FCE bài tập có đáp án

You will hear part of a radio interview with a man who isthe headmaster of a Gaelic school. For questions 918,complete the sentences.Interviewer: Today Im going to be talking to DonaldRobertson, headmaster of one of the few Gaelic schools inScotland. Thanks for being with us today, Donald. Andmaybe I should start by asking you to explain exactly whatGaelic is.Donald Robertson: Its the very old language that wasspoken in most of Scotland, outside the cities, up to acouple of hundred years ago.Interviewer: And has the language died out completelytoday?Donald Robertson: No, not completely thats why ourefforts are so important But very few people speak or evenunderstand the language today: about 60.000 in the wholeof Scotland.Interviewer: That actually sounds like quite a lot of peopleDonald Robertson: Not for a language. Experts describe alanguage as dead if fewer than 50.000 people speak it. Yousee, you have to have a large number of people using thelanguage in everyday situations, not just linguists or peoplewho learn it as a hobby. And young people those under25 are particularly important. I would like to see a third ofthem speaking and writing the language before we can sayit is in a healthy state.Interviewer: And at your school all the teaching is inGaelic?Donald Robertson: Thats right. It has been discovered thatvery young children learn a language best if they arecompletely exposed to it hearing and speaking thelanguage all day. Of course, its a bit of a shock for them atfirst, but our teachers are trained to cope with thatInterviewer: What do you think motivates parents to sendtheir children to your school? You will hear five young people who are outstanding atsports talking about their lives. For questions 1923, choosefrom the list AF the comment each speaker makes abouthis or her attitude to sport. Use the letters only once. Thereis one extra letter which you do not need to use.•TMy event is the 100 metres sprint. Athletes never last forvery long in this kind of event; you just burn up too quickly.I think you have to see it as a way to get your namefamous, get some good income from sponsors andadvertising, and then put that money into a business ashop or whatever so itll take care of you in ten or fifteenyears time, when you cant compete any more.2Archery isnt a very wellknown sport, but it is an Olympicevent. I actually started by complete accident, when afriend of mine wanted to go to an archery club, and I saidId go along just out of curiosity. But now Im really hooked.Last month I won a regional contest here in Cornwall, and Ihave my eye on the national championships later this year.Winning it would just be amazing, even if I never becomefamous; just the feeling that nobody can beat me isexciting enough.

• •PART • • PART 1 A: Incorrect: If he's a three-time world champion, he can't have lost frequently B: Incorrect: He looks gentle, but he wasn't gentle in the ring C: Incorrect: He must have fought back to be world champion three times D: Correct: 'he was just a hulk who knew how to take a hit' A: Incorrect: After two autobiographies, he has written a novel B: Incorrect: This is the opposite of what the text says C: Correct: 'a brilliant first novel likely to gain a wide readership' D: Incorrect: 'there is far more to it than that' A: Incorrect: The paragraph is about his parents, not about his childhood B: Correct: 'His father was an athletics director his mother a physical education teacher' C: Incorrect: There's reference to his parents' educational background, not his D: Incorrect: If it meant background in athletics, the text would say that he came from this stock A: Incorrect: They weren't afraid They thought he would get hurt B: Incorrect: They insisted on a college education, not training C: Incorrect: They thought he would quit, not that they wanted him to D: Correct: 'I am pretty sure they thought I'd get hurt and quit wrestling' A: Incorrect: He could be in good condition because he has retired, not although he has B: Correct: 'He looks in remarkably good condition for someone who spent 20 years in the ring' C: Incorrect: It doesn't say that that he stopped wrestling five years ago D: Incorrect: He says it's amazing what retirement can do, not that he is amazed A: Incorrect: He used to resent it, which means that now he doesn't B: Incorrect: He doesn't say that wrestlers are not good actors C: Correct: 'I used to really resent the acting label, but it is acting' D: Incorrect: He means that the acting aspect of wrestling sometimes comes close to being real A: Incorrect: This didn't make him quit B: Incorrect: He gave up wrestling partly because of his children's reaction when he got hurt He didn't give up because he was getting hurt C: Correct: 'they stopped enjoying it' D: Incorrect: There's no support for this in the text A: Correct: 'Wrestling is all about characters' B: Incorrect: There's no support for this in the text C: Incorrect: There's no support for this in the text D: Incorrect: There's no reference to this in the text E: Link between 'best-selling video game' in the previous sentence and 'Its success' Also, link between 'Its success lies in the use of special effects' and 'stunning action sequences that rely on fantasy effects' 10 H: Contrastive link between 'film makers have started to realise that they could set films in similar sci-fi future worlds' and 'However, the difficulty for the producers of Hollywood appears to be ' 11 A: Link between 'People who enjoyed the film will probably want to buy the videogame' and 'This clearly creates a new market opportunity for the videogame industry' 12 G: Link between the question 'Why some players feel disappointed by films based on their favourite games?' and the answer 'One reason is technical' 13 C: Link between "your favourite thriller', 'You wouldn't be interested in watching the film if you knew the identity of the murderer' and 'In films you are not supposed to have access to all the information' 14 D: Link between 'Suspense and mystery are essential elements of film-making' in the previous paragraph and 'This is not true for videogames' 15 B: Link between "films and videogames', 'We go to the cinema to let someone else tell us a story' and 'a story and a game' • •PART 16 B: And I just don't think it's a very interesting job 17 C: my mother has always tried to steer me away from taking up the profession 18 D: but then I began to think of the disadvantages 19 A: he always tried to push me into taking up the same profession 20 C: Most of the other actors I've met strike me as very arrogant people; I don't really think I'd get on with them 21 B: my mother wasn't getting paid very well 22 D: I don't really think my dad's job affected my decision at all 23 A: My dad is a free-lance builder, like his father and his grandfather 24 B: there aren't so many jobs available in pure research 25/6 B: My mother did try to motivate me to take an interest in science subjects 25/6 D: trying to get me interested in taking a teaching qualification 27 C: worrying about where the next job's coming from 28 A: I worry that we might have a big fight about this some time in the future 29 C: very few people get to the top of the profession 30 D: He also used to tell me about the satisfaction you can get from teaching Questions 1-15 = marks each Questions 16-30 = mark each The total score is adjusted to give a mark out of 40 FCE Tests Answer key 177 • • PART Question Style: Formal Do not use informal expressions Content: Say you have seen the advertisement and want more information Ask where the school is and where the nearest underground station is Ask how big the classes are and what the facilities are Ask what dates you can register at the school Ask what sort of leisure activities can be arranged and say what you like (going to the cinema, going to museums, etc.) Ask what sort of accommodation is available Ask if the price includes the cost of accommodation Finish by saying you are looking forward to hearing from Mrs Brown • • PART Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Decide who the narrator is and think of one or two other characters The telephone call must have been about something that happened or will happen Decide what single event can change one's life forever Describing this event will be the main part of your story In your story you must also explain the situation before the main event and the way it has or will affect Mark's life Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Explain what you are going to write about Say what your favourite possession is Now describe the possession: how long you've had it, who gave it to you, what it's like, etc Explain why it means so much to you Is it associated with some special event in your life? What kind of memories are connected with it? Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Write a short introduction and describe the film in general terms Say what the film is called, what kind of film it is, who directed it and who acts in it Describe and comment on the plot, characters and special effects Conclude by saying why you think the film is worth seeing Question 5(a) Style: Informal Content: Choose the character that is most interesting He or she does not have to be the main character or the hero in the book Explain what makes this character interesting Describe how he or she interacts with the rest of the characters If this was a film, suggest what sort of actor or actress could play the part best 178 FCE Tests Answer key Question (b) Style: Formal or neutral Do not use informal expressions Content: Start by saying whether you agree or disagree (or partly agree) with the statement If you agree, think of two examples in the book you have read to show that conflicts make you keep on reading If you disagree, give examples of other things that make you keep on reading The two parts of the Writing Paper have equal marks The total score is adjusted to give a mark out of 40 • • PART 1A 2C 3B 4D 5C 6B 7B 8A 9C 10 D 11 D 12 A • • PART 13 it 14 be 15 no / little 16 up 17 which 18 to 19 nothing 20 At 21 what 22 at 23 the / such 24 have • • PART 25 attractions (verb to noun, plural form) 26 height (adjective to noun) 27 construction (verb to noun) 28 exciting (verb to adjective) 29 competition (verb to noun) 30 imaginative (verb to adjective) 31 drawings (verb to noun, plural form) 32 ideal (noun to adjective) 33 surprisingly (verb to adjective to adverb) 34 recognition (verb to noun) • • PART 35 know I the cost of 36 should not I have deleted 37 due to I the bad 38 had better I not be 39 take I advantage of 40 has been I translated 41 can't afford I to buy 42 not phone I unless she gets Questions 1-34 = mark each Questions 35-42 = marks each The total score is adjusted to give a mark out of 40 • • PART 1B A A 4C 5B • • PART two years 10 five years 11 (advertising) agency 12 active 13 education 6B 7C 14 15 16 17 18 8C close links shopping malls exhausting the future June • •PART 19 A 20 E 21 F 22 B 23 C 26 C 27 B 28 B • •PART 24 A 25 C 29 A 30 C Questions 1-30 = mark each The total score is adjusted to give a mark out of 40 • • PART 1 A: Incorrect: She isn't surprised by the fact that she's driving B: Incorrect: It doesn't surprise her that she has been living in London for so long C: Correct: 'For a moment the town mouse I have become is being seen by the country mouse I used to be' D: Incorrect: She would choose to live in the city again 'given a new start' A: Correct: 'the haunting sound of their wing beats gave way to silence' B: Incorrect: 'Haunting' here doesn't suggest frightening C: Incorrect: The sound of the wings beating is not loud D: Incorrect: The swans interrupt her brother, but they don't disturb or worry him A: Incorrect: The writer says that it's not a 'picturesque' part of the coast B: Incorrect: There's no suggestion about this in the text C: Incorrect: There's no support for this in the text D: Correct: 'There are probably few days when he does not pause to recognise its loveliness' A: Incorrect: The lake itself is not evidence of change B: Incorrect: Landowners have created lakes in the past as well C: Correct: 'Formerly, landowners would almost certainly have made such changes for their own benefit, but this time it was done to ' D: Incorrect: The need for preservation is not evidence of change A: Correct: 'second-homers, together with commuters, have come to be accepted as a vital part of the country scene' B: Incorrect: It doesn't answer the question C: Incorrect: The text doesn't say where they are from D: Incorrect: There's no support for this in the text A: Incorrect: The point is that people from workingclass families are going to university B: Incorrect: Moving from the countryside is not an example of social mobility C: Incorrect: Social mobility has to with changes in occupation, not with whether one's job is in the city or not D: Correct: 'the children of today's workers may be moving into the same kind of jobs as the secondhomers and the retired' A: Incorrect: It also depends on your personality and the personality of your neighbours B: Correct: 'perhaps it was always mainly in their minds' C: Incorrect: Much depends on the personality of your neighbours D: Incorrect: There are examples in the text where social life in the country is more exciting than social life in the city ('social life seems dizzying to a Londoner') A: Incorrect: There's no evidence in the text that she had problems adjusting to life in London B: Incorrect: She says 'I enjoy my life' C: Incorrect: There's no reference to the personality of people in her street D: Correct: 'This is very unlike living in a London street' • • PART B: Link between 'CyberGirl has been successfully promoted as an ordinary sixteen-year-old teenage singer' and 'idols must have the same strengths and weaknesses as their fans' 10 H: Link between 'When asked if she is real, CyberGirl replies , adding defiantly that at least she is always there for her fans' and 'This gives virtual pop stars a competitive edge over mass-marketed artists or boy bands who have very little contact with their fans' 11 E: Link between 'her creators deny that she is merely a cheap alternative to a real singer' and 'In fact, CyberGirl has a great many advantages over fleshand-blood acts' 12 A: Link between the question 'Could CyberGirl ever go on tour?' and the answer 'Sure she could' 13 D: Link between 'French male cyberstar' and 'The fans want to know whether he gets hungry' 14 C: Link between the fact that viewers regard the characters of soap operas as real people and send flowers and chocolates to the TV studios when the characters are in hospital and 'The people who that aren't crazy' 15 G: Link between 'this time the teenagers aren't even idolising a real person' and 'It's utterly pathetic, sad and a bit ridiculous' • • PART 16 A: 17 D: 18 B: 19/20 19/20 21 A: 22 D: 23 B: 24 C: 25 C: 26 A: This gained a lot of publicity for the school a website that the school had started a leading expert on wild birds was invited A: and handed over £750 to the World Wildlife Fund D: £1,000 was