could you tell me, can make them sound more
polite. Write the direct form of the following questions:
1 I’d be interested to know when Rhythm of the Dance
started performing.
When
?
2 Would you mind telling me why you call the show iD?
____________________________________________
3 I’d like to know if the Tap Dogs are planning to come here.
____________________________________________
2 Compare the direct and the indirect questions in exercise 1
above and answer the following questions:
a In numbers 1 and 2, what happens to the auxiliary
verbs did and do when the indirect question form is
used? How are the main verbs start and call affected?
b In number 3, what differences are there between the
word order of the direct question and that of the indirect
question?
c In number 3, where no question word (when, how,
what, where etc) appears in the direct question, which
word has to be added in the indirect question?
Check your ideas on page 209 of the Grammar
reference.
Writing 1
Part 2
3 Questions a–f were prepared by a music journalist planning
to interview one of the members of Pagagnini. Rewrite them
to make them indirect. If possible, choose a different phrase
from the box to begin each one.
I’d be interested to know …
Could you explain …
Would you mind telling us …
We’d like to know …
Could you tell me …
I was wondering if you could tell me …
a Why are you called ‘Pagagnini’?
____________________________________________
b When did you start performing together?
____________________________________________
c Have you ever toured outside of Europe?
____________________________________________
d What type of music do you prefer playing?
____________________________________________
e How many hours do you practise your instrument each
day?
____________________________________________
f Do you clown around when you’re off stage as well?
____________________________________________
4 a Student A: Write six indirect questions which you could
ask a member of Rhythm of the Dance.
Student B: Write six indirect questions which you could ask
a member of Cirque Éloize.
b
Take turns to roleplay an interview in which your
partner answers the questions you have prepared in a.
Letter of application
1 a Read the following Writing Part 2 instructions.
You see the following advertisement in your local English-language newspaper:
MUSICIANS AND DANCERS REQUIRED
We need teaching assistants for the music and dance
activities at our English-language summer school for
young children.
If you can speak English and believe you have the right
skills to teach music and/or dance to young people, you
are the right person for us.
Write to the director, Paul Beacon, and explain why you
would be a suitable person for the job.
Write your letter of application.
b Read the letter of application on page 21. Ignore the words and expressions in bold
(1–10) and answer the following question.
Do you think the applicant would be suitable for the job which is advertised? Give reasons for your answer.
20
High energy
Dear (1) Paul
nglish
the latest edition of ‘Echer at
in
t
en
m
se
rti
ve
ad
your
and dance tea
(2) I’ve had a look at
k for a job as a music
as
to
nt
wa
I
)
(3
d
an
’
Weekly
your summer school.
my second year at
ld music student inents, including piano, violin
r-o
ea
-y
ty
en
tw
a
I am
y for the
play several instrum
university and can also been going to a local dance academ p called
and clarinet. (4) I’ved am a member of a modern -dance grou
past twelve years an
‘ Pasos’.
of children,
working with groups students. In
s
job
y
an
ne
do
r
ve
ne
e
e
at
young priv
Although (5) I’v
ch the
n to (6) quite a lot of
I teach piano and violih many of the dances for ‘ Pasos’ and tea
addition, I choreograp bers of the group.
steps to the other mem
very calm
at this job, as I am da da
od
go
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)
(8
nce and
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d
ul
(7) I reckon I wo . My whole life is devoted to music an
on
rs
pe
and patient
to other people.
ld pass on my skills
(9) it’d be great if I cou
you.
Can’t wait to hear from
(10)
Yours sincerely
Sandra Agar
2 When writing a letter of application to the director of a summer school, a formal
style is appropriate. However, in Sandra Agar’s application above, the words and
expressions in bold (1–10) are more appropriate to an informal letter. Replace each
one with a formal alternative from the box below.
Example: 1 Mr Beacon
I
I
I
I
have no experience
look forward to hearing
have also been attending
would love to have the opportunity to
I would like to apply
I have seen
Mr Beacon
I feel
well-suited to
a number
3 Which linking words does Sandra use in her letter.
Example: also
4 What is the purpose of each of the four main paragraphs in Sandra’s letter?
Example: Paragraph 1: Her reason for writing
5 Read the How to go about it box on page 202 before you do the following Writing
Part 2 task.
You see the following advertisement in your local English-language newspaper:
ARE YOU A MUSIC FAN?
We require English-speaking volunteers to help at a four-day international
pop and rock music festival aimed at raising money for charity.
• What relevant music-related interests do you have?
• Do you have experience of working with people?
• How would you benefit from helping at this event?
Write to Paul Groves at Music for Life explaining why you would be
suitable as a volunteer.
Write your letter of application in 140–190 words.
21
2
2
High energy
Reading and
Use of English
Part 6
Gapped text
1
You are going to read an article about the game of rugby. Look at the
photographs, which show men and women playing rugby, and discuss the following
questions.
How much do you know about rugby? What are some of the rules of the game?
The article you are going to read says that ‘rugby is rather like chess’: why do you think
it makes this comparison?
2 Read through the base text (the main text with the gaps). Are any of your ideas from
exercise 1 mentioned?
3 Six sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A–G the
one which fits each gap (1–6). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to
use.
How to go about it
•
Check that the whole sentence fits in with the
meaning of the text before and after the gap.
b
To help you do this, some words and phrases are
written in bold. These show connections between
the language in the text and the language in
the missing sentences. A number of grammatical
words such as them, this and these are written in
italics to show further connections.
When you think you have found the sentence, read the whole paragraph again to check that it fits.
•
Now complete each of the remaining gaps
with an appropriate sentence. Do not choose
a sentence simply because it contains a
word which also appears in the base text.
For example, the word obstacles, before gap
number 2, is repeated in sentence G, but this
does not necessarily mean that G is the correct
answer.
•
When you have finished, check that the
sentence which you have not used does not fit
into any of the gaps.
Note: these connections are not shown in the
First examination.
•
Now look at gap number 1. The words in bold
before and after the gap indicate that the
missing sentence:
a
22
refers back to the words uncomplicated and
get points
refers forward to the different ways of getting
points.
High energy
How to play … rugby
Welcome to a sport which will enchant and excite you, and take you to the heights and the depths of human
emotion. Learn the rules and you will be unable to resist it.
5
10
Rugby is a game of 40-minute halves with the most uncomplicated of objectives – to get more points than
You either touch the ball down over your opponents’ line, known as a try, for
your opponent. 1
five points, or kick the ball over your opponent’s posts; three points for a dropped goal and a penalty,
two points for a conversion (kicking the ball between the posts after a try).
The complexities in rugby arise as a result of the obstacles which are put in every rugby player’s path to make
This can be done in three ways: by throwing you to the
it harder for him to score points. 2
ground, by teaming up with other players to push against you when you have the ball in your hands or by
pushing against you when the ball is on the ground.
This is clearly rather
There is also the law that says the ball can only be passed backwards. 3
difficult to do when you have fifteen very large opponents standing in front of you ready to
throw you to the floor if they get anywhere near you.
15
Each team is made up of eight forwards and seven backs. The job of the forwards is to get the ball for the
quicker, lighter backs to score. Rugby is rather like chess: chess pieces have special functions, in the same
way that rugby players have specific tasks to perform. Within these roles they both employ various moves to
Rugby is a game in which all the players work together, and the better
get to the other side. 4
their relationships and understanding of one another, the better their chances of getting one of their team to the
try-line.
20
5
The tools you need to overcome them are simple: time and space. When you hear commentators
talking of tactics or strategies, they’re just talking about the various ways in which you ‘create space’ or ‘make
time’. For example, if the backs keep passing along the line they will eventually run into problems, as the last
player has no one else to pass to, and no space to run in. He’ll get thrown off the pitch by the opposition, and
the ball will go to them.
25
There are tactics like miss-moves (missing someone out in the line so that a defending player runs the
wrong way and leaves a gap) and dummies (pretending to pass so the opposition runs the wrong way).
6
There are a few other things which could be mentioned, but basically, rugby is nowhere near as complicated as
it looks. It is, after all, just a game.
A The point at which rugby becomes much more fun than a board game is in its
team dynamics.
B However, this complexity in the rules of rugby does not make the game any less
exciting to play, or indeed, to watch.
C The methods of scoring are equally simple.
D Because of this rule, players have to run forwards or they’ll end up back on their
own line.
E These strategies are both ways of tricking the opposition into opening up a gap
in the defence for you to run through before you run out of space.
F One such difficulty is that the opposing team can physically stop you from
scoring.
G Now we know the aim of playing rugby, and the nature of the obstacles that
stand in the way, we need to look at how to deal with these obstacles.
Reacting to the text
Would you be interested in watching or playing rugby? Why/Why not?
Are there any sports you have not played but would like to try out? If so, which
one(s)?
23
2
2
High energy
Language focus 2: Gerunds and infinitives
1 Look at the underlined words in the following extracts from
the reading text. For each one, explain why a gerund, an
infinitive without to, or an infinitive with to is used.
Example:
a to make: the infinitive with to is used to express
purpose, the reason why something is done.
4 The verbs in the box can be used to talk about our likes and
dislikes. They are all usually followed by the gerund.
Write each verb in an appropriate place on the line below
according to the strength of its meaning.
a … the obstacles which are put in every rugby player’s
path to make it harder for him to score points
b This can be done … by throwing you to the ground.
c … the backs keep passing along the line …
d … we need to look at how to deal with these obstacles.
really enjoy
don’t mind
quite like
detest
can’t stand
don’t like
love
absolutely adore
hate
STRONG DISLIKE
STRONG LIKE
detest absolutely adore
2 Some verbs can be followed by a gerund and some others
can be followed by an infinitive with to. Complete each of
the following sentences using the correct form of the verb
in brackets. One verb in each sentence will be a gerund, the
other an infinitive with to.
1 When I suggested ___________ (go) skiing at the
weekend she was extremely enthusiastic and we
arranged ___________ (meet) at seven o’clock on
Saturday morning.
2 I can’t help __________ (smile) when I see my dad
playing tennis. He’s had hundreds of lessons but he still
hasn’t learnt ___________ (hit) the ball properly.
3 Paul seems ____________ (enjoy) playing golf. He’s even
considering ____________ (buy) his own set of clubs.
4 One of my cousins has promised ________ (take) me
windsurfing as soon as I’ve finished ________ (study).
5 At first my parents refused _____________ (let) me
go to karate lessons, but I kept __________ (ask) and
eventually they agreed.
3 Some verbs can be followed by more than one verb form.
Underline the correct alternatives in the following sentences.
In some sentences more than one alternative is correct.
1 It started rain/to rain/raining so they had to postpone
the match.
2 I only stopped have/to have/having a rest once during
the whole marathon.
3 Jones continued play/to play/playing football
professionally until he was forty.
4 These exercises should help you run/to run/running
faster.
5 Remember drink/to drink/drinking water before the
race.
6 Sally tried use/to use/using a heavier racket, and she
played a little better.
5 Certain adjectives followed by a preposition and the gerund
can also be used to talk about what does and doesn’t
interest you. Study the following table and complete each
space with a preposition from the box. The first one has been
done for you.
at
in
on
about
with
of
adjective
+ preposition
on
noun or gerund
I’m (really)
keen
sport/cinema etc
I’m not (really)
interested _____
listening to … etc
I’ve never been
fond _____
watching …
I’ve always been
good/bad _____
playing …
I get (really)
bored _____
doing …
I never get
excited _____
going …
6 Write eight sentences about your likes and dislikes using the
language you have just studied.
Examples:
Preposition + gerund: I never get excited about going to the
cinema.
Verb + gerund: I quite like listening to jazz.
Gerund as subject: Collecting postcards is one of my favourite
pastimes.
7
Compare your sentences with your partner’s. Ask questions about each other’s likes and dislikes.
Example:
A: I’ve always been keen on going to the cinema.
B: How often do you go?
A: I tend to go once every two weeks or so.
Read the Grammar reference on pages 209–10 and
check your answers.
B: And what are your favourite films?
A: Well, I really enjoy watching science fiction, but I don’t
like films with a lot of violence. I get bored very easily
if there are lots of deaths.
You may be asked to talk about your interests in Part 1 of
the Speaking test. Make sure you develop your answers,
explaining and justifying your opinions.
24
High energy
Vocabulary 2: Sport
1 Underline the correct alternative in these extracts from the reading text on page 23.
a You foot/kick/give/fire the ball over your opponent’s sticks/poles/pillars/posts.
b … obstacles which are put in every rugby player’s path to make it harder for him to
do/goal/score/mark points …
c ... the ball can only be given/presented/passed/changed backwards.
d … chess pieces/parts/packs/portions have special functions …
e He’ll get thrown off the court/pitch/track/camp by the opposition …
Check your answers on page 23.
2 Can you name all the sports in the pictures? Write the name of each sport next to the
verb which it is used with. The first one has been done for you.
do
athletics
.
go ________________________________________________________________________
play ______________________________________________________________________
3 a Write the name of the sport with which each group of four nouns is associated. The first one has been done for you.
1
2
3
4
5
6
tennis
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
court
pitch
course
slope
track
saddle
net
referee
green
sticks
field event
helmet
racket
corner
clubs
run
lane
pedals
backhand
foul
hole
goggles
meeting
peloton
b Add each of these nouns to the appropriate group in a.
red card
fairway
gears
lift
service
triple jump
4 a Complete each gap with a verb from the box.
beat
draw
hit
take
take
win
1 Which sports _________ place on an ice rink?
2 Which country’s football team _________ Holland to win
the 2010 World Cup Final?
3 Which medal does a runner-up _________ ?
4 In which sports do you _________ the ball with a racket?
5 How many players from each team can _________ part at
one time in a game of basketball?
6 If two hockey teams _________ nil–nil, how many goals are
scored?
b
5
Answer the questions in a.
Work in pairs.
Student A Choose a sport and explain the rules to your
partner.
Student B Imagine that you are not familiar with your
partner’s sport. Ask your partner any questions
that are necessary to help you fully understand
the rules.
When you have finished, change roles.
25
2
2
High energy
Listening 2
Part 4
Multiple choice
1
1.15
Look at the photographs of unusual sports. What do you think contestants
have to do in each one?
2 You will hear a man talking on the radio about unusual sports. For questions 1–7,
choose the best answer (A, B or C).
What to expect in the exam
•
Look at question 1 below and the following extract from the listening script. The underlined sections
contain words which are the same or similar to words in all three of the possible answers A, B and C. Only
one of these sections matches an answer; the others are distractors. Decide which is the correct answer and
say why the others are incorrect.
Now you may think this is just a bit of fun, but when I watched two men competing in a televised match
last year, I was amazed by their level of skill in each of these two very different disciplines. After all,
boxing is such an aggressive, violent sport – it’s about using the body, whereas chess is all about using
the brain.
•
Although a particular option may be true, it may not be the correct answer to the question you are asked. In
question 2, all three statements are true but only one is something that Mike finds it difficult to believe.
1 When Mike saw a chess boxing match, he was
surprised by
A how skilled the competitors were at both parts
of the sport.
B how much fun the competitors were having.
C how aggressive the competitors were.
2 Having read about octopushing, Mike finds it
difficult to believe that
A players do not have to hold their breath for long
intervals.
B a high level of fitness is not required to play it.
C it is an exciting sport to watch.
3 What does Mike say about wife carrying?
A Male competitors must not be over a certain
weight.
B The name of the sport is not entirely
appropriate.
C The sport has a lot of complicated rules.
5 What do we learn about the organizers of toe
wrestling?
A They apply what they learn from international
competitions.
B They have arranged a number of events in
schools.
C They made a request which was rejected.
6 How does Mike feel about the human triumphs in
the Man Versus Horse Marathon?
A They are very surprising.
B They deserve more recognition.
C They are unlikely to be repeated.
7 Why did Mike give up running?
A He was injured.
B He lost interest.
C He had no time.
4 What is Mike’s criticism of sports like wife
carrying?
A They are not suitable for young children.
B They should not really be called sports.
C They are not worth taking seriously.
3
26
Would you be interested in taking part in or watching any of the sports Mike
mentions? Why/Why not?
Do you have any strange sports in your country? What do the competitors do?
High energy
Word formation: Affixes
1 Add an appropriate suffix, -or, -er or -ant, to each of the verbs in the box to form
nouns for the people who perform these actions. You may need to make further
spelling changes to the verbs.
Example: win – winner
win
listen
box
organize
play
run
spectate
ride
compete
contest
participate
Check your answers in the listening script on pages 223–4.
2 Add either -ist, -eer, -ee or -ian to the pairs of words below to form the nouns for the
corresponding people. Use the same suffix for both words in each pair. You may need
to make further spelling changes.
employ/train
electric/politics
novel/science
mountain/engine
3 In 1–7 below, use the same prefix from the box with all three adjectives to make them
negative. The first one has been done for you.
dis-
un-
in-
ir-
Adjectives
1 lucky/concerned/reliable
2 experienced/competent/tolerant
3 legal/logical/legible
4 moral/mature/modest
5 practical/patient/perfect
6 regular/responsible/relevant
7 honest/obedient/satisfied
il-
im-
Negative
_________________________________
unlucky/unconcerned/unreliable
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
4 What meaning do the prefixes in bold have in the following words?
undercook
overeat
prehistoric
postgraduate
hypermarket
microelectronics
misspell
rewrite
ex-wife
extraterrestrial
Writing 2
Part 2
Article
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS WEEKLY
Read the following Writing Part 2 instructions.
You have just seen this advertisement.
• What is your favourite sport?
• Why do you like it?
• What advice would you give to
someone who wants to take it up?
Write your article in 140–190 words.
We are looking for short articles answering
these questions and we will publish some
of the best articles next month.
How to go about it
•
Before you write your article, read the model
and analysis on page 202.
•
To help you plan your article, answer the
following questions and make notes.
Paragraph 3:
What advice can you give to people who want to
take it up?
Paragraph 1:
Are any special qualities, equipment or clothes
needed?
What is your favourite sport?
Paragraph 4:
What is special about it?
What final encouragement can you give?
Paragraph 2:
Why do you like it?
•
Give your article a title and include some of the
features of style from page 202.
What are the benefits of doing it?
27
2
2
Review
Word formation
1 In 1–6 below, one of each of the four words is not normally used. Underline the word.
1
2
3
4
5
6
undercook
overgrown
overeat
misbehave
dislove
uncommon
undercharge
overweight
oversing
misunderstand
dishonesty
unselfish
underestimate
overlittle
oversleep
misspell
disappearance
unglad
undersleep
overcrowded
overwork
missucceed
disobedience
unreliable
2 For questions 1–6, complete each of the gaps with the correct form of one of the
words from exercise 1.
1 These jeans should have cost £70, but the assistant made a mistake and __________
me. I only paid £50 for them.
2 The house has been abandoned for years. That’s why the garden is looking so
__________ .
3 I’m sorry I’m late. My alarm didn’t go off, so I __________ .
4 You’ve ____________ my surname. There are two ‘t’s in Hutton, not one.
5 Police are investigating the __________ of confidential documents from the Prime
Minister’s office.
6 Paul comes to school tired, and it is not __________ for him to fall asleep in class.
3 Now write five sentences of your own using some of the other words from exercise 1.
Leave a space in each sentence where the word should be and ask another student to
complete them.
Reading and
Use of English
Part 3
Word formation
For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of
some of the lines to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an
example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
The Celebrated Pedestrian
EXTREMELY
Pedestrianism, an early form of racewalking, was an (0) __________________
popular
sport in 18th- and 19th-century Britain, attracting huge crowds of (1) __________ .
Individuals would either aim to walk a certain (2) __________ within a specified
period of time or else compete against other pedestrians. Cash prizes were offered
but (3) __________ could also earn substantial amounts from the money gambled
on events.
Perhaps the most famous (4) __________ was Captain Robert Barclay Allardice,
whose (5) __________ achievements earned him the title of ‘The Celebrated
Pedestrian’. The Scotsman’s most memorable (6) __________ took place in 1809,
when he walked 1000 miles (1609 kilometres) in 1000 hours for a bet of 1000
guineas. Many considered it (7) __________ that he would complete the challenge,
which required him to walk a mile an hour, every hour, for forty-two days and
nights. He proved them wrong, though the task was so (8) __________ demanding
that by the end of the walk he had lost nearly fifteen kilos in weight.
28
EXTREME
SPECTATE
DISTANT
PARTICIPATE
WALK
ORDINARY
PERFORM
LIKELY
PHYSICAL
Review
Gerunds and infinitives
Complete each of the gaps below with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
1 I’ve been meaning _____________ (write) to you for ages but I just haven’t had the
time.
2 If we go skiing tomorrow, it’ll mean _____________ (get) up early. The slopes get
crowded very quickly.
3 I wish you’d stop _____________ (tap) your foot!
4 These long car journeys make me really hungry. Can we stop _____________ (have)
lunch soon?
5 When I tell you to be quiet, why must you always go on _____________ (talk)?
6 After looking at verbs which take the gerund, we went on _____________ (study)
those which are followed by the infinitive.
7 I tried hard _____________ (open) the window, but I couldn’t move it. It was stuck.
8 These plants look as if they need a lot more light. Try _____________ (put) them a
little closer to the window.
Vocabulary
A Sport
Complete each gap with a suitable word.
1 Our hotel was right next to the golf _________ we played on every morning. In fact,
our room overlooked the fairway of the eighteenth _________ .
2 The _________ blew his whistle to signal the end of the football match and hundreds
of jubilant United fans ran onto the _________ to congratulate their players.
3 I’m useless at tennis: I can’t even _________ the ball over the net with the _________ .
4 The _________ taking us to the top of the steepest ski _________ broke down halfway
up and we were left hanging in the air for over an hour.
5 Over three thousand runners will take _________ in this year’s marathon, which for
the first time ever takes _________ on a Sunday.
6 Barcelona _________ Valencia 3–2, while Real Madrid could only _________ 1–1 at
home to Rayo Vallecano.
B Music
Complete each of the gaps below with an appropriate word combination from page
18 of this unit. You may need to use nouns in the plural. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
0 I never buy live albums . You don’t get the same quality of sound as you do with a
studio recording.
1 Adele’s latest album sounds great. I heard a couple of tracks _________________ last
night.
2 I spend all my time in piano lessons practising the scales. I still haven’t learnt to
_________________ .
3 Her last record only got as far as number ten ___________________ .
4 When groups make a record they often have to employ __________________ to play
some of the instruments.
5 That guitar sounds awful! Are you sure it’s _________________ ?
6 I hate it when they _________________ on the TV. It’s so obvious they aren’t really
singing.
7 The band is going _________________ again next year. They’ll be playing in nine
European countries in three months.
8 Next on Capital Radio we’re going to _________________ from the latest ‘Sidewinder’
album. It’s called Ready for love – I hope you like it.
29
21
Grammar reference
Unit 1
Habitual behaviour in th e present
A The presenl simple is used for habi tual actions o r
permancnl si lualions in lhe prcsenl.
f go far a run twice a 1veek. She lives near the parle
B Frequency adverbs a re used to ind icate h o,v o flen an
2
3
4
5
aclion occu rs . Thcy are usually placed:
beíore lhe main verb.
I always go to bed befare 111idnigh1.
afler the verb lo be oran auxiliary verb.
She is very often la1e far work.
They have rarely been seen togethei:
Usually, nor111ally, fi·equently, sometinzes, (very/quite)
afien and occasionall_v can a lso be placed al the
begin ning oí the sentence or clause.
Occasionally we go out lo the cinema, bu/ usually we
stay in and watch a DVD.
NB ahvays , rarely, seldom, hardly ever and never cannol
be used in the samc way.
Somelimes a nd quite/no/ ve1y afien can be placed al the
end of Lhe senlence or cla use.
Farm vets have lo do some pretty unpleasant things
sometimes.
I do11'1 go lo the cine111a very often.
Adverb phrnses such as now and again, fi·om lime
to time, twice a week and eve,y clay are placed at the
beginning or end of a clause or sen tence, hu t not
between the subject and lhe verb.
1 see Paul al work every day and from time to time we
have lunch togethei:
Alternatives
The presenl continuous + always is used to talk aboul
things which occur ÍTequently and w hi ch lhe spea ker
finds annoying.
He's ahvays complaining about something!
2 Acljectives can be used asan allernative to rarely,
normally and (no!) usually.
J1's rare/normal!(un)usual far him to ea/ meat.
3 Tend to + infinitive is used lo rnake general slalernenls
aboul the habitual actions and situations of groups of
people or individuals.
British people tend to drink tea rather than coffee.
I tend not to get up very early on Sundays.
4 Will + infinitive is usecl to talk a bo u t habitual behaviour.
Frequency aclverbs can a lso be aclclecl.
She'll sometimes spend the whole day reading.
5 lt's not like someone to do something is usecl to suggest
thal thc way a person has behaved is not lypical o f lheir
charactc1~
J'rn surprised Grahan, didn't sene/ me a carel. It's not like
him to forget my birthday. (He cloesn't usually farget it)
Habitual behaviour in the past
A The pasl sim ple is usecl fo r regular aclions or habitu al
behaviour in lhe past, oflen with a frequency aclverb.
B Used to + infinitive is usecl to refer to pasl habils
ancl situation s w hich no longer occur or exisl now.
Frequency aclvcrbs can be u secl for emphasis ancl are
placed before usecl to.
We used to have a cat, but he clied last yea1'.
I always used to walk to work until l bought a ca1'.
Note the negative ancl q uestion forms:
I didn 't use to like cheese. Where did you use to live?
NB use to cannot express present habitual behaviou1:
1 usually (not use lo) play tennis twice a week.
C Would + inFi nitive is used to refer to past habils, b ut
not past si tuat ions. Frequency aclverbs are placed a fler
woulcl.
Habit: My father would often read to me when I was a
young boy.
Siluation : / used lo (nol would) have a bicycle.
Stative verbs such as have (possession), be, live, like,
believe, think (= have an opinion), understand and lcnow
are nol usecl wilh woulcl lo refer to the pasl.
Be used to/get used to + noun or gerund
Be usecl to + noun/gerund means 'lo be accuslomccl to'.
She'.s a nurse so she 's used to seeing sick people.
Gel used lo + noun/gcnmcl means 'become accuslornecl to'.
l wa11 t to leave Athens; I can'¡ get used to the heat.
Unit 2
lndirect ways of asking questions
A number of expressions can be uscd to ask queslions in
a more inclirect way. Incli recl queslions can sound more
poli te than clirecl ones.
Could you tell me what time it is?
Would you mind telling me where h.e works?
We'd like to know when you /trst slartecl singing.
Whcn asking inclirecl q uestions the same worcl o rcler is
usecl as wh en we make stalemenls . Thc auxil iary ver bs, do,
does ancl clid, are ornittecl.
lf or whether is usecl if there is no queslion worcl suc h as
where, what, why, when, who ancl how.
Could you tell us iflwhether you are marriecl?
Gerunds and infinitives
A The geruncl is usecl in lhc fo llowin g cases:
1 as the subject/object/complement of a clause or
sentence:
Subject: Reading in the car malees me feel sick.
Object: I fine! shopping far clothes really boring.
Complemenl: My favourite sport is swimming.
2 aftcr preposilions
J'm not ve1y good at making th.ing.s.
3 afler certain verbs
Peter suggested going far a picnic.
B T he infini tive w ilh lo is usecl:
1 Lo cxprcss purpose
!'m learning English to help me get a better job.
1 hardly ever went away on holiday when I was young.
209
Grammar reference
2 aíter rnany adjcctivcs, e.g. delighted, clisappointed, easy,
11Ve must remember to feed the cat be/ore 1ve go.
happy, i111portant, luckv, necessary, nornw.l, possible,
surprisecl
1 tl'as surprised to hear she had failed the exa111.
3 af"ter cenain vcrbs
He of]'erecl to give lzer a lift, but slze decided to walk.
Don '! forget to phone m e ifyou 11eed a11y help.
go 011 + geruncl = continuc wi lh lhc samc activily
Some footballers go on playing professionalf_,, 1111til
t/1ey're nearl_v 40.
go 011 + infinilivc = c hange lo a d iJTcrcnl acti vity
Afier a successfúl career as a /ootball plave,; .Io/1a11
Cruvff went on to become a respec1ed 11w11aga
mean + geruncl = involvc
Dieting 11s11allv mea.ns giving up thi11gs _\'011 e11joy.
111ean + inl'ini li ve = inlend
f mea.ni to phone the elec1ricia11 bu! I [<Jrgot.
11eed + gerund = (passive m ean in g)
This house needs painting. (= nccds to be pai nted)
11eed + iníinilive = (aclivc mcaning)
I need to get some 11e,, s/1oes.
stop + geru nd = no longer do somcthing
/'ve stopped smoking: it\ loo expensive.
stop + infinitivc = inlerrupl onc aclivil,v in ordcr lo do
a not hc r
Let's stop to huy s0111e sweets 011 the 1vay lw nie.
/1y + geru ncl = cxpcrimenl in ordc1· to sec what will
happcn
Try resting for a \Vhile: you miglzt f'eel better the11.
t,y + infiniLive = allcmpl lo do som e thing
Ala11 tried to stop the thief as he ran atl'ay.
C The inl"inili vc without to is used:
1 af"te1· modal verbs.
Yo11 can look. al it, bu! you mustn't touch il.
2 after /1elp, let, nzake , 111011/d rather, had beller
I'd better go - it's late. f'd rather stay here, thouglz.
To is optional if an in/initive is used afier lzelp.
Classical 11111sic helps rne (to) relax.
•
•
•
D Gerunds and infinitives after verbs
1 Verb + geru nd:
Have you finished cleaning your room?
T hc l'ollow ing vcrbs, like finislz, are normall_v J'ollowcd
by the gerund:
a ccrtai n vcrbs expressing likes and dislikes: adore,
detes1, dislike, enjoy, dcm't mind, can't stand
b other verbs: ach11it, avoid, can 't help, consider, de/ay,
de11y, jeel like, forgive, give up, imagine, i11volve , keep,
mind, 111iss, postpone, put ofT, practise, preve11t, regrel,
resisl, risk, suggest
2 Vcrb + inf'initive wilh to :
He promised not to tell anvo11e wlwt she had said.
a The ío llowing vcrbs, likc proinise, are normal ly
fo llowed by lhe infinitivc with lo : (ca11't) afliJrcl, agree,
appea,; arrange, ask, a/le111pl, clwose, decide, de.serve,
expect, fail, hesita/e, hope, leam, manage, o(Jer, prepare,
prelend, refúse, see111.
b W ilh these ve1·bs, a dirccl object is needcd:
advise, allow, enable, encoumge, force, invite, orde1;
persuade, reco111111e11d, re111incl, teach, tell, 1vam.
