Oxford preparation and practice b2 first for schools audioscripts

AUDIOSCRIPTS Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts Audioscripts Preparation & Practice Test Listening Part 1 Preparation Audioscripts 1.01 The memory is still so clear in my mind – as if it was yesterday I was in town with my friends We were just hanging around doing nothing in particular It was warm and sunny, and we were enjoying a day off school before our exams My mate Jake and I were talking about the next day’s maths exam when another classmate, Julie, came running across the road towards us ‘Did you hear that explosion about twenty minutes ago?’ We said we hadn’t and asked Julie what it was ‘It was a gas leak at the school: the main hall has been destroyed!’ 1.02 Teacher  Can I have a word, Mike? Student  Yes, of course Teacher  I need to check how you’re getting on with the project Student  Which project is that? Teacher  The biology project that’s due in at the end of next week Student  I’ll be starting it at the weekend Teacher  What? You mean you haven’t started it yet? Student  Not the actual writing, but I’ve been thinking about it Teacher  That’s not good enough, Mike Student  Don’t worry – it won’t be late Teacher  I hope you’re right It’s a very important piece of coursework Part 1 Practice 1.03 You hear two friends talking about a tennis match they saw on TV Boy  Did you watch the tennis on TV yesterday? Girl  Yes, I thought it was really exciting, but the French player shouldn’t have lost Boy  I don’t agree He may have been the more skilful, but I thought the American was faster and more powerful Girl  That’s true, but didn’t you think the French player was unlucky when he slipped on the final point? I was sure he was going to win it Boy  Well, I can see why you think that, but it was still a mistake You have to stay on your feet, and the American didn’t slip once in the whole match He deserved to win AUDIOSCRIPTS You hear a girl telling her friend about a concert she attended Girl  It’s a real shame you couldn’t come to the concert last week It was fantastic I’d never seen the band on stage before, and they were terrific Recordings are great, but they’re nothing like hearing music live You wouldn’t believe how loud it was, and it seemed to get louder as it went on I thought my eardrums would burst Of course, you can turn the volume up at home, but it still isn’t the same It can be exciting, but it can’t match the thrill of the real thing I love my MP3 player, but I love live music even more You hear a news report about the dangers facing tigers today Reporter  Only around three thousand tigers remain in the world today They have just one enemy, but that one enemy has almost wiped them out And, of course, it’s us – human beings One of the problems is that we have destroyed much of their habitat, but hunting threatens the tiger still more In some places, parts of the tiger are used to make medicines, and a single carcass can fetch up to 50,000 US dollars Many poor people live in areas where there are tigers and, although it’s dangerous, tiger hunting gives them the chance to earn far more money than they could otherwise You hear a teacher talking about essay writing Teacher  Writing an essay isn’t hard The tricky part is to make it interesting And the best way to that is to note down your ideas before you put pen to paper For example, if you have to write about a visit to a museum, the easiest thing would be to start at the beginning of your visit and go through it in order But if you have notes to guide you, then you might think of more interesting possibilities – for example, you might begin by describing some exhibit which especially impressed you, or by saying how you felt at the end of the day You hear a brother and sister talking about how much sleep they need Sister  I wish we didn’t always have to go to bed so early Brother  Do you? I really need eight hours’ sleep if I’m to feel good the next day Sister  Maybe you just need more than I I could stay up another hour easily Brother  You might think so, but you haven’t tried it, have you? I bet you wouldn’t like it much if you did Sister  I’d be fine Maybe girls just don’t need as much sleep as boys Brother  That’s stupid We all need the same amount Sister  Not true Some people get by on five hours a night Brother  Ha! What you mean is, they say they only need five hours a night Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Part 2 Preparation 1.04 Slow Food is an international organization with members in many countries As well as members of the public, the organization involves farmers and other food producers, chefs, and business organizations It started in Italy in 1989, and its main purpose is to help people link the enjoyment of eating with the need for a responsible attitude towards the environment and the communities they live in It is a non-profit organization, which encourages people to eat healthily and to consume, where they can, the traditional food associated with their country or their region Slow Food tries to persuade people to change their eating habits by replacing fast food and other processed food with fresh produce AUDIOSCRIPTS 1.05 It’s amazing how mobile phones have changed in the last few years I remember getting my first phone when I was thirteen All my friends were getting them around that age – in fact, I think I was the last person in my class to have one It was quite a large heavy thing which would just about fit in my jacket pocket We all thought we were cool as we tried to phone our friends during lessons – even those just on the other side of the classroom It wasn’t long before the school banned mobile phones in school, and several of us had them taken away by our teachers Gradually, phones got smaller Every time a different model came out, my friends with rich parents got new phones You could text as well as talk on these new phones In no time at all, texting was the latest craze, and everyone walked around with their heads looking down and their thumbs moving around as they wrote their messages Then, when it became possible to watch films and videos on phones, screens got much bigger again Part 2 Practice 1.06 You hear a teenager talking about his project on coffee Good morning, everybody I hope you all had as much fun as I did on the project we’ve just completed When we were told to some research on a type of food or drink which we used every day, I first thought of bread But I decided that was just too boring It was an accident that made me choose coffee instead I’m always in a rush in the morning, you see, and one day, in my hurry, I knocked over my mug and had to go without my regular shot of caffeine On my way to school, I wouldn’t say I didn’t feel cheerful, but somehow I wasn’t as alert as usual I found that interesting, and that’s what made me decide on coffee for my project It’s always surprised me that coffee has a bad effect on some people My mum, for example, says it makes her mind race, and my dad doesn’t sleep well if he drinks it late at night But my brother and I both drink coffee before we go to bed, and we both sleep fine Maybe it’s something to with age or maybe it’s just that we’ve got used to it Of course, there are many different ways to drink coffee The most basic choice we make is between white and black Nobody knows who first thought of adding milk to coffee, but the idea caught on I usually prefer white coffee, but my first cup of the day is always black That’s what gives me the energy to get going in the morning There’s an endless argument about whether or not coffee is good for you Different studies show different things As someone who enjoys coffee, I was glad to learn that some recent studies say that if you drink coffee, you might be less likely to suffer from Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Audioscripts You hear a boy telling a friend about his summer holiday Boy  It rained almost every day, so we hardly went to the beach at all If you’d asked me before how I’d feel about that, I’d have said I would hate it But, you know, it was all right I spent a lot of time just walking round the town and ducking inside a coffee shop if it rained I was a bit nervous about speaking French, but just ordering a coffee helped me feel more confident I even visited a couple of museums, and they were good I’m not turning into an intellectual, but now I think I’d find it boring to lie around on the beach every day You hear a news item about a lost cat Newsreader  The trouble was that, on the day of the move, Pixie was nowhere to be seen The family had no option but to leave without her They could only ask their neighbours to look out for her and tell them if she turned up As they settled into their new home, however, no word came and they had to accept that she was gone But then, a month later, the little cat turned up at their front door, a bit thinner than before, but otherwise perfectly well How she was able to find them 200 miles away, no one will ever know You hear a radio interview with a young pianist Interviewer  You’ve said you had no interest in music until your final year in school Why was that? Pianist  Well, the teacher was good, but he tried too hard Most music teachers Better to let the music speak for itself Interviewer  So how did you become interested? Pianist  In my final year, I had to choose between music and art, and art interested me even less As I was no longer being forced to it, I began to enjoy music much more Interviewer  But did you ever think that you might make a living from it? Pianist  No, I just thought of it as a hobby, and I’m sure my teacher never saw me becoming a professional musician Audioscripts depression But how does it affect the risk of cancer, for example? It depends on who