donated to the Wildlife Rescue Service the school magazine brought out a special edition where pupils expressed their feelings took pupils to the coastal marshes of Easton-on-Sea a report monitoring the progress of species threatened with extinction the effects of changes in climatic patterns how pollution can destroy historic buildings in the region They cycled through the city the benefits of cycling FCE Tests Answer key 179 27 A: a survey into air pollution in the local shopping centre 28 D: to measure the levels of noise in Stanley Road 29 C: to launch a campaign for the restoration of the medieval square 30 D: The pupils at this inner-city comprehensive school • • PART Question Style: Formal Content: Explain you are writing on behalf of Mr and Mrs Stanton Say you want to reserve a room for the dates given Give details about the type of room you want Check that vegetarian food can be served (both lunch and dinner) Ask for a list of tours and check that there are English-speaking guides Ask for information on price and check that breakfast is included in the price Ask the manager to confirm the arrangement in writing •• PART Question Style: Neutral Content: In your introduction state your opinion clearly Say which of the two you think is best In the body of your essay give reasons for your choice and support them with examples Make a list of possible disadvantages of your preferred lifestyle and give examples In your conclusion summarise which lifestyle you prefer and why Question Style: Formal or neutral Content: Think of the typical teenager What are the most popular spare time activities? What are their favourite hobbies? Which are more popular with boys and which with girls? Are teenagers keen on sports? Which are the most popular sports with boys? With girls? How often they go out? What they when they go out? Summarise your ideas Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Write a short introduction and give an overview of the trilogy Describe briefly what the theme is You could also mention who directed the different films and who acts in them Compare the film you saw with the first two films You could compare the plot, acting, soundtracks, costumes, special effects, etc Conclude by giving your opinion of the film and say if it is worth seeing 180 FCE Tests Answer key Question 5(a) Style: Formal or neutral Content: In your introduction explain if the book or story could be performed as a play Briefly describe the main scenes that you would select and comment on whether the characters are interesting enough for a play Summarise your ideas and list the main problems of turning the book or story into a play Question 5(b) Style: Formal or neutral Content: In your introduction express your opinion Then use the body of the essay to explain your reasons, using examples from the book What exactly makes the book or story you have read more appealing to men or women? In your conclusion say why some people might disagree with you • •PART 1B A 3C 12 D 4D 5B 6C 7A 8A 9B 10C • •PART 13 their 14 were 15 the 16 those 17 the/this 19 To 20 as 21 to 22 It 23 more 24 as 11 A 18 what • •PART 25 threatened (noun to verb, past participle) 26 willing (noun to adjective) 27 apparently (adjective to adverb) 28 contents (verb to noun, plural form) 29 possibility (adjective to noun) 30 development (verb to non) 31 unexpected (verb to negative adjective) 32 housing (verb to abstract noun) 33 addition (verb to noun) 34 restrictions (verb to noun, plural form) • •PART 35 not I as expensive as 36 should have told I me 37 came across I the photographs 38 were painted I by 39 are likely I to start 40 asked him I not to stay 41 not feel like I going 42 no tea I left • •PART 1A 2C 3C 4B 5A 6B 7B 8A • •PART old 10 60,000/sixty thousand 11 50,000/fifty thousand 12 writing 13 exposed 14 cultural 15 imaginative 16 optimistic 17 dying out 18 a second • • PART 19 D 20 E 21 F 22 C 23 B • • PART 24 A 25 C 26 A 27 A 28 B 29 C 30 A • • PART 1 B: Correct: This occurred while they were out walking in the Lake District A: Correct: 'It is a living force that feels joy and sadness' C: Correct: 'Wordsworth's home is now one of the most popular destinations in the Lake District' D: Correct: 'Wordsworth himself was far from keen on tourists' C: Correct: 'because you are walking in the footprints of William and Dorothy' C: Correct: 'they aren't tall yellow trumpets they're tiny They're grouped around individual trees rather than collecting together' B: Correct: 'What you're seeing at last is nature transformed by human sight and imagination.' A: Correct: There are several suggestions in the text: 'a poem that expresses a basic spirit of the early English Romanticism', 'it's the way he chooses to describe scene as if it had human emotions', 'the central mystery of English Romanticism', etc • • PART F: Link between 'The population profile has changed' 'life expectancy has increased' 10 C: Link between 'Mental activity can contribute to better health' and 'a very effective way of excercising the brain' 11 E: Link between how older people used to feel (in previous sentence) and 'This is how ' 12 G: Link between 'sophisticated strategy and simulation games' and 'are among the most popular of these' 13 D: Contrastive link between 'grey gamers simply don't have the skills' and 'This couldn't be further from the truth' 14 B: Contrastive link between 'they may have slower reaction times' and 'On the other hand, grey gamers have a preference for slower paced, mind challenging games' 15 A: Link between 'a vast potential market exists out there' and 'targeting them would be comparatively more profitable for the business' • • PART 16 D: It took me hours of hard work and a lot of money to convert the old storage room into a study 17 C: The walls are covered with all sorts of portraits, posters and landscapes 18 B: I like to retreat to my room and paint I'm not really an artist, just an amateur 19 D: I remember my grandfather spending endless hours in his library 20 A: I like to keep it clean and uncluttered, with just the basic kitchen table and chairs 21 D: The custom-made bookshelves cost a fortune, but I didn't mind at all 22 B: the light blue colour of the walls 23 A: We have bare floorboards 24 C: we're still surrounded by miles of open fields 25 B: I can see right across the valley to the Welsh mountains in the far distance 26 A: Benny, our Irish setter who has his bed in the back corner of the room 27 B: I have blinds at the windows 28 B: I could never wake up in a room that's gloomy Cloudy mornings make me feel miserable 29 C: I was worried that our living room might be too big to be cosy 30 A: taking the guitar down from the hook above the table • • PART Question Style: Formal Content: In your introduction state clearly that you're writing to complain Provide background information about the date and destination of your trip Complain about the coach being old and dirty, and about it leaving 30 minutes late Complain about the driver being rude and unhelpful Say that he refused to help you with your luggage Explain that you were not given a 25% discount, as stated in the advertisement, because the online booking had to be made at least a month in advance, which is not stated in the advert In your conclusion ask for a full refund or a free return ticket • • PART Question Style: Formal or neutral Content: Describe your favourite sport Say if it is a team sport or individual sport Say if the sport is popular in your country Give reasons why you like it Is it exciting to watch? Describe the clothes and equipment required Say if these are expensive and if they affect the popularity of the sport Describe the kind of people who take up the sport Say what qualities are required and how fit you have to be to take it up Question Style: Informal Content: Begin your letter by saying how you are and asking your aunt and uncle how they are Think of three things that have changed in your neighbourhood Is the traffic the same? Is the area more densely populated? What about pollution? How has life changed as a result? FCE Tests Answer key 181 Say how you feel about these changes Are you concerned about the future of the area? Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Write a short introduction Give the title of the play, which book it was based on, who put it on, and where In one or two paragraphs, comment on the various aspects Was the play well written? Was it well acted? What were the sets and costumes like? You could also compare the play with the book and give your opinion on how successful the adaptation was Conclude by describing how the audience reacted to the play, why they liked it, and give your own opinion Question 5(a) Style: Formal or neutral Content: Explain what you feel is the message that the writer wants to convey Think of two or three sections or scenes that best illustrate the main theme of the book Describe them in detail and explain why and how these connect to the central theme of the book Question 5(b) Style: Formal or neutral Content: In your introduction explain how much you agree or disagree with the statement Choose at least two main characters to support your opinion, showing either that they are complex or that they are simple Give examples of actions that the characters perform which support your opinion In your conclusion say briefly why someone would disagree with the statement and summarise your opinion • • PART 1C 2C 3D 4A 5B 6A 7C 8A 9A 10 D 11 C 12 B • • PART 13 to 14 both 15 in 16 the 17 a 21 Our 22 were 23 on 24 in 18 for 19 up 20 who • • PART 25 happily (adjective to adverb) 26 expensive (noun to adjective) 27 wealthy (noun to adjective) 28 savings (verb to noun, plural form) 29 departure (verb to noun) 30 luxurious (noun to adjective) 31 disappointment (verb to noun) 32 boredom (verb to noun) 33 freedom (adjective to noun) 34 disastrous (noun to adjective) • • PART 35 apologised for I being late 36 reminds me I of 37 can afford I the fare 182 FCE Tests Answer key 38 39 40 41 42 to have I our kitchen redecorated you mind I speaking has been deaf I since are advised I to buy wish I I had seen • • PART 1A B C 4B 5A 6C 7B 8A • • PART senior 10 south 11 science 12 library 13 second floor 14 hall 15 press 16 the mayor 17 7/seven 18 art centre • • PART 19 B 20 E 21 D 22 A 23 C • • PART 24 C 25 A 26 B 27 A 28 B 29 B 30 C • • PART 1 C: Correct: 'We love them we cannot escape We use them yet we worry We rely on them yet many of us don't believe ' B: Correct: 'the long-term effects will be entirely positive so long as the public can be convinced to make use of them' A: Correct: 'backbone of modern social life' C: Correct: 'mobiles are seen as being beyond the control of parents' A: Correct: 'supporting existing friendships and networks' B: Correct: 'public transport and traffic information' A: Correct: 'a route is automatically downloaded' D: Correct: 'Among the most important benefits', 'There are many other possibilities', 'Mobile phones can be used in education' • • PART C: Link between 'Dogs often give the impression that they know exactly what their owners want, without being told' and 'This sensitivity' 10 F: Link between 'can go wild' and 'Such cases' in the next sentence 11 B: These' refers to 'important occupations' in the previous sentence 12 H: It answers the question in the previous sentence ('do some people go too far?') 13 E: Susan Brown is an example of a pet owner who has become very selective about her pet's diet 14 D: Link between' 'start counting calories' and 'Restrictions on how much they eat' 15 G: 'Examples of these' refer to 'uncharacteristic ways' in the previous sentence Think of what has happened before they burst out laughing Give some background information before you describe the main event of the story Describe Helen and Steve's feelings and reactions to the main event of the story and say how it affected their lives • • PART 16 C: I didn't pass the test until my fourth attempt 17 A: I thought because I knew how a car works it would make a difference That was a big mistake! 18 D: she used to tell me how awful it was, which put me off a lot 19 C: My childhood ambition was to be the first woman Formula One world champion! 20 B: I was shaking and my knees were trembling 21 D: my parents said that the driving lessons would be a present for my birthday 22 D: I've got a part-time job delivering books and I have to use their delivery van 23 C: my aunt, who has a farm, let me go into a field and drive around 24 B: I almost had an accident! 25 C: the other part of the test wasn't nearly as hard 26 A: I haven't had the chance to drive a car ever since I got my licence 27/8 B: I know what my parents are getting me for my birthday 27/8 C: I'm confident I'll have enough to buy a decent second-hand car 29 A: I'd been riding a motorbike for six months 30 D: I just booked ten lessons at first, but in the end I needed over three times that many! • • PART Question Style: Formal Content: Say you have seen the advertisement and want more information Ask when the flat is available and say when you need it Ask whether the flat is furnished Ask what the address is and whether the flat is noisy Ask how much the rent is Finish by saying you are looking forward to hearing from Mr Hopkins • •PART Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: State the aim of the report Describe the young people in your area: what are their likes and dislikes Explain what they normally eat and drink Say what their favourite eating places are Say what kind of food would be healthier Suggest how they could be encouraged to try eating healthier food Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Decide who Helen and Steve are Are they friends, colleagues or brother and sister? How old are they? Are they studying or working? Decide if your story will begin or end with the prompt sentence Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: In the introduction give the title of the film and mention briefly the historical event it is based on You could give some basic information such as who directed it and who acted in it Describe the event as it happened in history and compare it with the film You could combine this with a description of the real-life people who took part in the event and the way they were portrayed in the film Comment on the costumes and perhaps also on the film sets, soundtrack and any other features of the film which were important Conclude by saying whether you think the film was historically accurate, and whether you think people should see it Question 5(a) Style: Formal or neutral Content: Think of a main event that affects the plot and development of characters Give some background information Say what happens before the main event Then describe the event Explain briefly which characters are involved in it and what their involvement is Now explain why this event is important for the development of the story and how it affects the characters Question 5(b) Style: Formal or neutral Content: Start by saying whether you agree or disagree with the statement Don't forget that you can 'half agree' with