My job enables me to use 111y language skills.
e The in[inilive wilh to is a lso usecl al'ler:
would like, wo11ld /o ve, would hale, 111011/d pre/á
3 Ver b + gerund or in íi nitive wilh ro:
a like, love, /,ate ami prefer are usual ly followed by
the gcrnnd. However, lhe inl'inilivc wilh lo is also
possible w ilh litlle, if' any, cl ifference in rncaning.
I love going/to go far long 1valks in the hills.
Thc inf'inilive w ilh to is comrnon a ftc1· hale íor
spec ifk s iLuaLions, ancl afle r like when il means be in
the lzabit o(
I hate to interrupt, but 1ve really mus/ he going.
/ like to have a slwwer wlzen I gel ho111e {i-0111 work.
b begi11, s/art, continue and in/ene/ can be followed by
the gerund o r iníi ni li ve wi lh no c hange in meaning.
She fe// over and started cryinglto cry.
C {argel, re111e111ber, go on , mean, need, stop and try can
be íollowed by lhc gcrund or the inl"ini tivc wi th to,
bul w ilh a changc in meaning.
• re111ember + gcn111cl = recall a prcvious aclion
f remeniber coming here wlzen J 1vas you11g.
/argel + gc rund is not oflen uscd lo lalk aboul an
aclion ,vou do nol recall. Tnslcad, 110/ re111e111ber is
uscd.
1 don't remember seeing li111 af the party.
re111embedforget + infinitive = (nol) rc membe1· whal
vou have lo do
210
1
•
•
Unit 3
Comparisons
A Forrns
1 Regular onc-sylla ble adjecli ves:
a add -er and -est to thc adjecli ve.
Superlative
Adjective
Comparative
lhe chcapest
cheap
c heaper
Olher examples: clean, dark, light, shorl, tal/, s/o111
b add -r and -si lo adjcctives cnding in -e.
late
lalcr
lhc latest
Other examplcs: large, loose, safe, strange, wise
C doub lc the consonanl o l' adjecli ves e nding in a shon
vowcl anda consonant, ancl acld -er a nd -es/.
lhin
thi nner
lhc thinnest
Other examplcs: fat, sad, ll'et, red, big, /101 , fit
2 Regular adjeclives with more lhan onc sylla ble:
a use more and 111ost (or less and leas/) in íront of the
adjeclive.
thc 1nost
more si ncere
sincere
s ince re
Other examples: boring, carefúl, 1110dem, co111fortab/e
b change -.v to -i and add -er and -es! to mljeclives
ending in -y a[ter a consonan!.
happy
happier
lhe happiest
O the1· examplcs: dirtv, fi'ie11dly, fiu111y, 11oisv, siUv, tic/y
C a limilcd number oí two-s,vllable adjeclivcs can form
the compara ti vc and s upe rl ativc in lwo ways.
slupid
slupider
the slupidest
Lh e most slupid
more slupid
Other examplcs: clever, co11111wn, ficiendly, ge11tle,
narrow, pleasa11I, polite, quiet, simple
Grammar reference
3 Adverbs:
a use more and 1110st in front of most adverbs.
quietly
more quie tly
the most quietly
b A limited n umber o[ adverbs have comparative and
superlat ive fo rms with -er (01· -r) and -esl (o r -st).
[ast
faster
th e Fastest
Othe1· cxamplcs: hard, late, long, soon
4 I rregular fo n11s:
Sorne adjectives and aclverbs have irregular comparative
a nd superlat ive forms .
goocl/wcl l
beller
the best
bacl/bacl ly
worse
the worst
far
[urther/farther
the furthes t/
farthest
BUse
1 Comparatives ancl superlatives:
To La lk about people or things that are clifferent in sorne
way we use:
a cornparalive forms of adjectives/aclverbs + than.
1 think listening is more difficult than reading.
For srnall d ifferences, use a bit, a little, slightly.
You need to work a little harcler.
For big differences, use rnuch, (quite) a lot, fw;
significa111/y.
My new car's much faster than my old one.
b superlati ve for ms o f adjectives/ad verbs .
That 's the nicest thing you've said to me ali day.
To emph as izc the diffcrence betwcen one person 01·
thin g from a li the others, use by far oi-easily.
This is by fur 1.he bes/. buuk !'ve ever read.
Use in befare a no un when sp ecify ing the group .
Steven's the naughtiest hoy in the class.
e less and the leas!.
úss ancl least are the opposites of more ancl most.
Rugby is less popular than football here.
That's my least favourite tra.ck on the a/bum.
Like more and most, they can be used as a dverbs.
You s ho uld eat less and exercise more.
Use lesslleast with uncountable nouns, and fewerl
fewest w it h plural cou ntable nouns. Use more/most
,,11ilh ali nouns.
J'm eating Less chocolate and fewer sweets, and
drinking more water.
2 As ... as:
a For people o r things that are the sarne in sorne way,
we use as + adjective/aclverb + as .
She's as intelligent as her sister.
Use all1lost , nearly, just to qualify the comparisons.
lt's almost as hot today as it was yesterday.
b So can rep lace the fi1·st as in nega ti ve sentences.
It '.~ not so difficult as I thought it would be.
To describe small d ifferences, use not quite.
He's not quite so impatient as his brothe1:
(= He's a li ttlc mo 1-c patie nt than his brother.)
To descri be big cli fferences, use not nearly.
Her new fi/111 isn't nearly as bacl as her las/ one.
(= Her new film is much better tha n he r las t o ne.)
C Use as much with uncountable nouns, ancl as many
with countable nouns.
3
4
I haven 't got as m any chips as Sal/y.
lt's notas much fun without loe here.
d The same + noun + as
My mum's the same age as my dad.
The + compara tive, the + comparative:
Use this s tru cture for changes wh ich occur together; the
second is often the 1·esult o f the first.
The more money l have, !he faster I spend it.
little/nol(not) a lot of/(not) much difference between :
There isn't much clifference between my job and you rs.
(= My job is si mi lar to yours.)
Articles
A The clefinite article (the) is most comm only usecl:
1 when there is on ly o ne of some thi ng, either in ex istence
or in a particular context.
J'd like to speak to the manager, please.
2 when sornething is me ntioned a gain.
'!'ve read three novels and two plays by Camus.'
'What d ie/ you think of the plays?'
3 when both listener ancl speaker know what is being
referred to.
Huny up 1 The film starts in 10 minutes.
4 wh en talking about a specific aspect or part o f
some thing, w here the noun is follovved by of
We're studying the history of archileclure.
Hand in your books al the encl of the lesson.
5 to speak generally abou t cenain g roups of singular
coun table nouns.
a Inventions: The mobile phone is thought to pose a
serious threat to health.
b Anima l species: The whale is still hunted by countries
such as Japan.
6 with acljectives referring to general classes of people,
e.g. the homeless, the blind, the deaf, the rich, the poo1;
the ole!, the young, the French, the Spanish.
Not enough is being clone to help the homeless.
7 with superlatives.
Who is the greatest footballer in the world?
8 with musical instruments.
!'el love to learn to play the piano.
9 wi th types of transport which have a fixed time table.
Shall we get the bus or ta/ce a taxi?
1Owi th som e coun tries, e.g. the USA, the UK.
11 with oceans, mountain ra nges, deserts, rive1-s e tc, e.g.
the Atlantic, the Pyrenees, the Sahara., the Thames.
12 with sorne geographical areas.
We're going to the mountains rather than the coast.
B The incl efinite article (cilan) is rnost commonly uscd:
1 w hen a singu la r coun table noun is men tionecl for the
[i1-s t time .
A man went into a bar with a fish.
2 when refei-ring to any o ne of severa! things.
lt's quiet in here. Shall J pul a record 011?
3 when talking abou t a person's job.
My father is a nuclear scientist.
4 with sorne numbers, e.g. a hundred and one
Dalmalians, a thousand people, a million pounds.
5 when it m eans per in sorne expressions, e.g. twice a day,
50 miles an hour, ESO a month.
211
Grammar reference
C No a 1·ticle is used:
1 w hen rderring Lo nouns in a general sense.
a Plu ral countable nouns:
2 T he past simple can be usccl if thc ordcr of <.!venLs is
Do yo11 tliink computers wil/ replace teachers?
b Abstract nou ns:
We sang so11gs of love a11d peace.
e Other uncountable nou ns:
Alan 1v<m't ea/ cheese or 1neal.
2 with mosl streets, lowns, cities a ncl count1·ics.
I 1Fe11t to Bond Street 1vhe11 T 1vas i11 London.
3 whcn a town's namc is used wilh a bu ilding, e.g. Luton
Airport, Oxfortl University .
4 in ma n:v com mon cxp rcssions, c.g. to go ho/7/e,
to go to 1vork/schoollu11iversi1y/priso11/hospi1aU
churc/1/bed, to go 011 holiday, to be at ho111e/11•orkl
schoollu11iversi1_v, 10 be in hospitallch11rchlbedlpriso11,
to go by car/bus/coach/1rain/p/a11e, lo have breakfast/
lunchldin11er (but have a 111eal), al 11ig/1/ (b ul i11 the
nwrnii 1glafiernoo11/eve11 i ng).
3
4
Unit 4
Past tenses
A The past si mple is
uscd to rcfcr to :
1 com plc tcd actions wh ic h happened ata speciric time.
I went 10 the ci11ema las/ n ight .
5
2 comp lc tcd actions a nd s ilualions wh ich happened ove1·
a s pccific pcriod oí time.
J lived a11d worked in Gen11a11v fr,r rhree years.
3 hab itual act ions or behaviour in the past.
We played foolhall i11 1/1e street when I 1vas a child.
4 a series of consecu tive even ts in the pasL.
He kissetl he1; said goodbve ami closed the doo1'.
B T he past co nti nuous is used to refer lo:
1 te m porar:v act ivities or s ituatio ns in pn.Jg1·css a t a
pa1·ticu l,H" mo rnc n t in the past.
This ti111e las/ week we were sitting on the beaclz.
2 a pasL activity or· situa tion w hich was al rcady in
pi·ogrcss whc n a not hc1· ac tion occu rrcd (Lhc acLiviL-y or
s ituation in progress mayor may noL con tin uc).
1 was rea ding to my son when the lights 1ven/ oul.
3 a c tivi ties or situa tio ns occurrin g al the samc time.
Ann was cutting 1he grass while 1 was cooking.
4 Lhe background events in a narrativc.
lt was s nowing heavily a11d a cold wi11d was blowing.
My brother and I were reading in fi'ont o{ the fire.
Suddenl_v there was a knock at the doo1'.
C T he past pcrrect is uscd to:
1 show tha t a pasl action o r si tuation occu rrcd before
a no th c1· pasl ac li o n or s itua lion.
Whe11 1 saw Ti111, he had jusi passetl his driving les/.
2 We use the conlinuous fo rn1 to c m pha size the duration
o f the íi rst pas t action or situat ion.
She had been waiting for over t1vo hours when he
p/1011ed 10 sav he co11/d11'1 come.
D Time linkcrs
1 The pasL perfecl is o Cten used w ith t ime li nkc rs c.g. afier,
befóre, by the lime, as soo11 as, once, 1vhen, until.
l co11ldn't go out until I had done 111v ho111e1vork.
212
6
c lca r.
He so/el his lw11se befare l1e lefi t/1e co1111trv.
Or ií the second evenl occu1Tccl as a result oí Lhc first.
When I realiz.ed what time it tl'as, I ra11 011/side.
A/ierla/ienvards
Afier is usccl lo show the order of two 01· more cvcnts in
the same sentence.
After he'd clec111ed 1l1e lwuse. he \l'i'III sl/()J}/Ji11g.
Afienl'ards rneans afier rhat and can go al thc bcginning
or the ene! of a clausc.
We had lunch a11cl afterwards 11·e 11'e111 /ór a 1vallc.
T/1e_v plaved 1e111Tis a11d hada co/Tee aftenvards.
NB afier wou lcl no t be corrcc t in thcsc lwo senlences.
Al last/in the end/at the e11d
Al las/ s uggesls that sorncthing good happens after a
long period of' lime 01· more !han onc a ttempt.
!'ve passed ihe F i1·st exw11 al /as/ 1 I fáiled t1vicc be/óre 1
in the e11d has a simi la1· mcaning ami may a lso suggesl
thcrc havc becn onc or more changes or problcms. Thc
result may be good or bad.
The car broke do1v11 severa/ limes 011 1/ie 111ay bu! we g ol
there in the end.
NB eve111uallv can also be usecl in th is scntcncc.
At the end mca ns at thc po int when somcthing finishcs.
Ha11d in _vour books at the end of 1/,e les.mu.
Whe11/aslwhile
These can ali be usecl w ilh thc past continuous to
in troduce an action w h ich was ali·ca dy in progress when
anothcr aclion occu rrcd .
As/whenlwhile 1 111as ru11ni11g, I sm1' a mbbil.
D11ri11g/i11/for
These a re ali usecl as p1·cposilions w hen referring lo
Lim e, a nd a1·c rollowed by a noun. Duri11g ancl in are
used to sa:v 1vhe11 sometbing happcrn:d.
11 rai11ed a lo! tluringlin the 11iglit.
For is uscd to sa~, hOll' long something Look or lasted.
We went to Spain for / 1110 1veeks during 1/,e s11111111e1:
So and such
T hcse in tcnsificrs a1-c usecl to give emphasis.
1 So is used berore:
a adjectives and aclvcrbs w ithout nouns.
!'m so tired. l'll have to go fu bed.
b much, 111any, little, few.
You should11'1 ea/ so much, Jan.
I didn't expecl there to be so many people al //1e
concert.
2 Such is uscd w ith or w ithou t an adjectivc beforc:
a singulai· cou n tablc nou ns ( the inclefin itc a r ticlc a!an
is also nccdcd).
1 can'/ stand hi111. He\ such an idiot.
l'd never heard su.ch a wonderful voice be/ore.
b uncou n ta blc nou ns ancl p lura l countable nouns (the
anicle is not neeclecl).
l lwven't ea/en su.ch good food /ór a /011g li111e.
Our neighbours are such friendly peovle.
3 So a nd such can both be u sed w i lh a that el a use to talk
about thc rcsu lts or conseq ue nces.
lt 1vas such a boring place that ,ve clecicled lo /eave.
lt 111as rai11ing so haYll J11e hacl to stop the ca1'.
Grammar reference
Permission
Unit 5
Obligation and necessity
A M11st!Must11'1 + iníi nitive wilhoul to
1 Musí is used:
a fo1· slrong obligalions imposecl by lhe speake1: The
2
3
4
speaker uses 11111st to exp1·ess h is/he1· aul ho 1·ily.
You must be liere by 8 am. (manager to employee)
b lo give slrong advice.
li'.5 a great /11111. Yo11 reallv must go al1ll see il.
e to tell oneself' w hat is necessa1·y.
1 mus/ remember to p/ione Roger:
d in sig ns and no tices indicaling ru les ancl laws.
Co111petitio11 entries must be submitted by email.
Mus/ no/ or mustn't is used:
a lo lalk abou l somelhing lhal is nol pcrmilled.
Passengers must not smoke on 1he aircraft.
You mustn't drive wilhout vour sea/bel/ 011 in Britain.
b to g ive strn ng advicc.
You mustn't worlc too harcl. You'll nwke yo11rself ill.
Pasl forn1
Mus/ does not have a past íorm . Had to is therefore usecl
lo reíe1· tu lhe past.
We had to wrile a /óm,al en,ai/ in the exan1.
Question íorm
Mus/ is possible in questions f'o rms
Must you wear lhat horrible dress?
alt ho ugh have lo is more common
What do 11 •e have to do /or ho111ework?
To express permission il is possible to use can, may (more
forma l) orbe allmved to .
In lhc negalive l hesc cxpress lack oí per mission, or
proh ibilion.
You can have a drink but you can't have any crisps.
We aren't allowed to wear trainers to school.
Could ancl 1vas/were allowed to are possible ío1· general
perm ission in Lhe past.
In my las/ job we had flexiti111e, so we could arrive more or
less when we wan!ed to.
Could is no t usccl when rel'erring lo a particular s ilualion
in thc pasl. On ly waslwere allowed to is possi ble.
I was allowed to stay up la/e las! night.
Let and make
Bolh lhese verbs are followecl by the in fin itivc wilhoul to.
Let is usccl lo exprcss permission
My dad doesn't/won't let me watch that programme.
Le! is not normally usecl in lhe passive. B e allowecl to is
used instead.
I wasn't allowed to go lo !he par/y 011 my own.
Malee is used to exprcss obl igalion.
The teacher made her do some extra ho111ewor/c.
In the passivc, make is followed by lhe inl'initi ve wilh to.
He was made to pay (or the window he had broke11.
Noun phrases
A Noun + noun can be usecl:
1 in a large number of commonly acceplecl compound
nou ns. The lwo nouns logelher describe a si ngle idea.
Sorne compou nd nouns are usually wrillen as lwo
words:
·
B !-lave to/Don'/ lrnve lo
Have lo is used to rel'e r lo slrong obligal ions imposed by
anolher person ralher lhan by the speaker.
I have to be at 1vork b_v 8 o'clock. The boss will get angrv
if'/'111 late. (emp loyee to a fi-iend)
Don'/ have to expresses a laek o í obligalion .
J'm glad 1 clon't have to 1vear a suil . /f'.5 so hol today.
C Need to/c/011'1 need !Olneedn't
Need 10 is uscd lo express necess ily.
Can we go lo the baker'.s 11exl . I need lo get some bread.
Don '¡ need tolneec/11 '¡ express a lack o f' necessi ly.
We don't need tolneedn't leave _vet. lt's 011/y 2 o'clock.
D S/10uld!Slzould11'1
in ri nitive wilhoul to
Should a nd should11 '¡ a1-c used to expr·ess obligation or
givc aclvice. Oughl 10 can also be usecl w ith the same
mean ing as s/,ould.
You ought tolshould see a doc/or about your backache.
!fyou're 011 a diet you slzouldn 't drink bee1'.
+
E Be supposecl 10/Hacl bet/er
Be supposecl lo is used lo la lk about whal shou lcl be
done beca use of' a rule 01· beca use il is expeclecl.
Come 011, i!'s JO o'clock. You 're supposed to be i11 bed!
Had better + inf'in ilive w ilhou t lo oítcn impl ies a
warning o[ possible negative eonsequcnces ií lhe advice
or precaulion is nol la ken. Thc ncgative is liad belter
no! .
We'd better not eat it - it 111ight be poisonous.
You'd better wear a lwt. I don'! 1va111 you to gel a cole/.
2
3
a pos/ o/fice
a hand towel
a 111ouse 111at
OtheJ'S cu-e writ tcn as o ne wo1·d:
a pos1111a11
a ha11dbag
a 111ousetrap
for conlainers.
a tea cup
a water bottle
an ice bucke1
íor th ings that occu r or appear 1·egulady.
!he evening /light
the weekend edil ion
!he .lanumy sales
B Noun + of + noun can be usecl:
1 whcre no com monly acccpted compou nd noun exists.
the time of the year the sound of'laughler
a lack of money
2 with wo1·cls likc top, botto111, side, edge , baclc, fi-0111,
beginni11g, m iddle and end to indicale a part oí
someth ing.
1he bo/10111 of the stairs
tlze baclc of a11 envelope
the fi-011t o{ the book
Somelimes ol hc r lypcs oí nou n p hrase are also possible
\Ni t h thcsc words:
tlze sea bollom
!he ivaler's edge
the 111oun1ainside
3 íor con tainers ancl lheir conlents.
a cup o/' Jea
a box o( tissues
a buclcet o( waler
( Nou/1 + 'sis'+ 1/0U/l can be used:
1 when ta lking aboul possession by a person o r an imal.
Lara's pen
!he woman's house
rnv dog's basket
2 [or lhings lhat occur or appea1~al a specil'ic ti me.
las/ 11igh1's match
Tuesday's stor111
nex t week's editio11
213
Grammar reference
• Non-cle fining relali ve clauses a re more comm on in
written Engl ish.
• Wh ich can be usecl in non-clefining rclalive clauscs lo
refer to Lhe whole of the main clausc.
No 011e phoned hi111 on lús birthc/ay, which made hi111 /eel
rather clepressed.
3 Lo s how duration.
an hour's delay
lwo weeks' holiday
/ive minutes' res/
Cornpound adjectives can someLimes be used Lo express
the same ideas. [Sce Unil 14]
Unit 6
C Relative clauses and prepositions
1 Preposi lions usually come a l the cnd o f clefining and
Relative clauses
Rc lalive clauses givc information abou Lso rneLhing or
sorneone in the rnain clause.
A Defining relative clauses
Del'ining re lative clauses con lain inforrnation wh ic h is
essential for our unclersLancling o f the w hole senlcnce.
The 111a11 who norma.lly comes to clean ottr winclows is
on holiclay this 111011th.
There's only eme clock that works JJroperly in this f1at!
A widoiv is a wo111an whose husband has died.
ln each case, th e 1-elative clause iclentifies wh ich person or
Lhing is be ing ta lkecl about.
Features of defining re lative clauses
• No cornmas are required either al Lhe beg inning 01·
the end of the relative clausc.
• Thal can be used inslead of who for peop le ancl wlzich
for Lhings, parlicularly in s poken Englis h.
Subjccl:
Object:
Possessive:
*whom is more
For people
wlzo!tlrnl
who!thatlwhom ''
whose
fo1-mal than w lw
For things
which!that
whichlthat
whose
• The relative pronoun can be omi ttecl if it is the objecL
of the verb in the rela tive clausc.
! '111 eujoyi11g the book (which!tha.t) you le111 111e.
• The relative pronoun cannot be orn iltecl if it is the
s ubjecl of tbe verb in the relative clause.
Tlwt's ihe slwp assistant who!tha.t servecl me the last ti111e
f ca111e h ere.
B Non-defining relative clauses
Non-clelin ing 1-e lative cla uses contai n informalion which
is not cssen tial for our unclerstanding of t he sentence. We
can iclentify whi ch perso n or th ing is being talked about
withoul the information in the relative clause.
Their new h ouse, which has five beclrooms anda games
room, is much larger than their previous one.
Al !he party she spok e to Mr Peterson, whose father ownecl
the company she ·worked for.
Features of non-defining relative clauses
• Comrnas a re required bo th al the beginning ancl the
end of the relative clause (excepl when the encl of thc
relaLi ve clause is also t he end o r the scn le nce).
• That cannot be used in place of who or which .
For things
For people
which
w ho
Subjec t:
which
who!whom
Object:
Posscssive:
whose
whose
• Rclalive pronou ns can no t be orni ttecl (rorn nonclcfining relativc clauses.
Her mcuhs /eache1; wholwhom evervo11e in the class
adorecl, annou11cecl that he was lecn;ing the school.
214
2
non-clefining relative clauscs.
In clefining re lative clauses the relali ve pronoun is
us ually omillecl.
The town I grew up in has ch.a11ged a lot s ince 1 le/i.
ln non-clefini ng relalive clauses lhc re lalive p ronoun is
never orn il ted.
Keith Rol[, w ho 1 used lo work with, lives i11 Paris 1101v.
In m ore for mal English, p reposilions often come beíore
the re la live pronouns whom for pcople a nd which íor
things (in which case the pronoun cannol be omilted).
We slzall be v isiting the room in -w hiclz Tumer pai11ted
some oj" his greatest works.
The heacl wcú1e1; to whom we addressed 011r co111plai111,
was 1101 particular/_v helpfúl.
D Relative adverbs: where, when and 1vhy
"\!Vhere, when a ncl ,vhy can be usecl in relalive clauses
aftcr nou ns which re fe r to a place (1vhere), a Lime
(1vhen) o r a reason (why).
1 Where has the rneani ng 'in/a t w hic h'.
Dcfining:
They've booked a 1veek i11 the campsile
where we stayecl last yea1'.
Non-clefi ning: She's in Southlands Hospital, where you
were born.
2 When has the rneaning 'o n/i n w hic h' ami can be omilted
01- re placed by that in clefining relative clauses.
Do you reme111ber the day (when!that) we
Dehning:
wen t lo Rliy l ancl i1 s11owecl.
No n-clefining: We're going 011 lzolidav in Septe111be1;
·w hen 111ost people are baclc al w ork.
3 Whv has the meaning 'for w hic h' ancl ca n be omitted or
replaced by thal in d efining relati ve c lauscs.
Defining:
The reason (whyltlzat) l 'm pl,oning is to
as/e you for Tina'., address.
Causative passive with have and get
1 The s lr uclure lzavelget + o bject + past participle to
incl icale tbat thc act ion is done for the subject by
sorneone clsc and not by the su bject. Thc subject causes
the action lo be done .
Compare t.he íollowing:
( = l did i t myself)
1 repaintecl the windows.
l had the 1vi11dmvs repainted . (= so meone dicl it form e)
C et can be used instead of have in this str uclure. l t is
sligh tly more informal.
Where did you get vour p/10ros developed?
Ali tenses of have ancl get are possiblc.
We've jusi liad our washing 111acl1i11e repaired.
l'm getting 111y hair done tonwrroiv.
2 The sarn e structure ca n also be usecl fo i- even ts (usually
unpleasanl) w hich are outside o r the s peaker's control.
John had his car s1ole11 last week.
Grammar reference
Unit 7
The present perfect
The present períect links past even ts and s ilualions w ith
the present.
A The presenl perfec t is used:
1 to give news of recent past events vvhic h have sorne
relevance lo lhe present.
Lisa has had a11 accidenl: she's i11 hospital bu/ slze'., OK.
2 to describe somelhing that stai·tecl in the past and
continues to the present.
We have lived i11 the same house ever since we got
1narried.
3 lo describe events which occurred al sorne time between
the past and lhe present. Exactly when they happen ecl
is nol known o,- nol importanl.
l've been lo Poland three or {our times.
4 to lalk about something which occurrecl in the past, bu t
in a Lime periocl w hich inclucles the present.
Judy's boyfriend has phoned her three times Lhis
111orning - and it's no/ even 11 o'clock!
5 after the ex p1-cssion itlthislthat is the {irstlsecondlthird,
etc time.
This is the /1rst time l've seen this progra111111e.
B Time expressions
1 The p1·ese nt perfect is commonly usecl wi th ever, never,
just, recentl_v, so far, still, _ve/ and already w hen referring
to a Lime pe i-iocl up to now.
They haven't booked their lwliday yet.
T've hacl lhree cups o f coffee so far this morn ing.
2 For is usccl with pcriocb of tim e to show how long
somcLhing has !as ted.
!'ve know11 Eric for tiventy vears.
Since is usecl with poin ts in time Lo show when
somcthing slartecl.
/'ve had this 1vatch since 1984.
C The present perfecl con lin uous can be used:
to emphasize the duration of a situation o r aclivity.
lt's been snoiving all dav.
2 lo suggesl th a l a situalion or activil_v is ternporar_v.
My 111u111's· not well, so J've been looking after hei:
3 to suggest a situalion or act ivity is incomplete.
/'ve been painting the lwuse - that's why il'.s- in a 111ess.
4 to focus on the repetition of a situatio n or activily.
He'.s- bee11 getting i1110 trouble ar school a lot recently.
D The presenl perfeet simple ancl conlinuous
1 Bolh simple and continuous forms of the presenl perfecl
can be usecl lo Lalk about lhe effects in the prescnt of a
pasl evenl.
Your 11e1v shoes are ruinec/ 1 You've been playing football
in them, have11'1 you? (an act ivily)
l can 't do any sport for a fe iv weeks; !'ve broken my am1.
(a single action)
2 The continuous form is not used if we lalk aboul the
number of things lhal have been completed or lhe
number of limes a thi ng has been done.
She's bee11 ea ti11g choco/are biscuits.
She'.s- eaten six chocola1e biscuits.
C Stative verbs suc h as lwve (to possess/own), think ( to
have an opinion), be, /ike, believe, understand and k1101v
are nol normally used in th e continuous forn1 .
We've known each other far a long time. ✓
vt!e've been knowing each other for a long time. )(
Expressing preferences
A Prefer
1 Pre/er + gerund
+ to + gerund is usually usecl lo la lk
abou t gcnernl preferences.
1 prefer playing basketball to watching it.
2 Would prefer + in fi nitive with to + rather than + infinilive
w ithout to is normally usccl to talk aboul preferences on
a s peci l'ic occasion.
f'd prefer to 1valk to school toe/ay rather than go by bus.
B Would (111uch) rather
would rather + infinitive vvithou t to + !han + infinitive
withou t to has lhe sarne meaning as woulcl prefer to.
/'el rather not talk about it al the mo111ent.
/'el 111uch rather do nothing ali day than go to school.
Unit 8
The future
1 Will + infinitive w ilhou t to can be used lo lalk a boul:
a ho pes, expecta lions and precliclions. These can be
introducecl by verbs such as believe, expect, hope ancl
rhink. Adverbs such as def1nitely, (almosl) certainly
and probably rnay also be used; they come after 1vill
and before 1vo1ú.
United ·will probably win the league again this yea1'.
'Where'.s- Anne?' '/ expect she'll be here soon.'
She defi.nitely won't pass her exa111s; she's too laz,y.
b dccisions macle al thc momcnt of speaking, includ ing
offers.
We'll babysit for you if you 1vant to go out.
C fu tLn-e facts; evenls w hic h the speaker knows Olbelieves a re cer-tain to happen .
Sw11111er will be here soon.
2 Be going + in finilive with lo can be usecl lo lalk about:
a personal intcntions and plans forn1u laled before the
moment of speaking.
J'm going to stay in tonight c111d read my book.
The infinitive ro go can be omitted.
Do you know where vou're going (to go) 011 holiday
yet?
b predictions, asan alternative lo will.
1 don't think !'m going to do/'ll do very well in the
exa111.
lf Lhere is evidence now lhal som e thing is certain to
happen, vve usually use going to.
Stand back! The builcling's going to collapse!
3 Modal verbs express clegrees of possibility wh en lalking
about:
a inten tions.
I maylmight go swimming tomorrow. (possibilily)
b predictions.
lt maylmi.ght/could well rain tomorrow . (probabilily)
!f we lea ve now, we should be home by six.
(probability)
We may not/might not have time to see eve1ything in
the museu111. (poss ibil ily)
4 The p1·esenl conlinuous can be used lo talk about futu re
a1Ta ngernenls which have alreacly been macle, us ually
w ith othe1· people or organ izati ons.
215
Grammar reference
5
6
7
8
9
Sue ancl Alan are getting married in June.
We're having lunch out to1110rrow. l've booked a table.
The pi-esent s imple can be used:
a to talk a bout timetabled or scheduled eve nts.
The film starts ar 9.15, jusi a/ter the news.
Wh al lime does your bus leave?
b to r efer to the futu,-e af'te,- time linkers s uch as whe11,
be(ore, afier, until, by the time, as soon as .
Cive me a callas soon as you arrive.
The present per fect can a lso be used in this way.