you ask I’m not sure if coffee increases my physical energy, but it certainly does something for my mental energy This is what the mathematician Paul Erdo´´s had in mind when he said that a mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems I wonder if Pythagoras would have done even better if he’d been a coffee drinker? We know he wasn’t, because he lived a thousand years before coffee was first drunk The coffee plant probably first grew in East Africa, perhaps Ethiopia, but it seems to have been in Yemen in the fifteenth century that people began to roast and brew coffee beans in the way we today There is a legend that an Ethiopian farmer by the name of Kaldi discovered the properties of the coffee plant six hundred years before that The story goes that he saw his goats dancing excitedly after eating the red berries of an unfamiliar tree He tried them himself, and they had the same effect on him A monk to whom he passed on the news was excited, because he thought this might help him with an embarrassing problem: he used to fall asleep during prayers And it was he who first boiled the dried berries to make a drink from them Well, it’s a great story, but it’s almost certainly not true It was first recorded in writing eight hundred years after the supposed event Coffee was known in Europe before 1600, though hardly any European had ever had the chance to try it But, once people did get to know it, its popularity increased rapidly England’s first coffee house opened in 1652, and by 1675 the country had more than 3,000 Sounds great, but England’s King Charles II was not pleased, and he tried to have them all closed down He argued that they were places where people went to relax and have fun rather than work, but his real concern was that they were centres of debate The topic was often politics, and Charles did not want his people to talk politics He thought it dangerous But to move on, … Part 3 Preparation 1.07 Speaker 1  People think I listen to music all the time That’s because whenever they see me, I’m wearing headphones – whether I’m on my way to school, hanging round with my mates in town, or when I’m working in the café – that’s my part-time job But actually, it’s not always music I’m listening to Sometimes I’m listening to notes I made to help me revise for my exams – which I recorded myself And to be honest, sometimes I’m not listening to anything at all I keep my headphones on so I don’t have to talk to other people If they ask me what I’m listening to, I make something up Does that sound odd? AUDIOSCRIPTS Speaker 2  Most of the music I listen to is from the Internet I subscribe to one of the well-known streaming services It doesn’t cost that much, and there’s an incredible range of music you can listen to But my favourite way is listening to music on the radio It’s probably the element of surprise I like You’re never quite sure what they’ll be playing next For me the best shows are ones which play a wide variety of music, rather than just one type Obviously, I don’t like everything I hear, but I hardly ever hear things I actually dislike Speaker 3  My friends all think I’m a bit strange because I listen to CDs – mainly because I like to actually have something I can pick up and look at rather than having virtual lists on my computer or my phone Once, I tried putting all my CDs on to my computer It was very boring and time-consuming, and I kept making mistakes – probably because I’m not technically minded I always try to buy CDs second hand on the Internet You can find most things if you look hard enough Speaker 4  When I was a kid, our house was always full of music – my parents were great music lovers, mainly of 1970s rock music I didn’t think about whether I liked it or not – it was just there, blaring out of the radio or the record player, especially at weekends When I was about twelve, I suddenly discovered other kinds of music I can remember hearing jazz for the first time – that was amazing – and I’ve been a fan of jazz ever since I listen in all the usual ways, but what I like best is going to jazz clubs, even though I know it sounds a bit middle-aged Speaker 5  Oddly enough for someone of my age, music is not that important to me, so I don’t spend much time listening to it The thing is, I’m very busy – my time’s taken up actually doing things I’m very keen on sport So I guess I don’t have too much opportunity to sit around listening Having said that, I find having quiet background music on helps me to concentrate when I’m doing my homework or revising for exams I know some people can’t this because they end up listening to the music and not working, but for me it’s the opposite My parents can’t understand it Part 3 Practice 1.08 You hear five teenagers talking about holidays abroad Speaker 1  I have a cousin who doesn’t like going abroad on holiday His parents take him a couple of times a year, but he’d rather stay at home They’ve agreed that he doesn’t have to go with them next year, and he’s happy about that But me, I love visiting new places Bad weather is disappointing, but I always take a guidebook so that I’ve got something to if it rains If I want to visit a museum, for Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Part 4 Preparation 1.09 Interviewer  Hello, and welcome to today’s Youth World My guest this afternoon is Matt, a seventeen year old from a school in London We’re going to be discussing how Matt sees his future Hi, Matt – how’re you doing? Matt Yeah, great thanks Interviewer  I’d like to start by asking you to tell us your current situation Are you still in full-time education or have you left school? AUDIOSCRIPTS Matt  No, I’m still in full-time education I’m actually enjoying my final year and wondering what to next It’s quite a worrying time, actually – you know, thinking about the future Interviewer  What are you studying at school? Matt  Music, physics and history are my main subjects Interviewer  That’s an unusual combination Matt  Yeah, I know – that’s what my parents said at the time But they’re the subjects I best at Interviewer  Fair enough So as far as next year’s concerned, what are your main options? Matt  There seem to be three possibilities: simply leaving school and looking for a job, applying for university or taking time out Interviewer  Time out? You mean doing nothing? Matt  No, certainly not I’m think about doing voluntary work abroad – you know, somewhere where they need help To be honest, at the moment that would be my first choice Interviewer  And why is that? Matt  I’ve thought a lot about it My parents think I shouldn’t waste my time going to university They would be a lot happier if I looked for what they call a proper job – for them that means something like working for a large company, like a bank or an insurance company; the thing is, I’m just not ready to start a serious career Also, I feel I need a break from education I’d like to see a bit of the world before I settle down, as they say I’ve contacted a few charity organizations who are looking for volunteers in parts of Africa and the Far East Interviewer  Okay, I can understand that Do you think you’ll go back into education eventually? Matt I’m not sure The only subject that would more or less guarantee me a job at the end of a university course would be physics and that’s the least enjoyable subject I’d love to music, but I’ve no idea what I’d afterwards The career choices are pretty limited, aren’t they? And by the time I finished my course, I’d be thousands of pounds in debt and have no secure employment Interviewer  Hmm, that’s a tricky one What about teaching? You could be a music teacher? Matt I’m not sure Don’t get me wrong, I love children, but I think teaching music in a school would be an uphill struggle Most kids are quite happy to listen to their favourite bands, but they aren’t that keen on studying music Interviewer  When you have to make your final decision? Matt Good question – after all, it is my decision Actually, I’m probably already too late to apply for a university course for next year – which reduces my options down to a serious job or working for one of the charities I’ll have to talk to my parents about it again, but I know what they think The problem is, the charity will only provide food and accommodation, so I’ll be dependent on my parents financially unless Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Audioscripts example, and nobody wants to come with me, that’s fine I’m okay on my own I’m always happy enough to be going back home, but I love being away Speaker 2  I often hear people come home from holiday complaining that it was cold or wet where they went, and they’re just glad to be back But sunbathing bores me, so as far as I’m concerned, the weather can what it likes I always take a guidebook, you see, and since my parents aren’t interested in the things that interest me, I sometimes go off on my own for a few hours They’re cool with that, and it’s the best way of getting to know a new place Part of the fun of a holiday is learning things, and I never feel I’ve wasted my time Speaker 3  I really enjoyed my summer holiday last year We were all set to go to Spain, where we’d never been, but then Dad broke his leg and we couldn’t go So we just stayed here and I went for long walks on my own, out with friends and so on It was great I know most people love going away, but I always find more interesting things to at home The weather matters, of course, but not so much as when you’re hoping to go to the beach every day I don’t need a guidebook, and I don’t feel guilty if I don’t learn a lot of new things Speaker 4  Last year, Mum and Dad took me to Paris – this was the first time I’d been It was disappointing that the weather was bad, but that isn’t so important if you’re in