the statement; for instance, you could say the characters need only be slightly exaggerated to be interesting Then find examples from the book that support your opinion • • PART 1B B D 12 A 4A 5B 6A 7C 8C 9A 10 A 11 D • • PART 13 on 14 about 15 they 16 for 17 has 18 not 19 their 20 to 21 as 22 on 23 how 24 why • • PART 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 popularity (adjective to noun) breath (verb to noun) immediately (adjective to adverb) carefully (noun to adjective to adverb) fitness (adjective to noun) pressure (verb to noun) emotional (noun to adjective) ability (adjective to noun) FCE Tests Answer key 183 33 competitors (verb to noun, plural form) 34 encourage (noun to verb) • •PART 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 will be made I to train provided (that) I I kept I had told I you succeeded in I getting afford I such an hardly ever I goes out in spite of I feeling is unlikely I to come 12 H: Link between 'one of the biggest problems', 'The challenge is to create a piece of machinery which will be delicate enough but at the same time strong enough to ' 13 D: Link between 'every new invention has been regarded with some suspicion at first' and 'The real question is whether enough people will overcome their doubts' 14 F: Link between "the small shopkeeper in inner-city areas' and 'Many shops like these' 15 G: Link between 'considerable advantages' and 'Machines not take lunch breaks Isn't this the sort of efficiency people want from a shop these days?' • • PART • • PART I B 2B 3A 4C 5C 6C 7A 8B •• PART 18/eighteen years 10 afford 11 soccer 12 made redundant 13 encouragement 14 (lots of) money 15 financial help 16 success 17 reasonable 18 blue • •PART 19 E 20 C 21 A 22 F 23 B • • PART 24 C 25 B 26 C 27 A 28 C 29 B 30 A • •PART 1 C: Correct: 'This' refers to the comment he made about the referee ('Just what you would expect from a woman') A: Correct: 'the manager was forced to resign after criticising the country's first woman referee' C: Correct: She says that he can think what he wants, and she is confident that he is in the minority A: Correct: It refers to developing 'a thick skin' B: Correct: 'Fans have not updated their vocabulary to take account of female officials' D: Correct: 'it helps increase women's interest in football generally' A: Correct: 'cultural rather than legal barriers' B: Correct: 'They are scared you will give them a card more readily.' • • PART B: Link between 'the two large display windows' and 'The display on the right' 10 A: Link between the description of the two windows in the previous paragraph and 'A central console between the windows' 11 E: Link between 'the total you have to pay', 'For security reasons, you have to this' and 'you can only collect the goods after you've paid' 184 FCE Tests Answer key 16 D: unique opportunity to raise some cash for the Red Cross 17 C: One thing that annoyed me was the attitude of people watching 18 A: but in the end it seems to be worth it 19 B: asked me to join her a few mornings a week 20 B: I didn't even get to the end of the course 21 A: when I started to feel a bit of fatigue kicking in and hit the wall 22 D: four of us from the office 23 C: physically I don't think I have a great deal of talent or ability 24 D: so I joined the [jogging] club 25 B: I've entered for the Berlin Marathon 26/7 A: Running long distance is a bit like life too 26/7 C: Long distance running is a good discipline for life itself 28 D: drag myself out of bed on cold winter mornings in the pouring rain 29 B: we watched the news he could see my face 30 A: I can reach the open countryside in just a couple of minutes on foot from my front door step • • PART Question Style: Content: Neutral or semi-formal Thank her for her letter and say you like the idea of a visit Ask for some information about her group Ask exactly when they plan to visit and if it would be possible to have a discussion about British folk music after the concert Suggest having dinner after the programme Tell her that you would be happy to find accommodation for the members of the group You could suggest a hotel or bread and breakfast accommodation You could even offer to put people up at the homes of your society members Give information about your own society: how many members there are, how old they are, what kind of music they are interested in, etc Finish by saying that you are looking forward to hearing from her soon • •PART • • PART Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Explain whether there is much difference between growing up in a small family and growing up in a large family Sum up the advantages and disadvantages of a small family Give examples Sum up the advantages and disadvantages of a large family Give examples Suggest which one might be better and why 13 a 14 to 15 for 16 in 17 her 18 is 21 at 22 yourself 23 more/of 24 for Question Style: Informal Content: Describe the place where you now live Sum up the differences between life in this small village and your previous life in a city Explain what you enjoy and don't enjoy about the present situation Illustrate your points with examples Say how you feel about the future, and how you think you will adapt to this new situation Have you regretted moving? If you had the chance, would you go back to the city? Question Style: Neutral or informal Content: You could begin by saying whether the film you are going to write about is the best or worst film you have seen this year Give some basic information about the film, such as who directed it and who acted in it Briefly say what the film was about Discuss what exactly it was about the film that made it so good/bad Perhaps compare it to other good/bad films you have seen Comment on the film script, the acting, and any other features that were important Finish by recommending it or warning people not to see it Question 5(a) Style: Informal Content: Start by recommending this book to your friend Say what the book is about and what you liked most about it Give reasons why you think your friend would enjoy reading it during his or her holiday You may also mention aspects of the book that you think your friend may not particularly like Question 5(b) Style: Formal or neutral Content: Give your opinion about the ending in the book or short story Give reasons why you like or dislike it Suggest an alternative ending Explain how this ending compares to the one in the book or short story Is it more optimistic? Is it more dramatic? • • PART 25 construction (verb to noun) 26 arrival (verb to noun) 27 beginning (verb to noun) 28 global (noun to adjective) 29 difficulties (adjective to noun, plural form) 30 sharply (adjective to adverb) 31 hunger (adjective to noun) 32 buildings (verb to noun, plural form) 33 impossible (adjective to negative adjective) 34 observation (verb to noun) • • PART 35 never allows us I to 36 did not get home I until 37 so that I he would 38 isn't any/is no tea I left 39 advised me/us I not to go 40 a full description I of 41 should not have I left 42 only guest who I didn't • • PART 1A 1D 2B A D 5C 12 A A D C 10 B 11 B 3A 4B 5B 6C 7C 8B • •PART 19 D 20 E 21 B 22 A 23 C • • PART 24 A 25 C 26 C 27 B 28 A 29 C 30 C • • PART 1 6B 2B • • PART July 10 12/twelve 11 train station 12 underground car park 13 nurseries 14 fairground 15 7/seven 16 Classic 17 flowers 18 the ecology • • PART 19 the 20 has B: Correct: 'yes, really, a menu of pillows' C: Correct:'The Wensley hotels are all about the little extras - and clearly there are enough people willing to pay for them' A: Correct: 'will ensure the chain's continued success' D: Correct: 'people still want luxury, particularly as they are now getting it from fewer and fewer places' C: Correct: 'It's still about motivating people and encouraging people so the guests have the best possible treatment' B: Correct: 'I would love to be in Edinburgh but I don't know that the market is robust enough' Answer key 185 D: Correct: The chain is also launching boutique hotels the first opens later this year in Naples' C: Correct: 'Mr Watson is a busy man - and likes it that way' • • PART E: Link between the question (What is this learning disability ?) and 'dyscalculics cannot recognise count them one by one' 10 A: Link between 'huge problems' and 'Another problem' 11 G: Link between 'concept of time' and 'difficulty in reading schedules and remembering the order in which things happened' 12 B: Link between 'end up miles away from their intended destination' and 'On top of getting lost' 13 F: Link between 'how much money they have got left' and 'Dealing with cash fear' 14 D: Link between 'cannot coordinate the movements of their body' and 'impossible to recall the complicated step sequence of a dance' 15 C: Contrastive link between the problems listed in the previous paragraphs and 'On the other hand, dyscalculics are very good at creative arts' • • PART 16 D: the book took me half a year to write 17 C: I was pretty offended at the time 18 D: the artistic work on the cover, which I really hated at first 19 A: I had no access to a word processor 20 B: I forgot about the book for about ten years 21 A: I vowed I'd never write a biography again 22 A: My first published work was a biography of the Duke of Wellington 23 D: It was a work of history, a study of the Industrial Revolution 24 C: You might have seen the film that was based on my first novel 25 B: I would write ten pages every morning 26 C: he wasn't interesting enough 27 D: I had to be strict about how long I would work for 28 C: in the short stories I'd had published before 29 B: running the risk of including inaccuracies 30 A: I was awarded the General Haig Memorial Prize for the book • • PART Question Style: Informal Content: Explain that you are going to the holiday camp you went to last year Invite your friend to come with you Describe the place and say why it is fun for the entire family Describe the sports facilities and give examples of the activities available Say when you would like to go and suggest by when you have to book Finish by saying you hope your friend will agree to come 186 FCE Tests Answer key • • PART Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Begin by saying that a pet can change your life Give reasons why you think so Describe the experience of having a pet Give one or more examples of someone whose life changed after he or she got a pet Suggest how having a pet can influence different people in different ways Question Style: Neutral Content: Describe the job you did and the place where you worked Give reasons why this was a positive/negative experience for you Explain what you enjoyed and why Explain what you didn't enjoy and why Suggest why this (or similar summer job) might be a good experience for teenagers Question Style: Neutral or semi-formal Content: Begin by giving some basic information about the play: who directed it, who acted in it, where it is on Give a brief outline of the story Comment on the acting, the sets and costumes Discuss the reviews the play has received focusing on what the negative ones said about the play and why Say why you think the negative criticisms were unfair and give your own opinion of the play Conclude by saying whether you think the play is worth seeing Question 5(a) Style: Formal or neutral Content: Start by saying whether you agree, party agree or disagree with the statement For example, the message might help people, but not in everyday life Then find examples from the book of themes or messages that support your opinion Question (b) Style: Formal or neutral Content: State the aim of the report and say whether you think the book would be suitable for this particular age group Explain the reasons why it would be appropriate or inappropriate and give specific examples from the book Think of events that would (or would not) be understandable to 14-year-old children Finally, decide if the subject of the book could be used for discussion in class • PART 1B 2B 3A 4B 5A 6D 7C 8B 9A 10 B 11 D 12 C My mother's been doing this fruit diet, you know where you're supposed to eat only fruit for ten days as a way of losing weight What she doesn't seem to understand is that if she eventually manages to lose a few pounds, it'll be because she's eating less, rather than because of eating nothing but fruit • •PART You will hear part of a radio interview with a man who is the headmaster of a Gaelic school For questions 9-18, complete the sentences Interviewer: Today I'm going to be talking to Donald Robertson, headmaster of one of the few Gaelic schools in Scotland Thanks for being with us today, Donald And maybe I should start by asking you to explain exactly what Gaelic is Donald Robertson: It's the very old language that was spoken in most of Scotland, outside the cities, up to a couple of hundred years ago Interviewer: And has the language died out completely today? Donald Robertson: No, not completely - that's why our efforts are so important! But very few people speak or even understand the language today: about 60.000 in the whole of Scotland Interviewer: That actually sounds like quite a lot of people! Donald Robertson: Not for a language Experts describe a language as dead if fewer than 50.000 people speak it You see, you have to have a large number of people using the language in everyday situations, not just linguists or people who learn it as a hobby And young people - those under 25 - are particularly important I would like to see a third of them speaking and writing the language before we can say it is in a healthy state Interviewer: And at your school all the teaching is in Gaelic? Donald Robertson: That's right It has been discovered that very young children learn a language best if they are completely exposed to it - hearing and speaking the language all day Of course, it's a bit of a shock for them at first, but our teachers are trained to cope with that! Interviewer: What you think motivates parents to send their children to your school? Donald Robertson: In some cases they want their children to know about the history of the country - cultural reasons like that But quite a lot of parents believe that it's good for a child to grow up speaking two languages perfectly In fact, these children grow up to be bilingual Interviewer: What are the advantages of speaking both Gaelic and English? Donald Robertson: There are many advantages about being bilingual It's been scientifically proven that bilingual children better at tests, they have higher self-esteem and they're more imaginative and tolerant In this case, an added advantage is that children of Scottish origin are 194 FCE Tests Tapescripts rediscovering Scotland's mother tongue Interviewer: Do you feel optimistic about the future of Gaelic? Donald Robertson: Extremely The important thing is to have government support and enough money available In fact, when it comes to situations like this, there's an example which is encouraging, and it's quite close to home The Welsh language was in real danger of dying out but with a lot of effort it's been possible to save it Interviewer: Does that mean most people in