You can'! go oul until you've tidied your room.
The futu re conti nuous, will + be + -ing, is used to talk
about actions or evenls w hich will be in progress at a
certa in time in the l'uture .
Tlús lime tomorrow /'ll be flying over France.
The future perfect s imp le, w ill + have + pasl particip/e,
is used to Lalk about actions and evcnts lhat will be
completed by a certain time in the future.
By !he ene/ o(!oday we'll have driven over 500/cn,.
The future perfect continuous, 1vill + have + been + -ing,
is used to talk about aclions and cvents which con tinue
to a certain tim e in the [u ture .
On 21 May J'll have been living here far exactly 10 years.
Be about to + infin itive/be on the poini o(+ gerund can
be usecl to talk about the immediate future.
Can l phone you baclc? J'm just about to have lu nch.
The police are saicl to be on the point of solving the
crune.
10 Be (un)like/y + in[initive wilh to expresses probability.
They've gol a map with 1hem so lhey 're unlikely (not
likely) to get los/. (= th ey probably won't gel lost)
11 Shall l/i-ve + inf"initivc without lo is used to ask for
s uggcs tions, advice a ncl instructions.
Where shall we go to,norrow n ight?
Slzall I phone les? What shall I say?
12 A numbc r of other verbs can be usccl lo lalk about
future hopes, plans, inle ntions and exp ectations.
We hope/expect to win to1110rrow.
Are you planning to go!on going out tonighl?
We're tlzinlcing of moving abroad.
Unit 9
Modal verbs for speculation and deduction
A Certainty
H we a re fairly certain about somethi ng, mus/, can'! a ncl
cou/dn '¡ can be usecl to express this .
1 For present silualions the moda l verbs musí, can'/ and
cou/dn't are followecl by the infinitive without to.
'l haven't slept ·for Lwo days.' 'You must be exhausted!'
I can hear singing, so we can't be (ar /rorn the stadium.
The continuous infin itive can a lso be used.
Why is he wearing his u11i/orn1? He couldn 't be going to
school - it's Sature/ay toe/ay.
2 For past s iLuaLions we use the same m odal ve rbs + have
+ past part iciple (the perfect in(ini li ve w ithout to).
l can't fine/ mv book. I must have left it al school.
This essay is JJOOI'. You can't have spent long 011 il.
The con linuous form can also be uscd.
The road's wet - it mu.st have been raining.
216
NB mustn't is not nonnally used w hen ma king
deduclions abou l present o r pasl silualions.
B Possibility
H we are not certain about some thing b ul think it is
possiblc, we use m ay (no!), 111ight (1101) 01· could (but not
cou/d 1101).
1 For p resent s ilua tions Lhese modal verbs are fo llowed
by lhe infiniti ve ,vithout to. The contin uous infinilive is
also possible .
'Ed's no! a11sweri11g 111y e,nails. ' 'He miglzt be 011 ho/iday.'
He could be telling the lrulh, bu t it 's hard to believe.
2 For pas l situations we use the sam e mod a l verbs + have
+ past participle (the pcrfect inhnitive wi th ou t to). The
cont inuou s form is also possible.
I 1/iink we may have taken !he wro11g road. This does11'1
/ook /a111i!iCll'.
Sean looked sad. He might not lzave been feeling ,ve//.
NB ll is nol possib lc to use can w hen speculating about
presen t or past siLualions.
Question tags
A Form
Questi o n lags a ,-e formecl using c ither a mo d a l ver b, an
aux iliary verb or the verb lo be + s ubject pro noun. A
nega tive lag is norrnally usecl with a positi ve slatement,
anda positive lag w ith a nega ti ve statemenl.
1 If Lhe verb to he appears in the stalem cnt, it is repealed
in thc qu estion tag.
He isn't married, is he?
J'm late aga in, aren't I ? (not amn't r?)
2 If an auxiliar-y verb ora modal ve,-b appears in the
slatement, it is re peaLed in the qucslion lag.
You've been to Warsaw be(ore, haven't you?
You'd rather slav in tonig/11, wouldn't y ou?
3 H the verb in the s lalement is a fu ll verb (i.e. th ere is no
modal verb or a u x iliary verb), an appropria te forrn of
the auxiliai-y verb do is requirecl in the question lag.
You bought il las/ _vear, didn't y ou?
4 Wil/ you? ancl can you? are used wi th imperatives.
Woiild you? ancl could vou? a re m ore form al
alterna l ives.
Open the w indo 1v, willlcanlwould!could you?
Wi/1 you? is used a fle r a negative imperative.
Don't forget to wrile, 1,vill you?
5 If let's appcars in th e stateme n t, lhe question lag sira//
we? is usecl.
Let's go home, shall we?
6 If the statement contains negalive words such as
no1hi11g or nobody, thc qucstion lag is positivc.
Nothing fi-ighlens you, does it?
N B Th e pronoun the_v is used wil h 11obodv/110 one,
somebody!someone ancl eve1yhodv!eve1yo11e .
Nobody was \Valching, were tlzey?
B Use and in tonation
We can use q uestion lags to ask a real ques lio n if we are
uns ure if thc slalement is tn1c or not. In thi s case wc
say lhe question tag wilh rising into na lion .
__.?1
/'ve m et you be/ore, haven 't 1?
We can also use question tags when we expcc l someone
lo agree w ith a statemenl. In this case wc say lhe
queslio n lag with fa ll ing in tonation .
~
She can'/ s ing ve1y well, can she?
Grammar reference
Contrast linkers
2
3
4
5
Bu/ con trasts two ideas in the same scnlcnce.
The 1veatl'.er 1vas bad but she enjoyecl the trip.
In info1-mal w r iting, but is often used al thc bcginni ng o f
the sentencc.
Johrt 's gol the flu. But the res! ofus are fine.
Although and though (informal) ,ffc also used to
contrast ideas in the same sentc ncc . They ca n goal the
beg inning of the sen tence 01· in th e middle.
Although 1/ie weatlzer was bad, she e11joyed the trip.
I liked 1he book, although T wouldn't recommend it.
Even used before lhough emphasizes thc contras!.
He still 1vears h is ring, even though he's d ivorced.
However contrasls ideas in two diffcrent sentences. ll
often goes al the beginn ing of thc seco nd sen lence and
is f'ollowed by a comma.
The hotel was expensive. However, 1he others were ful/, so
she had to book it.
ll can also go in the micldle of a sentence or at the end.
Ti111 hated York. He dicl no/, however, wanl to move.
Arnv often tells líes. She would 11ever sleal, however.
Nevertheless is a more formal a lterna tive Lo however.
11 was snowing. Nevertheless, the game went ahead.
Tn spite of ande/espite a re both fo llowed by a gernnd or
a noun. They can goa l the beg inning o[ a sen tence 01· in
the micld le.
We enjoved the 111eal in spite of the poor service.
Despite feeling terrible, she s!ill wenl 10 1vork.
If the subjccl of the gcruncl is differenl to the su bjcct o f
6
the main verb, a noun, an object pronoun o r possessive
acljectivc is addcd. [See Un it 13 for more on this use ol'
the geruncl.J
She paid for the 111eal despite melmy telling lzer 11ot to.
The wo1·ds !he fac/ 1ha1 are adcled befor e a vcrb c lausc.
Ch loe in vitecl S teve to her party, despite the fact that he
had treated her so badly.
Wlz ereas, wlzile ancl whilsl (formal) are uscd to con tras!
two things, people or situalions in thc sam c scntcnce.
Jake likes heavy 111etal whereaslwhile 1 pre/er rap.
Unit 1O
Too and enough
A Too m cans 'more than is necessa ry or clesirable'.
1 Too + adjec tivc/advcrb
2
3
This jumper's too big.
Don't 1vork too hard!
7bo 111uch/Too nw11y (+ noun)
1 ca,ú ea/ this. Tlzere's too much salt in it.
There are too many people here. Let's go so111ewhere e/se.
1 feel terrible! !'ve eaten too much.
Too+ advcrb/adjcctive (+far+ object) + inf'initivc w ith lo
lt's too cold to play /e11 11is toe/ay.
He spoke too quickly forme to unders tand hi111.
B Enough mea ns 'as much as is ncccssai·y'.
1 Adjective/Aclve rb + e11ouglz
2
Are _vou wann enough or sha /l J /urn t/1e heating 011?
You haven'I done _v our ho111ework carefully enough.
E11011gh (+ noun)
We'll have to stand because 1here aren'! enough chairs.
f'll buv some more bread. We haven '¡ gol enough.
3 E11ough
(+ for + objcct) + infinitive wi th lo
The /loor is clean enough for you to sit 011.
1 ha ven 't gol enough time to see _vou todav.
The passive
A Form
The verb to be + past parlic iple
Presenl simple : Goods worth L750 mil/ion are stolen
fi,om shops each year.
Prcscnl con tinuous: A man is being questioned in
con11ection 1vith tlze robbery.
Present perfecl: Photos of !he suspects have been pul
up around the town .
Past simple:
He was taken away in a police van.
Past continuo us: The burglar didn 't realize he was being
filmed.
Past pe1·fect:
7ivo people had been mugged there on
the previous day .
Fu ture simple:
Ali footbal/ supporters will be
searched al the aiiport.
Tnf'initivc:
He is hoping to be released /i-o111
prison next week.
1 can't re111e111ber being hit 011 !he head.
Geruncl:
He should be sentenced to lije
Modal verbs:
imprisonment.
B Use
The passive is uscd to focus a tte n tion on the person or
thi ng affcctcd by thc a ction, rather than on the agen t
( Lhe 'doer' o[ th e action). H we are intc1·cstcd in thc
agen t, we use the p1·cposi tion by:
Sue ancl Mar/e were brough1 up by their grandparents.
When we talk about the inslru menl usecl by the agen t to
do Lhe action, we use the preposilion 1vith :
He 1vas hit 011 the lzead with a vase.
Th e agcnl is not usually inclucled:
1 w he n it is clca1· fro m the con texl who Lhe a genl is .
Colín 1vas arrested far dangerous driving . (bv the poi ice)
2 w hcn wc clo n'L know the agent/the a genl is unimportant.
M_v car was stolen vesterclay afiernoon.
This caslle was buil! in the Mide/le Ages.
3 in offic ia l no tices to avo id using you .
Food may no/ be consumed on the pre111ises.
4 w hen the agen l is people in general.
Texas is knoivn as The Lone Star Sta/e.
C Passivc or 1·cpo1·ting vcrbs
The in fi ni tive can be used aftc1· thc passivc or reporting
verbs to talk a bout wi~lcly hcld bclicfs o r op inio ns.
Examples of' re porting vcr bs a1·c believe, co11side1; expecl,
know, say an cl th i11k.
The Presiden/ is expected to arrive at 9.30 a 111.
The man is believed to be carrying a weapon.
The perrect inrinitivc (have + past participle) is usecl to
1·cfcr Lo the past.
Fifieen people are /cnmvn to have died in t/1e accide11t.
Unit 11
So, neither and nor
A Use
To inclica tc tha t wc havc the same f'e elings, behaviou1· 01·
a bilities as others, we can use so (positive statcmcnts),
a ncl neilher or nor (ncgativc statcmcnts).
217
Grammar reference
Seco nd conclilional:
i( they gave me a pay rise, l'd buv a 11e11• cm: (I fcel it is
less li kely that the_y will give me a pay rise.)
The second conclitiona l can also be used Lo give advice.
Jf 11vere you, l'd co111plai11 to //,e 11w11age1:
Bolh ivas ancl tl'ere are possible in Lhe concl itional clause
after the su bject prono u ns 1/he/shelit. Was is more
comm on in spoke n Engli td1.
f( he were a li11le talle,; he'd be a11 excelle111 goalkeepe,:
Might and coulcl can be uscd in th e main c lause to
express possi bility or unccrtain ly aboul the outcome.
lfvou \Vorked a hit harde,; vou might ha ve 111ore success.
B Form
so/11eitherl11or + (modal) auxil iary verb or Lh e verb lo be
+ subjecl noun or pro noun
The rules fo,· decidi ng w hic h verb is uscd a fler so,
neither o r 11or a 1-e Lhe sam e as Lhose for question tags
[Unil 9]. The verb is a lways posilive. The clause w ith so,
neither or 11or ca n a ppea1· in the sarn e sentc nce as Lhe
rnain clause or il can be said by a differenl speaker:
Slie ca11'1 play (1 musical i11s/ru111enl and neither can l.
'I'll plwne hi111 1011ight.' 'So will I'
'1'1/y 111um is11't 1vorki11g lom orrow.' 'Neither is 1nine.'
C lf ou r f"eel ings, bchaviou1· or ab ili ties are diflcre nl from
Lhose of others, we use lhe fo llowing strnclu re:
s ubjecl + (moda]) a u xi liary verb o r thc vcrb lo be.
He cloe.rn't eat 111ea/ bu! I do.
'We're allowed lo wear jecms Jo school. ' 'We aren'!.'
D T hird concl itional
if + pasl pcrfect, wou/d/111igh!lcould lwve + past
participlc
We use thc Lhircl concli tional to talk aboul imaginai-y
situations in the pasl a ncl to specula te aboul the ir effects
0 11 p asl cvenls or silualio ns.
Tf we had11'1 taken a nwp, we would have gol lost. (Bul we
look a map, so we clicln't gct losl. )
Cond itionals
Conditional senlences con ta in a co ndi tio nal c lause
(inlrocluecd by words s uc h as if'. as lo11g as and u11less) and
a main clause.
H Lhc condi tio na l clausc comes firsl, a comma usua lly
separa tes i Lfrom thc main cla use (as in Lhis sente nce).
A comma is nol needed if the condiLionaJ clause comes
aftc r the main cla usc (as in this senlencc).
E Mixecl conclitio nal
if + pasl perfect, 1vo1.ild/111ight/could + infiniti ve without to
M ixed con di tionals are a com bi nal io n ol" a second and
a thircl conclilio nal. T hc_v can express an irnaginary past
evenl a nd a possible 01· proba ble prese nl resu lt.
lf.vou'd liste11ed lO 111v advice, you 111ightl1l'ou ld 1101 be i11
1his situation 110,v.
A Zero conditional
i{ + p1-cscnl s imple, prcscn t simple
We use Lhe zero eondilional lo La lk a bo ut situalions
wh ich a re aJways true. !/" has the same mea ning as
,vhen, whenever or eve1y ti/lle in suc h senlences.
Mv eyes slart lo hurl if 1 spend too long 011 !he compu!e,~
F AILcrnative words for
B Firsl conclitional
presenl simple,
11 1
ill
+
infinilive w ithout /o
We use the first condi tionaJ Lo La lk aboul possib le
sil ua tions a nd Lhei r likely results in t he future.
She'/1 be ve,y happy i(vou plzone he,:
ll can be usecl for warnings, prom ises ancl threa ls.
J'll semi vou lo bed i{you don'! behave vourself
Jfvou pass yo11r driving test, !'ll /alce _vou out for a 111eal.
Other l'ulu re íorms ancl imperntivcs are possiblc in Lhe
main c lausc.
We're goi11g to the cinema if rnv dad gets ho111e in time.
lfvou see 1lla 11, give hilll 111v regareis.
Moda l ve ,·bs can also be uscd in lhe main clausc. Mav,
111ighl and co11ld express poss ibility 0 1· uncc1·ta inty aboul
the o ut come. Should ex pn~sses probability.
!/" I /111ish 111y lwmework earlv, 1 might watch the fi/111 .
lfyou pos! it toe/ay, il slwuld get there by Fridav.
Unit 12
Countable and uncountable nouns
A Countable no uns are nouns w hich can be countecl.
one piafe
218
t1vo cats
five chairs
B U ncountable nouns cannol be cou ntecl. They a re not
used with Lhc inclefinile articlc (cilan), thcv do not have
a pl u ral a ncl they are used w ith a s ingul a ,: verb Corn1.
Ca 11 vou gel some bread?
A Lot of clamage ,vas clone 10 the building.
Thc ío llow ing nouns are us ua llv uncoun la ble:
acco11111wdatio11, cIC!vice, danwge, E11glis/,, /úrnit11re,
groffiti, health, l10111e1vork , i11/on11atio11, lwo1vledge,
luggage, 11e1vs, progress, research, spaghetti, travel,
1FeaJ/zer, 1vork .
This spaghetti isn't cooked properlv.
The neil'S is verv depressing toe/ay.
C Scco ncl conclilional
if + past simple, would + inl"i nitive wilhou l /o
We use thc seconcl conclitiona l to Lalk aboul imaginary,
un likcl_v o r im possiblc s iluations in the presen t o r
rutu,·e.
!{ I k11e1v the ans\Ver to 1w111ber six, / would tell vou .
!f" I had wi11gs, f'd fly sou th in 1vinta
No te the cl iffcrcncc be tween these two sentences:
Firsl conditiona l:
!{ they give 111e a pay rise, !'ll buv a new Clll'. (1 feel there
is a real possibil ily that Lh ey wil l givc me a pay risc.)
011
co11ditio11 (that) can be usccl in place of" if Lo emphasize
1he conclition.
/'ll le11d you L/0 as long as vou give il back to11wrro1v.
Vole'/1 Jake tlie boa/ out provided the sea is11'1 too rough.
!{vou 111ix blue and yellow, you gel green .
if +
if
As long as, providecl (1hat), providing (thal) and
C Sorne nouns are both countable ancl uncoun table.
1 Ma ny worcls for l"ood and d ri nk can be usecl both
2
countably ancl uncountably.
J've made a choco/a/e cake. (C)
Could 1 lwve so111e 111ore cake? (U)
Would yo11 like a11other coffee? (C) (= c up or co ffee)
1 don'! like coffee. (U)
A worcl usecl countably rnay have a vcry clifferent
meaning from its uncou nta ble version.
f'd like a double roo,n /or one 11ighí. (C) ( = hotel room)
There's 110 11wre ·room 011 this b11s. (U)(= s pace)
Grammar reference
'He'., been playing 1ennis,'
she said .
Pas t simple
->
'! sa,v Nigel in town,' he said.
D Making uncountable nouns countable
1 Sorn e unco untablc nouns have countable equivalen ts
with similar mean ings.
There is11't 11/llch work in th is toivn. (U)
There aren't 111any jobs in 1his town. (C)
Mv job i11volves a loi o[ business travel. (U)
! have to ,nake a lot o( business trips. (C)
2
IO\V/1 .
Pasl conlinuous
->
'1,Ve were trying to help hi111,'
she saicl.
Sorne othcr uncountable nouns can be madc counlable
by using piece{s) of or ite111(s) of
Let 11ie give _vuu a piece of advice.
1\,v o items of news ca11ght /'//Y attention .
and drink: a plate o(spaghel!i, a pinch of salt, a loafof
bread, a siice o{ cake/loas/, a spoonfitl o( sugar, a bar o(
chocolale, a carian o[ milk, ajar ofjam .
E Words used wilh nouns
1 Words uscd wi th countable nouns: a/an, few, a few,
many, a large nun1ber of: each, every, severa/.
2 Words used wilh uncountablc nouns: li1tle, a liule,
much, a great deal of; a large a11ww11 of
3 Wrn·ds used wi th countable and uncountablc nou ns :
sorne, any, no, a lot of, lots of: all, plenty of: 1110s1 .
4 Lillle ancl few
These two wo,-cls have more negative meanings. Tbey
mean 'nol rnuch/rnany' or 'notas much/many as desired
or expected'.
Sue has macle little progress s ince tlze beginning o{ term.
There were very few people at the concert.
5 A little and a few
These have more posil ivc meanings. They mean 'sorne'
or 'more tba n expccted'.
J've 111a11aged to save a little money to buy Al a presenl .
/'ve still gota few eggs - enough lo malee an omelette.
6 Plenty o{
This rneans 'a lol of' or 'more lha n enough'.
Don'! hurry - ive 've gol plenty of time.
a if thc vc,-6 in thc di rcct speech is in the past perfect.
b
A Reporting s lalc menls
1 Thc fo llowing c han ges are usually made to verbs. In
He said 1 should go to the doctor's.
c hange is optional.
'I like fish,' she said . She said she likeslliked fish.
d if the reporting verb is in thc prcsenl.
'!t's 40° in Athens al the moment.' (Jeremy to his
mother on the phone)
Jeremv savs it's 40º in Athens at the 11wnze11/. (Jcrcmy's
moth~r l<~ her husband)
·
3 Pr onouns in direcl speech may have to c han gc when ,ve
use reported speech.
'I'll see you suon,' saicl Pe1er.
Pe/er said he woulcl see me soon.
4 T he followi ng c hangcs may also nccd lo be madc to
words indicaling place and time.
5
cm
->
Direct speech
now
today
this morning
tOlllO\TO'W
nexl wee k
ycsterday
two days ago
last week
-;
he re
co me
-;
-;
-;
->
-;
->
->
->
->
-;
Reported speech
then
thal day
thal morning
the next/following day
the next/following week
the day before, the previous day
lwo days befo1-c/carlic1the week before, the previous
week
there
go
This, that, tlzese a nd those may c ha ngc lo the .
'That book _v ou len! 111e is really boring,' he said.
He said the book 1 hacl lent him ivas reallv boring.
B Reporling verbs fo r statcmcnts
1 Tell is used wit h a direct object.
eac h case Lhe verb 'movcs back' one ten se.
Reported speech
Pasl simple
He saicl he wurkecl in an
uf{ice.
Past conlinuous
She sa id 1hey weren't
going away
holiday.
Pas l pcrfecl
He sa id he'd knoivn her
far a long time.
Pasl pcrfecl conlinuous
'He hacl never spoken about it befare, ' she said.
She said he hacl never spoke11 about it befare.
¡¡· the direcl speech con tains o ne o f the following
modal verbs : would, might, could, should, ought lo.
'You shoulcl go to the doctor's,' he saicl.
e if thc stalernenl being reportee! is still lrue. The tense
Direct and reported speech
When reporling whal sorneone has said rn- wrillen, we can
use either direcl speech or ,-eported speech.
When we use direcl speee h we report the exacl words
which someone has uscd.
'f'm staying here to111orrow,' saicl Heatha
When we use repo rtee! speech, changes may have lo
be made to ver b tenses, pronouns and certain words
indicaling place ancl time.
Heather said she was staying there the next clay.
Pasl perfect con tinuous
She said thev'd bee11
t1yi11g to h elp hi111.
2 No changes are made in the verb tense:
3 Ccrlai n olher expressions are used w ilh words for food
Direct speech
->
Present simple
->
'/ ivor/c in a11 o/lice,'
he said.
Presen t conti nuous
->
'We aren't going aivay
on holiclay,' she saicl.
Presen t perfect
->
'!'ve known her far a long
time,' he said.
Presen l perfect co ntinuous
She said he'cl been
playing tennis.
Pasl pcrf"ccl
He saicl he'd seen N igel in
2
3
He tole/ 111e (tlwl) he was getl ing marriecl.
Say and explain are used ,vi lhoul a di rcct o bjccl.
She saicl (Llzat) she was ill. (no t She saicl 111e ... )
They can, hmvever, be used w ith a n indirecl o bject.
! explainecl to 1he111 (1ha1) J'cl le/i 111y passporl al home.
(no l / explained them ... )
Sorne rcporting verbs can be used w ith an infinilive.
a ver b + o bjecl noun/prnnou n + infinitivc w ith to
advise, as/e, encourage, invite, orcle1; persuade,
reco111111encl, remind, tell, warn
'Don 't forget to phone Ji111,' he 10lcl he1'.
He re111inclecl her to phone Ji 111.
219
Grammar reference
b vc1·b
+ inri nitive vvilh 10
offe1; pro111ise, refúse, threaten
'l'/l /1elp you lllend 1/ie car ifyou like.'
fle offered lo help m e lllend 1/1e CCll'.
4 The following pallcnls can be used after both
reco111111end and suggest:
He reco11rn1e11cled!sugges!ed (!ha!) l (slwuld) eat less.
Slze reco111me11dedlsuggested joining a yow/1 club.
The infiniti ve w ith lo can only be used af"tc1- reco111111e11d.
fle suggested nze to go to the c/1e11list~~ - )(
C Re porting questions
When wc re port queslions wc make thc same changcs
to vc1·b tenses, pronouns and words indicaling place and
time as we do when we reporl stalemenls. The followi ng
changes are also made:
Auxil iary verbs:
Word o rcler:
Punc luation:
Auxi liar·y ved,s do, does and did
are omitled.
T he worcl orcler is the same as Lhal
oí a slateme nl.
Qucstion ma rks are nol used.
'What do you 1va,1/ to do?' he asked me.
He asked 111e wlwt / wanted to do.
'W/1ere lwve you bee11?' she asked lzim.
She asked l1i111 w/1ere he Izad been.
Yes/No qucstions:
H therc is no q uestion word (11'/iat,
where, who, etc) in the direcl
question, we use if 01- 111he1l1e1:
'Does sl1e lrno 111.loe?'
He asked iflwhether she knew .loe.
D Ask ami 1ell
Each of thcse verbs can be used in two cliífcrenl ways in
rc porte d s pcech.
1 As/e
a Requcsts (as/e+ objec l
infinitivc with lo)
'Ca11 you l1elp 111e, 17/ease? '
He as/ced me 10 help hin,.
b Queslions
'Can you riele a lwrse?'
S/1e as/ced 111e if' l could riele a lwrse.
2 Tell
a Commands (tell + object + infinitive with to)
'Put yo11r coa! 011.'
She told him lo pul his coa/ on.
b Statements
'! can 't f111 d mv coa!.'
He tole/ her (tlwl) he co11/dn'1 fi11cl his cual.
+
Unit 13
Hypothetical situations
A \1\lish a nd
if 011/y
Wish or i(o11l_v can cxprcss how we would like things lo
be clillc rcn l i [ we had the power to c hange lhe111 .
1 Present states
We use 1J1ishlif 011/y + past simple lo exprcss wishes
aboul presc n l slatcs. Stative ve rbs s uch as be, have,
knoll' ancl 1111dersta11d a re usccl.
1 wish I 1vasAvere talla
!/' 011/y f lwew how to plav the guitm'.
220
2 P1-esent ac tions
We use 1vishli( 011/_v + would w hcn we wanl sornething lo
happe n or someone to do somcth ing. Active verbs (vcrbs
descr ib ing ac tions) are used .
1 1vish you 111oi,ld t 11rn vour music do,v11.
lf 011/y this 1vi11d would stop blo1Fi11g.
Wishli(only + would is used if wc wan l lo exprcss
irri lation a l olhe r pcoplcs' aCLio ns or b ehaviou r.
1 wish you woulcl stop 1appi11g your (oot.
Wish!if 011/y + past sim ple can also be used if thc aclion
occurs habitually.
J 1vish you didn't (or 111ouldn'1) s nwke so 11111ch.
3 P1·csent abili ly
Wishlif only + would is uscd for even ls w h ich are oulside
of o u r control. Conscqu c nt ly, we do not no1·111ally say '!
w ish f woulcl .. .'. Ins lead, we use 'Tw ish l could .. .' to
indicalc ou r ina bil ity to change lhings.
J wish f could re111e111ber where 1 pul 111y keys.
4 Wishes 1"01- t he rutu1~c
Wish!i( only + woulcl or could can be u sed lo exp1-css
w is hes for the fulLll'C. Th is use o[ wish s uggcsts that lhe
action will probably no t happen .
l 1vis/1 f could go 011 holidav 1vit/1 vou in s1,1111111a (J
know that 1 ca n't go w it h you.)
lf there is mo re p ossibility that Lhe actio n w ill happen,
we use hope.
I hope f ca 11 go 011 holiday 1vith :rou i11 su111111e1: (J don't
know if l can or no l.)
5 Past situations
We use wish!if 011/y + past pe1·fcc l to cx press w ishes and
r egrets aboul the pasl.
I wish l hadn't lefi sclwol 11 1he11 f 1vas / 6.
The following s tructu res can also be uscd Lo express
wishes ancl regre ts abou l the pasl.
a Thircl ancl mixcd condi tionals [sec Unit I I J
Jfl hac/11'1 bee11 so tired, th is 1vcmld11 '1 have happer,ed.
b slwuld have + pasl participle
We should lwve gol the trai11 . Tl,is lraffic'.~ terrible.
B Would rather
Wc use 1vould ratl1er + past simple when wc wanl
someo ne elsc to do somelhing in the prcscn l or future.
l'd rather you wenl lo gel so111e bread 1101v.
He said he'd ralher we dic/11'1 arrive tuo earlv to111orrmv.
1f the s ubject or 1vo1,i/d ralher and Lhe following vcrb is
the samc, wc usually use the inl'inilivc wi lhou l lo.
We 'd ra1her sit in t/ze garde11 than go lo !he beac:h.
C lt's time
'vVc use il 's (hig/1/aboul) li111e + pasl s imple whcn wc
wan l somethin g lo happcn orbe done now. lt implies
that Lhe action s hou ld have been done ali-cady.
l!'s time vou 1ven t to bed. You 've gol sc/100/ to1110rro1v.
Ir~- h igh time yo11 slopped talki11g and die! s0111e 111ork.
Prepositions and gerunds
1 Verbs whic h come immeclialely afte1· pn:positions rn ust
be in the gerund ror rn.
He 1vas fi11ed for parking 0 11 a ye/10111 li11e.
H Lhe s ubjcct oí lhc gerund is diffcrent to thc sub,iect
of thc main verb, we add a nou n, objcct pmnoun or
possessi ve acljectivc.
We're not happv aboul James ridi11g a n1otorbike.
They insisted 011 me/my showi11g 1he111 the photos.
Grammar reference
2 These nou n
3
4
+ preposiLion eo mbinaLio ns are commonly
followed by gerunds:
(be nollillle) point in, (have) dif{icu/ty in, (belhave a good/
1101 much) chance o/; (be in) favour o{
There's no point in inviting he1;· she 1Von't co111e.
ls there any chance of you playing ten nis la ter?
Gerunds are used afte1· a number or phrasal ve1-bs
conla ining preposit ions, such as gel 0111 of; gel ove,; give
up, look fonvard to, pul off; pul up with, take lo.
He gave up phoning her and took to texting her poen1s.
These linking wo1·ds and exp,-ess ions can also be used
as preposilions and íollowecl by a geruncl: afier, apart
f,-0111, as a resul! uf, as 1vell as, befóre, besides, despile, in
additio11 to, i11 spite o(; instead of
Apart from tasting greal, it's a/so verv good for you .
She opened tlze 1vindow, despite me asking her no/ lo.
Unit 14
Compound adjectives
Compound adjeclives consist oí lwo o r 11101-e words _jo ined
by a hyph en.
A Man_v compound adject ives include a parLiciple.