a city Trouble was, it felt a bit like being in school My dad is a great one for guidebooks, and he turned the whole trip into one huge guided tour of Paris I learned a lot, of course, but it was still a bit of a relief when it was over In fact, the best part of the holiday was the return journey Perhaps I’ll go to Paris on my own sometime and just chill out there Speaker 5  When we go off on holiday, I feel like an explorer There’s always the chance to learn things There’s more to it than learning, of course, but that has to be part of it For me, doing only the obvious tourist things – like my parents – would be a waste of time I’d get so bored that it would be a relief to go home, even if it was from sunshine to pouring rain So I go looking for the places that tourists don’t visit Of course, I also want to see the sights, but I like to see them through my own eyes, without having a guidebook to tell me what to Audioscripts I go for a job That’s one of the reasons they’ll put pressure on me to start working Interviewer  I’ve no doubt, Matt, that you’re not the only person of your age who’s in this awkward position Matt I’m sure you’re right Not many of my school friends are sure about what they want to next year It’s such a huge decision to make One of the benefits of doing voluntary work for a year or two is that you can put off the final decision until later Part 4 Practice 1.10 You hear an interview with a chess player Interviewer  With me in the studio today is Sophie Harris, whose ability on the chessboard is attracting a lot of interest So tell me, Sophie, how did you first get interested in chess? Sophie  Well, my parents both play, but I didn’t learn the game from them And although I started a chess club in school, that wasn’t where I started, either What got me into it was seeing chess problems in the newspaper I was ten at the time They didn’t mean anything to me at first, but I thought it would be a challenge to try them So I learned the rules online, and then found that I could solve most of the problems quite easily Then I started playing on my computer There are plenty of websites where you can play against other people Interviewer  Did you win most of the time? Sophie  Yes, I did, but I came across some really good players – too good for me A few times, I’d be well on top, but then things would go wrong My suspicion is that some people, when they’re losing, look for help on the computer There are websites which recommend moves for you It’s possible, of course, that I’d become overconfident, or that my opponent hadn’t been concentrating at the start, but I don’t really think so Maybe I’m just the suspicious type Interviewer  How long was it before you first played someone face to face? And did it feel very different? Sophie  I’d been playing for a year or so before I actually faced another player across the board Being able to see your opponent’s face makes it a very different experience, and so does the presence of the clock It may not actually tick, but still you feel the time pressure I lost some of my early games – against people I really should have beaten – because I just wasn’t used to it Sometimes I made blunders I wouldn’t have thought possible Interviewer  So let me ask, what’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made on a chessboard? Sophie  What an embarrassing question! But okay, I’ll tell you One of my early face-to-face games was against a university student who thought he’d beat me easily, and was obviously shocked to find that I was better than him But just as I was on the verge of victory, I made a stupid move, which left him without AUDIOSCRIPTS a legal reply That’s called stalemate, and means the game is drawn It felt like I’d lost He couldn’t believe his luck! I’d never have made such a blunder if I’d been playing online, and hadn’t been so emotionally involved Interviewer  Oh well, you seem to have got over it well enough But let me take you back a little You mentioned starting a chess club in school Tell me a bit more about that Sophie  When I started secondary school, I expected to find plenty of people to play against But not many of the students even knew the rules and, at first, there was very little interest But I started a club anyway, and gradually other people began playing It took time, but our numbers have increased a lot and now everyone wants to take up chess We’ve been very successful in matches against other schools Interviewer  I’m guessing that you’re probably much better than the other club members, though Don’t you get bored of winning easily all the time? Sophie  Well, what you can if you’re a lot stronger than your opponent is to give him or her an advantage So I often start the game without one of my pieces, sometimes even a rook, which is a very powerful piece I don’t it to show off, but I enjoy the challenge It’s easy to weaken one player slightly in order to make the game more competitive Not many in school would want to play me on equal terms Interviewer  Do you expect to keep up your interest in the game as you grow older or will you begin to give more time to other things? Sophie  Well, I have other interests, but I can’t help thinking how cool it would be to become a grandmaster Of course, that would be very difficult, but I think it could happen I’m still way short of the ability of the best in the world, but I’m improving all the time Whether that’s happening fast enough, I don’t know yet When I leave school and go to university, I’ll decide how much further I want to take it Interviewer  Well, Sophie, I’d say you’re going places I hope to speak to you again when you’re world champion! Speaking Part 1 Preparation 1.11 1 Examiner  Do you enjoy going on holiday? Candidate 1  Yes, I do, but we don’t go on holiday every year Last year we went to Portugal It was great Candidate 2  Yes, I really enjoy holidays – especially if everyone in the family goes Candidate 3  Yes, I Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Part 2 Preparation 1.12 Examiner  In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you two photographs I’d like you to talk about your photographs on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question about your partner’s photographs Ben, it’s your turn first Here are your photographs They show people enjoying themselves on the beach I’d like you to compare the photographs and say what you think they tell you about the people’s lives Ben  This picture was obviously taken a long time ago – probably about a hundred years You know this because of the clothes the people are wearing Most of the people are wearing their ordinary clothes They are quite formal Some of the men are wearing suits and ties, and the women are wearing long dresses and hats In the other picture, people are wearing more casual clothes The beach is a lot more crowded in the first picture In the second picture, some people are sitting on the sand and some people are just walking in the water The children are playing on the beach In the first picture, almost everyone is standing and only a few people are sitting down It’s difficult to tell what the weather is like in this picture, but it looks quite dull I imagine a hundred years ago people did not have as much free time as today They were probably not so used to relaxing on the beach AUDIOSCRIPTS And maybe they didn’t have much choice about what clothes to wear I think in those days everything was more formal Examiner  Thank you, Ben Julia, how you think people felt about beach holidays a hundred years ago? Julia  Well, of course, I don’t know for sure how they felt, but I imagine they only had one holiday a year, and really looked forward to it And if they lived in cities, they would enjoy the fresh air at the seaside In those days probably not everyone could swim, so that’s maybe why they weren’t wearing swimming costumes Part 3 Preparation 1.13 Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two minutes Here are some ways in which teenagers can keep fit, and a question for you to discuss How practical are these ways for teenagers to keep fit? 1.14 Interlocutor  Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two minutes Here are some ways in which teenagers can keep fit and a question for you to discuss How practical are these ways for teenagers to keep fit? Gemma  Let’s start with going to the gym regularly Sam  Okay Do you go to a gym? Gemma  Yes, but not regularly – only when I have enough time The problem is I’m too busy to go regularly – there are so many other things to Some of my friends go to the gym every day and spend at least an hour there, usually after school I couldn’t that When I go, I run for about twenty minutes and a bit of weight-lifting What about you? Sam  I must admit, I never go to the gym I find the exercises really boring, and I’ve never tried lifting weights I suppose if I went, it might help me to keep fit, but I can’t stand the machines – and worst of all, I hate the awful music that they always play at gyms Gemma  You don’t have to go to a gym to keep fit You can simple things like walking to school instead of taking the bus Do you that? Sam  No, I’m afraid not It would take me half an hour to walk to school How about you? Gemma  I don’t walk to school, but I cycle there every day It’s quite tiring, but I think it keeps me fairly fit So you any of these things to keep fit? Sam  Yes, I I’m in the school football team We practise two or three times a week, and we play matches every fortnight I think running around for ninety minutes keeps me pretty fit – don’t you agree? Gemma  Yes, of course I’m not really very sporty myself, but I go dancing regularly – that’s good exercise, too Dancing is a kind of sport, isn’t it? Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Audioscripts 2 Examiner  Where did you go for your last holiday? Candidate 1  We went to Portugal We go to the same place every year Candidate 2  Sorry, I can’t remember Candidate 3  We went to Morgat It’s a small fishing village in France 3 Examiner  What kinds of things you like to when you’re on holiday? Candidate 1  I just like relaxing, but I don’t mind doing a little sport Candidate 2  Swimming, walking, horse riding Candidate 3  The things everyone does – nothing special 4 Examiner  What’s the best holiday you can remember? Candidate 1  That’s a difficult question I enjoy all holidays Candidate 2  Going to New York It was just great Candidate 3  My best holiday was definitely going skiing in the Alps I made some new friends 5 Examiner  Is there somewhere you’d like to go on holiday in the future? Candidate 1  There are lots of places I’d like to go, but I’d particularly like to go to Austria I don’t know why I think it’s because I like the name Candidate 2  I’d really like to go to Australia because it’s such a large country Candidate 3  Let me think Er sorry, I can’t think of anywhere in particular Sam  Yes And how about eating? Would you say you eat healthily? Gemma  Yes, usually I try to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and avoid too much junk food What about you? Sam  I try, but the problem is I love burgers and pizzas I’d find it difficult to give up eating those Audioscripts 1.15 Interlocutor  Now, you have about one minute to decide which two ways of keeping fit you’d recommend to teenagers Gemma  I think eating healthily is the most important thing teenagers can to keep fit Sam  Really? I don’t agree I’d say walking or cycling everywhere would be more important But, of course, I agree that eating healthily is a good idea Gemma  Hmm, maybe you’re right Okay, so let’s agree that walking and cycling is important and a practical possibility for most people of our age Sam  Mm My other choice would be joining a sports team because doing sport is a way of keeping fit and at the same time doing something you enjoy When you play a sport, you’re trying to win You’re not thinking about keeping fit Gemma  I’m afraid I don’t agree There are a lot of people who don’t enjoy team sports My second choice would be going to a gym regularly because it’s possible for most people to this Sam  I can see what you mean And it’s not always that easy to find a sports team you can join So, have we chosen our two ways? Gemma  Yes, I think we have We’d recommend walking and cycling, and going to the gym regularly Interlocutor  Thank you Part 4 Preparation 1.16 Thinking about someone who wants to keep fit, you think they should choose a team sport or an individual sport? Experts say that everyday jobs, like housework and gardening, are good ways of keeping fit Do you think these are practical ways of keeping fit for teenagers? What everyday jobs could you do? Some people believe that doing a lot of exercise can be bad for you Do you agree? How important you think it is for people to keep-fit activities regularly? Do you think a healthy diet is as important as exercise for someone who wants to keep fit? Some people say exercise has to be uncomfortable or even painful to be effective What you think? 1.17 Examiner  Thinking about someone who wants to keep fit, you think they should choose a team sport or an individual sport? AUDIOSCRIPTS Jason  Shall I start? Okay I’d suggest they should choose a team sport, mainly because team sports are sociable Doing individual sports can be quite lonely How about you, Laura? Laura  I’m not so sure Jason Why? Laura  Let me explain Some people want to be able to exercise at any time of the day or night The problem is that team sports are usually at fixed times Jason  That’s true Laura  And I don’t agree with the idea that individual sports are lonely activities You can go running with a friend, or you can join a running club My point is, you can run when you like Jason  Agreed, but there are a lot of people who enjoy being part of a team and competing with other teams That’s because they like the idea of winning Examiner  Some people say exercise has to be uncomfortable or even painful to be effective What you think? Monica  Personally, I think that’s a ridiculous idea For one thing, exercise should be enjoyable I mean, nobody would enjoy doing exercise which hurt them or made them feel uncomfortable Jonathan  I disagree Some people are so determined to get fit that they don’t mind a little discomfort or pain Getting fit is more important to some people than how they feel at a particular time And in any case, the pain they feel doesn’t last long Monica  My point is that exercise without pain can also be effective I mean, going to the gym can be painful if you exercise too hard or for too long, but I think you should stop before the pain starts Jonathan  I guess we’re not going to agree You see, I think that it’s when the pain starts that the exercise becomes most effective Practice Test Listening Part 1.18 You hear a teenager talking about herself and her sister My younger sister Helena and I are different in lots of ways For a start, I’m more sociable than she is, but she’s more sensible than me We’ve had our ups and downs, but basically we get on really well Our parents have always been harder on me than on Helena I’m not sure why I used to get annoyed, because it seemed that Helena could get away with doing things that I’d never been allowed to – it didn’t seem fair to me Anyway, I’m going to university next September, so we’ll be separated for a lot of the time I’m sure I’ll miss her Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press AUDIOSCRIPTS Student  Sort of I know I want to specialize in science, but I haven’t decided on my optional subjects Teacher  I thought you were keen to art or music Student  I am, but my parents think they wouldn’t be very useful to me in the future Teacher  And what you think? Student  I’d really enjoy them, whether they were useful or not Teacher  They’d certainly be a change from science The thing is, I need to know next week In the end, it’s up to you, Shaun You hear a news report about an important sports event Reporter  If you haven’t heard the result and you’re planning to watch the game later this evening, I suggest you turn the radio off now Okay, let’s go over to Mike Gardener who was our reporter at the match Mike, tell us what happened Mike  Well, I have to say, it wasn’t the most thrilling game I’ve ever seen In the first half, very little happened There were a couple of poor shots at goal, but both teams were playing defensively But, after half time, it all suddenly came to life United scored twice in ten minutes, and City equalized five minutes before the whistle So two all at the end of the match You hear a teenager talking about a night he’ll never forget I went to bed just before midnight I must have just dropped off when the wind started blowing Half an hour later my bedroom window broke with a terrible crash I jumped out of bed and rushed to check my younger sister was all right When I opened the door, I could see her staring out of the window looking very scared Fortunately, there was no actual damage to her room Together, we went to check that our parents were okay Their bedroom was at the back of the house – away from the wind and, amazingly, they were in bed and still fast asleep You hear a teenager talking about something he’s always been afraid of I’ve had this fear for as long as I can remember My father had been scared of dogs ever since he was bitten on the arm as a small boy So I guess that’s where my phobia came from My dad used to tell me that all dogs were potentially dangerous, even if they looked friendly and wagged their tails So, from quite a young age, I was convinced that any dog I saw might attack me, and I organized a lot of my life around this fear Parks were complete no-go areas for me, and I always avoided visiting people who owned dogs Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Audioscripts You hear part of a radio interview with a singer Interviewer  Hi, Emma Thanks for coming in Singer  It’s great to be here – thanks for having me Interviewer  Tell us what you’ve been up to since we last chatted Singer  Okay Well, I’ve been on my spring tour – forty shows in the last two months – mainly in Europe, but I also flew over to the States and did a couple of dates there Interviewer  That’s some schedule I hope you were well looked after Singer  Oh, I was I’ve got a great team travelling everywhere with me Interviewer  And I hear you’re about to bring out a new album soon? Singer  We’re launching it here in London two weeks today I’m really excited! You hear two friends trying to arrange an evening out together Woman  How are you fixed this week? I could make Thursday or possibly Saturday Man  Are we thinking about afternoon or evening? Woman  I’d prefer evening, if that’s okay with you? Man  That’s fine It always feels more of an occasion in the evening, doesn’t it? Woman  Yes We could go for a meal before or after Man  Did we actually decide what we wanted to see? Woman  Well, we did think about that new musical with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone Man  The one that won all the awards last year? Woman  Yes Where’s it on? You hear a teenager telling a friend about a situation he once found himself in I’ll never forget that morning It was half past five and I’d been asleep It was getting light when we landed, but even then, the airport was busy We got off the plane and on to the airport bus Five minutes later we were queuing to have our passports checked That’s when things went wrong The officer opened my passport, then looked at me, and tapped something into his computer Then, in a serious voice, he said, ‘Come this way.’ I followed him into a small office ‘I’m afraid you will have to catch the next plane back to where you came from Your passport ran out three weeks ago.’ You hear a conversation between a student and a teacher Teacher  I need to check something with you, Shaun Have you got a minute? Student  Yes, that’s fine Teacher  Okay Have you decided which subjects you’re going to take next year? Part 1.19 Audioscripts You hear a teenager talking about his project on lightning There’s something frightening and at the same time fascinating about lightning Maybe that’s because we all have a basic understanding of most other types of weather, like rain, snow or wind But lightning seems to be different somehow Lots of us are frightened of lightning and its almost strange power, perhaps because we don’t understand it This is why there are so many myths around the subject of lightning Perhaps the most well known of these is that lightning never strikes twice People think that because lightning strikes are so rare, it is extremely unlikely for the same place to be struck more than once Unfortunately, there are lots of people who know only too well that this is not true It is a proven fact that some places are more likely than others to be struck by lightning This is usually to with their physical location; mountainous areas, places where there are tall trees or where the rocks have a high metal content are likely to be hit more than once And as for people, I read about a Canadian park worker who spent a lot of his time working in the open and was actually struck seven times Amazingly, he survived Anyone who has experienced a thunderstorm knows that you see lightning before you hear thunder We always expect the two to be quite close together, but this is not always the case Lightning can travel up to sixteen kilometres ahead of thunder so that, when it strikes, it takes people by surprise, because it appears to come out of nowhere Another common belief is that lightning only comes from the sky and in a downward direction, but in reality, the lightning that comes from the sky is met by lightning moving upwards to meet it from the ground We don’t see this because the lightning coming from the ground is much stronger and faster moving than the lightning coming from the sky I think we’d all agree that lightning is associated in most of our minds with certain weather conditions – particularly rainstorms or changes in temperature But according to my research, particularly dramatic lightning can be caused by an erupting volcano There is plenty of photographic evidence that shows lightning accompanying eruptions – but only certain kinds of violent eruption where volcanoes explode and throw rocks and ash into the air At the moment, scientists are not quite sure why this happens, but they believe it may be caused by the speed of the upward movement of the rocks and ash ‘Ball lightning’ is another phenomenon that people have always found very strange Glowing balls about the size of a large orange and of many different colours seem to float slowly in the air They can move AUDIOSCRIPTS around rooms and even through walls There are cases where a lightning ball has entered an aircraft and frightened the passengers This form of lightning has been known for hundreds of years and has always mystified scientists One theory is that what we are seeing is a ball of glowing gas Finally, some advice about what to to protect yourself from lightning during a thunderstorm Most of you probably know this already The first thing to is to avoid outside activities, particularly openair sports, like golf and fishing Next, stay inside a building or a car with all the windows closed Water conducts electricity, so don’t swim or take a shower You should also unplug electrical devices like computers and televisions, because they can be damaged by the sudden increases in electrical power, which can be caused by lightning One last thing: if you can’t move indoors, find a low area away from trees and posts of any kind Part 1.20 You hear five people talking about seasons they like or dislike Speaker 1  Spring is definitely the best season of the year for me – it’s always been my favourite season Mornings are especially lovely, because they’re not too cold, but nothing like as hot as it gets later on in the day But more importantly for me, spring is the time of year when nature comes alive again: plants which have looked dead for months, as if by magic, produce leaves and flowers Birds start singing again – as if they’ve woken up after a long sleep And other animals emerge from their winter hiding places In my experience, the arrival of spring affects people, too Everyone seems to walk around with a smile on their face Speaker 2  For me, autumn is the best season for several reasons It’s probably partly a childhood thing – maybe because my birthday is in the middle of September, actually the day before my father’s birthday, so as a child autumn was a time of the year to look forward to But that’s not the main reason I love autumn afternoons, when it’s still quite bright – before winter sets in As a family, it was a time for gardening My brothers and I used to help our parents pick the fruit I can remember the wonderful smell of the bonfire we made to burn the garden rubbish I suppose it’s quite a nostalgic time for me Speaker 3  I know most of the world loves spring and early summer, but for me, this is the time of year which is accompanied by a form of punishment ‘Why is that?’, you may wonder The fact is, at some point during late spring or early summer, my eyes start to itch and I begin to sneeze I’m sensitive to various kinds of plants – mainly grass and certain kinds of trees I take various tablets which help a little, but Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Part 1.21 You hear an interview with a young musician Interviewer  My guest today is Ruby Johnson, who is making an international name for herself as a solo violinist She’ll tell us how this all happened in a minute, but can I ask you first, Ruby, to tell us a bit about your everyday life? Ruby  I’m just an ordinary seventeen-year-old girl who lives a normal life at home with my family I go to the school nearest to where I live and, like most other people my age, I watch TV, play computer games, spend time on social media and hang out with my friends And, occasionally, I’m lucky enough to play the violin with a world-class orchestra Interviewer  How did this amazing musical career begin? Ruby  I was only about three years old when my parents started taking me to violin lessons To be honest, I don’t remember much about those early lessons I think I enjoyed them, and I certainly never made a fuss about going Apparently, I showed early promise and my teacher told my parents I had a rare talent As you can imagine, they were delighted, especially my dad, because he played the violin in a AUDIOSCRIPTS local amateur orchestra None of this meant much to me at the time I went to my regular lessons at a music school and didn’t think much more about it It was just one of those things that I did regularly as a child Interviewer  So when did you begin to think there was more to playing the violin than going for regular lessons with a music teacher? Ruby  I’m not sure exactly when that was I don’t think there was a particular moment when it suddenly hit me I gradually realized that here was something I enjoyed doing and was quite good at I took all the exams and seemed to pass them long before any of the other children at the school But even then, playing the violin was just one of the things I did, you know, like going to school, playing with my friends, watching TV One day my music teacher came round to our house and spent an hour talking to my parents Afterwards, they told me that my teacher wanted to put me in for a national competition for under-ten-year-olds That really made me want to go on doing it Interviewer  How did your parents react to this? Were they happy about the idea of their youngest daughter going in for a national competition? Ruby  Yes, as far as I know They were always really proud of my musical ability They explained what going in for the competition would mean – you know, lots of hard work, practising the competition pieces They stressed that I couldn’t have any time off school and that I’d have to keep up with all my schoolwork But I didn’t mind that The last thing I wanted was for the other children in my class to see me as a freak who was different from them Interviewer  Okay, so you practised hard and went in for the competition What happened? Ruby  I practised for four or five hours every day, mostly in the evenings, because I was at school all day I didn’t mind, but by the time the competition came, I was exhausted It was actually a relief when the day came I went up to London to a big concert hall with my parents It was a little scary, but there were nine other children about the same age as me We were all in the same situation and got along very well as we waited The organizers provided snacks and drinks, and we could watch television as we waited Interviewer  And the competition itself? How did that go? Ruby  I came third I really enjoyed the day and it was such an honour to take part in the competition I didn’t mind not winning because, above all, it made me realize that playing the violin was something I enjoyed so much that I wanted to go on doing it for the rest of my life My ambition even at that young age was to belong to an orchestra and to play the violin for a living Interviewer  That was seven years ago How about now? Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts nothing really works and I just have to wait until this part of the year is over It hasn’t always been like this; until I was about twelve, I loved spring as much as anyone else, but then suddenly one year, it all changed Speaker 4  Without doubt, my favourite season is summer, because in my mind it’s always associated with long holidays As a young child, I couldn’t wait for school to finish and the break to begin Those holidays at the beach were such happy times, when you could stop worrying about exams and homework and you didn’t have to get up early As a family, we usually spent three or four weeks camping on the coast, spending most days swimming and playing beach games For me, the only thing I didn’t like about the summer was getting bitten by insects, which seemed to be everywhere at certain times I particularly remember that the end of July was the worst! Speaker 5  I think I’m the odd one out, because my favourite season is winter It’s quite hard to explain why, but I think it has something to with staying indoors when it’s dark and cold outside It’s the time of year when my mother cooked some of my favourite meals and we’d all sit round the table eating and chatting Of course, you can that at other times of the year, but for me, winter mealtimes gave me the best memories I suppose the other explanation for choosing winter is that I’m not really an outdoor person I prefer watching sport on TV to playing it, and I’ve never really been what you’d call a nature lover All my family like winter best Audioscripts Ruby  Well, I play in orchestras now, or – I should say – I play with orchestras, because what’s happened is that people want me to perform as a soloist It means that I get to travel all over the place playing fantastic music in front of thousands of people I’m lucky enough to be able what I like doing And, for most of the time, I’m still an ordinary girl who goes to school and lives with her family Interviewer  Thank you very much, Ruby It was good talking to you Practice Test Listening Part 1.22 You hear a man talking about tourism Tourism is quite different nowadays Not only is it less expensive, but more and more people want to get involved with the place they’re going to and learn more about it The majority of tourists have read up on their destination and are better prepared before they go And travel agencies are also trying to put tourists in touch with local people It’s becoming increasingly important to be able to connect with people in other countries Nowadays, it’s not just hotels you can stay in: you can stay in somebody’s house It makes it a more interesting experience You hear an interview with a businesswoman Interviewer  So what advice would you give to young people thinking of starting their own business? Businesswoman  Well, I spent a long time working on my business plan Once I felt confident enough to put my ideas into action, I launched my company, and I’ve never looked back Interviewer  And what qualifications young people need to start their own business? Businesswoman  It’s difficult to say whether qualifications are necessary I have a business degree and it has helped a bit, but it’s your attitude that matters most You must be capable of working with a range of people and making connections These relationships are essential in the business world You hear a sportsman talking on the radio I’ve already had great success in two different sports, so I’m often asked if I’d consider taking up a third sport in the future! No doubt there’d be a lot of companies interested in me, and I could probably make an awful lot of money from adverts and TV appearances and so on But, to be honest, I’m more interested in achieving what I can at sport, not the financial rewards I can get out of it AUDIOSCRIPTS And I always aim to as well as I possibly can – I’m never satisfied with being second best You hear a man and a woman talking about supermarkets Woman  I don’t understand why so many supermarkets are staying open all night Do you? Man  Well, you have to remember that an awful lot of people work at night, rather than a normal nineto-five day Everyone needs to buy food, and they expect shops to be flexible for them Woman  But how can supermarkets afford to stay open all night? Man  Well, a lot of them get their deliveries at night because they have to stock the shelves for the next day, so they’re open anyway The money they earn from just a few night-time customers easily covers the salaries of a couple of extra staff members It’s definitely worth them staying open You hear a man talking about moving to another country We moved abroad in search of a better life The people here are so friendly – everyone says ‘hello’ to you, even if you can’t really speak the language In some ways we’re quite a young family to have made a risky move like this, but we absolutely love it Moving abroad can be easier in some ways when you’re older, but a lot of the older people here wish they’d done it years ago I’d say that if you’re thinking of moving to another country, what are you waiting for? You hear someone advertising a writing course Interested in making money in your spare time and having a lot of fun, too? Why not try our course to help you become a successful writer? We can help you develop your skills, and will advise you on how to go about finding ideas for stories and articles The course is especially suitable for those without any writing experience You can study in the comfort of your home and take as long as you like, so there’s no need to hurry Call us today, or visit our website for more details You hear a man and a woman talking about family history Man  So, how should I find out about my family history from my relatives? Would it help to use old photographs? Woman  I’m not convinced I suppose a photograph might make someone talk about a particular place or time Most importantly, I think you should write everything down in case you forget It could be really valuable information! Man  But where should I start? Should I ask about their childhood first? Woman  You could do, but don’t just say, ‘Tell me about your childhood.’ The best thing is to ask about things like what someone remembers wearing, or Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Part 2.01 You hear a man talking about the success of Starbucks coffee shops Everyone has heard of Starbucks coffee shops It’s an amazing success story that started back in the 1970s, when the first store opened in Seattle Since then, Starbucks has grown into a business of more than 24,000 stores in seventy countries And today, it’s not just shopping centres where you can find Starbucks People are sometimes surprised to find them inside hospitals and public libraries! But the huge popularity of Starbucks isn’t due only to the coffee; it’s also the way it’s sold Starbucks closely studied consumer needs, trying to find out things like their favourite colours and music This awareness of customer psychology has gained them millions of loyal customers a week Twenty years ago, people weren’t drinking coffee in such large amounts as today, but Starbucks was there at a time when people were working long hours and needed a break There were people coming into the coffee shops to escape from the stress of their job, and also those who wanted to some work in a more relaxed environment How many other businesses would let people treat their shop spaces as an office? The company hasn’t always concentrated so much on creating relaxed surroundings, though Originally it was more interested in efficiency rather than comfort The chairs and stools customers had to sit on were rather uncomfortable There were complaints about this, and so they made changes and got rid of the old furniture In fact, the company found that the customers they interviewed talked quite a bit about the atmosphere in the shop They didn’t really care about the coffee’s flavour so much, but they wanted warmth and a feeling of comfort Starbucks are also very careful about the image people associate with the company and its products For instance, you’ll never see Starbucks offering AUDIOSCRIPTS discounts, because they want you to view their products as a luxury Even their famous green-and-white cups are important to them They think that the cup is a really effective advertisement for their brand, and they intended them to be seen everywhere in the streets And what were the designers of the coffee shop thinking as they worked on the interior? Well, there’s none of the shiny metal you see in many cafés Sharp edges are strictly forbidden, and tables are small and round Natural materials like stone are preferred, or wood to give an impression of warmth You certainly won’t see much plastic! And what about Starbucks’ plans for the future? Well, a huge amount of thought goes into even the smallest decision at Starbucks, like the new summer flavours it announces each year At this very moment, people in the research and development kitchens are trying to figure out what colour to use with each flavour next year They try very hard to follow fashion, so the flavours they pick will correspond to the colours they expect to be the most popular a year from now So next time you go past a Starbucks, or enjoy a coffee in one of their stores, have a think about all the hard work that’s gone into making it the success it is today! Part 2.02 You hear five people talking about their holidays Speaker 1  My parents have a house in the hills We go there twice a year and it’s fantastic There’s some amazing scenery to enjoy, and the medieval towns in the area haven’t been spoilt by tourism My mum and dad sometimes invite friends to join us I prefer it when they’re old friends that I feel comfortable with It can still be a bit of a risk – until you’ve been on holiday with someone, you can’t be sure how you’ll feel seeing this person every day for a whole week