Wales now speak Welsh? Donald Robertson: Virtually; 80% of children learn it as a second language • •PART You will hear five young people who are outstanding at sports talking about their lives For questions 19-23, choose from the list A-F the comment each speaker makes about his or her attitude to sport Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use •T My event is the 100 metres sprint Athletes never last for very long in this kind of event; you just burn up too quickly I think you have to see it as a way to get your name famous, get some good income from sponsors and advertising, and then put that money into a business - a shop or whatever - so it'll take care of you in ten or fifteen years' time, when you can't compete any more Archery isn't a very well-known sport, but it is an Olympic event I actually started by complete accident, when a friend of mine wanted to go to an archery club, and I said I'd go along just out of curiosity But now I'm really hooked Last month I won a regional contest here in Cornwall, and I have my eye on the national championships later this year Winning it would just be amazing, even if I never become famous; just the feeling that nobody can beat me is exciting enough Like most athletes, I started at school We had a really good gym teacher who encouraged everyone to try all the track and field events to find which we were good at Well, it turned out that I was good at the high jump, and now I'm going to compete in my first international event in the summer To be honest, I haven't thought beyond that; it's always been my biggest dream to compete at international level for Australia I know I'm going to be terribly nervous, but it's definitely worth it Ever since I was about ten years old, I knew I wanted to be a professional footballer I suppose it was partly because both my elder brothers were really good at school, and I wasn't So I wanted my mum and dad to see I was good at something, at least Of course, as I got older that part of it became less important, and I found myself loving the game itself Show-jumping is as much a social activity as a sport, you know, and in this part of the country lots of people have horses In fact, most of my friends are interested in things like show-jumping or pony clubs We meet almost every weekend, except in the middle of winter That's how I started, although there's an awful lot of hard work involved if you get more serious about competing at higher levels But it's still loads of fun! • • PART You will hear a radio interview with a mountain climber For questions 24-30 choose the best answer, A, B or C Interviewer: This is Bob Green with another edition of 'Wild Ones', the programme about extreme sports My guest on today's programme is Ann Hall, a mountain climber Ann, thanks for being with us today Now, I'd like to start by asking you how you became interested in such a dangerous sport Ann Hall: Well, first I'd like to point out that climbing isn't a dangerous sport, as long as you take it seriously and don't get too excited Almost all the people who have accidents are badly prepared, you see, and this gives the sport a bad name, which isn't really fair Interviewer: Is the excitement part of the reason why you are so keen on climbing? Ann Hall: Only a small part of the reason, if I try to analyse it The sense of achievement is more important, I suppose But the main thing is the sensation of being so close to nature, though perhaps that's not the right way to put it Interviewer: I suppose you get a view of mountains that nobody else really sees? Ann Hall: Yes, that's very true But at the same time, if someone dropped me on the top of a mountain with a helicopter, it wouldn't be the same Less tiring, maybe, but not the same! It's knowing that you've covered the distance to the top yourself, fighting every inch of the way That's what makes you feel so pleased with yourself when you get to the summit Interviewer: Have you always been keen on climbing? Ann Hall: Ever since I was about twelve, when my parents took me on a holiday to the Lake District, and we went walking almost every day Suddenly, it hit me that I was completely myself when I was in the hills and mountains and I knew for certain that's what I wanted to I think perhaps everyone has a moment like that in childhood, though whether you can anything about it later in life is a different matter Interviewer: How did your parents feel when it became clear that you were hooked on the sport? Ann Hall: Oh! Very anxious that I should get the proper training and experience, but they've never tried to put me off They were able to support me financially, which was useful I'm not sure that is exactly what they would have chosen for my occupation in life, but they've never said anything Interviewer: I'd like to ask you about your last climb, in Peru It was quite an adventure, wasn't it? Ann Hall: Definitely You see, there's a mountain there called Siula Grande, and nobody had ever climbed the west face So there I was, with an old friend called Karen Gold We'd done lots of climbs before, so I suppose we felt fairly sure of ourselves Which, as any experienced climber will tell you, is naturally when it can get dangerous: you make mistakes when you feel confident that you can it Interviewer: And what exactly happened to you? Ann Hall: We got lost in a storm and had to spend fourteen hours longer than we had planned on the mountain Actually, we were fortunate: it could have been a great deal worse We were told later that storms in that region can last for as much as a week at this time of the year But while we were huddled together in sub-zero temperatures, wondering if anyone would ever find us that's not how it felt! Interviewer: Well, I'm sure we're all delighted that your adventure turned out happily in the end Thanks for joining us, and carry on climbing! Ann Hall: Thank you - I will! • • PART You will hear people talking in eight different situations For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C I always think it's nice to have some early-flowering seeds planted as soon as winter's properly over, maybe March or even April if there's a chance of late frost, so they come up in June, and you have a lovely splash of colour in the flower beds You may find they're a little later, depending on whether we get a good long warm spell A: George! It's so lovely to see you again! It must be ages since we last met B: Oh, I suppose it is But weren't you at Michael's twentyfirst party last August? A: No, I wasn't I got the flu at the last minute I think the last time I saw you was three years ago at Christmas, when we all had dinner together in that Indian restaurant B: No, surely we've met since then Wait a minute it was at Peter's place When he and Jenny got married A: Yes, of course it was! Wasn't it a fantastic reception? I suppose the books I like best are somehow romantic, whether it's the lonely individual against the world - like my absolute favourite The Big Sleep, where Phillip Marlowe finds the killers in the end and brings them to justice - or a more traditional kind of romance, in the fairytale world of happy endings and everlasting love A: I haven't played for such a long time I'm sure you'll beat me easily B: We can just practise for a while first, if you'd prefer FCE Tests Tapescripts 195 A: Yes, that'd be best Of course, my racquet is very old, so that's a bit of a disadvantage, too And I'm not as fit as I should be for a really good game of tennis B: Oh, stop making excuses! The way I remember, your volley was excellent I bet you'll beat me in the end Certainly, sir, the shirts are just over here Now, we have a very wide selection of formal garments, and casual items with short sleeves, designed to be worn with the collar open Our non-iron range is very popular This particular one is a cotton and polyester mix, hard-wearing and also very stylish As the day proceeds, we'll see storm clouds building up here on the west coast, moving gradually across the country and bringing temperatures down to well below the seasonal average Scattered showers over on the west coast will die down during late afternoon The east coast can expect to get the worst of the bad weather, with very heavy storms hitting during the late evening and in the early part of the night, though the south coast won't escape this entirely; we're forecasting gale-force winds in some areas I'm pretty good at Maths, I suppose I was third in the test we had last week, and I just find it I don't know pretty easy really I just sort of look at an equation in Algebra, and I can see what it means So obviously, the lessons are really boring, because everyone else in the class is trying hard to understand This isn't much fun for me Not like Art, which is what I really enjoy most Now, Mr Birch, the good news is that I have been able to arrange a flight for you, getting you to Houston by Wednesday morning for the price you wanted to pay, but the bad news is that it does involve a few stopovers You see, the cheapest airline at this time of year is KLM, meaning you first fly to Amsterdam, arriving late Tuesday morning, and then take the transatlantic flight to JFK Airport in New York, where you have to wait for about three hours for your connecting flight to your final destination, an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles Headmaster: No, that's his real name And I remember the other boys used to make fun of it Anyway, about that schedule Secretary: Well, we've arranged for you to meet the staff and address them - before the day really begins - at half past eight in the senior common room Headmaster: Yes, fine I don't have much time though, I? Secretary: Not really Zac Challenger and his entourage are supposed to arrive at nine thirty His limousine will pull up outside the south entrance, and of course you want to be there, along with the senior staff and the Chairman of the Board of Governors Headmaster: Of course Then it's straight into the guided tour, isn't it? The science block first, if I'm not very much mistaken? Secretary: Absolutely right We're scheduled to start the tour at half past ten, and at the close of the tour we'll have the official opening of the new library, which is estimated to take about twenty minutes This leaves us time to get back for lunch at half past twelve Headmaster: In the common room on the ground floor or the second floor canteen? Secretary: We decided finally on the canteen A buffet lunch, light and - we hope - fairly quick! Because at half past one we'll be in the school hall for Challenger to meet representatives of the Parents Association We'll have to keep that fairly brief, because at two o'clock he's meeting the press in the staff room Headmaster: Do we have journalists from national as well as local papers coming along? Secretary: Oh yes, it's quite a big story - local boy made it to the top and returns to his roots, that sort of thing Anyway, that should take less than an hour, and then we all assemble again in the hall for the speeches We'll be expecting a few words from Challenger himself, of course, but first of all, we're got the mayor's opening address, and then we've put you down for ten minutes to introduce our guest Headmaster: Fine Is there a tea break after the speeches? Secretary: I'm afraid not Don't forget the performance by the school choir! They've been rehearsing for weeks, and Ms Sanderson would be most insulted if you sent everyone off for tea before the seven songs she's arranged specially for the event! Headmaster: Gosh, you're right! I mustn't forget that But afterwards we can have tea, can't we? • •PART You will hear part of a conversation between the headmaster of a school and his secretary about the school Open Day For questions 9-18, complete the sentences Headmaster: Ms Barclay, could we just run through the arrangements again? I really want to make sure everything's clear After all, it's not every day that we have such a famous old boy from the school attending our Open Day! Who would have thought Zac Challenger would end up as a Hollywood film star! Secretary: Is Zac Challenger his real name? I always assumed he was called something like Tom Blenkinsop and changed it when he became an actor 196 FCE Tests Tapescripts Secretary: You certainly can Four thirty in the art centre, where there's an exhibition of modern art by the senior art class • •PART You will hear five different people talking about their favourite films For questions 19-23, choose from the list A-F the reason each speaker gives for his or her preference Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use I think my favourite film must be Some Like it Hot It's a crazy story about two men - musicians - who pretend to be women to get away from some gangsters and join a women's orchestra The plot may sound silly, but the film is just hilarious I've seen it four or five times and every time I see it I just can't stop laughing I think the director's wonderful His name's Billy Wilder and he's made some great films The film I like best is called Kes, and it's a story about a young boy who makes friends with a kestrel, a bird, which becomes his pet The film's really about how children can feel lonely in some families, I suppose It's a very intense film, and the performances are simply brilliant I mean, the two main parts are played by relatively unknown actors, but they are just fantastic! Maybe that's what makes the film so powerful My favourite film? I would say Solaris, by the Russian director, Tarkovsky It was never a blockbuster or a great financial success, but it's so absolutely gripping, a fascinating psychological study I don't normally like science fiction films, but in this case the effects are not used just to impress the audience; there's a reason for them In a way, Tarkovsky uses a futuristic setting so that we can concentrate on the story he is telling Oh, well, my favourite at the moment is called Donald, and it's about a young man who witnesses a bank robbery Well, the robbers kidnap him and hold him hostage in this big old castle in Scotland But the police are on their trail, so it turns into a race against time I was on the edge of my seat all through the film! The tension was incredible! And of course when a film's that exciting, time just flies Actually, the film I like best is set in England a couple of hundred years ago It's called Barry Lyndon, and it's the story of a man's life in those times The photography is great, so it's what we call easy on the eye: it's lovely to watch I suppose it really captures the way people feel and talk at any time through the history of mankind! This is what makes it absolutely realistic I mean, you get the feeling the film is sort of universal in that sense • • PART You will hear part of a radio interview with a woman called Alice who has a rare ability For questions 24-30 choose the best answer, A, B or C Interviewer: My guest today is Alice Barker, who has a very unusual ability Alice, thank you for coming into the studio What kind of unusual ability are we talking about here? Alice Barker: Well, it's quite