1 Past parLiciples can be com bined wilh:
• nouns, e.g. l10111e-made, air-co11ditioued, tree-lined
• adjectives, e.g. open-111011/hed, French-bom
• adverbs, e.g. well-paid, brightly-coloured, fúlly-grmvn
• parLicles, e.g. a made-up story, a brokeu-down car
2 Presenl participles can be cornbined with:
• nouns, e .g. Ger111a11-speaki11g, ti111e-saving
• ad_jeclives, e.g. good-looking, sweet-s111elling
• adver bs, e.g. lwrd-1vorki11g, fast-moving, long-lasting
B Many olher compound adjeclives do nol .i nclude a
participle, e.g. cycle-frieudlv, full-time, liigh-speecl,
shoulcler-lengtlz, t1ventieth -ce111ury, 1vorld-fa1 11ous , out-of
1011111, up-to-date, nine-/o-five, top-of!l1e-range.
C When a noun is used wi th a numbe1· lo fo rm a
compound adjective, the s ingulai- Íorn1 oí the nou n is
used, e .g. a ten-kilometre wa lk, a sixty-page reporl, a fifiypound note, a tliree-hour joumey, a f,ve-year-old chilcl.
Expressing purpose
Thcre a re severa] di fferenl ways or expressing purpose
(saying w hy people do Lhin gs).
1 Infinilive w ith /o
l'111 writing to thank you for the /ove/y present you sen/.
The negalive infinitive, not to do something, cann ot be
u sed to express pu rpose.
2 In arder (not) to + infin itivc
She wore dark glasses in order not to be recognized.
3 So as (not) to+ inl"initive
We set off early so as to avoid the trafTic.
4 So (Llwt) + clause
a Fulu re meaning: so (that) + can/wil//prese nl s imple
Le.1'., 111ove lo the fi,ont so we can see better.
J'll take c111 wnbrella so that 1 don'tlwon't get wet.
b Past mean in g: so (that ) + could!wo11ld
He sh/.11 t/1e door so that no one would disturb him.
5 In case + clause
I[ we do someLhing Lo prcpa 1-c fo r a possiblc siluation or
problem we use in case + present simple/pasL simple.
a Fu ture meaning: in case + present simple
Here are some crisps in case you get hungry later cm.
+ past simple
He made a copy in case he lost the original.
6 /11 case and if
No te thc diffe1,ence in rncan ing between in case a nd i/:
J'll take my 11111brella if it rains. (= l'll take m y umbrella
only if iL is raining when l leave Lhe house.)
l'll take mv 11111brella in case it rains. (= I'II take itas a
precaulio;,, even if il isn't rain ing when I leave Lhe house.)
b Pasl m ean ing: in case
Expressing ability
A Can a nd be able lo
Can a nd be able to a re both usccl to express abi li ty.
However, can o n ly has presenl tense (can) and past
tense (coulcl) íorms. lf anoLher for m of Lhe verb is
required, be able lo is usecl.
Presenl:
She can/is able to speak French .
She could/was able lo read when
Past:
she was two .
lnfini tive:
!'el like lo be a ble to ski.
He'., never been able to save mo11ey.
Presen l perfect:
Will future :
She'll be a ble lo buy a car soon.
B Presenl abi lity
1 We use can orbe able lo Lo Lalk a boul presenl abiliLy. Be
able to is more forma l than can .
I can run /aster than you.
He is able lo speak without 111oving his lips .
2 The negative fo rm or can is can'! o r cannot . To form the
negalive orbe able to, not is used befo1·e ah/e. You can
also use be una.ble to.
I canno/ understand why she married h i111.
1,Ve regrel we are w1a.blelnot able Lo accepl credit cards.
3 Be capable of + gernnd can a lso be used Lo exp1-css
ability. Il means lo have the abi lity, capaeily o r polenlial
to do something.
This team is capable of w inning th.e chan1pionship.
4 The negalive fo rm be incapable of + gerund can be used,
orno/ can be placed before capable .
She is incapable!isn 'r capable uf looking after herself
C Past abili Ly
1 When we La lk aboul general abil ity in the past, both
could and was/were able to a 1-e possiblc.
My grandfather could plav the trumpet until he was 90.
As a child I was never able to beat my {ather at chess.
2 Be capable of ca n also be u sed in the past.
loe wasn't capable o/' making toas/ without burning it.
3 When we talk aboul ability to do som ething on one
occasion in the pas t, could is nol possible. Inslead, was/
were able to, 111anaged to + in íinitive 01· succeeded in +
gerund have Lo be used.
l managecl tolwas able to speak to Frank last night.
Firefighters succeeded in controlling the fla111es.
However, could can be u sed for abiliLy o n one occasion
when il is used w ith verbs oí the senses: see, s111ell, hea,;
feel, sense, laste.
l knew mv wife had arrived; I cortld smell her perfume.
4 When we talk about inability to do someLhin g on one
occasion in the pas L, corilcln'I, weren't/was11'1 able to , 1vasl
were w,able to, didn't 111anage lo and didn't succeed in are
all possi ble.
l couldn 't do the ho111ework; it was too difficult.
I dic/11'1 manage tolwasn't able to repa ir !he fi,idg,e.
221
Listening scripts
Unit 1
<:> 1.1-1.5
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker 1
Afler we gol lhc invilalion, my mum
and I kcpt having huge rows abou t what
l was go ing Lo wcar íor lhe big evenl.
She's always cl"ÍLicizing me ror my laste
in clothes ancl shc'd bought me this long,
bright 1·cd dress to wcar on the cla_v. O[
coursc, 1 rcfuscd. l went inslead in a
s horl black sk irl, trainers anda sports
top, Lh inking l'd look really cool and
trendy. Bul or cou1·se, when we gol Lo
thc c hurch ancl l saw ali thc other guests
in t heir sma1-L new c lothes and cxpensive
hals, l jusl fell really, reall_v slupicl ancl
embarrassed. Thc b1·ide and groom
lookecl qu ile surpriscd when they saw
me, so I spenl most of lb.e Lime al lhe
reception tr:,1ing lo avoicl Lhem.
Speaker 2
Wc rea lly had no o lhcr option b ulto
sencl her home lo gel changecl, dye her
hair back ancl Lake out Lhe nose stucl.
We have rules ancl the rules a1·e therc
to prepare young peoplc l'o1· the rea lity
or the world of work. 1 clmú know of
man:,, jobs where you coulcl turn up
wilh scrulTy ole! clolhcs, green hair ancl
a pierced nose. We insist on uniform
rrom the íirst day unlil lhe las t, ancl that
in.dudes wlie1 1s;'lliug exarns. [t\, unfair
on other canclidales who respecl the
1·egulations, and clistracting íor Lhem
al a time whcn thcy neecl maximum
concenlration .
Speaker 3
... Jncleecl altitudes were already
bcginning to changc in lhe ('irsl half
of the century. Tn I 919, the young
French sla1· Suzanne Lenglcn eaused a
sensalion al the Brilish championships
by wearing a calJ-l ength, sleevcless
clrcss. Her uneonvcnlion al, vet practica!
clothing shockecl speetalo1·s, who wcre
usecl lo sccing women play in the long
heavy d1·csses which were Lypical of that
period. As a resu lt, Lenglen attracted lhe
ldnd oí auenlion from the wodd's p1·ess
which was nol'mally rescn1ecl ror the
st.ars oí the silcnl n;ovies. Shc si lencecl
her crilics, however, by beatin g her
opponcnls and going on to w in severa!
major litlcs.
Speaker 4
He clearlv has abilitv. You only have
lo look al bis exami;1alion rcs~dts to
see that. And he usecl to livc in Fn111ce,
which means he probably woulcln'l mincl
changing countries, if we needed him to.
No, what concen1s me is his appcarance.
lf hc's preparecl to turn up íor something
as important as this, wcaring whal can
only be clcsc1·ibed as casual clothes, what
wo~dd he be like with ou1· cl ients? lf
he rea ll v is a scrious cancl iclate ancl we
decide Lo takc him on, then he will have
lo gel use cl to wea ring something a littlc
more formal.
222
Speaker 5
They hacl lo havc the ir little jokc, clidn't
they. 'Jane's having a liLtle celebrat ion al
he1· house for her "coming or agc" and
she wants cvc,·yone to go in fancy clress.'
That's what t hey saicl. So I thoughl
about it for ages, what J was going LO
go as and cverything. 1 spenl mol'e
Lim e thinki ng aboul my coslume than
abou l whal presenl l was go ing to gel
for Jane. or course, when J turnecl up
al the house clrcssecl as Coco the Clown
ancl everybocly else was wearing normal
clo thes, 1 clon't know who was more
surpriscd, m e or Jane.
Unit 1 ~ 1.6-1.13
Part 1: Multiple choice
1 You hear two people talking aboul a
fricnd of theirs.
M=Man W=Woman
M: How many !muses has Mike gol
now?
W: Four I think. This one hcre, the flal
in Brighton, the coun l ry cottage,
and ...
M: ... and the villa in Spain.
W: That's right.
M: Hmm. Easy for sorne, isn't it?
W: fm not so surc. l get the imprcssion
he's a bi t red up with it ali - a lways
moving arouncl . l woulcln't be
surprisecl i[ he got 1·icl of evcrything
over he rc and lived in Spain
pcrrnanent lv .
M: Ts that whal be's saicl hc'll do?
W: Well, you know Mike. Jt's nol like
him lo talk much about his plans.
But he clic! say he migbl sellle clown
one day - stay in one place. And you
know how much he likcs Spa in.
2 You ove1·hear a man talking to a
f1·iencl on his mobile phonc.
J'm slTessecl out, lo be honesl, what
with work and the problems with
the house a ncl evervthing. T need to
do something to h~lp
relax .. .
Well, I wantecl to do yoga, but the
class is un F l'iclay and l play squash
then. And Lhen T saw they do Pilates
on Tuesdays and Thursdays, w hi ch
would be id eal fo1· me ... J know. You
dicl il for a couple of yea1·s, d id1ú
you'> ... So anvway, l was wonclering
if you cou ld tell me whal it was li ke,
wÍial sort or things vou clic!. 1 hacl a
look on lhe Inte rnet, bul il's a lwavs
bcller lo talk to someone with fir~Lhancl cxperience.
3 You hear a wornan talking about her
f'amily's financia! situation.
We just about gel by, but it's always
a s trugglc lo gel to the cnd o[ the
n1onlh. Fnmk - mv husband - hasn'l
hacl a job F01· ove1· "a year ancl l've gol
the two c h ilclren to look after. f'rank
saicl hc'll look al'ter the kids ancl I can
me
'¡
go out ancl Jook for work. Trouble is,
he's uselcss ai-ound the house ancl he
can'L cook to save his li fe. But there's
no allernativc, rcally. Both our mums
a ren't verv well thcse days, so we can't
get e ither· o[ lhern lo cm;1e a ncl help
oul. And wc haven't go l any ramilv
jewels we can sel!. So, this weekend
J'll be tcaehing Frank to eook and
writing a few application lettcrs.
4 You oved1ear a man ancla woman
talking about their morning rouline,
W=Woman M=Man
W: Don't you just hate it when the alarm
goes off in the morning?
M: I usually wakc up beforc t hc alal'm
goes off. T'm an earlv riser.
W: That sounds worsc. Arcn't vou tired
for Lhe 1·est or the clay?
M: No, T jusi clon't need lo slecp so
much . l take the clog out ror a walk,
talk Lo him a bout this a nd thal ...
W: You talk to _vour clog?
M: Su1·e. Much easier than talking to
people - he clocsn't answer back or
ask questions, like people do. 1 find
that much harcler to cope with first
thing in thc morn ing. J'm the same in
the car - mosl people ca n'l stand the
journey to work, bul I havc a good
old chal w ith m yself'.
W : Weird.
5 You hear a woman on the radio
talking a bout her experiences in a
foreign cou ntry.
On my Lravels, T've gol usecl to eating
ali so1·ls of weircl ancl wonde1-f-ul
things, sol was preparcd for things
like íriecl insects ancl scorvions. r
don't particu larly like l hem, but I'II
ea t them il' T have Lo . Ancl il's very
hot ancl hu miel Lhere, so I was also
reacl~, íor the rathe r slow pace of lifc
ancl relaxccl way they go aboul cloing
things, like work, ror example. What
T wasn't expecting was !he wav they
clress out lhere. In my cxperiencc il's
unusua l fo1· people in that part of the
world lo ta ke so much ca1·e over what
lhcy wear. Colour, slvle, fas hion - it
a li ;11attercd LO them'. 1 was posilively
seruf'ly by comparbon.
6 You turn on the radio and hear the
followi ng.
The worlcl toclay is raster and more
clynamic than when our greal·
granclparen ls were alivc, but as a
resull, life is oflen m o r·e stressful
ancl unhealthy. Seir- help books offcr
people lhe hope o f l'incling a solution
to their pi-oblems, improvi ng thcir
health ancl well-being, and generally
making thcir lives bellcr. The author
o f Back 10 basics says his book will
help you ach icvc a li these things in
a matte r oí wecks. He's lying - tbe
onlv thing it's goocl for is sencling you
lo slccp, ancl you'cl be wasting vour
money if you bought it, and your time
if you 1·eacl it.
Listening scripts
7 You hear lwo people lalking abou l
lhe vil lage lhey bolh live in.
M = Man W = Woman
M: Are you enjoying it he re in the
vil lagc?
W: Yes, l am . T th ink I know nearly
eve1·yone now. When T came here lasl
ycar cvcryonc wenl out ol' their way
to intrncluce themsclvcs ancl makc
me fccl wclcomc.
M: T hat's goocl. So you fecl coml'o1table
here, t hen?
W: Yes, Ido. Ancl lhe ch ilcl ren have
selllecl in well, too. 1 jusi gel a bit
nc1-vous about the trallic sornetirnes.
M: What, on t hc ma in roacl?
W: Yes, a ncla couplc or other spots as
well. Tbere a re cerla in places I won't
let thc chilclrcn go without m e. Some
drivers jusl don't s lo·w clown ro,·
the m .
8 You hcar a man talking about his job.
Tclon't gel to wear a u n iforn1 -you
know, wilh a cap and all, like they
do at sorne of thc o the r hotels, but J
do wear a suit. A clecent one - tailor
maclc - nol just any olcl suit. Insicle,
a l the front clesk - in ,·cccplion - thcy
1·eckon T loo k sma,·ter than the boss.
I'm no t so surc about that, but I do
like to look goocl for the guests - l'm
thc hi·st pcrson thc~' see bdore they
go into thc hotel. And l'vc gol this
long black overcoal, as well - it can
gel prclly colcl standing ou tside on
thc stcps in w inte1·, T can te ll you.
Unit 2
<:> 1.14
Part 2: Sentence completion
Helio, Jim Du nne here, with a look al
what's on in the a1·ea th is coming week.
And J'rn de li ghted to be able to tel l
you that Pagag11i11i is in town, wilh its
own special m ix oí music a nd comccly.
lt's great fun and I can guaran lec thc
wholc family wi ll cnjoy watching these
four guys. They play ali those b its of
classical m usi c tha t evervone knows,
but somctirncs can't pul ·a name to - and
they have a laug h a l the samc time.
Pagagnini is actually based in Madrid,
but the show tours a lot ancl l was
luck_v enough to see it last year with my
wifc ancl our two girls when we were
in Mexico. They're a really versa tile
bunch of m usic ians . Al onc poin t, they
start using the ir viol ins ancl cellos as
guitars, m anclolins and even pe rcussion
instrumen ls. Ancl thcy movc away l'rom
classical inlo roc k, blues ancl coun Ln 1
ancl wcslcrn. Vcry imprcssive and wc're
all looking fonvarcl to seeing them
again . They're on stage íor aboul ninety
minules, but i t's a very inlense hour· ancl
a half, I can Lc ll you . Ú's exhausting j usl
walching them, ancl thcy clon'l s top fa r
an interval, eithcr.
Now, ror Lhose of you who like lrish
dancing there's Rl;_vt/11 11 of the Dance
at the Apollo Thcalre. Most of you will
know aboul Riverd(l11ce , which bega n
wav back in 1994 - at thc Eurovision
So~g Contcst in Dublin, curiously
e no ugh. But Rhythm o{the Dance gocs
back a long way too. It startecl out just
fivc yca1·s lalc1· in 1999 in Norway. Jt's
a s im il ar kincl of t h ing: the trad itional
music, the stcp dancing ancl so o n, bul
!herc's a thcmc running throug h it. lt's
a kincl o í histo1-v of !he lrish Cclts. l
haven't seen il yel, but I certainly wil l
do - thev're cl early very populai-. lt says
here in the publi city Lhat Rhvth111 ol
tlie Dance has played to live audiences
totalling well over fow· m ili ion in no
fcwc1· than forty-fow· countries. And if
you want to fine! out more about the
show, go to thci r website. There isn'L any
Reviews scction lo look al there, but i[
_vou cl ick on where il says 'Photo gallery'
you gct a prctty good idea of whal to
expect.
Now, the c i,·cus is back in town. Nol
jusi any c ircus, but the huge ly talented
Cirque Élo ize frnm Ca nacla. T hey'rc al
the Regenl Theatrc again. Thc show's
callecl iD ancl it promises lo be every
bit as good as Lhe one they pul on the
fi rst time they wcrc thcrc. T hat onc was
callcd Rain - as in, tbe wel stuff that falls
from the sky. And there was plen ty of
water on stage, as you'II rcmcmbcr if you
went lo see it.
Now l'vc becn looking al Lhe video for
iD on the show's webs ite ancl T ca n tell
you it has a totally urban setting. T he1·e's
hip-hop ancl breakdancc, e lcctronic
m us ic ancl rock, and sorne of the a rtis ls
moving arouncl the stage on bi kes ancl
Rollcrbladcs-r". Thcre a re no anirnals,
and no clowns, cilhci-. lt's not your
trad itional kincl of circus. And judging
from the press reviews, it's well worth
going lo see. One that I have hcre in
l"ronl of m e says Lhal iL's an excellent
show, rull of 01·iginality, e ne rgy ancl
excilemenl.
Ancl if you want even more energy, then
those Australian tap dancers, the Tap
Dogs are on thei r way. They'I I be al the
Orion li·om Wednesclay ...
Unit 2
<:> 1.15
Part 4: Multiple choice
M = Mike Taylor I = Interviewer
I: Octopushing, e lephant polo, ice
racing or cheese roll ing. Our spolts
corresponden t, Mike Taylor, has
been find ing ou t about sorne of thc
worlcl's strangest sports. Which is t he
mosl unusua l one for you, Mike?
M: Well, T think it has to be chess
boxing, because it's such a bizarre
combination. A matc h starls off with
a four-minule round of speecl c hess,
followcd by a three-minute rouncl of
boxing. T li°cre can be up to six rounds
o[ chess ancl five of boxi ng before a
winner is clecidecl. Now you may
think this is jusl a b it of fun, but when
l watchecl two m e n competing in a
match on German tclevision last ycar,
I was amazed by their leve! of skill
in each of lhese two very d ifferent
d iscipl ines . Afte r ali, boxing is such
an aggressive, violen! spo1·t - it's
aboul us ing t he body, whereas chess
is ali aboul using th e brain. You don 't
expccl a boxer lo be good at chcss, or
a chess player to be good in t he ring .
I: Have you founcl a ny othc1· unusual
com bi nations li ke that?
M: No, but a l t hc bcginning you
me ntionecl octopushing, wh ich
is underwatcr hockev - so it's an
un usual setting for fami liar ga me.
l haven't seen .i l played, but l've read
tha l it's a vcry cxciting spectator
sport - major lourna m en ts have
TV screens w hich show the images
cap tw-ccl by undc1-water cameras. I'vc
also rcad thal you don't havc to be
very fil to play. But I'm not convincecl,
to be honest - il seems physically very
demancli ng to me. The goocl thing,
though, is that beca use it's a team
sport, no ind ividual player has to stay
unclen.vater íor long periocls al a time.
Pcople like me who can't hold their
breath for very long can keep coming
up fo r a ir.
I: Hmm, not one for 111e, though, l'm
a íraid. W hat e lse have you got?
M : Well, there's vv ife carrying. That's
whcre competitors 1·ace overa 250m c lrc coursc wit h a woman on t hcir
back. The female participant has to
weigh more than 49 kilos, but s be
cloesn'Lactually have to be the man's
wife. So it would be more accurate
to call il 'woman carrving', 1 suppose.
Anyway, if shc is,ú heavy enough shc
has to wear a rucksack with sorne
kincl o f weig h t in it. The i-egulat ions
are surprisingly st rict.
I: Now that sounds alrig h t. Fancy
carryin g me, Mike?
M: E r ... no. Bad bac k, T'm afraid .
Ac tually, thcrc are quite a rew spo1·ts
l.i ke this o ne that rather irritale me.
I: Why's lhat?
M : Wcll, thcy're a bi t i-icliculous, lo be
hones t. Wi fe carry ing, re tro running,
pea shooting, cgg thrnwing ... thcy ali
seem ve,·y childish to me. T'm sorry
ií tha t upsets listeners, but they're
just not spm·ts I'cl want to do or even
watch.
I: So w h ich onc is the sill icst?
M: WcJJ, i t has lo be toe w restling, whcre
you have to force your opponent's
root LO the ground. Il's fine ror kids,
and a toe wrestl ing competition is the
kind o f th ing you mighl expccl them
lo o rganizc in thc schooJ p laygrouncl.
But for grown men and women lo
hotel a World Championship every
year, ancl t hen for organizers to
apply len· toe w,·estling to become
an Olympic sporl - well, it's too
claft for wo1·ds. l'm j ust p lcasccl the
application wasn't accepted .
I : Alright. Bu t you secm lo like chcss
boxi ng ancl oclopushing. Are lhere
any more that impress you?
M: Wel l, how a bou t the Man Versus
Horse Ma rathon, which ta kes place
every J uly in Wales? Human runners
a
223
Listening scripts
race cross-cou ntry againsl riders
on horseback ror lwenly-Lwo m iles lha l's arou nd Lhirly-five kilometres
- and on lwo occasions in lhe last
lh irly yea rs, a hu man contes tant has
won. Now that's notas asLOn ish ing
as it might seem - horses are fast in
shorl races but nol so goocl over lo ng
clisl;:inces. B u l il cloes secm a lillle
uníair lhat Lhc hu man victories a re
not men lionccl in thc same breath
as sorne of the worlcl's mo1·e ramous
sporting achicvements. These people
a re hernes, but thev're virtuall y
unknown outs icle Wales.
·
I: Yes, it's the lfrsl time I've heard o[
lhe race. You'1·c a runncr, aren't vou,
Mike?
.
my knee when
[ was s kiing a nd hacl Lo s top. I was
a real cnlhusiasl - usecl to ru n for
a couple or hours ;:iíter wo1·k every
evening - but even then, I would n'l
have beaten a horse, that's fo r s ure.
I: T here's no shame in thal! R ight,
thanks M ike. T ime now fo1· .. .
K : Hmm, yes, the ones being bu ill now
P:
M : 1 was, bul l damaged
Unit 3
K:
<:> 1.16
Part 4: Mult iple choice
P
= Presenter
K
= Keith WeJls
P: My guest today is robot sc ie n tist
K:
P:
K:
P:
Ke ith Wells. Keith's company, E LA
Robotics, hit Lh e news a few years
ago w ilh theil· Home He lp robot, the
[irst or ils kind to be able Lo perl"or m
more lhan one clomestic task. What
,.\l"e you work ing on these days,
Keith?
r can't rea lly te ll you that, T'm
a[raid. It's not tha l l don't want to,
it's jusi that we've all been given
ou r instructions a nd signed a n
agreemenl not to g ive a nyt.hi ng
away u n ti l it actua lly comes onto the
rnarket. I don't qui te know when that
wi ll be, but probably sorne time early
next year.
OK, well we'II look rorward Lo that.
In lhc mean lime, perhaps you could
te ll us w ha t you thi nk are the most
im porta n! a pplication.s of robots in
our lives. W hy are they use lüJ::>
Well, they hclp LIS to do w ha t we call
't hc threc Ds'. That's anything which
is dul l, clirly or clangerous. They can
be used in the home or in th e ca r
manu [aclu ri ng incluslly, to do dull
or rnonotonous work; they're usecl
íor cloing d irly jobs like m ining o r
clean ing Lox ic waste; ancl then lhey
have applications in the rni li tary
or in thc cla ngerous business oí
space travel. Oí cotu-se, that's not an
ex haustive lisl, but il gives you an
idea of the range of d iíferent uses
Lhev have - ancl also or the var ietv
involved in rny line oí work.
.
Yes, incleecl. Let's La lk i[ we may
about u ne a rea in pa l"l icular, though,
the more hurnanoid rnbots, the ones
wilh a rccogn izable human rorrn.
Whal are the lalesl developments
tbcre?
224
P:
K:
P:
K:
P:
K:
m·e ablc lo see, hear, louch and
even s mcll ancl Laste. Others can
show a ra112:e of ernotional slates,
such as sac~1ess, joy, anger a nd evcn
comica l surprise. They can even
recognize emot ions in humans, by
interpreting peoplc's boclv-language the postures they adopt, thc gcstures
they make. Thc hope is tha t people
will be more vvill ing lo welcome
robots like t hese in to t heir homes,
ancl the_v coL1ld actas companions
ancl home helps for the sick or Lhe
e lderly.
Amaz ing. Bul isn't ali this a liule bi t
worrying- robo ts with emotions?
1sn't there a danger or science íict ion
becom ing sciencc facl, with robots
taking ove1·J
Yes, un fo rtunately, robots do gel
rathe1· a bacl press sornetim cs, don'L
they") Particularly in l"ilrns a ncl video
games where tbey're ei ther objecls
of hu mour ancl ridicule wb ich wc
laugh at or clse they're rnenacing
characters w hich threaten to destroy
the whole human racc. Bu l no, lhere
is actua lly an eth ical code w hich
sets out w hat wc can and can't do
in robot clesign - and one thing wc
won't do is allmv oursclves to lose
control ove1· our creat ions.
Don't you thin k, though, th at rnbots
wi ll rnake us lazy, thal we'll no longer
want to do anyth ing that r·equires
any effmt?
J thin k the car's al readv clone that to
LIS. lt's made LI S physicallv vety la1._y.
We don'L walk so much as we usecl
to ancl our boclies have su ffered as a
result. L thin.k rnbots coulcl well have
the sa111e effect on our brains . rf wc
le l intelli gent rnbols do ali oí our
thi nking íor us, there is a danger wc
won't be able to make any o r our own
decisions, that we'II become mentallv
lazy. And that, l think, is j ustas
·
won-y ing.
Do you 1-cally th ink that the day will
come when rnost homes have their
own robot?
ff you th ink bac k to jusl th irty vears
o r so ago, rew of us t hen woulcl
h;:ive predicted tha t we'cl soon have
a personal cornpu te1· in our home,
be logging onto the Internet and
downloading hundreds or songs and
videos onto a th ing called an MP4
p layer. So why s ho ulcln'l we ali have
rnbols? We've been talking abou l
them for ncady a century now and
certainly, their inilial development
wasn't qu ite as rast as we thought it
would be. Bul now, wi th advancecl
computer technology available, ver_y
rapid changes are taking place in
robot clesign.
Yes, l remembe1· those rathcr
clumsy-looking machines al the end
oí the 1990s.
T hat's righ l. T he [irsl humanoid
robots coulcl do verv little, then bte1·
moclels lcarnl to sil.clown and stand
up, thcn talk, wa lk arnund, dance
and so on. JL's rat her likc watchinga
ch ilcl grow. Through tclevision and
other med ia, the public is slowly
grow ing accustomcd lo the idea of
robots as a rca lity, and when thev
eventual.lv becon~e widelv available,
pcople will be ready fo1· them.
P: Thank you, Ke ith. lt's becn
íasc ina.ting having you on thc
progra111111c.
Unit 3
<:> 1.17-1.21
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker 1
Apparen tlv, Leenagcrs need 111ore sleep
than t he rcst or u s, so next year we're
starting lcssons at 10, rathcr than 9
eve1·v clav. The head savs the kids will
be n~ore.awake, more •··eceptive cluring
class ir thev come in an hour la ter. ll's
a fairly racÍical idea a nd it's attract ing
a lot oí attention l"rom thc press. The
head's given three newspaper intervicws
alre;:idv - ali or wbich goes to conrirm
my bel iel" that she has her own intcrcsts
in. m ind rat her Lhan those oí thc kicls.
lt's j usi another o r her schemes lo gel
publicity for hersel L Perhaps l shoulcl
have spoken out at the consultation
meeting, bLl t she's got the support of the
wholc teaching stall. ancl they don't care
tha t her motiv'es are al i wrong.
Speaker 2
l'm really fed up with our head or
depa rtmenl. We ali a re. As well as having
absol u tely no in terpersonal sk ills, he
has a habit o r ma king c lwnges without
bothering to fincl out wha l anyone clse
thinks íi rst. 1-Te told us in a meeting
last week that we're go ing to be using
a clillc1·ent coursebook l'or Year 8 nexl
ter-m, ;:ind hc's ordered threc class sets
a li-eacly. Now, l' m nol saving that a
c hange wasn't necessar_y - 1 think we're
a lI a bit ti red of lhe book we're using at
the moment - but l do th ink he could
have lct us have sorne say in the malter
before going ahead . It's 1~0 way to runa
deparlment.
Speaker 3
l teach 111aths to as many as Lwo
hunclred s luclen ts in one vcar, so l'm not
al a li pleased about the changes LO report
wriling. Unt il now, a sludent's end-ofte rm repm·t cons istecl ora mark ror each
subject, and then the class tutor made a
sumrnarizing comment a l the end. With
the new systern, each subject teacher
has Lo write a comrnenl as well. lt'II take
ages! The head says the tutor's cornment
isn'l e nough lo give parents a full picture
of how the ir chi ld's getting on, but as
long as it's cardullv wrillen , it's fi ne.
Most parents won't 1·eacl the comments
anvway- they're jusi interested in the
marks. lt's a waste or time as far as í'm
concernecl, and l know lhe ma_iorilv o [
my colleagucs reel the same.
Speaker 4
The situat ion in Ycar I O is not much
better than it was be fore. Mixi ng up
the classes li ke that - splitti11g up the
Listening scripts
troublemakers - is a step in the right
clirection but it cloesn't go rar enough.
They're still there, ancl thev're s till
causing disruption to lessons. The heacl
should havc asked the parenls to come
in ancl gol the kids to make eertain
guarantees in íront oí them, macle the111
pro111ise to improve their behaviour and
so 011. Then if the promises aren'L kept,
expcl them from the school. We lolcl her
thal, bul s he sa id expelling them woulcl
just create prnblems for other· schools.
She needs to be 111uch lougher.