Speaker 2  This year’s holiday was on the coast We rented a beautiful house there – it was so comfortable, and very spacious, too During a period of about two weeks, several relatives and close friends came to stay One day we had about fourteen people for lunch in the garden! Life is so hard these days, and my parents certainly work very long hours, so I think it’s important that we all have a laugh when we’re on holiday, forget all our troubles and feel free; otherwise, what’s the point? Speaker 3  I’ll be spending some time in Greece I look forward to going around the lively markets there, taking a look at the huge variety of food available And I love to discover the best local restaurants by chatting to people who have lived there all their lives For me, that’s the most important aspect of a memorable holiday – learning about the true Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts their best friend at school You’ll be surprised how much people say about these little details You hear a man talking about video games Anyone, even schoolchildren, who has learned to play just a handful of video games can generally work out how to operate almost any technical device Which is why, nowadays, video games are used to train people in all sorts of jobs, including doctors, pilots and so on Good games challenge players to deal with a number of different things at once, predict possible problems and decide what to about them quickly That’s why playing video games can also be really useful as training for the world of business Audioscripts character of a country, not just believing everything you read in the guidebooks You have to be willing to look for something a little out of the ordinary and to seek adventure Most people just want to play it safe and don’t want to be challenged by something different Speaker 4  I generally feel much happier in fairly cool places My wife is from Mexico and so she always wants to visit hot countries She also likes places with plenty of markets selling clothes and jewellery and, of course, food, but I’m not so keen, to be honest So we have to compromise We’re taking our two children, and I’ll be concentrating on them We’ll play football and anything else they feel like doing My sons like to stay active, so there won’t be much free time! With a bit of luck, I will have a chance to relax in the evenings Speaker 5  This month I am going sailing with my family on a lake near here That’s what we every year, and we never seem to get bored For us, being in a friendly place we know well matters a lot, and we don’t want to have the stress of anything unexpected or strange There are also some really friendly little restaurants where everyone knows us, and which serve a range of interesting dishes I like to some reading on holiday – it helps me relax – and so I take some good books to read when I’m on the lake Part 2.03 You hear a radio interview about a young photographer Interviewer  We all know about the paparazzi who spend their time trying to get photographs of the rich and the famous But did you know that some of them are still at school? In the studio we have David Thomas, who is going to tell us about one of the youngest, Nick Winter David  Yes, Nick is just sixteen years old and looks and dresses like any other kid of that age, although he seems rather quiet, almost shy But what sets him apart is the confident and grown-up way that he carries and uses all his camera equipment, worth thousands of pounds, and which he takes everywhere he goes Interviewer  Why has it been possible for him to go into this profession so young? David  Well, the profession has been through huge changes over the last few years We now have digital cameras, so if you can afford the equipment, then you have all you need to start taking great pictures, without needing any formal training Some shots can make the photographer a small fortune, so there are more and more paparazzi of increasingly younger ages AUDIOSCRIPTS Interviewer  What his parents think about all this? David  Well, they don’t seem that concerned about his age, and what’s even more surprising is that they actually take him round the town in the car at all hours of the day and night His mother in particular used to hate the paparazzi she saw everywhere But her attitude certainly seems to have changed now that she can see her son has some talent! Interviewer  So how did Nick get started in the photography business? David  It was his uncle who gave him a camera as a birthday present, and Nick decided to try photographing stars as they went into restaurants His first photographs weren’t very professional, of course, but Nick really enjoyed the thrill of mixing with the rich and famous, and meeting professional photographers, who often helped him and gave him advice Interviewer  Of course, we know that these days some paparazzi can be very aggressive and rude What does Nick think of that? David  Nick is very sympathetic to the celebrities he shoots While he is of course aware that there are many badly behaved paparazzi who things they shouldn’t just to get a picture, he doesn’t agree with it Apparently, he’s had several opportunities to get photos of stars in embarrassing situations, but has refused to, even though he could sell them to magazines for large sums Interviewer  Just how difficult is it to get hold of these sorts of photos? There must be a lot of waiting around on pavements? David  It’s not as hard as some people imagine Don’t forget that it’s frequently the stars themselves who call up the paparazzi to tell them where they’re going to be and when The worst part of the job is indeed the waiting And when a celebrity suddenly makes an appearance, you have to move fast so you don’t miss your chance – you don’t get many! Interviewer  And finally, David, you feel that it’s a good thing for young kids to be doing? David  Well, it’s a tough and competitive world out there, and I’m not sure that teenagers should be doing it, but Nick’s father or one of his uncles is always with him, so he’s safe, and his father insists that he never pushed Nick into this area Also, all the photos he takes are sold on their own website, rather than going through an agency, which is a good thing Interviewer  Well, David, thanks once again for coming in and revealing something of the world of the young paparazzi to us today Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Practice Test Listening Part 2.04 AUDIOSCRIPTS Part 2.05 You hear a radio interview with an astronomer Interviewer  I believe there’s going to be an open day at the university observatory this summer Could you tell us a bit about it, Mary? Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts You hear a woman speaking on her mobile phone Yes … for tonight, please; two people Can we get them with a good view of the stage, if possible? … Sure, that sounds great! We should be arriving at about nine o’clock, although if the train is late, it might be quite a bit after that … Can we collect them at the door, then? … Fine Oh, and one other thing: is there anywhere nearby where we can get something to eat after the show? You hear part of a news report Reports are coming in of a similar situation in the south, where entire villages are being evacuated The emergency services have warned they may soon be completely cut off by the flames, which are now gradually heading towards the coast owing to a light wind from the east In an attempt to bring the situation under control, millions of litres of water are being taken from a local lake and dropped from aircraft onto the affected area, but following the recent heatwave the ground is so dry that it would take days of heavy rain to make a difference And here, in July, that is just not going to happen You hear a man talking in a restaurant I’m afraid this really isn’t good enough My dessert still hasn’t arrived and I just can’t wait any longer The same thing happened with the main course, and the side salad I’d ordered finally appeared well after I’d finished the fish That completely spoiled what otherwise would have been quite a nice meal if I’d been able to relax properly and enjoy it I would like to have the bill now, please, though obviously without being charged for anything I haven’t actually received You hear a girl talking about an evening out Well, it all started when Keith, a friend of mine from school, invited some of us round to his house for the evening Of course, we then phoned other friends and they told more people so that in the end there must have been over fifty of us there Most people brought their own music, which meant we had lots of different kinds of things to listen to Keith’s got some good speakers, so it was really loud It was much better than going to a disco, and a whole lot cheaper, too! You hear a boy telling a friend about his new hobby Girl  So how did climbing go last week? Was it quite scary? Boy  Well, to be honest, I was surprised how tiring it was When you’re up on the wall, you’re just concentrating on the climb, but afterwards I was really sore I carried on to the top, though I didn’t want to quit even though my legs were aching My sister climbs a bit, and she said I should have done some exercises before I started I suppose she was right All in all, I had a good time, though I wish I’d had a go at it earlier You hear two young people talking Boy  I’ve got an idea – let’s go to the beach It’s a lovely day, and there will be lots to there Girl  Well, it does sound like fun, but there isn’t time today Perhaps another day, like Monday, when there’s nothing else to except spend all day in the house Boy  But the weather’s so great at the moment, and it might not last until then I’m sure the sea will be warm enough for a swim Girl  I’d rather that at the pool