easy to describe Basically, when I read a word or even think of a particular word, such as Tuesday I see a colour connected with it It's not that I imagine a colour - I really see it floating in front of my eyes Interviewer: How interesting! Is it a sort of medical condition? Alice Barker: Yes, and just recently doctors have begun to understand it more They call it synaesthesia, and it means that somewhere in my brain there are links between sections that should really be separate Other people have a form of this condition that affects emotions, so they see colours when they feel particular emotions Apparently, it's generally passed on from parents to their children, which is the case with me Interviewer: And you have brothers or sisters with the same ability? Alice Barker: Yes, my brother is the same as me If we start talking about it, people think we're completely mad! When we were younger, we used to have arguments about things like what colour the word Tuesday is It turns out that everyone with this condition sees different colours Interviewer: It sounds as though it could make life quite exhausting Alice Barker: I suppose it does, but you see, if you've never known anything different, you don't think of it like that It does make you aware of your moods I know if I'm starting to feel depressed because things begin to look grey Interviewer: Are there any other advantages, you find? Alice Barker: Well, it seems that quite a lot of artists and musicians have this condition, so I guess it can be beneficial if it's combined with some sort of gift or natural talent Which is not the case with me, unfortunately! But I find it makes reading very interesting, because sometimes a sentence has a very nice range of colours, so you want to read it again just to experience that Of course, this makes me quite a slow reader Interviewer: When you're listening to someone, you also see colours connected to that person's words? Alice Barker: Yes, and that can be pretty distracting! Sometimes I hardly listen to what the other person is saying, because I'm concentrating on the colours I can see But on the whole, having this condition is not at all unpleasant At least, now I understand it Interviewer: You mean you used to think it could be dangerous? Alice Barker: When I was a child, yes, but that was because doctors used to think it was a sign of approaching mental illness, so the first doctor I saw, when I was about ten, told my parents I would probably grow up to be insane! At the time there was no name for what we experienced Now research has shown that synaesthesia is not that uncommon and it may affect one in 25,000 people It's interesting that for some people smells, tastes or even sounds can have colours! • •PART You will hear people talking in eight different situations For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C Tapescripts 197 Well, I bought this player a few months ago, and it seems to have developed a fault When I'm playing a CD suddenly, for no reason, it just stops And before I can anything about it, it goes on to the next song I've tried pressing the eject button, but that doesn't seem to help; when I start it up again, it goes back to the first track it was playing I find it very frustrating A: I'm afraid this isn't what we ordered You must have got it mixed up with another table We wanted a mineral water, a grapefruit juice for the children, and a white coffee, no sugar for me! B: I'm very sorry I'll be back with your order in a minute A: Don't worry about the mineral water and the juice - the kids are quite happy with what they've got But I really would like my coffee! It was awful! First of all, there was some delay on the line from London, so we were late starting, and I was afraid I wouldn't get to Leeds in time Well, I did miss the connection, but luckily, there was a train to Manchester, so I took that And then there was a bus for the last part of the journey I was really exhausted when I finally got there! Don't miss the sensational GFI furniture sale this Monday! Incredible reductions on all items in stock Armchairs at an amazing half price! Sofas with up to 40 percent reductions and double beds with 35 percent reductions! Hurry while stocks last! GFI furniture sale starts Monday at eight o'clock sharp! Don't be late for these amazing bargains! A: Would you please have a look at my car? Do you think you can repair it by the end of the day today? B: It depends what's wrong with it, doesn't it? What seems to be the trouble? A: It starts okay, but then the motor just cuts out every time I stop, like at traffic lights I mean, when I put the brakes on, it slows down okay, but then I have to start the engine again when I want to drive off B: Let's have a look at i t I've been in this business for almost twenty years now, and I have to say it's still very exciting for me I don't regret for a moment working freelance, although in the beginning I was afraid I might get bored working from home Of course, things are totally different now I've got a lovely little office in the attic, with a new computer and my favourite software I wouldn't even dream of going back to working in a multinational company Good morning, this is Radio Kent with the latest traffic news for the M2 heading into London Traffic is pretty heavy, especially between junctions 17 and 18, due to roadworks on the A229 which is causing a bottleneck here Last week road widening was causing long delays between junctions 13 and 14, though I'm glad to say it has now been 198 FCE Tests Tapescripts completed, and we're getting reports of a steady flow right up to junction 11 And this is where you should expect the longest delays Delays up to two hours are expected between junctions 10 and 11 lasting right through until evening Good morning, this is John MacPherson It's about my morning newspaper I've been getting my Telegraph delivered from your shop for the last 25 years, and I really think that entitles me to a bit of service! I came downstairs first thing this morning, and what I find on the doormat? The Sun\ And a few day ago it was the Daily Mirror] This is unacceptable! I expect you to send someone round with my newspaper now! • •PART You will hear part of a radio interview with a young golf player, John Freeman For questions 9-18, complete the sentences Interviewer: With me today on 'Sports Review' is John Freeman, the young golfer who is making headlines at the moment with a string of successes Hello, John John Freeman: Hi Interviewer: Could you tell our viewers something about yourself? How long have you been playing golf? John Freeman: Well, I started about eighteen years ago And there's a bit of a story about that, too It was my dad who got me interested first of all He used to be quite a good player himself- strictly amateur, of course, but still pretty good He never really developed because he couldn't afford the clubs, but he was always very keen on the game Interviewer: And were you taken with the game right from the start? John Freeman: To tell you the truth: no! When I was at school I was obsessed with soccer, and my ambition was to be a professional one day But when I was about fifteen, I realised I wasn't really good at soccer And that was about the time my dad was made redundant, so he decided to take up his old hobby again Interviewer: Did you get much encouragement at school when you started taking an interest in golf? John Freeman: Oh, not at all! Looking back, that really annoys me When I told them I wanted to practise golf and become a professional golfer one day, all the teachers tried to put me off I wish I'd had more encouragement from them, but to be honest, I don't think they knew much about the game And it was a working-class school in a fairly poor part of London, so everyone thought golf was just a game for people with lots of money Because that is the image golf's got, isn't it? Interviewer: Do you think the image of golf has changed at all these days? John Freeman: I think it has, yes, but not much I'd like to see a lot more things change For example I think the government should help schools with the cost of golf equipment, because it really is quite expensive Financial help I mean Interviewer: That wouldn't necessarily make children more interested in the sport, would it? Surely, the huge success of young British players like yourself is more likely to raise the sport's profile among youngsters? John Freeman: Well, I certainly hope so! I mean, I'm not a crusader or anything - I'm in this sport because I like it and I can make a reasonable income from it But at the same time I'd be delighted if I could make kids feel the sport is a possibility for them Interviewer: I remember that in the beginning of your career you used to dye your hair blue Was there a reason for that? John Freeman: Yes, there were two: I thought it would show up nicely on television, and it was a sort of joke against those conservative golfers who treat the game like a kind of religion Interviewer: Well, thanks for talking to us, John Freeman, and good luck with your career John Freeman: Thank you achievement from that, and I'll always remember the feeling of developing a new skill Well, one summer this colleague from work suggested we should go camping in Scotland I didn't know what camping was all about, but it sounded like fun I couldn't have been more wrong! The holiday was a disaster! The weather was awful, our tent started leaking, and we got soaking wet by the rain But somehow we kept each other's spirits up, and at the end of this camping trip we felt confident that our friendship could survive anything after that The year I finished school, three friends and I got those student railcards for Europe It was a big mistake! We spent endless hours travelling from one capital to the next and then went sightseeing to make the best of our holiday After seven days we were exhausted and decided to get back I can't describe the feeling of absolute joy when I finally got home! • •PART • •PART You will hear five different people talking about holidays For questions 19-23, choose from the list A-F the reason each speaker gives to explain why they remember one particular holiday Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use A couple of years ago I went cycling in Holland with my mum, dad and Alice, my sister I hadn't really been looking forward to it; I was a teenager, and I didn't get on with my parents As I had expected, Holland wasn't all that interesting, and for the first couple of days I was in a really bad mood However, by the end of the first week I found myself having a good time with my parents I wasn't a kid anymore, and I felt that we were forming a friendship The most unusual holiday I've ever had was before going to university, when a friend dragged me along on an archaeological dig We were uncovering the remains of a Roman villa in Kent, and I had somehow imagined we'd just be pottering around in the sun all day Well, it was very hard work, but I started to feel fascinated by the whole subject of the Romans in Britain and the effect they had on our modern society The main thing I got from the holiday was the feeling that I knew better where I had come from and who I was I was just seventeen when my parents agreed to let me go away with two friends on a holiday in Wales We were staying in a youth hostel that was next to a farm with horses On the second day, we visited the farm and got talking to the farmer, and the next thing we knew he had agreed to show us how to ride I got a great sense of You will hear an interview with Laura Bartlett, a florist For questions 24-30, choose the correct answer, A, B or C Interviewer: Welcome to this week's edition of 'Careers for You' My guest on today's programme is Laura Bartlett, a successful florist I'm sure there are many young people out there who've never considered floristry as a career Who knows, they might be inspired by Laura's example! Laura, how did you become interested in floristry? Laura Bartlett: My parents were keen gardeners My father used to grow rare varieties of vegetables and my mother grew orchids very successfully But it was my mother's sister who was the professional She had a florist's shop, and when I was a kid, I'd help out at weekends I grew up knowing quite a lot about the business Interviewer: So being a florist was something you'd always wanted? Laura Bartlett: Not exactly! When I was at school I wanted to be an artist but my art teacher persuaded me to train as a graphic designer instead After college I got a job working for a magazine, but I hated being in an office all day, so I resigned I didn't know what I was going to I had a number of temporary jobs And then one day, my aunt fell and broke her arm She asked me to help out in the shop until she got better But I liked it so much that I stayed on and eventually took over from her when she retired Interviewer: What exactly did you do? Laura Bartlett: At first I did the jobs I'd done as a kid: cleaning, delivering flowers to customers, things like that Interviewer: Didn't you work with flowers at all? Laura Bartlett: Well, that's a skilled job My aunt's assistant would the creative stuff and I'd put together simple bouquets-following her instructions Interviewer: What kinds of skills did you need to learn? Tapescripts 199 Laura Bartlett: Lots! Fortunately, I already knew a lot about the different species and varieties of flowers available, but I now had to learn how to look after them, prepare them so they lasted, wire them if necessary Interviewer: Wire them? Laura Bartlett: Yes In some arrangements, flowers have to keep a certain position, and one of the ways you can make sure they this is by twisting fine wire round their stems Interviewer: Oh, I see Would you say that being a florist is a good career for a young person? Laura Bartlett: That depends You have to love flowers, but you must also be good with people You see, people come into a florist's for many reasons - often they want some flowers as a gift for a birthday, perhaps they want to apologise to someone, a family member could be ill They depend on you to help them make the right choice, so you have to take an interest And it's not all pretty flowers You have to get up before dawn to buy good quality flowers from the market; it's not much fun when you have to put your hands into freezing water in winter; you stand most of the day; you have to lift heavy containers; and before special occasions like Christmas or Mother's Day, you need to work through the night to prepare orders Interviewer: So if any of our listeners would like to become florists, how would they go about it? Laura Bartlett: Well, they could try getting a job at a florist's and learn the business on the job Or they could take a course at a college My advice would be to look for a parttime job and attend courses in floristry at the same time That way you get a good knowledge of all aspects of the business Because it is a business If you want to run your own shop one day, you must learn how to manage a budget, run a website and keep accounts No matter