Speaker 5
There's sorne building work going on
outsicle lhc music room, so vou can
imagine how difficult it is tc'i leach in
there. The windows are clouble glazecl,
but thcy're not enough to kecp out the
noise, so l've been moved - a long with
nw piano - to a room on the other s ide
o( the school. Now J've c hanged rooms
manv times befare, bul never to one as
bad as this. The ceil ing's enormously
high ancl the acoustics are terrible for
the piano. Plus .1 prnelically have lo
shout to make 111ysclf hearcl, so mv
throat is suffering. And then thc sun
strea111s in during the aíternoon and
sends the kids to s leep. l'm telling you, as
soon as the work's l"inished, J'm moving
straight back to m v olcl room .
Unit 4 ~ 1.22-1.29
Part 1: Multiple choice
1 Listen to lhis woma n talking about
an actor.
l usecl to think he was so goocl
looking - those sparkl ing blue eyes
and that sexy sm ile - but now oí
course the ,,;rin kles have taken over
and be's lost it complelely. Call me
olcl-fashioned, but 1 1·eallv don't think
that somebody of his age s hould be
wearing tight trnusers ancl ílowe1-y
shins. Tt's obscene. Ancl the way he
Lalks Lo the press! I mean, 'polile ness'
is jusi nota worcl he unclerstancls. l'm
not surprisecl they gel upset ancl give
hi111 bad reviews.
2 You overhea1· this conversation
between two friencls.
M =Man
W=Woman
M: So, have vou decided which film
we'1·e goi;1g lo see, then?
W: Wcll, 1 really wan tecl lo see the new
Fiona Miller l"il111 which ever-yone is
raving about.
M: Oh, please, no! Tcoulcln't stand
another costume drama.
W: No, this one's very cliííerent from
her others. She plays the pan of an
out-of-work spy who decides to turn
lo crime and begin a li fe as a jewcl
thieí. But anyway, Katie says it's not
her cup of lea, so l'm afraid it's 'gel
yow· handkerchie f ready for a nothcr
lcar-jerkcr'. You know the plot
already: boy meets girl, g irl meels
anot her boy, f"irs t boy gels upset - ali
that kincl of nonsense.
3 You hear a man Lelling a woman
aboul a slorylelling cow·se he
attendecl.
W = Woman
M = Man
W: So w hat macle vou decide to do a
storytclling COL;rse?
M: Well, a ÍTiencl of mine who clic! it
last year recommencled it to me. She
thot;gbt J mighl enjoy i t - and she
was right. IL was greal íun, really
laid-back ancl everyone was very
supportive. It gave me the courage
I needecl - ancl the sel f-be l ief - lo be
ablc to stand up ancl spcak in front of
a group of peoplc.
W: So are you going lo be leaving us
to take up a career as a stm-yteller,
then?
M: No, I like working here too much .
W: Ha-ha! That's a good stm-y.
4 You hear an actress talking about her
performance in a play.
Drained, darling, absolutely
cli-a ined. And have you read what
the crilics wrote aboul it? 1 don't
know how anyone could say it was
'clisappointing'. l mean, OK, so it's not
the 1110s1 exc iting part T've eve1· hacl
to play but T gave it my ali, absolutely
everyth ing. One look al my face w ill
tell you just how utterly exhaustecl 1
am. l cou ld sleep for a week.
5 You ovcd1ea1· this man talking on the
telephone.
What do you think we should gel
him? ... J\n atlas! That's nol ve,-y
much ... 1 know he's interested in
geogrnphy, but he's been w ith the
company for nearly 25 years. I really
don't think an atlas woulcl express ow·
appreciation for ali he's clone for the
l'irm. He's been like a father to us ali
. .. I clon't know, something thal wi ll
remind him oí us in his retirement,
something he can use on a regula,·
basis . How about an e-book reader or
a clecent video camei-a - Lhat kind or
thing?
6 You hea1· a young woman talking to
her friend about a film.
M = Man
W = Woman
M: What was it li ke?
W: Oh, don't ask. I ce,-tainly wouldn't
recommend it to anyone.
M: Too violen! for you, was it?
W: Hmm ... Quite the opposite. I mean,
al first there was the usual dose
of gratuitous violence - basically
w hat you'd expecl from that type of
film, ancl partly why T wenl to see
it. After that, though, not a g reat
d eal happened. From what T can
remember - when Twasn't falling
asleep, that is - the script scemed
to focus on an analys is oí the
protagonist's inner sclf.
M: A kincl of 'non-aetion film', then.
W: Exactly.
7 You hear a woman te le phon ing a
bookshop.
Helio, yes, it's about a book T bought
in your shop last week. A Katharine
Ad ams novel. 1 just wantecl to point
out lhat th ere were one m- lwo pages
missing ... No, no, there's really no
need lo apologize. I mean it's notas if
it w as the las t page o,- anything. And
I gol the gis t of w hat was happening
w ithoul the pages. I jusl thought
you oughl to know so you can check
the resl of your s tock, or talk to the
publishers or something ... That's OK
... Yes, pages 60 to 64 ...
8 You bear this young man talking on
the phone.
Wcll, we were born in the same
month, but I'm a Leo, as you know,
whereas he1· birthclay's al the
beginning of July, wh ic h ma kes her a
Cancer. l clon't know if that's good mbad. We certainly seem to laugh a l the
samc things; the same jokes, the same
comecly programmes ... Sorry? ...
Oh, next Friclay. We're going to a jazz
concen, although l can't say it's my
favourite type of music. She's really
into it, ancl s he wanted me to go, so ...
Unit 5 ~ 1.30
Part 4: Multiple choice
D = Deborah Chilton
I = Interviewer
I: Few of us wou lcl admit to actuallv
enjoying cloing the housework, ·
so getting our leenage chi ldren to
do their fa ir s hare is no easy task .
Deboi-ah Ch ilton, the author of a new
paren ting book, The Stress Free Cuide
to Bringing up Teenagers, is here to
give us a [ew poin le1·s. Debornh,
where do we starl?
D: Well, as you say, it's not easy, but
if we're aware of what we're 11-ying
to ach ieve ancl w hy, then the battle
is ha![ won. Gelling teenagers to
conlribute Lo housewo1·k has so many
benefits. It's an ideal way of teaching
Lhem w hat it means to belong lo a
fam ily ancla community. They also
learn Lo take on more responsib ility
as they a pproach aclulthood, and they
pickup sorne uscful skilis on the way,
too. Knowing ali this gives pare nts the
strength they need to see their goals
through.
I: R igh t. Ancl at what agc should
Leenagers begin hclping out w ith the
housework?
D: Long before they reach adolesccnce.
Teenagers are naturally resistant to
being tole! what to do, ancl suddenly
asking them at fourteen or [ifleen to
take on chores when they've never
done any thing lo hclp before - well,
le t's j ust say it cloesn't meet w ith a
ver-y positive reaction. Parents often
[ail to lake advantage of the fact that
young chi ldren are quite happy to
make their bed, Licly their room, lay
the table or was h the d ishes. So gel
them startecl early a ncl you'JI fine! il
easie1· later on.
225
t
Listening scripts
I: Ancl whal sorl or things can Leenage1·s
do?
D: Cleaning, washing, iron ing. Anything,
reallv. Planning a ncl cooking a meal
cach-week is exccllcnl Lraining, ancl
tea chcs teenagers how much time and
cfforl goes in Lo putting íoocl on Lhe
ta ble. Whalever they do, jusl be sure
to explain to thcm cm·e fully how lo do
il firsl. My son once almos! triecl lo
wash the toaster in thc sink wh ile it
was still pluggcd in!
I: Oh clcar!
D: Yes. Tecnage1-s will make mistakes,
ancl that's pan of the leanüng
prncess. BuL it's best Lo Lry a nd avoid
thcm beíore they actuaUy happc n.
I: lnclccd. And w hat if your teenage
son or daugh ter decides nol to do a
chore? What thcn?
D: Well, it's a good idea lo make Lhe ir
contribution someLhing that's
important to Lhen1 as well. Tha t way,
if it's not done, thcy're the ones to
suller. So fo,- cxample, if they don't
do the washing, they won't have clean
c lothes for a party; if thcy don't do the
shop ping, they can't eat. T hcy'll gel
the idea cventually.
I: So you woulcln'L consider handing oul
punis hme nts?
D: Only as a last resort. They tend to
cause bacl feeling ancl resentmenL.
rr things don't get belte,-, sil clown
toge ther ancl r e mincl them o[ their
duty to othc,- family membei-s a.ncl
the neecl LO work as a leam. Ami for
the same reasons, clon't g ive financ ia]
rewarcls for completing chores.
Housework is an o bl igation, rathe,than a c ho ice, and no one gets paicl
for clo ing iL.
I: Hmm. H only we clicl! So, ho usework
has to be done, ancl Lhat's iL.
D: Yes, but the re's still room for somc
negotiation. Unclerstanclably,
teenagers like to feel they have at leasl
some say in the matte r. So whilst the
chore itself is not negotiable, w hen it
is carried out m ight be. [n fact, rather
than say lo your tcenage ch ilcl 'coulcl
you load the dishwas her?' - to which
i.hey could a nswer 'no' - ask thcm
instead 'woulcl you like to load thc
clis hwasher befare or afte r the l'i lm ?'
That way there's an ciernen! of choice,
and the job gets do ne sooner or later .
I: Very clever. I like that.
D: Yes. Ancl I woulcljust like to say,
that a lthough domestic cluties can be
a pain, they can also be a welcome
clislraction. Teenagcrs generally
have a lot on their mi neis, whether
it's schoolwork, frienclship problems
or boyfrie ncl/girlfriencl issues.
Vaeuuming the carpel, cutting the
grass or cleaning the car provicles
an alternalive focus ancl helps take a
teenagcr's m ine! off his or her claily
concerns .
I: Ce rtainlv. Ancl that's a very posilive
note to finish on. Deboral-i, thank you
for com ing in
226
Unit 5
<:_>
1.31
Part 2: Sentence completion
Right, let's start by talking aboul lhc
seleclion prncedu re. Wha l do you havc
lo do in order to become a firefightcr?
Well, it's a fairly ri gorous process, wit h
a rangc of differen t tests. We don't
ins ist on any academic qual irications,
bu t potenlial 1-ccru its do havc to take
a s hort cclucat ional test. Now t his test
is aimecl a l asscssing bas ic litcrac_v and
numcracy, or in olher words, 1-cacling,
writing and arithmetic. But we also look
al a candidatc's people skills, because
com munity work, clealing w ilh the
puhlic, is such an importanl parl of the
job nowaclays. And I'll say a bit more
about thal later.
Now you may he surprisecl lo hcar
that firefigh ters no longe1· bave to be
a minimum height. Tnsleacl, they do
a series of physical tests, w hich are
clesignccl to measure things like ho\.v
tightly they can gr ip thi ngs, or w hether
the ir back ancl legs are strong e nough. Ir
they get through this s tage they go o n
to tbe next one, the practica! awareness
clay, which involves fitness tests, c hecks
to see if clau strophobia is a problcm a nd
practica! tasks sucl1 as laclde,- climbing.
Oí coursc, both sexes a re acceptecl in to
the force, though I have to say, women
are s till ve1y much in lhe minori ty. In
case you're wonclerin g, we'vc hacl u p to
fivc women wor king with us a l H ove
Fire Station al any onc time in the pasl.
At the moment, thou gh, tbere are just
three on the workforce.
OK, what's ncxt? Well, as you know,
firefighters are on call 24 hours a clay,
so let mejust saya little bit aboul how
the s hift system works. At Hove we
o perale an eight-clay rota. That means
a rirefighter works two nine-hour clay
s hifts, followed by two firteen-hour n ight
shifts . And then we gel Four clays o ff
before starting again. ll's a continuous
cycle.
E r, a typica l shift begins w ith the Watch
Paracle, whicb is w he,-e one shift hands
over to the nexl. Now tl1is is a fairly
formal a ffair ancl it's compulsory for
everyone to wear ful! uniform. After
that- if it's a clay shift - morn ings a,-e
taken up with lra ining ancl equipment
chccks. We have to m a ke surc that
vital equipment such as our brealhing
apparatus is in perfect working orclcr.
Ancl our fire e ngines, of coU1-se, have
to be c heckecl Erorn top to hottom , too.
Er, aftetnoons are usually given over
to community safety work, which is
whal I mentioned at t.he beginning. So,
for example, we do a loto[ home safc ty
visils, where we give aclvice to vulnerable
people, such as the elclerly and disablecl,
on how to keep their homes safe. Ancl
we'II fit smoke alanns if they haven't gol
them installecl alreacly.
One question J. often get asked al these
talks is 'What is vour busi est time?' Well,
we te ncl to gel called out more in the
evening, ralher than during the clay.
That's the tim e when shops and other
business prcrnises are leít Lmattended,
a nd also when mos t people are al home,
cooking a ncl so on. As you mighl expect,
tbe ma_jorily oí fires a1·e domeslic ones.
The fires themselves oítcn La ke only
minutes lo put out, but clearing up
a ftcrwarcl · can take severa! hours. We
have lo do ever_vth ing we can to preven!
the danoer of a l"ire re-igniling, so that
mcans t~ki ng a li the ílo~rs u¡;, gelting
ílammable th ings like ca rpets out of lhe
build ing, ancl so on.
So what's il like bcing a firefighter?
Well , obviously it's dangerous work and
anv l'ire fi irhter who saicl that he had
ne~1er l"cli°frig htened wou ld be foo ling
h irnsel r ancl vou. Bu t it's ali a matter of
control. ll's ~'.,hat wc've been lrained for
ancl wc learn to control feel ings such as
fcar. Bul quite aparl from t bc clanger
a ncl the drama of thc _job, it's obviously
ver~, satisfying bcing o ul on thc street,
lmow ing that you'r e he lping thc public,
clo ing something usdu l. l cei-tainl_v don't
think !'el be able to do any o ther job.
Unit 6
<:> 1.32-1.36
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker 1
Before Paul s tartcd school, he used to
come round to us evcty morning while
his rnother, Lynda - my claughter-in-law
- was at work. H e was a lovely chile! but,
like 111 0s1 boys, he hacl a lmosl li mitless
enCP'Y and al times he was rather
diffi;~ilt to control. We onlv hacl to look
aher him for four hours ea.ch day, but
il comple1cly wore us out. H is mother
woulcl tell us off for le tting him watch
too much television - she saicl Paul
ncedecl to work hi s e nergy oll in Lhe park
or o n long walks. Eas)r Cor her to say,
but we wcrcn'l gelt ing any younger and
wa tching tclcvision was a useful survival
s trategy. I remember arguing w ith Lynda
on more than one occasion about this.
Speaker 2
Tsha,-ecl a ilat once with someone who
usecl to gel a nnoyecl abouL the sill iest
of things. He seemecl quite pleasant al
fi,-st, ami we gol on rine for a while. But
that's bccause we hardlv saw eacb olher
- he hadan eveni ng _job in a bar ancl l
workecl during the cla_v in a super111arket.
When I gol to know him better, though,
I rcalized jusl how cl ifficull he cou ld
be. Th.ings hacl to be clo ne his way ancl
h is way alone. T-le was obsessive about
ticlincss ancl he couldn 't bear it irI left
anything lying on the rloor. H e'cl a lso tell
me off fo,- cooking food that macle the
house s mell or for singing in the shower.
l hacl lo move ou t in the encl. I coulcln't
s tand it.
Speaker 3
Julie was a friencl as well as a colleague.
1 looked up to her ancl aclmi rcd her selfbelief a ncl quiet cleterminalion. lt camc
as n o srn-pr ise w hcn she was promoted
Lo senio,- m anager and l wasn't. l
clidn't think il was unfait- or anything.
She clescr vecl it. or C0Ul"Se 1 was
clisappoin tecl, bu t I gol over it quickly
Listening scripts
enough. But JL1 lie was now my boss a nd
it soon became clear that s he wasn't
goocl at managing people. She bL11liecl
and shoL1tecl, ancl upset most people in
the clcpartment, inclucling me. To her
creclit, shc realizecl she was1ú s uitecl to
the job ancl she askecl for a transfer. BLll
1 haven't spoken to her since she left.
Speaker 4
My brother, M ike, ancl I oflen clon't see
eye to eye with each other, but it's never
really affccted our relationship. We've
always gol on very wcll, clespite having
very differen t ideas and opinions about
things. Recently, though, sometbing's
come between LIS that's changecl a li
that. The money we inheritecl from 0L1r
grandmother \\;asn't cliviclecl egL1ally
belween us. She left me more because
I'm marriecl with Lwo ch ilclren ancl
Mike's single. Al least tha t's what she
saicl in her \Nill. Unclerstandably, I
suppose, Mike thinks it's a bit unfair and
feels harcl done by. We haven't exaclly
fallen out wi th each other, bL1t there's
certainly a tension between us that
wasn't there befare.
Speaker S
We split L1p aroL1nd about this ti me
lasl year, jusl befare he went o fl to
Ind ia. J'd always been verv Lolerant
and L1ndersla11ding- I kn~w how mucb
John's work meant to him and l'd pL1t up
with the s itL1al ion fo1- as long as J coL1!d.
But we both realized these long periods
of separalion weren't good for the
relationship. Not being able to make any
plans fo,- Lhe Íulure inevitably caused
ÍTiction, so we deeidcd to ene! it. We still
see ea c h other ÍTom time to time, and
it's good because there's not the same
tension between LIS that there used to be.
Unit 6
<:> 1.37- 1.44
Part 1: Multiple choice
YoL1 hear a woman on tbe radio
talking aboL1t he r íather.
1 a lways gol on very well w ith m y
mother. J íel t I coL1!d tL1rn to her
for a dvice, share conficlences with
her, becaL1se she understood my
problems. With my father it was
clifferenl. I founcl it dií[icull to talk
to bim, ancl when we clicl speak, you
coL1lcl fee l the tension be tween LIS.
I think it was pa rtly becaL1se I take
a fte1- him so m L1cb - I in heritecl mv
lack of confidence from bim fo1· o ne
thing - ancl T blamecl him fo1· my own
weaknesses.
YoLI overhear a man talking about a
for mer teacher.
After the f"irsl lesson we a li thought
he was a bit macl. But he was just
di/Terent. Mosl of the othcr teachers
in the school wer e really serious ancl
uninspiring. They'd speak, we'cl take
notes and Lhat was aboul il. lL was
cleaclly clull. But Hilton-Dennis wou lcl
jump arouncl thc room, waving his
arms aboul ancl jabbering away in
Ilalian al us. H e seemed to r·eally
cnjov what he was cloing, and I too k
Lo him almost straight away. H e
managecl to commL1nicate his passion
for tbc sL1bjecl ancl he gota lol of
people in teres tecl in learning the
language.
3 You hear a woman complaining
aboL1l o ne of her employees.
W = Woman M = Man
W: J'm going to have to have a worcl
with Simon again. lf it's not one
thing, it's another.
M: Is Simon the scruffi, one?
W: Yes, he is . That's not what worries
me, though . H e cloesn't have any
contact with the p ublic, so I clon't
mine! what he looks like.
M: So has he been rude again?
W: No, we managed to sort that one out.
J took bim asicle just befare Christmas
and had a long talk with him. He's
been quite pleasant since then. BLll I
neecl reliable people wbo turn up on
time ancl he's been late for work three
times this last fortnight. I'm beginning
to reg1-et taking him on.
4 You bear part of a rad io programme
in which a man is giving a clvice.
Unfortunately, there's not always a
clirect relationship between harcl work
ancl goocl performance at school.
Thin k how demotivating it must be
for a young person to spencl hours on
homework ancl then gct low marks
for their troL1ble. Something like that
can seriously affect their self-esteem
and their conficlence. So they may
look for other ways to feel goocl aboL1t
the mselves. Let's imagine they come
to you and say they want to have their
nose p iercecl or get a tattoo clone.
Woulcl yoL1 !et them? Maybe not, bu t
perhaps you s hoLllcl al least cons icler
thei r motives for wanting to do so.
S You overhear a woman talking on
the phone about sorne clothes.
We'r e gett ing riel of anything we
clon't need befare we move. Vl/e've
got so t11L1ch rubbish in our bouse,
ancl tbere's not a lol of room in the
new flat ... Well, there are Hannah's
olcl baby clothes, for a start. I've helcl
on to them for year s, just in case
Hannah slartecl a family o[ her own.
But il cloesn't look as i( that's going
to hap pen now .. . No, I h aven't gol
the heart to pul them in t he bin, ancl I
can 't imagine anyone wanting to buy
them. Can you? ... Well, 1'11 probably
take Lhem rouncl to Mai-ina's. She
knows lots of young mothe1-s - J'm
sure one of them will be delighted to
have them.
6 You hear a man ancla woman talking
abou t a person in a photograph.
W = Woman M = Man
W: It's a lovely pboto. She looks so
,·elaxecl ancl cheeríul - as if she's
really enjoying it a li.
M: Yea h, it's my mum's favourite. She's
had it frnm~cl and it's u p on th e wall
in her living room. She was starting
to think she might never see her
daughter in a wedcling clress, so it's
got pricle of place above the telly.
LLICY cloesn't like iL though.
W: Why not?
M : She says you can see ali her wrinkJes.
Sbe's a b it sensitive aboul her age.
W : Oh clear. So, a nyway, do yoL1 think
Lhere'I I be a photo of yoL1 above your
mum's te lly one clay? Littl e brotber
in a weclding suit?
M : Don't you star t!
7 You bear an elclerly wom an talk ing
to a man about her new neighbours.
M = Man W = Woman
M: So bow are lhe new neighbou ,·s?
F: Well, I mL1st say I'm quite pleased
so far. I t's early days, of coL1rse they've only been there for a couple
of weeks. But Lhey do seem better
than the lastones. Ali those weekend
parties. Such an unpleasant family.
M: Have you invitecl them rouncl yet?
F : vVell, no, I haven't hacl a chance. You
see, they've askecl m e to go to Lh eir
hoL1se on two occasions alreacly ancl one of those w as for lunch.
M: That's very sociable of them.
F: Yes, it is, isn't it? As J say, I'm rather
pleasecl. T hey've even offerecl lo
come ancl cut my grass form e.
8 You hear a man talking on the radio
about a m usician who influencecl
him .
People are surp1ised when I mention
him asan influence. He played Blues
Rock ancl m y music's always in the
New Age section. I suppose if he'cl
moved into P rogressive Rock, there
might have been sorne si milarily. But
he hatee! ali that stuff, a nd probably
woL1!cl bave hatee! what Ido, too. And
OK, 1 have the same kincl of kneelength hair·, bu t his was a fash ion
statement - mine's there becaL1se I
can't be botherecl to gel iL cut. No, it's
tbe atmosphere he createcl on stage
that I'm referring to - moocly, sorne
p eople call it. Soulh1l. No moving
arouncl - just let the guitar do the
talking.
Unit 7
<:> 1.45
Part 2: Sentence completion
Right, well, lhe layout of most rnajor
su permarkets is roughly the same, and
for more or less the same reasons. You'll
notice lhat the entrance, for example,
is usually situated to one side of the
building. T his is to ensL1re, o[ course,
that shoppers walk clown as many
aisles as possible befare th ey leave the
store. lf we hacl iL in the miclcll e, tben
they rnight visit only on e half of th e
supermarket ancl as a resL1lt only buy
half as l11LICh. The first th ing you often
see as you come through the entrance is
the frui t ancl vegetable area. As well as
being pleasanl lo tbe eye, this a]so gives
customers the im press ion they're coming
into an OL1ldoor market. Fresh, colourf1.il
227
Listening scripts
proclucls a,·e far more allracl ive than
Lins o[ conveni e nce foocl so the customer
is pul in a goocl buying moocl, li-om Lhe
slarl.
Ancl nexl lo Lhe f'rnil and vegelable
area is the confcclionery; e,·, crisps,
chocolates, swecls and so on. Pa rcnts
o ftc n come s hoppi ng wilh the ir c hildren
and wc nced Lo ensure Lhal they are kepl
ha ppy ancl inlc reslecl so Lhal Lhey don'!
dislurb mum and dad rrom thc bus iness
oí spending money. Then al the bac k
or the supe rma rkel in the comer, you'II
probably l'ind Lhc fres h meal counler.
This is parlly to makc sure Lha l as liulc
room as poss iblc is Laken away from
the main display areas by the stafí w ho
are scrving. Bu t it's also Lhe re so as nol
lo clistracl euslo111ers w hen we have
cle li veries. Thcy really clo n'L wan l lo
see us bringi ng big carcasses oí 111cal
Llu·ough the stm·e, so, e r, it's brought in
through the back cloor. Ancl ve,y closc
lo Lhc fresh mea! you can ex pecl to see
Lhe prc-packed mea!. Pcople w ho are p u l
off by the s ight oí bloocl a nd um - clcacl
a nimals - p rcícr Lo buy the ir meat in
thc rorm or convcnience food Lo p1·evenl
them having to makc Lh e con neclion
between the procluc t a ncl the animal.
They buy a lamb c hop, bul Lhey don'L
Lhink ora babv lamb in the [iclcl. The
Freeze r goods ¡ll'e near·by. Thc rc's a
li mi lccl amounl o í space so th e smaller
suppliers o íLen fine! it cliíficult Lo gel
rnom for Lhe ir proclucls. Th al's why you
only lend Lo see Lhe well-known brancls
l,t:,:e.
Er, movi ng o n to the a reas a l thc en ds
oí Lhe aisles - how do we decide w hal
lo pu l lhc rc? Well, Lhese are key selling
si tes, a ncl sales o r goods a l these points
can be as 111 uc h as l"ive limes highe r
Lhan olhe r an:as. So we generally 111ove
goods Lo the e ncl-of-aisle a1·eas when
wc wanl to sell them qu ic kly: goocls
wh ich have not been selli ng well, a ncl
especially Lhose wh ic h are neai-ing the ir
sell-by dale. Bread, Loo, nceds lo be sold
quickly, bu! we pul Lhe bake1y scc tion
in thc [ar corner, as far away íro111 Lbe
en lrance as possible, nexl lo othe r basic
foodstu ífs such as milk. This is so tha l
cus lomers havc lo walk pas l hundreds
o f prnduc ls Lo rcach il. Er, il's expensive
to ru na bakery bul il ine1·eases sales
of o ther prndt;cts. The smell, Loo, is a n
imporlanl fac tor as it hclps lo c rea le a
warm, horncly a tmosphere in lhe sto re.
And J'inally, alcoho lic drinks. They're
ofte n a l Lhe far e nd Loo, very nea1·
Lhc ex il. E,·, by this Lime the s hopper
is beginning lo enjoy Lhe shopping
expcrience, so he or s he w ill buy more
alcohol if it's he re than il' il's by thc
enlrance. Er, the same is tn1e l'o r Lhosc
produ cls we pul al Lhc chec kouts; c1·,
more swecls and c hocolates, usually. The
kincl oí thin gs people buy on impu lse as
Lhey wail to pay - er, a reward they give
themselvcs for cloing thc shoppi ng.
228
Unit 7
<:> 1.46
Part 4: Multiple choice
I = lnterviewe r
G = Greg
R= Rebecca
I : Re becca, you've been living in a
village for nearly fivc years now. Whal
macle you move to !he counlrysicle?
R: f suppose my pr·iorities had e hanged
wilh age. \,\/hen I [i rst wen l to
Lonclon, I usecl lo !ove Lhe hustle
and buslle of the place. But then J
gracl ually becamc m ore aware o[ Lhe
planes roaring overhcad, car ho1·ns
beeping all the Lime, music blal'ing
o ul a t strange hours . [ neeclecl a
break.
I: G1·cg, 1 can sec you're smiling.
G: Yes. I rcmember when I fi rst moved
out w ilh 111v íamily, we a li found il
a lillle too quiet. But we quickly gol
usecl to il, a ncl now we prefe,· livi ng
wilh less noisc. We also like Lhe íacl
that vou don'L have to worry about
Lhe kids so much if they go off on
their 0\.Vn.
R : Hrnm , l'm no! so sure. Some peoplc
d rive like maniacs o n lhese narrow
roads. I have to keep a really close eye
on 111y lwo young kids a ncl make sure
they don'L wa ncler off too íar.
G: Well, we're lud.-y enougb lo have
very good neig hbours in the village.
Eve1vone looks out fo r evervone
elsc, ·ancl someone will so01i tell vou
¡(' your kids a1·e in clanger, or doing
sornet hing Lhey s houldn'L be cloing.
R: Yes, you can't do anything in a village
w iLhoul _vmn· neigh bours knowing
about it. But Lhat's good, Lhough. Il's
like havin g a big extended family.
I: \,Vhat aboul lhe amenities where you
live?
G: The basics are wi thin walking
distance from us; the schoo l, thc
shops, even a couple of tennis couns.
R : l ca1ú say the same, unío1·t una tcly.
Being a ble to pop oul Lo the shops
w hen you necd something is one o í
the Lhings I miss a boul living in Lhe
ci ty. We have to gel Lhe car oul jusl
to go ami buy a loaí o [ b read. And
you really do neecl to be able to clrive
to live w here we do. Evervon e in Lhe
vill age relics on the ir car;° Lhe bu s
sen,ice is jusl too infrequenl.
G: It's be tter than nol having onc a l alJ .
We're aclua lly l rying to gel Lhe local
aut hor ilies to put on al least one
bus a day, parlicularly for the older
residen ts who don't have a ca1· ancl
w ho somel imes need lo go in to town.
R: Yes, ancl r'm aclua lly wonclering how
my two are going to Find il w hen they
become teenage1·s. They'll wanl to
go into Lown, Loo. Thcy'll probably
complai n oí borcdom a ncl wan t us to
go and live in Lhe city again.
G: And who can blame them? l know a l
that age T would have been bored o ut
of rny mind! No cinemas , no decenl
shops, no cafés lo s il in, no d iscos lo
go lo ...
I: Do vou think e il her <>Í vou will ever
go ,~nd live in the cily ,;gain'J
G: Naturally, I'd preíer to slay in lhe
village and wo rk al home rnlher lhan
do a nine-Lo-íive job in an officc. 1
have m y computer, c mail and lhe
phone a ncl a woncleríul working
environ men l. H owever, anylhing can
happen and we'd be preparccl lo move
back to Lonclon if wc íell it was to our
advantage.
I: Rebecca, how aboul you ?
R: l'll be going back LO work jusi as soon
as my you nges l c hild starls sc hool.
Seplembcr or nexl ycar, in íacl.
Obviously l've tboughl aboul il a lot,
and the fac t Lhal living whcrc l do
now will mean spcncli ng Lwo hours
d1·iving to ancl from work everv dav.
Bul l'd ra ther d o tha l than go back 10
living in Lhe cily.
I: Well , thank vou íor bolh com ing ali
that way lo speak lo us today. Wc'll
have a break [or mus ic now and then
Unit 8
<:> 1.47- 1.54
Part 1: Multiple choice
1 You overhcar this 111an talking about
the hotel w here he is staying.