how talented you are, you will fail unless you can all the other boring things! I know it was a very stupid thing to do, but I needed to change the light bulb, and the ladder looked quite stable and then it just collapsed All of a sudden, there I was on the ground, rolling round in agony! I simply never realised that back pain could be so awful! Eventually, I pulled myself to my feet and called a ambulance Oh, I think it'll be just marvellous! It's a fantastic character part, really it is! You see, my son robs a bank, and the funny part about the whole thing is that his wife is the manager He doesn't realise it at first because she's only just been promoted, and she wanted to make it a surprise for him, so she was going to tell him that night, but then A: Morning, Mr Roberts Have you been to that new shop in the High Street? B: Good morning, Mrs White Yes, I just thought I'd pop in and browse around - s e e if there's anything I like I must say I'm very impressed They have a very good literature section, and there's a little cafe where you can go and read a book in peace A: Got any nice love stories, have they? That's really what I like A bit of romance and excitement Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking Just to let you know that in a few minutes you'll be able to see the lights of Brussels over to your right if you look out of the window, and we're just coming over Amsterdam now, so the bright lights you can see over to your left is the port of Rotterdam, about 45 miles away I spent the weekend painting the living room, and on Monday morning I woke up with this terrible backache; I just couldn't get out of bed The pain's eased off a bit today, but I thought I'd come and see you for a proper examination I don't like being off work, especially this week when we're organising the annual sales conference • • PART You will hear people talking in eight different situations For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C The tax increases announced by the government yesterday are clearly going to have a big effect on most people, especially with cigarettes and wine both going up by three point five percent It's expected that this will mean a huge increase in revenue for the Treasury With petrol price rises of four percent, the Chancellor has probably made himself unpopular, especially in the countryside, where It is odd, when you get to my age, to look back on the formative experiences of your life My decision to study French was based purely on the fact that I'd been on a school trip to Paris, and I was absolutely enchanted by the city I never intended to study French or become a translator In fact, my parents were insisting that I should study Economics A: Bob, have you read Ian McEwan's new book? I think it really deserves to be called a masterpiece B: You mean Atonement? Yes, I have read it actually, and I enjoyed it a lot I'm a big fan of McEwan I've read all his novels and collections of short stories, and I think this is his best novel so far Do you know he's also written several film scripts, including Sour Sweet and The Good Son? A: It doesn't surprise me He's extremely talented • PART You will hear part of a radio interview with David Barns, the director of a company that is building a new shopping mall For questions 9-18, complete the sentences Journalist: Mr Barns, I wonder if I could start with some 200 FCE Tests Tapescripts practical information I know construction is set to begin next month: when you expect to finish, and what you think the total cost of Whitesea Mall will be? David Barns: I'm going to stick my neck out and say we'll meet the original targets, which is to have the mall open by July next year As for the costs, well, again our estimate was twelve billion pounds, and I'm pretty confident the final cost will not exceed that Journalist: Right And what are the investors getting for that sort of money? I mean, what's going to make this place special? What will attract customers to the mall? David Barns: Oh, lots of things! For a start, there's a new train station being built right next to the mall, so people will be able to reach us from the city centre in under twenty minutes The underground car park has room for 3,000 vehicles, and we're just off the motorway, which will mean easy access for customers living up to 100 kms from the mall On top of that, we've put in a great deal of thought into how to make shopping easier for families with small children One excellent idea we have is to provide nurseries - three of them in fact - so people can leave toddlers in completely safe hands while they their shopping Journalist: I see And I understand you have the usual wide range of shopping facilities But don't you need other attractions to persuade people to come here? David Barns: That's certainly true, and we've done a great deal to provide those other attractions There's a fairground in one corner of the mall, where qualified staff can supervise children while their parents are doing their shopping in peace! For people who aren't actually shopping, we have seven cinemas showing a good range of modern films, including the latest releases We also came up with an idea for the older folk, because lots of families these days have grandparents living with them In one of the cinemas we have classic films - from 40 or 50 years ago - twice a day, morning and afternoon Journalist: I read in your press statement that you're also trying to make the place 'greener' Could you tell me a bit about that? David Barns: Sure People have become very demanding and prefer malls that have an open, airy atmosphere So we have walkways between the different buildings, with flowers lining the paths, giving the impression that you're actually outdoors And we're building a Nature Centre, where we'll have a permanent exhibition about the ecology of the area We're going to have models, photographs and displays to inform people about the wildlife of the area Journalist: Right Well, thanks for talking to me, Mr Barns David Barns: You're very welcome • • PART You will hear five people who are going on an expedition into the jungle talking about what they will miss most For questions 19-23, choose from the list A-F the reason each speaker gives for the importance of this item to them personally Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use There's part of Beethoven's 5th symphony that always makes me feel very emotional, because it was playing the evening when I met my future husband So each time I listen to that particular piece of music I think of those perfect years when we were deeply in love That sort of music really has to be played in a large room with good acoustics I can still listen to it on my personal stereo, but playing it on my excellent hi-fi is what I'll miss most The first time I went on an expedition like this, I realised that what I really miss is looking at my favourite painting It's a painting I have on the wall at home of a landscape in Yorkshire, where I come from It might not mean so much to anyone else, but it gives me that feeling of being calm and strong inside, at ease with myself if you like Actually, the thing I'll miss is my bike I suppose what I really mean is that I'll miss the feeling of independence that riding my bike gives me I cycle everywhere from my home in Cambridge - except for long trips like going to London When you ride a bike, you decide on the best route and final destination When you're in the jungle, you're totally dependent on other people Going on an expedition like this can be quite a culture shock: you suddenly find yourself without any of the luxuries of western life It's the things that make your quality of life acceptable that you really miss I know that I'll be dreaming of my washing machine, and a shelf full of lovely clean clothes, ironed and tidy I don't mind being deprived of the luxuries of everyday life because I know it's only going to be for a limited time I know it sounds terribly luxurious, but I think the single item I'll miss most is my espresso machine I can't function unless I have a cup of strong espresso first thing in the morning Of course, it is a luxury at the end of the day, but it's become so important to me that I'd almost classify it as a necessity now! • •PART You will hear a radio interview with an expert on memory For questions 24-30 choose the best answer, A, B or C Interviewer: Today on 'Mind Matters' I'm talking to Dr Ann Winters, an expert on human memory Ann, welcome to the programme Now, I suppose the first question everyone would ask is: what exactly is the human memory? Ann Winters: Well, like so many easy questions, the answer isn't very simple Basically, the human memory is a compartment in our brain, where we store images, rather like the hard disc drive in a computer And like a hard disc drive, our memories can become infected or even wiped out by accidents But the comparison breaks down when Tapescripts 201 we consider that we can train our memories to expand and work better - which computers can't manage yet! Interviewer: When you talk about memory being infected, you mean by a disease? Ann Winters: Yes For instance, people suffering from a physiological disease like Alzheimer's forget things that happened in the past and they also forget how to perform simple tasks, like tying their shoelaces The good news is that brain exercises can keep the brain young Research has shown that people who were more successful in education, and have more mentally active jobs, have a lower risk of developing the disease Interviewer: And how can someone exercise his brain - by thinking a lot? Ann Winters: In a way, yes! But you can also practise using your memory, which not only exercises your brain but also improves your ability to remember things Unfortunately, a lot of devices in modern life are designed to make sure we don't forget things, which can make our brain more idle and weaken our memory Interviewer: Would you give us examples of how to exercise our memory? Ann Winters: Sure There's a very simple technique, although it works better for some people than for others Whatever you want to remember, think of a physical thing it reminds you of If I want to remember a date from history - let's say 1066, the date of the Battle of Hastings - I might think that 'battle' reminds me of 'bottle' So I think of a bottle with the number 1066 written on the label, and I just picture that bottle to myself Interviewer: Why is it easier to remember a physical thing than a sentence such as 'The Battle of Hastings was in 1066'? Ann Winters: Because our brains are better at recalling pictures than abstract thought That's why I said it works better for some people than for others: some people are particularly good at seeing pictures in their minds visualising ideas - and they are the ones that can remember things best using this technique Interviewer: Is there anything else we can to protect our brains? Ann Winters: You simply have to exercise your brain regularly with new, enjoyable and interesting activities, like learning a new language or playing a new computer game Interviewer: Are you suggesting that simple things like doing crosswords can make the brain more efficient? Ann Winters: Absolutely Interviewer: I'll keep that in mind! Ann Winters, thanks for being with us Ann Winters: You're welcome • •PART You will hear people talking in eight different situations For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C 202 FCE Tests Tapescripts I know the film is supposed to be fantastic, but normally I wouldn't bother going to see one like that I mean, this is not the kind of film that usually appeals to me The story is based on a book by Hemingway that we're reading in class this term, and I thought that watching the film would make the book clearer to me, so I think I'll go next weekend I don't know what the problem was This wasn't the bottleneck you get when you come off the motorway I must have been stuck there for over an hour, hardly moving an inch, feeling frustrated and anxious that I wouldn't make it in time It took me two hours to reach the airport, although it was only a couple of miles away! It really was a lovely surprise I knew she was thinking of getting me a piece of jewellery, because she'd asked me what sort of earrings I liked, but I hadn't expected pearls! I think she's trying to be especially nice because she wasn't so pleased when Colin told her we were getting married: he's her only son, and she wanted him to wait a few more years before settling down - which is what his sister did She was over 30 when she married I thought it was going to be a big mistake, when he got that transfer from Liverpool They were going through a bad patch these last two seasons, but they were a good team, and I thought he should have stayed But it turns out I was dead wrong! He's been getting better and better since he signed with Arsenal, and he scored a hat-trick in the cup final! A: Good morning Do you have any tickets left for this evening's performance? B: Let me just have a look Well, the rear stalls and circle are completely sold out There are a few seats left in the front stalls How many tickets you want? A: Just two B: Yes, I can give you two in the third row they're £39 each A: £39? I see All right, I'll take them B: That's £78 altogether I'll have to ask you to pick them up here by six thirty And your name is ? News travels fast in a small village, I suppose, so everyone seemed to know, before I got there, that I'd be teaching at the local school Whether that made the villagers more formal in the way they treated me - for the first few months at least - I really don't know I gathered from the way they spoke that they regarded me as quite foreign because I came from London, and this did startle me for a while It was the decade of peace after the war to end all wars It was a time of decadence and wild enthusiasm - a time of mourning and attempts to recover from the losses of World War I The 1920s were the dawn of our modern age, when people were still looking back at the previous century Don't miss the Central Museum's special exhibition Starts Monday A: I thought the last bit was really great, didn't you? B: Yes I never would have guessed what was going to happen; I mean, everyone thought Molly was dead, and then she walks into the room right at the end, except it's not Molly at all - it's her twin sister! A: Right! You know, that's what makes some soap operas really great - you just have to watch the next episode to find out how it all works out! • •PART You will hear part of a talk by a woman who designs model railways in Britain For questions 9-18, complete the sentences One of the most interesting developments in the toy market has been the revival of interest in that most traditional of toys: train sets Models of all sorts, but especially railwayswere unfashionable in the 1980s and 1990s, but they have become big business in the last few years In Britain there has always been a strong interest in railways, as can be seen from the number of people who go 'train spotting' collecting information about locomotives and train movements This also explains why Britain is the largest model railway market in Europe Modern train sets are introducing children, who may never have travelled by real train, to the joys of railway modelling For parents, model railways are a healthier indoor alternative to computers and videogames Model trains are more lasting than other toy equipment, their quality is superb and that has added to their popularity with both parents and children Interestingly, the majority of purchasers of model railway equipment today are adults not children By that I not mean that parents buy model railways for their children, although obviously this happens a great deal I mean adults that are willing to spend a lot of money on miniature locomotives and relive part of their childhood Purchasers of model trains are wealthy middleaged men, bankers and business executives When it comes to the future, we can assume that children will always have a natural interest in models and miniature versions of real-life objects like toy cars and airplanes Another aspect of the market for these items is also likely to remain the same: boys will continue to find these toys far more appealing than girls Model railway manufacturers are trying to maximise their sales, and they're experimenting with toy trains aimed directly at girls They are also investing in new markets in countries in Asia, for example, where there isn't the same traditional interest in railways Researchers and marketing specialists believe that there's a lot of potential in these markets, and manufacturers will be taking part in international toy fairs to promote their model trains Model railways are becoming more of a 21st century toy Computer controlled model railways will be available in the toy market in the near future • •PART You will hear five different people talking about their memories of the first day at high school For questions 19-23, choose from the list A-F the main thing each speaker remembers from this experience Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use I went to a private school where it was compulsory to wear a uniform The school had sent out a list to parents of the items you had to have - school tie, blazer, cap - and the shops where you could find them before the term started My mother went on a business trip and didn't manage to go shopping I was the only one from about fifty elevenyear-old boys who didn't have a cap or tie I felt very awkward dressed in a pair of jeans and sweater I remember being very nervous as I was walking into the school, because I thought I wouldn't know anyone at all, which might have been a bit frightening And then I spotted my cousin, Peter, who was two years older than me I expected that he wouldn't want to have anything to with me, but unlike most kids that age, he was very nice, showed me round and helped me settle in When my mother offered to drive me to school, I suppose I should have known that this could be a bad idea because she has always had the most awful sense of direction My mum got lost, and it took us ages to find the school I will never forget how embarrassed I felt when I walked into the first class half an hour after it had started Awful! I know it may sound unlikely, but I didn't experience any feeling of anxiety I was confident that everything was going to be fine I felt optimistic being surrounded by the familiar faces of friends from primary school My most vivid memory is the warm welcoming speech of Mr Stephens, our Headmaster I don't recall feeling stressed or lonely My strongest memory from my first day at high school is simply feeling terribly alone and sad We moved house at just about the time I was due to go to high school, so I ended up going to a new school two weeks after the term had begun It's not a long time, but it was long enough for all the other new boys to have made friends with each other, so I really had the impression that I was never going to fit in Of course, I soon made friends and settled down, but the first few days were rather difficult • • PART You will hear a radio interview with a woman who recently gave up a successful career For questions 24-30 choose the best answer, A, B or C FCE Tests Tapescripts 203 Interviewer: On 'People Watching' today I have with me in the studio Emma Astley, who was until two years ago one of the very top advertising executives in the country Then she decided to stop working completely so she could stay at home with her children, Eve, two and Michael, four years old Emma has now written a book, Leaving It All Behind, which is published this week, and she has come along to talk about her experiences Emma, perhaps I could start by asking you how difficult a decision it was for you to give up your career? Emma Astley: Oh, terribly hard I agonised about it for months, really, before finally making up my mind You see, it wasn't just that I was making a great deal of money; I actually loved my work! In the beginning of my career I didn't expect to find advertising so artistically satisfying, in fact I only ever entered the profession because a friend told me it was easy work! Family pressure also made it hard to leave Friends and relatives were shocked to hear I'd decided to leave advertising My mother, in particular, thought I was mad to give up my job She simply couldn't see why I needed to that She thought if I organised my time properly, I could keep on working and spend more time with the children Interviewer: And did you feel that this just wasn't possible? Emma Astley: That's right I mean, I did have a lot of help, reaIly There was Erica, a German au pair who prepared the meals and did the housework, so I could spend time with my children when I was at home And I had a child minder who would take care of the children when I had to be at work Unfortunately, what usually happened was that by the time I got home, I was so exhausted, mentally and physically, that I simply couldn't give the children my full attention Interviewer: And can you that now? Emma Astley: Yes In fact, sometimes I think things have gone too far the other way! I mean, now I occasionally feel that my horizons have got smaller, in the sense that my only topic of conversation, my only interest, is how the children are doing! Of course, it's not really like that, and I get out of the house a lot But when you're used to having someone household work for you, and you suddenly start doing it all yourself, you realise just how much time the simplest things take The job that takes up most of my time is cooking meals, partly because I try to use fresh food all the time Interviewer: What aspect of your life as an executive you miss most? Emma Astley: I don't miss travelling, going to conferences or business dinners! I suppose the only thing I miss at times is having people around to talk to Interviewer: You said it was a difficult decision to take, so would you advise other women - or men for that matter to give up their careers? Emma Astley: I feel quite strongly that you can't advise anyone about such important things in life What I would say is that the decision becomes easier - in the sense that it's less final and therefore less stressful - if you have the flexibility to return to your job six months or even one year after you've resigned This is something that you can discuss with your employer before you make your final decision 204 FCE Tests Tapescripts Interviewer: Emma Astley, thanks for joining us Emma Astley: My pleasure • •PART You will hear people talking in eight different situations For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C A: Come on! Cheer up! It's not the end of the world! B: Oh sure, it's easy for you to say that My grades in History are already pretty bad, and if I fail that test tomorrow, I'm probably going to fail the whole class And we only have one day to revise for the test! A: But it's the same for everyone else! Nobody's going to well in the test So it really isn't that important I wasn't really looking for anything because I got that new coat last week, which was really expensive But then I saw this lovely black jacket, reduced to £24.99 and I just had to have it I know Simon'll be furious, but it was a real bargain I just couldn't resist it I got a sports car as soon as I could afford it, and it wasn't really very economical, but I decided I could live with that However, after a few weeks I got a job further away from home, and I realised it was the wrong car for long journeys; it was too noisy, there wasn't enough leg room, the suspension was broken and you could feel every bump in the road That's why I decided to sell it Hello, I wonder if you could help me? I'm in room 447 - I just checked in this morning - and there seems to be something wrong with the room The radiators won't come on so it's very cold in here No the heating is out of order in the bathroom as well Yes, I tried turning the control knob on the radiator, but it simply won't move Yes, if you could send someone to have a look at it, please A: So how many kids from your class are going on this trip? B: Practically everyone's going, dad! We go on a guided tour of the city, including the Eiffel Tower and a boat trip on the Seine, and then we're back in London by Sunday afternoon, so I'll be home early on Sunday night A: Oh, I'm sure you'll enjoy it Paris is a lovely city I just want to make sure you have enough supervision As soon as we took off, the basket started swaying from side to side, which took a while to get used to Apart from the slight creaking that caused, there wasn't a sound to be heard After doing quite a bit of flying in commercial planes, I think that's what stunned me most about this flight Drifting along with the wind meant there was hardly any whistling from the breeze Journalist: So you're hoping to get students who are keen on developing their skills - perhaps people who are already working? You have reached the Local Government Helpline For general enquiries, press For tax and finance enquiries, press For planning enquiries, press For school and further education enquiries, press For road and highways enquiries, press To hear this list again, please press Irene Underwood: That's right You see, a lot of people didn't very well at school and are now in jobs they don't really enjoy These people have a great deal of potential, and many of them want to study We're going to be flexible about the students we accept We believe that students who didn't well at school should enjoy the benefits of higher education, and we're prepared to give them a chance to so Our policy is to accept students who didn't have the admission qualifications required by traditional colleges I remember the magazine used to come out on Fridays, and every Friday after school I'd race round to the newsagent's and buy a copy, and then spend all evening reading it It was aimed at girls exactly like me; it gave you ideas how to choose accessories, how to wear make up and had information about the latest trends in fashion The only thing it didn't have was interviews with pop stars and free posters! Journalist: I'm sure a lot of young people will be tempted to enrol Irene Underwood: I hope so We want to attract people who wouldn't normally think about enrolling for a college That's why we have an applications office in the centre of the city, to create interest Journalist: And how else can members of the public get information about the college? • • PART Irene Underwood: They can go to our website for a full description of what we do: the Internet address is You will hear part of a conversation between a journalist and the director of a new community college For questions 9-18, complete the sentences Journalist: Ms Underwood, could I start by asking for some basic information? When is the College actually going to open? Irene Underwood: We have the opening ceremony on 2T' April, and we start summer classes on June 15th Journalist: I see And you expect a lot of students to enrol for the summer school? Irene Underwood: It's hard to say, but there's certainly been a lot of interest - especially after a series of adverts we did on the radio So I would hope we'll have a lot of people signing up for courses Journalist: Will the opening ceremony attract a lot of publicity? Irene Underwood: Yes, I think so The mayor will be here to declare the College officially open, and then we have a number of local figures to make speeches -including Harry Watson Journalist: The footballer? Really? Well, he should be popular! Irene Underwood: That's what we thought! The whole idea is to get local people interested and asking what the College is, and what it can for them Journalist: So the idea is to get local people signing up for the courses And how you plan to that? Irene Underwood: Mainly by involving local people in all sorts of ways For instance, as far as possible we're going to have local experts teaching classes here instead of academics who have little connection with the area We'll have the chief accountant from a local business teaching accountancy classes - that sort of thing And we'll put the emphasis on practical subjects, to attract students who might not be interested in a theoretical course • •PART You will hear five different people describing what they like most about New York For questions 19-23, choose from the list A-F the reason each speaker gives for why the city appeals to them personally Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use I've only been there a couple of times with my wife, who's a diplomat I must say the pace of life there is rather hectic Although it may sound rather trivial, what appeals to me most about the city are the absolutely fantastic department stores! I have to be very careful when I go shopping there not to overspend The service is excellent, they have a very wide range of goods, and prices are quite reasonable Oh definitely the restaurants There's such an incredible range of places to go There's Italian, Greek, Chinese, French, German, Indian, Thai everything you could think of There's a culture of going out - some New Yorkers I know literally never eat at home And there's a lot of competition, so that means the quality's usually great! Well, for me the attraction of a city is its inhabitants, in New York the fact that the people there are from such different cultural backgrounds makes it a really exciting place to be New York is a mosaic of civilisations, which is absolutely fascinating I find cities without different ethnic groups terribly boring Tapescripts 205 I'm not so keen on most aspects of big city life, but I enjoy the facilities that only big cities have to offer In artistic terms New York is absolutely splendid, with a wide variety of museums and a very active cultural life There are numerous small art galleries with works by exciting new artists, who perhaps wouldn't be given an exhibition of their own in a more conservative city Oh, New York! Yes, I love the place I remember being just stunned by the skyscrapers and that magical view of the Statue of Liberty Now that I've been