We rea lly clid n't expect th is . We
1ho11gh1 i1'd h e the Lypical econonw
typc h o tel. You know, nolhing special,
jusl a bed, a wardrobe a nd a shower
in the room if' you're lucky. Well, we
were absolutct'v arnazecl bv Lhe en
su ile bathrom,;, J can te ll you. Il's
twice the size oí ours al home. And
as for the view ÍTorn lhe balconv,
iL's un bcl ievab le. We reallv can't
com pla in.
2 Listen to this woman ta lking aboul a
job she h as a ppl ied íor.
... a ncl I thin k tha l although my
experience running a restaurnn l ma)'
not seem verv re levanl, iL's st ill a
peoplc-orienÍaLecl job. l a m definitely
a p eople person. T like clealing wilh
the public. So whether it's lislening lo
c ustomers and giving them aclvice on
lhe bes! places lo go, or Lalking on the
phonc Lo tour operators and trying Lo
get the besl cleal, I Lhink J'cl be well
su ited to thc job. I have goocl people
skills and I think that's a n importanl
s lre ngth.
3 You hear a wo man Lalking to a tour
gu ide.
T
=Tour guide
W
=Woman
T: Are you su re vou had il when you lefl
th e hotel?
W:Pos iti ve. l dicl,ú wan l l.o bri ng it bul
my husbancl macle me pul iL in my
bag. He said you s houlcl never leave
~rou r money or you r passporl in your
room. Ancl then w hen we were having
a drink and I wenl to pay, il had gone.
Somcone must have pullecl it oul of
m v bag w hen l wasn't look ing. 11 hacl
nw credit carcls in il and everything.
Listening scripts
T: Jt's a goocl job your passport wasn't in
it, too. We'll have to report it straight
ª\\'ªY·
4 You overhear a 111an talking a boul a
place he triecl to visit on ho liclay.
We we nt Lhe re because we wantecl
to see thc s laincd glass windows.
Thcy say Lhcy'rc among thc fincst in
Europe ancl the colours a,·e supposed
to be incrcdible when Lhe sun shines
through the111. Unfortunate l.v, we
cou ld n'L go in because we we,-en'L
propcrly drcsscd - they won't lcl you
in if you're wearing shorl trousers.
And the nex t 111orning when we went
back il was Easte,- Sunday. So of
course, wc couldn'L ge l Lo the part
where the w inclows are because there
was a special service.
5 Listen to this conversation bctwcen a
man ancl a lecnage boy.
M = Man B = Boy
M: Yes, yow· s kin is quite baclly burnt.
How lo ng were you out in the sun
ro,-?
B: About an hour, 111aybe. lt was a fter
lunc h ancl I ldl aslcep o n the beach.
M: Do vou have any othc1· symptoms dizzi ncss, a lcrnpcrnlure?
B: No, it jus t really hurts .
M: Well, it docsn't souncl likc sunstroke.
This crearn s houlcl take awav the
sting, but if vou s tart Lo feel ·sick or
clizzy, gel yoursclr Lo a doc tor straigbt
away.
B: Thanks . How much do l owc you'?
M: 1'11 jusl c hec k. One sccond.
6 You hea1· a local residcnl talking
aboul tourisls in her lown.
l s houlcln't co rnplain 1·e ally. l mean,
thc whole economv of this lown is
basecl on tou risrn ancl if they sloppecl
corning, the n a lot of peoplc would be
out of work ancl on tbe clolc. Bul Ido
wish thcy'cl s how a littlc mo re respcct.
There a re a lo t of them who have
music bla,·ing out oí their ca,-s cluring
the clay, ancl then a l night vou gel big
groups com ing into the cen Lt·e for Lhe
pubs and clubs. And they clon'L seem
lo carc that wc can't slccp with thcm
making s ucl1 a rac ket. Mosl of Lhem
clrunk, l shoulcln't woncler.
7 You hea r Lhis boy ta lking to his
mother.
B = Boy M = Mother
B: Where a,·e we going?
M: Well, we pickecl up a leallct fo,- a
nature park jusl outs idc the lown.
They've gol a li sorts or wilcl animals
ancl you can clrive lhrough ancl sec
them in lheir natural habilal. ll looks
very goocl.
B: But you saicl wc werc go ing to lhc
Ac¡ua Park.
M: We can't go in Lhis wealhci-. Ancl
besicles, vou,· fathe r ancl l wan t to do
someth ing el iffc,·en t.
B: But that's nol fair. You can't jus t
change your mincl like that.
M : Don't be seWsh, Steven. It's our lurn
toclay.
8 You hear a man talking about a
beach h e recently visitecl.
Now, normally l prefe r a beach
with fine sand, you know, so it's
not painful to w alk on. This one,
though, hacl small stones - well,
more Jike pebbles, a ctually - ancl I
clon't remember the brochure saying
anvLb ing about that. But anyway, we
bought ow·sclvcs a pair of flip-fl ops
each at one of the s hops nexl to the
beach, so that didn't maucr too muc h .
And tben we spenl most o[ our time
thcrc lying abou t in thc water. ll was
just like bei ng in a warlll bath. I coulcl
have stayecl Lhe re a li clay.
Unit 8 ~ 1.55- 1.59
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker 1
Thcrc's a cycle path that goes righ t
round the city, ancl va rious s horter ones
within it. No~v thesc paths are up on the
pavement rathe,- tha n in the roacl, so it's
pe destrians, not motor·ists, tha l havc to
be cardul thev clon't wanclcr onlo thcm.
Peopl e have g~t usecl to lhe circu lar
path ancl they genernlly kccp o ff il w hen
they're walk ing a long. Bu t it's the ones in
Lhe c ity ce ntre thal cause mosl proble ms,
ancl it's h e1-c Lhe authorities coulcl do
more to inform peclestria ns, to make
them mvare oí how it works. Eve1-y clay 1
cycle to work ancl eve,-y day J gel s houted
al bv pcoplc who s till havcn't caught on
that it's me that has right of way, nol
them.
Speaker 2
Mine's a folcl ing bi ke, sol gel off t he
train, pul on mv he lmet a ncl heacl for
th c officc. l could lakc thc bus or- thc
undergrouncl, but Lhc re's no pleasure
in thal - thcy both gel so crnwclcd. On
the bike I fee l the wincl in my face ancl
a sense Lbat the city's mine - I cango
w her·e I want, when I want. 1 can even
gel up on the pavemen t and jump LralTic
lights or go the wrnng way clown oneway sl1-cets. Ancl of COUI-SC, cycling is jusl
so healthv - J've never fe lt [itte r. Sorne
sa y it's ri~ky too, but I fine! motoris ts
le;,cl to go ,\1ore care lülly when cyclists
are arouncl.
Speaker 3
Ayear or two ago, sorneon e in thc town
hall carne up w ith a nice idea to promote
cycl ing in Lhe c itv. On the rirs l Sunclay
in cvcry month, a number o [ thc main
streets ·in the centre are closecl to traffic
for two hours and given over to bicycles.
It's graclually grown in popularity, and
the re's a real festi val atmosp he re now,
with thousancls of cyclisls o[ ali ages
lurning out every montb . lt's a start, ancl
it's cc1-tain ly hclpcd lo ge l pcoplc oul o n
the ir b ikes. Bul the re's still a long way lo
go. We neecl a whole series o f aclclitional
m easures to makc our roads lllore cyclefriend\y.
Speaker 4
Some times you come across sorne really
nasty drivers in thc cily. l can be cycling
along, minding m y own bus iness, when
some car or van comes right up close
to me, almost Louc hing my back w heel.
It's really dangerous - sometimes I lose
my balance and ncarly fall o fT. ll sccrns
to be worsc in thc cvcning. !'ve got my
bike lights, my luminous cycl ing jackel,
m y re flective cycle clips - so they can see
m e ali r ight. But they seem to ,-esenl Lhe
fact th at I'rn Lhere . They think th cy own
the road and they gel impatie nt if they
have to slow clown for me. I gel becped
ancl s houtecl al a li the Lime - it's very
unpleasanl.
Speaker 5
Cycling here is mo re a recreat io nal
activity Lhan a mcans of transporl.
Pcoplc don't gcncrally use a bikc to gel
about lhe city. The re isn't Lha t cu ltu re.
Thev'll mavbe rent one in one or the
b ig celllrai parks, or go 011 the cycle
palh tha t runs alongside the rive,·. Bul
they won't use a bi ke to gel rrom A to
B or Lo go to a ncl rrom work. It's notan
attractive option, really, give n the qualily
of the a ir h ere. We'1-c in the middlc
of a hugc inclusti-ia l area, ancl many
peclestrians wear face masks. So people
are harclly li kely Lo expose Lhe mselves to
more danger by cycling in amongst the
tra!Tic.
Unit 9
<:> 1.60
Part 4: Multiple choice
A = Alan Stanford
I = Interviewer
I: In the Talkahout s tuclio toclay we
have a ghosl walk guide. Local
man Ala n S tanro1-d takes grnu ps or
pcoplc round thc town on guidecl
tours, Lelling ghost stories aboul the
historie buildings which are said to be
haunted. Sounds like an in leresting
job, Alan.
A: Oh, it is , it's fasci nati ng. !'ve been a
tour gu icle bdore but moslly abroacl
ancl never here in mv own home
town . 1 woulcln't calf myself a n ex pert,
but l've learn t qu ite a .lot a boul our
local h istory since I sta rted cloing this
a couple or yea,-s ago. Plus, of course,
I ge l to dress up a ncl tcll lots o f ghost
stor ics. Acting and s torytell ing have
always becn in my bloocl, so l'm really
just cloing what comes naturally to
m e, l have a grcat time.
I: Ancl how a boul those who actuallv go
on the tou rs? Do they gel írighlenecl?
A: Well, obviously Lhcse are ghost walks,
so it woulcln't be muc h fun if there
wasn't a b it oí fear involved . Not
Loo much, of cou rse - we oflen havc
chi lclren in the groups, so we bave to
be carcful. But pcoplc expect to be
scarccl, ancl they'cl be clisappointecl
if they weren't, so we a im at least Lo
give the m goose burnps, ancl perhaps
even a litlle ÍTight - after which they
all laugh nervously and c njoy the
rclcase of lcnsion.
229
Listening scripts
I: And how do you achieve thal, giving
them a fright?
A: Well, the mark o[ a goocl storyteller
is the abilitv Lo holcl an a uclience's
allention, a"ncl thaL's no! too hard
Lo do when !he subjecl is ghosts.
You take Lhe listene1~s in to your
confidence, create the righL moocl,
rnake them feel sa[e wi th you. T hen,
just at Lhe dghl moment, when they'1-e
least expecting it, you change the
tone, give a shoul or let out a scream.
And they nearly jurnp out of thei1·
skin!
I: Right, yes. And cloes il work every
time?
A: Well , it cloes with most audiences,
people who've been thinking aboul
the ghosL walk ali day, rnaybe ali
week, wonclering what's going Lo
happen. These people usually
respond extremely well. Sorne of tbe
groups we gel, tboug h, come along as
parl of a surprise evenl. People like
these haven't had time to re flect on
wha t thcy'1-e com ing to, Lhey haven't
been given thc c hance lo look forwarcl
to il, ancl the cffccl isn'L the sarne.
They do1ú norn1ally have such a goocl
lime, uníorlunatcly.
I : You menlionecl dress ing up before.
Do you do Lhe ghosl walks in
character?
A: Yes, 1 do. Ancl T have differenl
costumes for different c haracters
- Lhere's Lo rd Warwick, a wealthy
noble, the olcl sea clog Jake Reclb~1rn,
John S impkins, who's a servan! ...
none oí Lhcm real, of coLn-sc - they're
ali ficL itious. The choice of character
1 play o ften clepends on the route
we take and the s tories to be told,
or also perhaps how I'm [eeling
that night and the type o f a uclience
T'm expecting. As with ali acting, il
adcls a sense oF trulh Lo the w hole
thing, makes it more credible. So tbe
audience becornes e ngagecl in !he
tour and rcsponds in a more posi ti ve,
sometimes more frig htened way.
I: One queslion, 1 have to ask you, Alan.
Do you believe in ghosts?
A: Regrettably, I have to say that I
haven't seen any on the walks,
or had any oLher paranormal
experiences to impress you wilh.
Sorne people in my a udiences sa_v
Lhey have, ancl so bave sorne oí my
friends, and l wouldn'l ciare dispute
Lhal or suggest they'1·e imagining
lhings. Ghosls are real fo r Lhose
pcople who say thcy've seen them,
and w bo am I to s uggesl they haven't?
The mosl 1 can say is that I have no
pe rsonal evidence they cxisl.
I : And of the stories thal you tell on
yow· ghosl. walks, do you have a
favouriLe?
A: We ll, 1 parlicu larly like s toi-ies wb ich
involve sme lls that some buildings
are saicl to g ive oll when ghosls are
around . I don't wanl Lo givc away loo
much here on the prngmmme, but the
one J. enjo_v telling mosl of a li is about
230
an old woman called Sally Hardcastle,
who haunts lhe town hal l. When she
appears every now and again, the
place absolutely stinks. Now al fi rsl.,
sorne peoplc thoughl it was a prob lem
wilh the rubbisb, bul if you want Lo
fi nd out Lhe real reason: you'II have LO
come along on the ghosl walk.
I: Oh! We'1-e curious now, Alan. And, if
you are intcrestecl in going on a ghost
walk wi tb Alan ...
Unit 9
<:> 1.61
Part 2: Sentence completion
1-fi, l'm Sally Hurst and I've just got back
rrom Ai-izona, where I spenl two weeks
in Lhe Superstition Mountain Range,
near Phoenix. lt's an area known to
many people fo1· its luxury golf courses,
and those who can affonl iL go there to
play golf in a deserl setting. But il also
altracts enthusiasts of more ener getic
outdoor activities like rock cl imbing
or mounlai n biking. And f was lucky
enough to go hiking w hen I was the1-c.
There are miles or paths and the scenery
is absolutely spectacu la r.
'IL's a bi t hot there, tho ugh, isn'L it'?',
sorne or m y fri en ds have askecl. Well, it
depends w·hen you go. It's earlv spi-ing
now, of course, ancl that's fine. \,Vinler
and aulumn a re also OK. bu! 1 certainJy
wouldn't a clvise go ing the,·c in summe,:
- whalever thc reason for your visit.
Tcmperatures can reach up to 45 degr<"Ps
or 11101-c - ancl Lhat's far too bol forme.
The main reason 1 wenl Lhere was
to research sorne of the legends and
mysleries o[ the a1·ea for a forthcoming
radio documen!ary. The very origin
o[ Lhe name, Superslition Mounla ins
is itsclf a bil oí a myste1y. One l he01y
says they were given their name by
six leent h-century Spanish seltler·s, sorne
of whom inexplicably vanishecl when
Lhey wen t explori ng there. Bu! Lhe more
likely explanalion is that it carne aboul
in the nineleenth cenlu1-y, when it was
discovered that the local Pima Inclians
were frightened of the mounlains.
Farmers in the a1-ea allributed this rear
to super·stilion, and they decicled to givc
that name firsl to one mountain, and
Lhc n the wbole ra nge.
Pe rhaps the mosl talked-aboul mystery
in tbe area is that oí Lhe so-callee\ LosL
Dulchman's Min e, which is s upposeclly
somewhcre in the Superstition
Mountains. Fa r from being Dutch, the
owner oí the gold m ine in question,
Jacob Wallz, was actuallv German, or
Deulsch in his nalive language. Waltz
arrivecl i n the United Stales in November
1839, and spen l virlually ali his life the1·e
prospecting for golcl, [irstly in North
Carolina, then Georgia, Cal iforn ia and
fina lly Arizona. W hen he passed away
in October 1891 he look the secret of his
m ine with him lo his grave.
You see, apparcntly Waltz had founcl
whal vvas bel ieved b v sorne to be Lhe
richesl gold mine in-the world. Bul he
d icln't tell anyone where iL was, and it's
a 1nystery which 1·emains unsolved Lo
this day. According to onc eslimale in
J 977. up to eight thousand peo ple a ycar
tried lo Jocale the mine. Ancl even todav,
despile the ban on mineral prospecting
in 1983, many people still hcad íor the
region to see if they can fine! il.
Waltz left a fcw clues, bul they weren't
particularly helpful. i n o ne o í them, for
example, he says, 'The rays or the selling
sun shi ne into the e n trance of my mine',
but that coulcl be jusl aboul any{vhcrc.
I did a lot of my research fo1· the
documentar-y i;1 a museum: The
Superstition Mountain Museum. It's full
or inforrnation on the Losl Dutchman's
Mine, including a w hole collection oí
maps wh.ich are Lhough t Lo show its
localion - no! that LhaL's been of any use
to anyone! So far, anyway.
And I saw another exbi bi l on the mine
in a museum in nearby Gold[ield. Now
Goldrield was a prospernus mining town
a! Lhe end of thc n ineteenth ccnlury,
bul whcn the gold ran out, eve1y one lefl
ancl now it's a ghosl lown. It's bccome
a popular tourist allraclion as well,
o[ course, wilh museums, rieles and
shows, bu! it's still quite impressivc,
ncvertheless.
Now you mav have sccn a film that was
made in 1949 aboul thc Lost Dutchman's
Mine e nti tled Lusl far Cole/, starring
Glenn Ford in the role o [ Jacob Waltz.
Bul here's anolher piece of lrivia for you:
in 1960, aclo1· Walter Brennan rccorded
a son g on the s u bjcct callecl D111ch11,a11's
Cold. Now 1 bel you clidn'l know that,
die! ym1?
We ll you do now, ancl we're going to
play il to you righl afler the news. To be
honest, Waller Bi·ennan Lalks his wav
through it rather Lhan . . .
·
Unit 9
<:> 1.62
Language focus 2: Question tags
2
ll's a bit hot there, though, isn't iL?
Now I bel ~rou clicln't know that, did you?
3
1 You clon't beli cve him , do you?
2 You won'L le! me clown, w ill you?
3 You went awav [01· the weekend,
clidn't. you?
·
4 He's noL playing vcry well, is he?
5 H e's alreacly passecl the First exam,
hasn't he?
6 I'm right about Lhat, aren'! I?
7 You can play chess, can't you?
8 Le t's phone Paul, shal l we?
Ready for Listening
2.1-2.8
<:>
Part 1: Multiple choice
1 You hear part of a sports
commentaiy on the radio.
Listening scripts
These two sides are very ,Ne ll
matched. You'll ,·emember they both
met in the semi-finals Jast year, when
the gam e e nclecl in a clraw. This year
we've had sorne heavy s howe rs in
the last [ew clays ancl.one or two of
the players are· fincling Lh e p]aying
conclitions on the pitch more than
a little clifficult. But it's a throw-in
now. Briggs takes it ancl passes to
Duekham. Duckham tries a s hot ...
ancl it goes just wicle or the post.
2 You hem· a man talking on his
mobi le phone.
I thought at first it was sorne kincl
of virns, bu t now T'm wonclering if it
m ight be something more serious ...
No, it's annoying. l s imply ca n't do
any work on it a l the mome nt ... Yes,
I phonecl them, but they saicl tbey'cl
neecl to have it íor three clays befare
tbey coulcl give m ean answer ... Well,
I was wonderi ng if you vvoulcl1ú mincl
having a look at it forme ... Coulcl
you co me rouncl aíte,· work? .. . No,
Íbat's great; the sooner the better as
far as 1'111 co ncemed, as long as vou r
boss does1ú mine! .
3 Listen to th is man ancl woman
speaking.
M =Man
W=Woman
M : Lots of room ro,- the legs, that's nice.
W: Mm, ancl so comfonable. It's like
my favourite armchair. l could go to
slcep he re ancl now.
M: Yes, we s houlcl've hada coffee afte r
the m eal to keep us awake.
W: We'cl never have go l a ticket to see
this if we hacl.
M: That's true. The q ueue was
eno nnous.
W: Anvw ay, wa ke me up when it s tarts,
won't you.
4 You hear this woman telling her
l'i-icncl about a restaurnnt.
You ean't fau lt the foocl, rea lly. E ven
mv hus bancl was impressecl ancl he's
al~vays thc l'irst to com plain if it's not
cookecl properl,v. No, l jus i fclt a Jittle
uncoml'ortable; si lver cutlcrv, an tiqu e
furnitw·e a ncl everyone clressecl as if it
was a weclcling, in~luding the waiters.
And thc way they spoke Lo us ! Tt was
'Sir' ancl 'Madam' every sente nce. T
suppose l'm jus t no t u~ecl Lo it, that's
ali.
5 You hear this man tal ki ng to his
frie ncl on the phone a boul a day trip
to London.
The play finis hes al aboul 11 .. . We ll,
I had al firsl thought o [ com ing back
on the tra in s traigh t aftenvards, but
thc last o ne's a l 11.05, so I prnbably
woulcln't makc it ... Are you sure you
don't mi nd? ... r could always s lay
in a hote l. The re are plenty o[ c heap
o nes in Lhat pa,·t oí" town ... OK, wcll,
i[ you're going to pul me up ror the
nig ht, t hen vou'll havc lo lcL me take
you out rora mca l .. . No, J ins ist.
6 You hear a wom a n tal king Lo her
husba nd in a supermarke t.
W
= \Voman
M
= Man
W: Just look at tha t. It's incredibl e.
M: What do you mean?
W: Well, there must be about twenty
differen t typ es o[ butler in th is
section. Low-fal, high-fat, Iris h,
Dutch, Austral ian - you na m e il,
th ey've gol il.
M : Con fusi ng, isn't it?
W: That's not the po int. T'm s ure a lot
of people will be disappointed there
are n't twe11ty tvpes of carrots and
sixty differenl varie ties o f c heese. I
just clon't see w hy we need them a li.
A11cl when you think of th e transpon
costs ancl the fue! neeclecl to import
al] th is stuff ancl the effecl t his has
on t he environ menl. Oh! It makes m y
blood boíl.
7 You hear this man ta lk ing.
We a ll know juvenile crim e's 011 the
increase. The p oiice do all they can
with very limited r csources and th en
it's up Lo people li ke ourselves to son
the problem out. In this school a lone
we have more than twenty youngsters
w ith a c riminal record ancl we gel
virtually no support from the parents.
Social services come in occasionally
to give us aclvice on how to deal w ith
them, but once they've gone a nd we
close the classroom d oor , we're very
much 011 ou r o wn .
8 You overhear a man talking to a
woma n abou t a 0at wh ich is for re11t.
W = Won1an
M = Man
W : Dicl you go a11d see tha t flat you were
inter estecl in?
M : Yeah, r clic!. Jt's not forme, though.
W : Why's that? Too expe11sive for yo u?
M: Well, no, T could afforcl it ali i-ig ht.
Jt's on the edge of town near the
industrial estate, ancl rents o ut thcr e
aren't as hig h as in t he centre.
W : Hmm, that's too far out forme. 1
like it wher e I am, near the s hopping
cen tre.
M: Wcll, it's notas if" there aren'L a11y
shops o u t there - there are ple11ty of
a meni ties. ll's just thal I need space
[or ali rny cornputer equipme nt, a nd
the lounge ancl the bedroom are
s mall e r tha11 where T'm living al the
mo menl.
Ready for Listening
<:°> 2.9
Part 2: Sentence completion
Argenti na is a cou11try know11
intema tionally ro,· th e tango, gaucho
cowboys ancl premium quality beeL
To ma ny people, therefore, it comes
as sorne su rprise to discover t hat in
certain parts ol' Patagonia, in the sout h
of the countrv, one of the 'm usts' fo r anv
tourist is a vi~il lo a Welsh tea house, a "
place whe,-e you can sip tea and c njoy
delicious eakes, baked accorcling to
traditional Welsh recipes. Pe rhaps even
more s urprising, though , is the fact that
sorn e of the locals can actuaJly be heard
speaking in Welsh. Exactly how ma11y
native Welsh s peake rs there are in the
region is not known, but m ost estimares
pul the figure al severa] hundred, a
rela tively high n um be r, given that th ere
are jus t under 600000 spea kers of the
langu age in Wales itself.
But how d id these Welsh speakers come
to be there? The firsl wave of settlers
arrived from Wales in 1865. Unhap py
w ith conditions at home, tbey were
looking [oran isolated area to set up
a colony, a p lace w her e their language
ancl ide ntity would be preserve d intact
and not assirnilated into the dominanl
c ulture, as had alreacly happenecl in the
Unitecl Sta tes. The 153 colonists who
landed on the easl coasl of Argentina
included carpenters, tai lors a nd mine rs,
bu t no real doc tors and jusl one or Lwo
[armers. This w as rather worry ing, since
t he Chubut valley where they settled was
virtually a cleserl, ancl w ha t was needecl
rnost o f ali were agricultura] skills.
Aga inst ali the oclds, though, thcy
smvivecl, overcorning clrougbts, floods
and a succession of crop fa ilures. T hey
we,·e also q u ick to establ ish fr ienclly
rela tions w ilh the loca] Tndians, who
he lped the Welsh through the hard
times a nd taugh t them sorne o f their
ways, how to riele and how to hunt.
Twen ty years after lhe ir aJTival , sorne
of t he settlers moved up into a g,·ee n
fertile region of t he Ancles mountains,
:rn ,1ne,1 w hicch t hr,y n,1 111p,cl C:wm Hyfryd ,
rneaning 'beautifu l valley'. Incleed, qui te
a number oI places in Pa tagon ia st il l
bear Wcls h names: Bryn Gwyn which
m eans 'wbite hill', Treveli n, m ean ing
' milltmNn' and Tre lew or 'Lewistown',
namecl afte,· Lewis Jones, one of the
founders.
The Welsh have left their mark in other
ways, too . Their w indm ills and c hapels
can be found throughou t the region and
the re are a numbe1· of c ultur al aetivities,
such as poetry reaclings, male voice
choirs a nd the annual Wels h song ancl
dance festival, a smaller versio n o[ the
lntema tional Eisteddl'od held in Wales
eac h year. Ali o f t his he lps to keep the
language and tradi tions a.live in a small
corner o f the worl d, 8000 m iles from
the homelancl. And so too cloes the fact
that every year, as part of a p rogramme
administered by the Nationa l Assem bly
for Wales, groups of lea c hers come to
Patagonia to Leach the la nguage to the
growing n umber oí' people who are
interestecl in learning it.
And then, of course, the re a re t he Welsh
teas . Fo1· my ahe1·noon treal, I visil Nain
Ceri, re pu ted to be one of t he bcst tea
bouses in Gaiman, w here the s treets and
houses are adorned with Welsh 0ags,
a reminder lo visitors that they a re in
the self-proclaimed Patago:i ia n-Wclsh
cap ital of Chubut. Inside, Nai11 Ceri is
deeorated with prints ancl pai nt ings of
Wales ancl the rnusic p layin g is that of a
t raclitional all-male choir. I sil n ext to the
fire place and my mouth b cgins to wa ter
231
Listening scripts
as I look al Lhe v,ffious cakes on oífcr.
T am aboul lo o rder the cream-loppcd
apple pie to accompany my tea, whe n
l calch sight of an irres istibl e-looking
chocolate cake ancl choose lha l insteacl.
l am nol clisappoinlecl - il is absolutcly
clelicious. Aflc1wards, I c hal al lenglh
lo lhe owner, Ceri Morgan - in Spanish,
as she speaks no English ancl l speak no
Wclsh. She tells me a li ttlc more aboul
thc history ol" ...
Ready for Listening
2.10-2.14
<:>
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker 1
l've been w,·iting íor as long as l can
rcmember, ancl it's sorncthing I wanl
lo continue lo do fo,· a living when J've
finishecl un ivcrsily. T say 'conlinue'
because T've alreacly had one col lect ion
or shorl stories publ ished ancl T've j usl
s larlecl another. I wrile mostly late al
night ancl al weekencls, always a[ter
T've finishecl my cou,·sework . f'm cloing
a maths clegrce, which has li tt le to do
with wriling, but I bel ieve in kecping my
opl ions open, jusl in case my c reativitv
runs oul.
Speaker 2
For sorne s trangc reason I wanl lo be a
talloo artisl; you know, painl pcople's
boclies. 1'111 doing a course in grap hic
dcsign at arl col legc, which I've been tolcl
w ill be usefu l. The brnthe,· o[ a friend of'
mine has a stuclio ancl he lels mego ami
watch him work when I'm nol studying
al the college. lt's thc only way Lo learn,
as therc are no officia l courscs and no
spccific qualilkat ions for lalloo ai·tists.
Al leas!, not as far as I know.
Speaker 3
As soon as l lcave school T'rn going to
join the Army. 1 tricd Lo dü il when I was
10 but the:,, Lolcl me to go back when I
was older- so I wil l! You can learn a
traclc and do almosl any job you wanl
to, and they lct you study wh ilc you're
working. I'cl likc to work as a phys ical
training instructor, and lhen maybe latcr
t,-y a nd gel an eng ineering qualiíicalion
or somcthing li ke th,ll. My grnnclclacl's
an ex-solclie1· and he always tole! such
good stories that I knew that was what T
; ,anted lo do. My parenls just th ink I'm
crazy.
Speaker 4
l hope onc clav to be a speech therapist.
I'II havc to gel a clt:gree in speech thernpy
firsl, and to be able lo do Lhal in a clecenl
univcrsily l'Jl need Lo gel goocl grncles
nexl year. It's a job wh ic h involves
hclping people who havc dif"ficully
co111111unica ting, and l've always known
1 wanted to work in onc of Lhe 'ca,·ing
proi"essions'. M_v unclc's a spccch
the rapisl, bul l learn l al i aboul iL írom a
TV documentary I saw a [cw years ago.
And that's when I thought; 'l wanl to do
Lha t'. Then last vear I did sume volun larv
wm·k wbile T was studying íor my exams,
ancl I was hooked .
232
Speaker 5
1 haven't mad e up my m ind yet, bu t J'd
guite likc Lo go inLo teach ing. Naturnlly
I've had lots orad vice from teache1-s al
school about how to go aboul il ancl how
h,ll'd 1'11 have to work for mv exams. Bu!
to be honesl rnv clecision is ·based no!
so much on
academic abilities bul
rnther on the r'ael that Tjusi feel !'el be
righ Líor Lhe job. The teachers T look up
to al school are ali dvnamic, outgoing
people and that's prec isely how l likc to
see rnyselí.
mv
Ready for Listening
C> 2.15
Part 4: Multiple choice
P = Presenter
J
= Jenny Parfitt
P: Do vou consider vourscl l" to be tall,
rneclium OJ" short? Al one melre
e ighty-four, J've always Lhought or
myse lf as being a lit tic on Lhc tal l
sicle, particularly when I stand nexl
lo the people I work with hcrc in
the Ro1111d Brilaín stuclio. Rather
curiouslv, mosl oí them are below the
nationai" average he ight of one metre
scventv-eight for mcn ami one sixtvtwo fo~ w;;rnen. But when J poppe~I
in vestc1·clay to thc annual confcrence
orú,e TPC·- that's the Tall Person's
Club o[ GreaLBrilain and Jrcland - J
ldL deciclecllv small. l asked one of thc
organizc,·s, Íenny Parfitt, lo tell me
aboul the conre,·ence.
J: Well, this is the main event in the
club's verv busy social calendar.
ThroughÓut thc yea,- we pul on
a whole number oí aclivilies l"or
members in Lheir loca l arca, like
barbecu es, thealre excursions, walks
and so on. And th is coníei-encc is thc
highlight of that year. 1t's a threeday evenl that gives tall people l"rom
ali over Lhe countrv the chance Lo
meel in lhe comfo;·t ora hotel, whe,-e
they can chal, eat, dance ancl go
sightseeing with othe,·s who are also
above average hcight.
P: Bul thcrc's also a serious sicle Lo it as
wcll, l gather·.
J: That's ,-ighl, it's nol ali party ing! We
discuss a loL or irnportanl issues,
too. One oí th e aims of" Lhe TPC is Lo
promole thc inlcresls or tall people,
lo c ha nge cuf"l"enl alt itudes. We live
in a heigbtisl worlcl, whe,-c tall people
are clisuiminated against. Beds in
hotcls m·e usually L;o s hort for us,
and wc ol"Len ha~e lo sleep with our
íeel hanging oll the end. Travd ling by
bus, Lrai n or plane is a ma_jor problem
too - the re's ve1-y liulc leg rnom and
it can feel very cramped. The main
clifficulty, Lhough, is fincling shops
that sel! long enough lrouscrs or big
enough s hoes. Tha t can be a real
headache.
P: l imagine Loo that Lhe aLLiLucles oí
other people can be a problem.
J: Yes, people do tend lo stare al us
when we walk inlo the r oom, lreal us
like c ircus l"reaks. Ancl some aclually
laugh oul loud, as ií something fun;,y
has jus Lhappened. I think ií I weren't
so used Lo it now, 1 m ight take offence
- T know many f"cllow TPC memhers
do. But Lo be honcs l, 1 íind iL a little
bit annoving. You gel Li recl of" it ali,
particu larly when thc l"il"Leenth person
in a day savs something like 'What's
Lhe wt,alher like up the ,·c?' And thcy
think it's so funn y.
P: Yes, not vcrv or·igi nal, is it? Docs thc
club o lTe r help t; tall people who
come acrnss alt itudes like these?
J: Yes, wc regulad v givc advicc Lo
vict ims of" insults ancl bullying al
school or in the workplace. But
ped,aps the greatest benel"it or the
c lub is the oppottuni ty Lo sec !halas
a tall person you are not alonc. Whcn
people come lo their f"irst meeting and
walk into a room full ol" Lall peoplc,
the_v slarl standing up straighter.
They lose the ir shvncss a11d verv soon
bcgin to fccl less áwkwarcl, moic
comf"ottable about the ir hc ight. lt's a
n:rnarkable trnnsforn,ation.
P: You'vc rnentioned sorne of" the
negal ive aspecls oí bcing taller than
average. Bul surc lv there must be
somc aclvanlages, Loo?
J: Oh yes, thcre a,·e plcnty of them. Er,
i"or examplc, _vou can a lways see m·er
c,·ervone's hcad i í ~rou're watching
sornething in a crowd oran audicncc,
and ií _vou're in a s upern1arkeL _vou
C<lll gel 1hings orr ilw l op shelr that
rnost other people have a job to reach.
And thcn also, vou automatically
beco me íi rst cl~oice l"or sports Iike
basketball, volleyball or rowing. l've
ncvcr bee n ve,·v crood al vollcvball hul
1 a lways gol pick:cl ror Lhc Lll~iver~itv
leam when I was a s tuclenl.
P: Now, one thing oí course ,vc'vc failcd
lo mention, Jenny, is _vou r· height.
How tall are you?
J: One metrc cid1tv-eight. Ancl acluallv.
l'm one of th~ s1~1all~r mcmbers al ·
this coníe,-ence. The Lall esl wornan
he re is exactlv two metres ancl thc
tallcsl man t,~o metrcs thirt v, that's
an incredible sevcn foot si,.._ inchcs.
P: Goodness me!
J: Yes, impressive, is n't it ? In cidentally,
lhough, you clon't neecl LO be above a
certain he ight LO qualirv as a rnember
o í thc Tall Person's Club. Unlikc
sorne clubs in the USA, which can
be clifficull to join bccause of their
restrictions, we are vcry inclusive over
he re. We bclieve that people know
íor themselvcs whctbe,· they are lall
or nol and it's up to Lhem to decide if
they should _join.
P: Jcnny, it's been íascinating talking to
you ...
Listening scripts
Unit 10 ~ 2.16
Part 4: Multiple choice
I: Interviewer J: Justin Blakelock
I: Wi lh us lodav is local cri mc wri le1·,
Jus lin Bla kc l"ock. J ustin, pcrhaps l
s houlcl bcgin by ask ing you why you
decidecl lo write crime fi ction rather
than anv olher genre?
J: Whenever I'm askecl lhal quest ion,
peoplc thi nk I'm going to say it's
because l've a lwavs lovccl 1·eacling
c rimc novcls . Wcll, 1 have, but I'm
actually much more of a science
fktion fan lhan a nyth ing e lse,
a ncl lhat's thc kincl of lhing l was
writing when I firsl s tartecl out as
an author. Bul thcn mv ccli lo1· - an
ex-pol icewoman curio~1sly enough saw elemen ls o r crime wriling in my
work ancl shc gcn tly pushcd me in
thal d ireclion.
I: And was it her idea lo set vour novcls
herc in Brighton?
·
J: No, that was m ine. F irs tl v, because 1
love the place so much a;1cl, clcspitc
thc crime lheme, I do lry lo show
it in a posilive ligh t. Bul also, even
though l'm wril ing fiction, I wanl rny
stories to be as real ancl accurale as
possiblc. Ancl bccause l grcw up in
th is area, because l know il so well,
it makes sense fo1· me to set them
hcrc. Thcrc are too manv novcls that
lack crcdibil itv bccausc thev're set
in fict ional p l~ces, 01· they'r'e sel in
real places wh ich are nol accu ra te ly
described.
1: You s how lwo vcrsions of Brighton in
your books, clon't you?
J: That's right. To the visito,·, Brighton
sccms a vcry pcacdul cily. It has
this gentle, calm exter io r - the very
solicl seafron l builclings ancl plcasanl
shopp ing slreets. But like many o ther
c itics it has ils clarker, more crim inal
places - thc runclown builcli ngs a ncl
a rcas lhal thc lourisl rarelv sees.
Ancl that's also true of ma1~v of thc
characters T create. Al l'irst,' the_v
seem to be very gentle, verv pleasa nt
peoplc, bul thcrc's somcl hing dad,cr·,
more crim inal hid ing be low the
surl'ace.
!: Ancl how abou t your prolagonisl,
Detective Inspector George Trent?
He's a litt le more straightforward,
isn't he?
J: Yes, yes he is. He clocs havc the
occa~ional momenl when he surprises
cvervonc - if no l, he'd be Loo dull. But
esse;1l iallv, whal vou see is what vou
gel with George. ·He's very scru rfy,
slightly ovcrweighl, and completely
clisorgan izccl. l le cloesn't wo1Tv aboul
things likc dressing up or combing h is
hair - he thinks he's goocl e nough as
he is, he's ve,·y comfortable w ith Lhe
way he looks: Ancl tha t's reallv whal
1m1kes him such a likcable ch.aracler,
l th ink.
I : Yes, he's nol allraclive, bul he's very
human , isn't he? Now, Juslin, you
have a very popular websile. Can you
tell us abou l Lha L?
J: Yes, su re. Well , the origin al idea
behind the silc was lo gel my name
ou t there more ancl p romote my
books. But il gradua lly evolvecl inlo a
blog - usually articles aimed a l crime
writers who wer e j usi getting sta1~1ecl.
And then o lher established au thors
bcgan rcading and commcnting on
my posls, ancl now it's e ffeclively
becorne a forum, a kind o r debating
club.
I: Can you give usan cxamplc of l hc
kincl of aclvicc you givc?
J: Well , l've j ust posted a list ofl hings
you s hould 1·emcmbc1· to include in
a crime novel. So for example , make
sur·e your detectives have e nough
papenvork to keep Lh e m busy. Real
detect ives have loacls to do, so you r
fi ctional oncs shoulcl be cloing thei1·
fair share Loo. To be honest, it's the
kind of thing wrilers ought Lo pick up
themselves by watching what goes on
in a police slalion. Thcre's absolutcly
no substi tute for that. But it's goocl
Lo compare notes ancl for every ten
pieces of aclvice T give, vou can reacl
lwen tv mo1·e in the commenls from
other.w1·ilc1·s who'vc done lheü- own
research . It's a s upporl service, a
seconcla1~y sou1·ce.
I: Ancla very usefu l one. Now Juslin,
your lasl book, Western Road, is
c ur rcntly bcing madc into a film. You
m us l be dclighlccl.
J: Yes, 1 a m . More or less. The American
proclucc1·s wanted Lo rnovc Lhc aclion
to Chicago, but I made il a condition
thal it hacl lo be rilmecl in Brigh ton
w ith Brilish aclors. T onlv wish !'el
insisled on having more ~onl rol over
lhe scripl. Il rnov~s Loo fast for rny
liking. Bu! that's !he film worlcl for
_v ou - what can vou do?
I: Nol m uch, I guess. Juslin, Lhank you
for com ing in. Good luck wilh ..
Unit 10
<:> 2.17-2.21
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker 1
l was supposed lo check a li the wi nclows
were closed beíore we left Lhe house for
my swimm ing class, but I was rushi ng
to gel 1·cady and 1 forgol. When wc
werc in lhc car, my dad asked me if l'cl
remem berecl lo do il. 1 clicln't wan l lo
be lalc, so I lied and saicl 1 hacl. Tha t
morn ing we were burgled - lost a li o ur
TVs and com puters. As soon as I heard
whal had happened, I owned up lo my
cia d a boul lying - 1 fe lt so guilty, 1 hacl to
tell hi m . Plus il was prelly obvious thcy'cl
gol in through an open w indow - there
was no s ign o f a fo rcecl entry anywhere.
Speaker 2
When I was a boul rive or six, [ Look a
pa ir of scissors out of a ki tchcn drawcr
and cut orí a big ch unk of my hai r in
fron l of my friencls . l'm nol su re why maybe I was jusl showing off, lrying lo
ma ke myself look big. I kepl being asked
the same question: 'Have you cut sorne
of your ha ir off?' My m u m, my dad, the
ha irdresser .. . Ancl I kepl saying 'no'. l
saicl il so m a ny ti mes, 1 a lmosl believecl
il in the encl. I though t I'cl got away with
it, bu t my m u m tolcl me recently she'cl
a lways known wha t had happenecl.
Speaker 3
I on ce typcd out a note to my tcacher
and forgecl my m u m's signalure, so 1
could get out of cloing sport. I think I
saicl l hacl a stomach ache or something.
My m um found out and wcnl macl. Likc
an idiot l'd crcatccl a fi le w ith the name
'sick note' on our main computer ancl
she spolled il a week or so lalcr. Why l
dicln 't clele te iL, I have no idea - it was
a slupid m istake. My mum was ,·cally
upsel. Shc said I'cl uscd her Lo lic to rn~•
teacher, which was true, of course. 1
clicln't havc lo do spor t that dav, though.
Speaker 4
My mum gave me a hund rcd pounds in
cash to pay for a school tr ip Lo France.
vVhen I wenl to give Lhe money Lo
the French leacher, I cou lcln't fincl il
a nywhere . T knew m_y mum would be
a ngry w ith me, so l made up somcthing
aboul bc ing muggcd on the wav to
school. She phoned the head and Lhey
callcd the police. T hey reali zecl fai rly
quickly I was ly ing, because the seconcl
time I clescribecl whal hacl happcnecl I
got confusecl ancl it ca rne out a li wi-ong
- not a li thc dctails wci-c Lhe samc. l've
ncve1· been in trou ble with so manv
people in one dav.
·
Speaker 5
l rcmember when my ncigh bou1· carne
overa year or so ago. She knocked
on my door and said she'd run out of
flo ur'a nd as kcd if she coul cl borrow
sorne. Il was a Sunclay aftcrnoon and
the shop on the corner was closecl and
she wanted Lo bake a spongc cake fo,·
her kids. Well , l d id havc sorne, and
uncler no rmal ci rcumstances, l'cl have
bcen more than happy lo lcncl il to a
ne ighbour in neecl. Bul she'd neve,· done
me any favours, ancl in lact, she'cl been
pos itively unfriendly to me on occasions.
So I saicl I was sorrv, but no I clidn't have
any llour, a ncl if sh~ huniccl she might
catch the shop clown i n the town before
it closecl.
Unit 11 ~ 2.22
Part 2: Sentence completion
Hello, my name's Michael Gallaghcr, ancl
]'ve come lo ta lk Lo you about one of mv
great passions: the weather. Now ro,· the
pasl forty yeé1!"s I've worked as a poslman
in an area wh ich incluclcs sorne or the
more remole parls or County Donegal.
Ancl for more !han lwenly- five of those
years I've been us ing Lraclitional methods
Lo makc p recliclions aboul thc wcathcr.
Now, as a poslman, I've had lhe
p1·ivilege or meeting many pcoplc from
thc sun-oLmcLing lowns ancl vi llages,
233
Listening scripts
particu larly farm e rs, wbo've Laugh t
m e a g real <leal aboul how to interpre t
w hal gocs on in th e na tura l world - the
be haviom of lh e a n imals, birds, insec ts
and pl a nts lhat are ali around us. Thcsc
people have had to s lruggle w ilh the
ele menls to make a living fro m the Jane! ,
ancl over the centuries they've built up
a vas t slorc of kn ow leclge and folklore
to he lp the m reacl th e sig ns wh ich are
presenl in naltll"e, signs wb ic b can he lp
us p reclic l the weathe r.
You ca n reacl mo re a boul these in mv
book, w bi c h is ca llecl Traclitio11al Wea 1her
S igns, but 1'11 give you a few cxamples
now o f w hat's in it. Let's start w ilh bircls .
Bircls are ve ry sens itive to c hangcs in
the weather, a ncl we can lcarn a lo l fro m
the m. For exa m.ple, swallows flving low
are a s ign tha l rain is on ils way, ancl
so a,·c crows ií they're flying in grnLlps .
Bu t swallows fl ying high tell LIS t hat t he
wcather's going LO gel be ller .
Cals, too, can he lp LIS prcclic t the
weather, particu larly if they're silling
by thc [ire. A cal washing i ls [a ce ther e
is a s ure sign of wel weathe r. But if it's
s ill ing with ils ba c k to Lhe fire, the n _yoL1
know that frnsty we athe r is coming.
Farm an imals a1·e good indicators, loo.
Cows, ho,·scs, goals , sheep - yoL1 jusl
bave lo wa tch thc w ay they be have .
Cows, íor ins lance, LIÍcv clon't stay in lhc
m iclcllc o f a fi e lel if t he \; sense a sLorm
approac hing, ancl ne ithe1· do horses or
clonkeys . If vou see Lhe m graz ing with
lhe ir baeks Lo a heclge, you know t he
weathe r's go ing Lo turn b.1d.
Now sorne of vou will kno w me from mv
lo ngcr-rnnge foreeasts, w hid 1 are ,·e portecl
in the media l"rom time lo time. Las l year,
ror exa mplc, l gol it right whe n l saill we
wc1·e going to have a wa rm surnrner in
Ire la nd . Now l kncw that, because lhe
shecp o n the low grouncl sta rted heacling
back to thc hills in la te spring lo graze,
a ncl l hal's always an indicat ion that thc
ha rsh winter ancl spring a ,·c ovcr and
goocl weather is o n tbc way.
And the n r preclietecl that colcl s nap we
hacl two win le rs a go, ancl l gol th a t r,·0111
a combina tion of events. The sheep
were hungrv, so they Sléll"Led co ming
off t he m o unta ins a l thc beginning of
Dccember Lo loo k for food . The n Lhe re
was lhe facl tha l. gra ss s ta rtecl grnwing
as late as OcLOber o n the lo wland , ancl
a lso the w ay lhc su n was sh in ing on the
m o un tains - il wa s giving off a n o rnngc
glow .
The sun, thc 1110011 , th e stars - they'vc
ali bec n usecl to m a ke predi etions ror
centuries in rural lrela ncl . Many or us
a re famil iar w ilh thc saying 'red s ky al
nighl, s he phe rd's de lighl', rnean ing th aL
thc wea ther w ill be fine to morrow ir t hc
sky is 1·ecl a l the e ncl of today. But there's
a w hole lot mo re that can be predie tecl
[rom w hat's up lhcre a bove us . Ancl you
can rcad more a bo ul t hat in my book.
Now J'm sure sorne o[ you would like
to know wbat the weather's go ing lo be
like in the wcek a head. We ll, w here J live
wc can expect sorne vcry heavy rain for
lh e nexl t hree or four clays. T noli ced t hc
234
frogs were coming o ut of t he m ucl this
1110111ing ancl the_v were n't lheir us ual
brighl g reen colour. They were much
cla rker. Now tha t's a bacl sign. As for Lhis
parl or the worlcl ...
Unit 11
<:> 2.2 3- 2.30
Part 1: Multiple choice
1 Yo u hear a m an talking abo ul a n ew
firc stalion that has jusl been built.
T really can' t u ndersta nd w hy l hcy
pul il a li lhe way o ul th ere. Thev
mainla inecl that if thcv'd bui lt it in
the hea r l of the c ity, lhe rc w o uld bave
hccn problen1s gel ling o u t to rires in
the rw·al a reas . Too Far a nd too much
lraffic, th ev saicl. Bul t hat's exa ctl v
why it woL;lcl have made more se,Íse
to builcl it in the centre insteacl of o n
the eclge. Yo u kno w, it takes a íire
e ngine nearly twcn ty m inu tes lo ge l
from thal s uburb lo the othe r s icle o f
the c ily .
2 Yo u b.ear a man lalking aboul lillei-.
If l wa s a me mbe r of thc Cou ncil,
T'cl m a kc SL!l"e some thing was clo ne
abou t the m ess o n the s treels . lt's
a n a bsolu te d isgrace. Local pcople
neccl more he lp to kecp them clean,
and tha t hclp h as to come from the
autho ritics. Tbere a re n'l enough li ller
bi ns, ío r o ne lh ing, so tbe pavem en ts
ou ts icle 111)' premises are covercd w ith
pape r, d rink eans ancl cigare lle butts.
Bcfor·e I ope n up in lhe m o rn ing l
have to sp cnd a h.out ten minutes
swccp ing it ali up. l woulcln 'l se ll
anylh ing if 1 clidn't.
3 You hear· an en viro nn1entalis l
s peaking on the radio abo ul a recent
project.
Yo u have lo remembe ,- th al sorne
s peeies o[ plan ls were íacing
extinction in l he a rea. People would
come ou t lo the c ountryside ror a
pi cnic, see a li thcse beau tiful ílowers
ancl pic k the m , w ilho ul realizing t he
e ffeet l his wa s ha ving. ff wc had n't
m acle this a consc rvat ion area ancl
limited thc n um be r o f peoplc comin g
in, lhcn we'cl have no flowers a l ali ,
ancl people woulcl be rcally upsel. As
it is, we can cong ratula re oursclvcs on
thc actio n we look a ncl loo k fo n -vai·cl
to a b righte r f1.1l ure for th is palch of
countryside.
4 Yo u overhear th is w oman talking to
b e ,· fri c ncl aboul he r hol iclay.
M = M an
W = Woman
M: So w hal was il ]ike?
\1\7: Marvello us. Just w ha l wc wcrc
looking [o r.
M : A.nd whal wa s tha t?
W : Well, ir wc'cl gonc to one of lhe o ther
islancls , we'cl havc ha d to pul up with
busy roacls a ncl c rowcled bcaeh es.
M : So we ren't there m a ny to urisls w he1·c
you we nt?
W : Oh plenly. More than we cxpectecl
rc all v. B u l i t clidn't sce m to matter,
bec..i"use w ith the vebicle restric tions
Lhe re was a.lmost a total lack of
exhausl fumes, no congestion and
vcr v li ttle noise. Ami because the
island's so sm all, vo u could walk
everywhere , a nY'~ªY·
5 Yo u bca ,· a conversalion be lween lwo
p eople.
M = Man
W = Woman
M: T thi nk we s houlcl a li get togcthcr and
decide wha l we're go ing lo do. J can'l
pul up w ith il a ny m ore.
W: Ne ilhe r ca n we. T he noise of lhat
boy's music makes th e whole house
sha kc. My husbancl says .it's jusl like
being in an earthquake, o nly worse.
M : Of course it's the parcnls' íaull, bul
it's no good lalking lo them. Thcy're
no bellcr tha n he is.
\1\7: And his teac he rs can't con trol him,
eithe r. Apparc nlly, he's as rude to
the m as h e is to a li of us.
M : So, let's have a mcd ing of ali the
res iden ts in lhe s l reet a ncl wc'II
dcciclc how to cica! wilh h im.
6 Yo u a re lislcn ing to the rad io whcn
you hea r the fo l~wing bei ng read .
Violent slo rms swepl across the south
coasl toclay, causing wiclespread
clama ge lo p rope rlv. Tor ren lial rain
and ga le-forcc w incls lashed scaside
lowns ancl severa! people ha cl lo be
evacuated l'rom lheir flooded homes
by rescue scrviccs. One man in
Bogn or na1Towly esca ped clea th as the
car he was cl ,·iving wa s c1·us hecl bv a
[alli ng lree, wh ic h hnd been str u¿k bv
lig ht,;i ng.
.
7 You oved1ear thi s conversa tion
be lween a m an a ncl his nc ighbour.
W=Woman
M = M an
W: What's t he prnblcm, Jo hn?
M : Wcll, we los l a lol of o ur plan ts lasl
night.
\ 1\7: Tl wa sn'l o u r cat, was it?
M : No, t he ,.vind . Pull cd up al i t he roses,
it clic!. Blcw down a íew bushes, too.
W : T'm son y LO hear lhat.
M: Oh, nol lo worry. T'cl be g rale fu l if
you'cl give m e a ha ncl lo clcar up the
mess, tho ugh.
W: l'cl be pleasecl to.
8 You hear a ma n la lking abou l a
recent e nvironmc nlal cli sasler.
Som et hing's gol to be clone. These
massive pelrol lankers shoulcl just
not be a llowed to sa il so closc lo our
sho res. The oiJ slick has a h·caclv killed
tho usan cls of bircls a ncl the beéÍches
are a clisa slcr a rea. Demonslrnting
is a li verv well , bu t it's nol going lo
cl ean up the m ess, is it? We can't
!cave it in the ha neis o f' lhe poli ticians,
so we'vc jus l gol Lo gel clown to t he
coasl ancl gel 0 L11· hancls dirly with the
resl of lhe voluntcers. You coming?
Listening scripts
Unit 12
<:> 2.31-2.35
Unit 12 ~ 2.36
Part 3: Multiple matching
Part 4: Multiple choice
Speaker 1
I tried crash dicls, such as one where
you just eat cabbagc soup, and anolhe r
where you drink nothing bu t lcmonade
wilh sorne sall and pepper for a bout
seven days wilhout any food. They
workcd tcmpornrily, but after a whi le
I pul the weight bac k on. Tben I was
introduced lo l hese die t pills ancl my
weig ht went clown LO 65 kilos. Bul I
wasn't caming a great deal of mo ney and
T simply couldn't afford to kecp il up.
That's when I cleciclecl to save my money
and join a gym.
Speaker 2
I used to ea t a lot orjunk food . lt ,vas
quick, incxpcnsive a ncl it satisfiecl my
hunger immecliatcly. Thc problem was,
I ate vc1)' li tt.le íresh foocl, ancl this hacl
a serious effect on my healt h. l becarnc
ovenvcight and sulTerecl a li sorts of'
illnesses. Thc doctor s trongly advised
me to relh ink my allitucle to food. lf not,
he sa icl, the consequenccs could be very
serious. Wcll, you can't ignore advice
likc that, can you ? So I startecl to eat
more healthily. And now if I gel hungry
between rneals, T have a little cheese or
sorne nuts, just to keep me going.
Speaker 3
I'm uncler no real pressure to lose
weight, bu t l take care over what I eal,
simply bccausc it makes me íeel better.
When T wanl to lreat mysclf, l havc a
piece of' cake o r a few biscuits. I rcad a
lot about clie ting, ancl most nutritio nis ts
seem lo agree lhat a s long as you cal
swcct things afler a mea], t hen t here's
no p roblem. So, for example, J on ly ever
eal c hocola tes aftcr lunc h rn- dinner. And
ncvcr too many of course - jusl o ne or
two.
Speaker 4
1 like eating and l'm no l al a li inlerested
in dieting. Bul I dogo to see a
nutritionist, w ho hclps m e mainlain a
sensible, balanced diet: plenty of fres h
fru il a nd vegetables, er, meat and fish,
carbohydrates such as r ice ancl pasta,
several-glasses of' wate r a day - and no
snacks be twecn mcals. Shc lold me lo
give up c heese, but I ignored her. l cnjoy
good food ancl I don't want to deprive
myself of the lhings l lovc.
Speaker 5
A large number of peoplc follm.v diets,
but very f'ew of' them arn ha pp ier as a
rcsull. W e are cons la ntly under attack
from aclvenising and thc m edia, who
tell us thal 'thin is bcautif'ul'. T used to
believe this ancl lhink lhat I woulcln't
fincl a boyfriend unless l was rcally
skinny, that I had to weigb under 60
kilos for boys lo like me. But of cow-se,
now I realize thcre's more lo il lhan t hat.
Jusi be ing yoursclf is wha l counls ami T
don't p ay much alle ntion to w hat othcrs
think or say.
I =Interviewer N =Naomi Price
I: On Health lvlatters today we have
personal trainer Naomi Price. Naomi,
what exact ly does a pc1-sonal trainer
do'
N : Well , in rny case I try to improvc
people's qual ity oflife and overnll
hcalth , by hclping them develop lhe ir
filn ess, slrength ancl posturn - and
working on thcir diet, as well. These
a1·e lh e general goals, bu t o f course,
cach clicnt has lheir own specific,
indi vidual goals, so befar e wc do
a ny thing, ( carry o ut a n eeds analysis
in arder to estab lish exactly what il
is a person wants lo achieve. This
includes asking lhem a bout their diet,
their injlll)' histOJ)' and any medica!
compla ints o r conditions lhey have,
such as high blood pressure. Then
bas ically, I design exercise routines
ancl give advice on nutrilion in
response lo lhe informa l ion they give
me.
I: And what reasons do c lie nts have for
coming Lo see you?
N: Oh, thcrc's a wide range. I gel a Jot
of clienls, especially olde r o nes, who
simplv want to lose a bit o f' weight
or lower the ir cholcsterol levels. I
also have a large number of you nger
cli ents w ho've bee n injurcd w hilc
du i11g sµu l"l a11d wanl tu gel back
to ful] fitncss - that's m y area of
expertise, it's w hat 1 spccialize in. l
also help one or lwo people lra in for
marathons and tr ia thlons, but mostly
il's people who just wanl to improve
their a ll-round filness andas a result,
their general self-co nfidence.
1: Ami I imagine it's imporlant lo bu ild
upa goocl relarionship w ith your
clients.
N : Yes, it is. I'm nol one oí those fitness
instructors you sometimes see in
films shouting orders al people lo do
lifty press-ups o r run ten limes round
the park. Certain ly, clicnts havc to be
dcdicaled and prepared lo work ha rd
when t hey're w it h m e, but l also want
thcrn lo enjoy exerc is ing as well. So
it's im pona nt, I think, for a lrainer
to bring a n element of fu n into t hc
sessions, ancl I always make sure m y
clients have a good laugb when they
com e to me.
I : Now you1- workplace is your garage,
is1ú il, Naomi?
N: Well, yes, w ha t usecl Lo be rny garage.
J don't park m y car there any more
- it's fu ll of equ ipment. There's a
rowing machine, two treadmills, lwo
cxcrc isc bikes and loads of weights
and t hings. I've a lso gota massage
table, b ut that's in m y loungc, whcre
it's warmer. And lhen w ith so rne
people, Tgo lo the park or a nearby
wood to run or simply to add a bil
of variety to the classcs. Clients
appreciate that - they'vc tole! me lhal
other local tra in ers they'vc been with
always hold thcir scssions insid e.
I: You haven't always bcen your own
boss have you?
N : No, I uscd to work in a gym. The
good tbing about that was T leamt
a lot from walching the olher gym
instructors and their interaction
w ith t he cl ients - both good and bad
examplcs. I also gol expericnce of
work ing w ith a lot o f clifferen t cl ients,
but lhe trouble was, T rarely ha d
t he chance lo build u p long lasling
relalionships wilh them. The cl ient
lisl was different every m onth someone would join lhe gym in Apri l,
say, and by J une they'd be gone .
I: And is that why you lcft?
N: ll wasn't lhe only reason. T was
getting tircd of working on Saturdays,
for on e thing - l'cl only had two or
th ree Salur days free in overa yeaL
But it was the whole sales thing t ha t
l was least h appy aboul. When lh ey
told m e I had to p c1-suadc pcoplc to
buy things w ith the gym's logo on it,
t hat's w hen 1 madc thc decisio n to
resign . I just clidn't feel comforlable
pushing T-s hirls and baseball
caps, as ,vell as things likc prolcin
su pplements people maybe d icln't
need. It's no l m y stylc.
I: A.re you pleased you beca m e selfemployed?
N: Oh, yes, I've gol so rnuch more
freedom, and so far , touch wood,
t hings are goi ng 1·eally well. 1 lhought
T mighl have to pul adverts in t he
local newspaper to gel bus iness but
t hose clients 1 brough t w ith me b-om
th c gym tell a li their fam ily and
friends about me and those p eople tell
a li l heir friencls ... and so il goes on.
The power oí word of m ou th .
I: Let's hope you r succcss continucs,
Naorni. Thank you for com ing in lo
thc studio.
Ready for Speaking
~
2.37
Part 1: lnterview
I:
C:
P:
I:
P:
I:
C:
I = Interlocutor
C = Christina
P = Paolo
Good m orning. My name is Kale
Benlon and lh is is my colleague Pa ul
Flin!. And your· namcs are?
Ch r istina .