there a few times, I think what I like most is the dry wit of the people there They make a joke out of everything, but it's that clever type of humour that you get in big cities where people have suffered a lot but still enjoy a good laugh! We're working off the coast of America, examining a ship on the sea bed that sank almost a hundred and fifty years ago! The ship is the SS Union, and she was travelling from the Northern States of America to the South just after the American Civil War For a long time, nobody knew where the shipwreck was, but a team from the University of New Orleans found it last year, using some new sonar equipment The ship is supposed to have a lot of gold on board - although we haven't actually found any yet Working on a shipwreck sounds absolutely fascinating, but it can be extremely dangerous at the same time Potential hazards of diving at such depth include de-compression sickness, air embolism, hypothermia and physical exhaustion On top of that, the ship can break up at any time, which means that you run the risk of being trapped inside A couple of days ago I had a lucky escape when part of the shipwreck fell, and that's the sort of thing that can really cause problems for divers Still, it's a great profession! • •PART You will hear part of a talk by a deep-sea diver For questions 24-30, choose the best answer, A, B or C • •PART My name's Ray Garrett, and I'm a professional deep-sea diver Let me explain how I came to be working in this profession When I left school, I got a job in a lawyer's office, and by the time I was 25, I'd worked my way up to the position of office manager I was good at my job, and it never occurred to me to leave or something else When our company was bought out and the local office closed I started thinking about other jobs I'd always been interested in scuba diving, as a hobby, and just about that time I saw an advert in a magazine A company was looking for people to train as divers, so I put my name down for the training My mother wasn't at all keen; in fact, she and my dad didn't believe I'd last out the three months' training! Scuba diving doesn't take great physical strength or unusual exercise tolerance All it takes is the desire, plus some basic classroom and in-water training A qualified diver can safely remain underwater for anywhere from a few minutes to over two hours Most of the work I now isn't very dangerous - or very exciting! My job involves working on ships that have to be repaired so we're not even very deep underwater Working underwater can be dangerous, especially if we need to go right down to the sea bed, perhaps to some work on a shipwreck People have accidents when they stop thinking about the dangers facing them in their job, and I never that: I always remember that diving can be dangerous I'm aware of the potential hazards, and I never exceed the time limit of my dives, which depends on various parameters like depth, rate of air consumption, and the profile of any dives I have done in the previous six to twelve hours At the moment we're doing quite an exciting job: looking for buried treasure! Well, I suppose it's not exactly like that 206 FCE Tests Tapescripts You will hear people talking in eight different situations For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C According to a recent survey, text messages have superseded phone calls as the most common use for a mobile phone among young people More than eight out of ten people under the age of 25 are more likely to send someone a text message than call At the other end of the scale, just 14 percent of those aged over 55 said they preferred to text Sending a birthday greeting was the most popular use of text Good evening, and welcome to a special edition of 'Driving Force', devoted this week to the issue of car security Why is there an increase in the number of vehicles being stolen, despite technological advances in security systems? Can a stolen vehicle be tracked electronically? Do steering wheel locks really work? And with me to discuss these issues is Betty Crawford, designer of the new Vortex GT6 the car which was recently declared car of the year Terry, I need you to something for me You remember the enquiry we had from Head Office about cost-cutting measures? Yes, they want a summary of not more than 500 words describing our basic attitude - which is that we can't cut costs without reducing essential services No I'd much rather you faxed it and let me check it before you send it off A: John, hello! I haven't seen you since we went out at Christmas! B: That's right, Audrey! What a great evening! I really hadn't expected to enjoy myself so much A: Oh, I thought you'd like it You just haven't had enough opportunities to see really good plays in a first-class theatre, B: I think you're right I expected it to be really boring, but it was one of the most exciting things I've ever seen! Aunt Maude was rather a rebel for her time She grew up just after the Great War, when women weren't really expected to have any profession At the time the common belief in upper middle-class families was that decent, respectable girls couldn't have a career in show business, so her parents were absolutely furious when she told them she had enrolled at drama school and was leaving home! A: Amanda, I got mum's present, but are you sure she's going to like it? A guide to Italy? B: But it's a guide to the cooking in different parts of the country You know how mum likes to experiment with cooking, and she's been getting really keen on Italian cooking B: Yes, she can read about the cooking and then try out the dishes on us A: That's right; there's a recipe section in the back of the book She'll love it! Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Gallery Multiplex Please check your tickets for the start times of the films, and make sure you go to the right section of the cinema This evening we have Eve and Adam just starting in Screen 1, and at 18.45 Hurricane starts in Screen In just over 20 minutes, at 18.55, Racing Fever begins in Screen 6, and at the same time Details of the Fall starts in Screen Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing method that involves applying pressure to certain parts of the body to relieve pain It relaxes muscular tension and balances the vital forces of the body Acupressure can provide relief from head, neck and shoulder aches, promote healing of injuries and give an overall feeling of well-being experts at computer use will also find it attractive The only limiting factor is the kind of PC you have, since the system requirements here are quite sophisticated However, there is a problem with the speed of operation which rather lets the product down: things often move far more slowly than you would expect, especially when accessing the special feature that connects you to Internet sites The second product I've been testing on your behalf is aimed at a completely different market 'Balances' is a financial software package to be released next month by Expert Software, the company that started off providing software for presentations and other office applications It's basically designed for self-employed people and small companies that don't have their own accounting departments It allows you to forecast income and expenditure for the coming year once you have fed in all the relevant information What's more, the designers of the software have made a special arrangement with the tax office so that updates are regularly available; you just download from the tax office website and it automatically updates the software Finally, the very latest in software applications for the motorist 'Road Works' is a package designed to make sure you get to your destination as quickly and easily as possible The idea is relatively simple: a special service gives you information about roadworks, traffic jams and any other sorts of delay on the road ahead You need to have a satellite navigation system in your car, and this software plugs into that and then uses your mobile phone to connect to the special service centre And to make sure you really are kept aware of the current situation, the software supplies the latest information every five minutes I predict this will be very popular with commercial travellers and lorry companies Well, that's all for now, and next week I'll be looking at • •PART • • PART You will hear part of a radio programme about three types of computer software For questions 9-18, complete the sentences This week I'm going to be taking a look at three new software products that are just about to hit the market The first of these is a programme that explains exactly how all sorts of machines, devices and instruments work Called Tell me How', this extremely useful package from the Highland Software company in Edinburgh deserves to be a great success, in my view It combines virtually all the features that good software should display, and at a very affordable price It's intended for users of thirteen years old and upwards, although I suspect younger kids who are You will hear five different people talking about a journal or magazine they read regularly For questions 19- 23, choose from the list A-F the reason each speaker gives for the importance of this publication to them personally Use the letters only once There is one extra letter which you not need to use I write about style and fashion, and although I have my own ways of finding out what the big fashion houses are doing for the next season, I also want to know what consumers are thinking I always read Fashion World because of what it tells me about people who buy fashion about consumers I think it must be the only magazine that has got articles about the latest trends by very professional fashion editors FCE Tapescrips 207 I think it's vital in this day and age to be well-informed about current affairs, which of course isn't difficult now the Internet has developed into a news medium But I also find it's essential to know what intelligent people think about various issues, so you need to get a range of opinions, right across the political spectrum That's where the London Review of Books is so good I've been taking the National Geographic for years now It's really an excellent magazine, with lots of interesting articles about wildlife and the natural world in general I think the pictures are always first-rate They must have the best photographers in the world working for them, and you can see the results It's really fascinating I'm a subscriber of the Economist, which is a weekly financial magazine I'm an economist, and reading the Economist is the best way to keep up with the latest trends The main reason I get the Economist, however, is that I don't have time to read a serious daily newspaper like the Financial Times, so the summary it provides, especially of the news in general, is really invaluable for me I take a monthly magazine called Railway Modeller, which keeps me informed about model railways, which is a great hobby of mine I'm a collector of antique miniature railways, and I can always find information about auctions or model trains on sale They also have articles comparing prices of different models and descriptions of new products available • •PART You will hear a radio interview with an actress who is dyslexic For questions 24-30 choose the best answer, A, B or C Interviewer: Today I'm going to be talking to one of the most successful young actresses in Hollywood, Kay Stanley, about a special aspect of her work - one that's not very well known on this side of the Atlantic And that's the Stanley Trust Kay, welcome to the programme Would you start by explaining what the Stanley Trust is? Kay Stanley: Sure It's basically an organisation set up by my father to help kids who have problems reading and writing - kids with dyslexia I'm dyslexic myself, you see, and after I had been diagnosed, my dad realised there weren't many organisations for dyslexic kids, and he decided to set one up himself a few years later 208 FCE Tapescrips Interviewer: I believe one of the problems with dyslexia is that it isn't diagnosed in many cases, or not early enough Was this what happened with you? Kay Stanley: I used to learn stories off by heart by playing the tapes of them over and over again, and then pretend to read them In fact, I was so good at it that my mum only guessed there was something wrong when she caught me learning the stories like that! Then my parents got me examined by a doctor, and luckily, he knew something about dyslexia, so he sent me to an expert He said I'm pretty fortunate because my condition is less severecompared to other people with dyslexia Interviewer: You mention an expert on dyslexia: you must know quite a lot about it yourself by now? Kay Stanley: I do, yes, but one of the problems with dyslexia is that even the specialists don't really understand it They know dyslexics think in a different way from other people Dyslexics are of above average intelligence, they have distinctive talents and a creative imagination But whether dyslexia has other effects on the brain or not, nobody really knows Some people say you use a different sort of logic if you're dyslexic, and it's easier for you to solve problems, but it's hard to test that Interviewer: And once you were diagnosed, did you start to improve? Kay Stanley: Not immediately At first, I was too unhappy about the whole thing, and my parents felt frustrated and confused I knew at an early age that I wanted to become an actress, and getting school qualifications was not a priority for me In the end, I did work hard to improve my reading skills just to show my fellow students that I was every bit as clever as they were Interviewer: Is it better for children with dyslexia to get special treatment? Kay Stanley: It depends what you mean by that I don't think it's a good idea to isolate them and put them in special schools, because that makes them feel awkward On the other hand, they need extra teaching in reading and writing, by teachers who understand the problem Interviewer: And getting back to the Stanley Trust; how you feel you can best help the Trust? Will you be giving speeches about dyslexia in public? Kay Stanley: I doubt it I think the public would get tired of someone like me talking about the subject all the time Jt seems to me the best thing I can is set a good example of how dyslexics can live a normal, happy life Interviewer: Well, I wish you luck with that And thank you for talking to us today Kay Stanley: Thank you ... If this was a film, suggest what sort of actor or actress could play the part best 178 FCE Tests Answer key Question (b) Style: Formal or neutral Do not use informal expressions Content: Start... historic buildings in the region They cycled through the city the benefits of cycling FCE Tests Answer key 179 27 A: a survey into air pollution in the local shopping centre 28 D: to measure... effects, etc Conclude by giving your opinion of the film and say if it is worth seeing 180 FCE Tests Answer key Question 5(a) Style: Formal or neutral Content: In your introduction explain if the