My name is Paolo.
Can 1 havc yow- m a 1·ksbeets, please?
Than k you. Where are you from,
Paolo?
From a srnall town near Ra venna. Tn
Italy.
And you Chrislina?
l'm from Corinth, in Greece. T have
lived th ere ali my li fc. 1 live the1-e
with m y threc sislers and my paren ts .
T'm in my last year at school. My
mothe1- works in ...
235
Listening scripts
Thank vou, Ch r ist ina. First we'd
like lo Írnow something aboul you.
Paolo, what kind or sports are you
interesled in?
P: Er, T pla_v íoutball , tennis, and l go
I:
C:
s\virn111i ng.
I:
1-low o lú:n do vou play foo tball?
P: Once a week. Yeah, evcry Salurclay.
I:
l n a tcam .
Ancl vou Christina, do vou havc any
hobbics?
·
·
C: Well , nol reall_v hobbics, bul in my
free time I like to go lo thc cinema,
rcad, go ing ou t with rnv l"riends, er,
things like that.
I: What son ol" l"ilms do you like to
watch?
C: Oh , l likc acL ion l'ilms. L likc films
where happen many th ings. 1 don't
like romantic 0 1· his torica l films.
Thcy are very slow somet imes, thev
are nol ver~• inl.et·csting fo1 · me.
I: Paolo, do you work ora re you a
studenl ?
P: 1 work in mv unclc's cornputer
business.
I: Ancl how importan t is Engl ish fo1·
_vour work?
P: Wcll, yes, it's ve1-v importan l. 1
have to 1-ead a lot ol" things about
cornpule rs in English. Everything is
... well ... rnosl th ings a1·e wl"Íllen in
E ng lish nowadavs.
I : Chrislina, what do vou hope Lo do in
the next lew ycars"/
C: Weli , l wanl to !!O to thc universitv
and studv bus ir{ess studies fir·st. ·
Then, if ft is possiblc, 1'11 work in
a big company, as accoun tanl 01·
somet.h ing like thal. Ma_vbe, i n the
l"uture I can use rny English and f"ind
a job in another country. That wou ld
be ve1y exc iting.
I: What ki nd ol" job do you hope to be
cloing in ten years' lime, Paolo.
P: Well, len years is a long time, so l'm
nol sure what wili happen. F i1-st, 1
wanl to help my uncle expanding
his business ancl then perhaps in
the l"utu re, J coulcl :;el up my own
business.
I: Thank you.
Ready for Speaking
<:> 2.38
Part 2: Talking about photos
I = Interlocutor
P = Paolo
I:
C = Christina
1n this part or thc test, l'm going to
give each of you lwo photographs.
l'd likc vou to tal k about vou1·
photog;-aphs on vour ow;1 for
a bou l a minute, and also to answer
a qucs tion aboul you r parlner's
photographs. Chl"islina, it's _vou1 · turn
l'i1·st. H ere are your photographs.
They show people on holiday in
differenl places. l'cl like you lo
236
I:
P:
1:
P:
compare the photogn,1phs ancl say
whv _vou Lh in k the people have
chosen to go on holidav Lo these
dilTerent places. Ali ri gÍit?
Ye:;, weli, er, in the firsl pictw·e
J can see a smali beach, a prel ty
beach, with severnl people and in the
background a sma li town OJ- village
with rnountains behincl, and, er, in
. .. whereas in the olher p iclurc there
are on l~• fow- people, a family, ancl
they are probably in a camping, a
carnpsilc. Er, whal e lse .. . yes, ancl
er, in both picturcs the people are
having a relaxing lime but a re cloing
dilTerent things. In the íirsl picturc
th ey are taking the sun or swimrn ing
in the sea, w her·eas in th is one thev
are jusl ... weli, silling clown. Er, ·
w hal e lse ... ve:;, and, well ... peo ple
go to thesc t_,;pes oí places because
thev want to gel out or the towns rn·
the· c ilies wh:re thev live . Thev wanl
lo, er, change Lheir ;·outine .. ."er,
be in, er ... lhe open a ir. Yes. Ancl,
er, sorne peoplc prel"er to go to the
beach, likc in this p iclure, where they
can be lazv ali clav. And other peoplc
prefer to l~e in th~ nature, in the, thc
counuyside, where it's ve1·_v quiet ...
and peaceful, and thcy can do lots
of things like maybe go walking or
c_vcling, ancl thc c hildren can plav
and have lots of f1rn ... e1- .. .
Thank vou. Paolo, which or thcse
places ~vould you p1-el"ei· to go to on
holicla_v?
Er, l would ralher go camping. 1
clon't like going to the beach on
holiday·. There a1·e loo many people.
Thank vou. Now, Paolo, here are
vour pl;ologrnphs. They show peoplc
doing cxercise in different places. I'd
like you to compare the photographs,
and sav what you think thc people
are cn_¡"oying ~boul doing exe1·cise in
these clilTcrcn l places. All right?
OK. In the firsl piclu1·e 1 can sec two
rnen who are jogging, in a park OJ" a
l"oresl mavbe. Et·, on..: man is midcllcaged and ·Lhe ot her is younger.
They must be enjoving themselves
because thcy are both sm ili ng,
pe d1aps be¿ause oí something one
or Lhern has jusl said. 1n Lhe o ther
pictu1-c it looks as if they ,u·e in a
class doing sorne step exercises.
The woman al the fi-ont is probably
a tcachcr, in the yelio,v top. 1 can
see a speaker on the wall, so they
might be lislening to sorne rnusic
while th ev a re doing their exe1-cise.
What m·e· thcy enjoying·> Er ... in
the l"irst picturc they are enjoying
bcing Logether. Jogging is not good
fun on your own - il is much better
lo do with a fr iend, having a cbat.
And Lhev ,11"<.: outside a li the lime,
and that's enjoya ble. 1n the othe1·
piclure, loo, in thc gym, they are
probably enjoying being with other
people, and thev rn ight make new
fricnds thc1·e. The_v are prnbably
enjoying hav ing a tcacher as weli - if
the lcacher is good, they can fecl likc
they a1·c do ing progress ... mak ing
progress.
I: Thank vou . Christina, wh ich of
these pÍaces wou ld you prcfer lo do
exercise in)
C: Well, 1 thin k il is rnuch better to be in
a e lass w it h otherpeoplc, likc in Lhis
photo. Jogging is nol ve1·y interesting
forme, even il" 1 do it with a fri cnd.
You rnn a nd that's it. But in this type
or c lass you do rnany things - il is,
er , il is more varielv - yes, and vou
can meel new pco¡; le ¡_;ncl mak~ new
friends, like Paolo said. Defi nitely l
would prel"e1· to do exercisc in a gym.
I: Thank _vou .
Ready for Speaking
~
2.39
Part 3: Collaborative task
I = Interlocutor
C = Christina
P = Paolo
I: Now, T'd like you lo ta lk aboul
sorneth ing together for· about two
m inutes. l'd likc you to imagine that
the History Mu:;eum in vour town
wou lcl likc to in troduce sorne new
features to allract more visito1·s. Here
are somc or the ideas which have
been suggested ami a question for
vou lo d iscuss. Firsl vou have sorne
"time lo look al Lhe t..;sk. Now, lalk
lo each other aboul what t_vpes oí
people these cli lT erenl ideas wou lcl
appeal lo.
C: Which one shali we sla1·t wi th?
P: Let's talk about 1he cornpul cr
exh ibition firsL I think it would
appeal to a li di lTerenl tvpes of people,
beea use compu lers :1rc so importanl
today . Young people espccialiv would
be intc1·ested Lo sec wha l thev were
like twenty or thi1·ty years ago, bdore
they were born.
C: Yes, ancl older people, like our
pa1·ents or even ou1· grandpai-enls
would be interestecl lo remember
what compul ers were like when they
were _vounger. OK, let's move on to
t he medieval fair. 1 think il would
also altract peoplc o r a li a ges. ll
could be goocl fun , clon't _vou think?
P: Yes, l do. Er ... visito1-s could take
parl i n d ilTerenl acli vities and games
and cal medieval food . And if" the
organizers drcsscd up in eoslumcs,
then that wou ld make hislorv vcrv
coloud"ul ancl realistic. J thi1~k il ·
woulcl bring in lots ol" familics with
young c h ildr-cn.
C: Yes, T agree. Now, what do vou think
abou l the conccrts? Th is wÓulcl be
ideal l'or peoplc w ho work near the
museurn. They coulcl come cluring
thei1· lunch br:eak ancl have a relaxing
momcnl.
P: That's trne, but I don't think rnanv
people would be able to go, espccially
if the rnuseurn is in this citveveryone is busy all day. B~1l retired
Listening scripts
C:
P:
C:
P:
I:
C:
P:
C:
P:
C:
I:
people woul<l probablv appreciate it
and have more time to enjoy it.
Yes, l suppose you'1·e right. lL
woulcl be ve1y pleasanl l'or lh em.
Now, let's move on to the theatrical
represenlalions. l lhink it depends
if lhev are se1·ious or funnv. fí lhev
are s~rious and rormal, thcn I thi1~k
they'cl probably be more su itabl e
for aclults, o r people who go to the
thealrc a lol. But if thev are funnv, if
they make people laugh, then 1 tl;ink
nearly eve1·vone would fincl them
enjoyable, includ ing the chilclren. Do
you agree?
Yes, cldinitelv. 1 think ií the museum
wants to attr;et more visitors, then
they bave to make sure that thev
a p¡;eal to as many different typcs o f
peoplc as possible.
Exactlv. Ancl I th ink this will be true
fo r th~ dressing up in costumes. T
think nearly everyone will like this,
clon't you?
Well, T'm not so sure. Er ... it
wouldn't appeal to me for example.
Tclon't like dress ing up or attracting
a ttention to mvsclL Fam ilies w ith
ch ilclren woulcl enjoy cloing thi s and
lak ing photos or each other, but l
clon't think couples or people on their
own woulcl be verv interested.
Thank you. Now vou have about
a mimi°te to decide which two
ideas wou lcl be most suecessful in
attracting new visitors.
Right. Well, l think Paolo made a
good point earlie1· that the museum
must appeal to as rnany dilTerent
types or people as possible. And
1 think we both agreed that the
medieval íair woulcl at tract people o[
a li ages, so, Paolo, do you agree that
that might be one of the best two
ehoiees?
Yes, 1 do. l th ink it is - it doesn't
matter if you are on yoLff own, in
a couplc, w ith íriends, in a family
- everyone would enjoy it and I am
sure it would bring in many ... many
visito1·s to lhe museum. J think this is
a lso trne for the cornpute1· exh ibition,
but you don't agree, 1 think .
No, l'm so1Tv. I know you like
com puters, but I woulcl be bored!
People have enough or computers at
work. As 1 said bdore, I tb ink nearly
everyone will like the dressing upnot vou, rnaybe, but if the rnuseum
wants to allract more visi tors, it
needs to have more fun act ivit ies, not
more exhibitio ns.
OK, so we clon't agree on that. But,
we d id both agree befare that ir the
lheatrical representations werc runny
a nd not serious, then that would be
verv successfu l.
Yes, that's true. l think tha t .
Thank you.
Ready for Speaking
~
2.40
Part 4: Further discussion
I:
C:
I:
P:
I:
C:
I:
P:
I:
C:
P:
I = Interlocutor
C = Christina
P = Paolo
Christina, what do vou think makes a
goocl muse u rn?
Well ... in general T think the
museums are a little boring. You
on lv look al objects which are in ...
er, how do you say? Er, like boxes?
Er ... glass boxes:er, c upboards">
Er, there is nothing to do. But, er,
I think if you could touch things in
an exh ib ition, or do fun things li ke
dressing up, that would make it
more interest ing .. . more enjoyable
experience.
Uh huh. Paolo?
J think ideas like the medieval fair
are good because they help you to
have a better idea or life in thc pasl.
Tbe last vear l went to a museum
where people in costurnes explained
how dilTerent things were used. E r,
even thev cooked with sorne old
saucepai1s and things. Er ... perhaps
they were n't real, but it cloesn't
mal ter. The impo1·tan t is lhal you
can imagine how people livecl befare.
How could the teaching or historv in
schools be imprnved?
Wel l, er, I'm not reallv sure, er ... in
school we sil and list~n the teachers
... listen to the teachers, ancl write
wbat thev say. Tn Greece there are so
many an~ie1Ít monurnents that, er,
perh.aps we cou ld visit them more
and nol jusl read and write about
thern ali the time.
What do you think, Paolo?
E1·, when l was in school we just
1istened to the teachers. I think
histo1·y was the worst subject for
many people. l think we neecl better
teachers who are good al making a
subject more interesting fo1· pupils. l
don't know, I think it depencls on thc
teacber.
What was the most importan[
moment in thc history o r the
twentieth century?
Well, l haven't really thought about
it befare, but, er, perhaps it was ...
yes ... T think it was when the fi1·st
;,nan landed on the Moon. T have seen
pictures oí this, and T think it must
have been sornet hing quite inc1·cdible
al that time. Now, travelling to space
is quite normal, but that moment
was very diíferenl. What do you
think, Paolo?
Well, l think the landing on lhe
Moon was impol"lant, but ti-ave! in
space would not be possi ble if we did
not have computers. The invention of
tbe computer, for me, was the most
importan! moment. ll changed the
\.vay
\VC
livc .. .
C: You onlv say that because )10U likc
computcrs!
P: No, but everything we do needs
computers nowaclays. Er ...
industries, banks, companies,
hospitals - everyth ing clepends on
computers. E 1·, and if the computers
break down, then people cannol
do their jobs properly. We cannot
survive wil hout cornpulers.
C: Mavbe, but I think there are more
im¡~ortanl things that happenecl in
the last cen llll-Y. Things w ith people
and nol machines. For example,
when pcople started to think
more aboul the envirnnment. The
planet is in bad concli tion, and if
organizalions likc Greenpeace didn't
exist, then, er, it woulcl be much
worse. Don't you agree?
P: Yes, you're right, but cvcn
organi7.ations like Grcenpeacc need
compu lers to do their work!
I: Paolo, what items from our lives
today will be in the bislo1·y museums
of tlie f1.1ture?
·
P: Well, in adcl ition to cornputers .
er, possibly, sorne clomestic ap-, ap-,
domestic applications? No, il doesn't
rnaller ... er, domestic machines that
we use for cooking or other jobs,
things like the cooker, the vacuum
cleaner or the iron. Manv of these
things will be replacecl b\r robots
which do not neecl people to operate
them .
C: Do vou rca\ly think a robot cou ld do
ali ¿r ou1· i1·~ning far us?
P: Sw-c. We ah-eacly have robot vacuum
cleaners to clea1~ our lfoors, so whv
not robot irons?
·
C: Well , l think one thing in the
rnuseums or the fu t ure will be the
money. I think the cred it car ds ancl
srnartphones w ill be the o nlv th ings
we use. Alt-eady, sorne peoplc ncve1·
pay fo r things with cash. Er, ... in
only a few vears T think they will stop
making the moncy.
I: Thank you. That is the encl or the
test.
Unit 13 ~ 2.41
Part 4: Multiple choice
P = Presenter
S = Sally Jefferson
P: Ants, spiders, snakes and mis may nol
sound like ideal house compan ions,
but as Sa lly Jellerson can confir111, an
increasing number of animal lovers
in the Radio Carston area have taken
lo kecping them as pets. Sally is the
owne1· of Animal Crackers, a large pel
shop in the centre of Ca1·s ton. Sally,
why the move away from cats and
dogs?
S : Well, primarilv, J think Lhe trend
1·cflccts changing lifestyles. Cats
and dogs need a lot of looking after,
whereas insects a ncl spiders, for
example, are ve1·y low-rnain tenance
- they mo1·e or less take car·e of
237
Listening scripts
Lhemselvcs. And Lhat's pcrfccL fo,·
busy working couples who are out or
thc home most oí thc day and can't
alford lo spend a greal deal of Lime
011 thc more traditional kinds oí pets.
And, c r, and 1hen ol' coursc, there's
the so-called cducational pet, anls in
parti cular.
P: Yes, T was surp1-ised lo hear thal you
sell a lol or them in your shop.
S: That's ,-ight, leaf-eutte1· anls rnostly.
You can c rea te vow- own colony in an
ant fann - Lhat's a glass box like a big
l"ish tank fillcd w iLh clean sand or soil.
You can walch Lhem in their ncsl,
digging tunnels a nd culling Jeaves, ali
collaboraling to achieve a common
goal. It's a great lesson in the benefits
oí leamwork, cspecially íot· children.
And for that 1-cason a lot oí parnnts
come in and buy them .
P : Ancl do the kids li kc them?
S: Yes, most do - after ali, an ls a re
fascinaling creatures Lo watch close
up. Bul of coursc, they're not f-tirry
01· cuddlv, and c hilclren can't inleract
with the;11 in the same way that Lhey
can with a calor a dog. H you pick
them up or try to play with them, they
can give you quite a nasly bite. So
inevitably sorne ch ildren.star l to grnw
Lired oí Lhem, pay less atten tion lo
tbem.
P: Right. And how aboul spiders?
You were le lling me bel"ore the
prngramme tha l you seJI tarantulas can they be ha ndled?
S: It's not advisable, but in thi s case it's
more becausc or the risk involved to
the Larantula Lhan lo the owner. Thcy
do bite, or course, andas we've secn
in íilms, sornclimes with fatal resulls.
But a bite l'rom lhe species we sell
is rather likc being stung by a bee.
No, the main problem is that thev
are íragile c1·ealt11-es and ií they ,:un
around whcn they're on your band or
arm, 1here's a dangcr they'll fati off
ancl hurt themselves vet-y badlv. So
best nol to gel 1.hem out· of thc.ir cage
too o l"ten.
P: No, indeecl. Now let's move on to
ano thcr lype of pel that scems to be
in fashion these clays - snakes. Do
they neecl a lot of care and atlcntion?
S: That rcally depends on the species
you buy - diffcrcnl species havc
difl'erenl requircments. What's
common to the corn snakes and ball
pythons that wc sell is that they can
sometimes go for months wilhoul
eating. So, if you're going on holiday
you don'L have to worry about fincling
someonc lo reed them w hile you're
away. However, it's impor tan! to
rea lize thal many snakes havc a
li fespan oí more 1.han twenty ycars
- so you neecl lo be aware that you
are making a long-tenn comm itment
when you buy onc.
P: And whal son oí things do tbey eat?
S: Micc, mainly, ancl per haps rals or
even n1bbits for sorne o[ the larger
238
species. ll's better to givc tbem prekilled a nimals, which can be bought
l"rozen at reasonably li tt le cosl írom
pet stores. Besicles being more
humane for lhe micc ancl rats and so
on, it's also saíer f0t- tbe snakes. A rat
can sel"iously wouncl a snake vvhen it's
acting in seff-clefencc.
P: Jnle resting Lhal you mention ra ls,
because o í coursc, they too are kepl
as pcLs nowadays, aren't they?
S: That's right. They make vc1-y goocl
pets and the~1 clon't bite qu ite as
readily as most peoplc th.ink. You
neecl to bcar in rnincl, though, that
thcy like being wi th other rats, so
they reallv nccd to be kept in pairs
or even groups, ancl in a lar ge cage,
loo. Technically, o í course, 1.hey're
nocturnal animals bul they'rc very
flexible creatures - thcy will adapt to
thcir owners' schedules and are happy
to come out and play wh en people are
around during the day.
P: You don't fced them to the snakes, do
you,Sally?
S: No, don't won-y, we never do thal ...
Unit 13 ~ 2.42
Part 2: Sentence completion
Dogs, cats, ch imps, monkeys - even
Frogs ancl íish; they've ali b~en up in Lo
space al sorne time in the last íiftv years
or more. The fit-st living crcature in
space, of course, was Laika, thc dog,
who was launched aboard Sputnik
2 on 3 November 1957 bv the Soviet
Union. Laika, unfortu nately, died jusi
a íew hours inlo the íligh t, and the
íi rst anirnals to actually survive a space
mission wc,-c two rnonkeys called Able
and Baker. That was in May 1959, w hen
they wc1·c fired 300 miles inLO space
from Cape Ca.naveral in Florida. The pair
wcre weightless for nine minutes and
monitorecl for 1heir hea,·t beat, muscular
reaction, body tempcrature ancl
breathing. They travellcd al inc,-eclible
speeds - up Lo Len thousancl miles an
hour - befor e coming down safely in the
Sou th Atlanlic near P uerto Rico, 1500
miles away.
Not surprisingly, the use of animals
for space resea1·cl1 has been unpopular
with animal \velfare groups ever s ince il
began. Bac k in 1957, íor example, every
day that Laika was in spacc, the National
Canine Defence Leaguc in Britain askcd
all dog lovers to observe a one-minuLc
silence. Spacc scientists have been
accused oí being cru el lo an irnals a nd
strongly c riticized for carryi ng out their
experiments on defenceless creatures.
In thc mean lime, many o[ the animals
themselves have become celebrities.
Laika's spacc flight allracted a buge
arnounL oí attention from the world's
press, and the dog's image appeared
on stamps in a number of coun tries ,
inclucling Romanía, Poland and Albania.
And in 2008, over íiíty years after
her historie 0ight, a monurnenl was
erectecl in honow- oí La ika in Mosco\\'.
Il f"ea turcs a dog s tanding on the
combination oí a rockel and a human
hancl.
Another an imal to ach ieve celebrity
status was Ham, a thrcc-year-old diimp
who was senl into orbit in January 1961
to fi ne! out whether humans woulcl be
a ble to su rvive in space. Or igina lly l"rom
Camcroon in Africa, Ham was bougbl
by the United States Air Force and senl
Lo New Mexico, whe,·e he was trnined
for the tasks he would can-y out during
bis space riighL For unlikc prcvious
animal astronauts, Ham would be more
than jusl a passive passenger. He was
laugbt, for example, to pulla lever in
response to a llashing light; if he clic! so
within íive seconcls of see ing the lighl
flash, he woulcl reccive a reward oí food.
The purpose was to see how well tasks
could be períormed in space. During
the m ission, Ham was we ightless íor
over six minutes. His capsule suffered
a drop in oxygen levels but he was sa[e
inside his space su it and sixteen minules
afte,- launching from Cape Canaveral,
he splas hed clown in the Atlantic with
nothing mo,-e th an a bruiscd nose.
When the rescue helicoplers eventually
gol lo him, he was rewarclecl with an
appl e and half a n orangc. He had beaten
the íirsl man inlo s pacc, the Russian
Yuri Gagarin, by over two months.
Afterwa1-ds, Ham retired to the US
Nalional Zoo in Washington DC, where
he was well looked aflcr a nd enjoyed a
celebrily lifestyle. His picture appearecl
on the cover oí Li[e magazine and he
even receivccl fan mai l, sorne oí wh ich
he 1-cplied to by sending aclmire1·s his
fingeqJri nt. Tn 1980, a vc,-y overwe ight
Ham moved to North Carolina Zoo,
wherc h e died three ycars later.
Unit 14
<:> 2.43-2.47
Part 3: Multiple matching
Speaker l
T nevcr had time LO go lo the German
classes my company arrangcd l."or us al
work, so I used Lo put CDs on in the car
on Lhe way in evcry morning ancl jusl
let the language wash ovcr me. l was
completely immersed in il for the whole
journey. Then I'd play the samc secLion
on the way home and that was enough
to ensure I learnl w hat !'el listcned to in
thc morning. Whcn l go Lo Germany 011
sales trips now l havc vcry [ew problems
u ndersLandi ng people. Business seems to
be improvi ng 100.
Speaker 2
1 wenl lo Spain, twicc, when I was
stuclying languages al university; once
on holiclay and the ncxt year Lo work in a
bar. The holiday was a d isaster in terms
of language lea;·n ing. I spent mosl ol' lhe
time w ith my English friends ancl hardlv
learnt a thing. When 1 wcnl back there ·
to work, though, J spoke Spanish ali day
a nd my speaking and undcrsland ing
really imprnvcd. Thal experience
worki ng abroad he lpcd me pass my final
exams jusi as much as sludy ing, J'rn
Listening scripts
convinced. Oh, and l'm geui ng married
this ycar to my Spanish girlli:icnd.
Speaker 3
I spent th ree years teach ing E nglish
in Pola nd with my boyfriencl back in
the late nineties. Tt took us both quite
a long time lo learn any Polisb in the
beginning, pa1·tly beca usc o f laziness, bul
mostly because wc were working long
hours tcach ing and speaking Englis h
ali da_v. Things gol better, though, once
wc cvcntually gol to know a few Polish
people and we had more cha nce to speak
the language. vVe weren't quite confident
enough lo go ancl see films in Polish al
the cinema, but wc certainly l"elt more
integra tecl.
Speaker 4
When l lcft univcrsity I clesperately
wanlecl Lo work abroad, but ali thrcc
French-ownecl companies I appliecl
to lu rned me clown al the interview
stage. i'cl on lv cvcr learnt grammar
whcn 1 s tudiccl Frcnch at school. I bad
no d ifficulty a t a li w ith thal, bu t when
I actually hacl to speak the language
in the intervicw il was a real p roblem
and I'm sure the interviewers cou lcln't
understancl a worcl of what l was saying.
So I s ignecl up for a two-mom h general
language cou rse in Paris a nd thanks to
that, whcn I carne back, I gol the firs t
job I appliecl for.
Speaker 5
Herc in Walcs cvcryonc can speak
Engli sh, bu t it's compu lsory fo r a li
sluclen ts to lea rn Wcls h up to thc agc of
sixtccn . My mum and dad botb carne
to Walcs f~-om England, so I only ever
spoke in E nglis h ti ll l startcd school.
But ali my lcssons there were in Wels h right fron1 clav onc - and l pickcd it u p
really quickly. So then T had the two
languages - English wilh my pare nts
and Welsh with my ÍTicncls. I somclimes
spokc Welsh al home, too, w ith my
brother. It was great, 'cause we could
talk abou l thi ngs in front of my mum
and dad a nd thcv hacl no idea what
we were saying .:. it was really useful
somelimes!
Unit 14
<:> 2.48- 2.55
Part 1: Multiple cho ice
You hca1· a man talking abou l the
language school he owns.
We've benefitecl e no rmously fro m
be ing so close lo a number of large
compan ies. \/1/e',-e right 011 the ir
doorstcp, so they can e ither have
classes o n lheir premises or else send
thcir wor kcrs round Lo us - usually
before or after offi ce hours, bu t
sometimes even d ur ing their lu nch
br·e ak. We don't exactly offer the
cheapest courses in to~vn, a nd therc
are othe1· schools in Lhc arca whose
teachers are more qual ified, more
experiencecl than ours. Bu t we try
to makc up for that wilh youthf·u l
enlhusiasm and, as I say, lhe key lo
our surviva l - ancl growth - has bcen
the fact tha t we're so convenien tly
siluatecl.
2 You overhear a young woman talki11g
to a friend abou l going abroad .
M = Man
W = Woman
M: Are you ncrvou s aboul goi ng to
France?
W: Exci tcd mostly, bul yeah, a bit
nervous too I supposc.
M: You don't speak much Frcnch, do
you?
W: No, but that's 11ot thc problem. I
know enough Lo get by and it'II be
f-t.111 Lrving il out on people in the
shops ancl asking for cli1·cctions a nd
so on. lt's more about nol kn owing
how long it'll Lake me to get a job. It
needs Lo be fairly soon, othenvise I'II
nm out o f moncy.
M: Ah, you'll be al l r igh t. [f you can't
s urvivc, thcn l don'L know who can.
3 You hear a man givin g par-L of" a
speech.
l'd like to say how flatter ed I feeJ
to have been invitecl to open this
magn if"ice11t sports centre. And T'm
particuJarly p roud o[ the fact that you
voted unanimously for my name to be
given to the centre. l f I think back to
a li my sporting successes, the meclals
I've won a 11cl records J've broken,
none of them ever gave me as much
p leasure as this moment toclay. As a
ch ild growing up in this ar ca) ncver
clreamecl I woulcl onc clay be s ta n ding
here ...
4 You hear a woman talking Lo her
fricnd aboul going rock clirnbing.
M = Man
W = Woman
M: Looking forward Lo going rock
climb ing, Sally?
W: Wcll, lo tell you the truth, I
haven't m adc my min d up a boul
it. E veryone tells me it's grea t fu n,
espccially wh cn you realize thal
you're qu ite sare, with a li the ropes
and cverytbing. Bu l wh al if" you gel
stuck a nd can't go on? T hat's wbat
worries me. J can't see T'm going to
enjoy myself, clinging to a rock fo r
survival, waiti ng fo,- someone to
come and pull me off. S till , T won'l
know if l don't try, will I?
worked out in the end. I'm jusl glad
it's ali over now. I don't know how
we'd havc managed Lo survivc i[ he
hadn'Lbccn takcn on at Lhe p owcr
slation.
7 You ove1·hear a man tal king to his
wi[e about a friend .
W = Woman M = Man
W: Dave's been very s uccessful, hasn't
he? He's clone well for himself.
M : Yes, well , it's hard ly surprisi ng, is it?
W: Why do you say Lhat?
M : Well , il was the same thing al school.
Fo1·tunc always smilcd on him - he
seemed to pass exams e ffortlessly
and now he's making money in
the same way. He makes a few
goocl decisions, invests i n the righ l
companics ancl bingo! Suddcnly he's
a millionaire. Still, il couldn't happen
to a nicer guy. No one deserves it
more lhan h im.
8 Listen to this woman talking to her
son on the phone.
Yes, well, we're very plcascd ) ' OU
aclually managed to phone us. Al
least you've s ucceeded in doing
someth ing r ight. You may have
noticed, however, thal il is now lwo
o'clock in the morning .. . Yes, but you
sa icl you would be home by tweJve .
lf you arcn't capable of kccping
prom ises then you s ho ulcln't make
them ... No, we can't come and pick
you u p . You're old enough Lo be a ble
to solvc your own problcms now.
5 You hear a man talking 0 11 the radio.
What l like about il is thal you're
cloing things thal nobody elsc has
done before, discovering things about
yourself as wcll as thc world you livc
in . l'vc been to places I never knew
existed unti l I got thcrc, an d l'vc
travellecl enormo us clistan ccs wilhout
seeing anolher living sou l. Tt's not
whethe,- it's the highest, thc hottcst
or lhe coklest that matlers to me, but
being thc f"irst person to set f"oot there
.. . a nd surviving to tell thc tale.
6 You bear a woman ta lking to a frie nd
about her hus bancl's wor k situation.
O f course, I wasn't happy a bout bim
losing his job. We hacl a few sle epless
ni gh ts, l can tell you, what with th c
m ortgagc lo pay and two hu ngry kids
to feed. Bu t no one was to bla mc for
w ha t happenecl, ancl thankfully, it a li
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