at the sports centre Shall we go there instead? You hear someone talking in a café I’m sorry, but I don’t seem to have any cash on me at all I really don’t know what’s happened I remember putting twenty pounds in my inside pocket before I left the house, because I was going to buy a few things, though in the end I didn’t Actually, there should be even more than that, because earlier this morning Karen paid me back some money I’d lent her last week, and I put that in my pocket, too The only thing I can think of is that it must have fallen out when I took out my phone just now, because I haven’t done anything else with it You hear an extract from a radio programme This week we’re asking you to listen to a few seconds of three well-known songs that were all first released in the same year, and then, very simply, tell us which year it was That’s all you have to do! So get ready to listen, and if you think you know the answer, let us know straightaway by emailing or sending a text The lucky winner will be chosen by our studio guest after the next commercial break, and they will receive tickets to the concert of their choice Audioscripts Mary  Certainly What we’re going to is explain what astronomy is and, we hope, make it more interesting for young people Far too few are choosing to science at university, and we feel that astronomy is one area that could really appeal to them once they have an idea what it’s about Interviewer  And it’ll be on the last Thursday in July, is that right? Mary  I’m glad you mentioned that, because in fact it’s been brought forward a couple of days to the Tuesday We’ll make that clear when we begin advertising it and, as we haven’t actually started issuing any tickets yet, the change shouldn’t cause any confusion Interviewer  And what time will it start? Quite late? Mary  Well, obviously in July, in the northern hemisphere, you have to wait until late to see anything in the night sky But there’s often plenty to see during the day, too The moon, for instance, and sometimes satellites like the International Space Station or planets such as Venus On the open day we’ll be starting early in the evening, weather permitting, by having a look at the sun Not with the naked eye, of course, but through a special telescope There’s a lot of solar activity at present, and if that continues into July, it should be a fascinating sight for those who’ve never seen it before Interviewer  Will they be observing the night sky straight after that? Mary  No First, Dr Margaret Fraser will give a short talk on what can be seen using the main 24-inch telescope and then there will be a quick tour of the museum Following that we’ll be looking through the ten-inch telescopes we use for teaching and research – until quite late, we hope Interviewer  What time you think it will finish? Mary  Again, that depends on whether it’s cloudy or not Assuming it isn’t, we’ll carry on until midnight If it is, we’ll finish at about ten We should have photos of recent skies to look at, so there will be plenty to see, even if it isn’t actually ‘live’ Interviewer  And where will the telescopes for the visitors be? Mary  They’ll be in the observatory grounds So I’d advise everyone to have a coat with them Even though it’ll be summer, it can get quite cold after a couple of hours there They’ll be standing still nearly all the time, and the observatory’s quite high up in the mountains, after all The air’s a lot clearer, and you can see so much more in the night sky from up there Interviewer  Is there anything else that people should bring with them? Some refreshments, perhaps? Mary  That shouldn’t be necessary because tea and coffee will be available free of charge So all in all it’ll be quite an inexpensive evening, as we’re not planning to charge an entrance fee, either The AUDIOSCRIPTS tickets will be free There won’t be very many, though; we just don’t have the space One hundred and seventy five, I expect We’ve done what we can to fit more people in: it was only one hundred and twenty the last time we had one of these, five years ago Interviewer  I’m sure they’ll all go very quickly How soon can people get hold of tickets? Mary  Monday next week, at nine o’clock in the morning In previous years, they were available by post from the university ticket office, but this time we want to speed everything up So as soon as we receive an email from somebody requesting a ticket, we’ll send them one, or at most two, immediately Interviewer  And we’ll give listeners that address at the end of the programme Now finally, Mary, can you tell me whether you think this will become a regular event at the observatory? Every year, perhaps? Mary  Well, we can’t have one next year because we’re booked up all summer, but possibly in two years’ time We’ll see I should know in about six months Interviewer  Thank you Part 2.06 You hear five people talking about dangerous situations they have experienced Speaker 1  One summer, when I was a teenager, I was out on one of those little paddleboats I was relaxing and reading a really exciting book, and I didn’t realize the wind and the currents were taking me further out to sea A fishing boat came past, and the crew told me there was a storm on the way They offered to take me back to the town if I liked, but I said no Soon the waves got bigger and I started to worry Then I saw a small island, so I paddled as hard as I could and eventually reached it I had to call my parents and explain; it was so embarrassing Speaker 2  I’m not a particularly good skier, and I’ve had no survival training So when I realized there was an avalanche coming down the mountain, I didn’t think my chances were very good As this huge white mass raced down towards me, I knew I couldn’t outrun it, but then I saw some skiers turning left across the slope In that situation you feel you have to keep going down as fast as you can, but I took a chance and followed them It’s just as well I did They’d found the only safe place I waited there beneath the huge rock that stuck out of the mountainside and watched all the snow and ice rush past Two hours later, I skied slowly down to the village Speaker 3  They’d said on television that a famous cruise ship was sailing past the coast today So, like lots of others, I’d walked across the beach to see it There’s about a mile of sand before you reach the sea, and you get great views of the mountains from out there Anyway, I was so busy looking at the ship that Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Part 2.07 You hear part of an interview with someone who has recently done voluntary work in another country Interviewer  Jenny, who or what made you want to spend your summer doing this? Jenny  Everyone I knew said I must be mad, that I’d catch all kinds of tropical diseases, but I ignored them It was really about making a difference to people’s lives, especially those who couldn’t fully look after themselves I didn’t really mind where they sent me, and I had no idea where that would be until much later Interviewer  So how did you find out about this particular organization? Jenny  After reading about volunteering on a blog, I checked out several volunteer work websites and chose one organization I liked the sound of It had lots of interesting background information, including quotes from previous volunteers, so I looked at the application form I could have filled it in then, or emailed my details, but I don’t like giving out so much personal information online, so I printed it out, filled AUDIOSCRIPTS it in, and posted it that afternoon I had a phone call from the human resources manager the next morning, so it was just as quick, really Interviewer  Was that to ask for more details, or tell you what the next step was? Jenny  Both, really She wanted to find out more about my medical studies and whether I was interested in any particular speciality – I mentioned child health care – and she said they’d try to take that into account during the training course Assuming I was accepted, of course, and prior to that there would be an interview Interviewer  So you went along for that, and presumably all went well Jenny  Yes, I had a formal letter from them a couple of days later asking me to go for a medical, and then to go to their training centre out in the countryside a week after that It was in a lovely place, but the training was pretty intensive – it lasted a whole fortnight – and I met so many people, I can’t remember all their names now But I’d be seeing some of them again quite soon, because three weeks later I was off to work in a village about 200 kilometres from the equator Interviewer  How did you react to that? Jenny  Well, I suppose it only really hit me when I got to the airport and met others going to the same place Some of them I already knew from the training course, and we spent a couple of hours in the departure lounge trying to hide our nerves by laughing about the things that’d happened on the course That was all, really We’d been given a fairly clear picture of what to expect during our year away, and I don’t think we were scared I knew the work that lay ahead would at times be tiring, and the conditions tough, but I felt I could cope Interviewer  And was that the case when you arrived? Jenny  In the main, yes I was prepared for life without showers or even tap water – we had to use buckets for washing – and the food, of course, was different But I’m a vegetarian, so a meat-free diet was fine by me, though it came as a shock to some of my colleagues I must admit, I hadn’t been expecting to spend quite so much time with them It turned out we had to sleep eight to a very small room, and as I’d grown up an only child that took some getting used to! Interviewer  So what exactly was the job, and how did you find it? Jenny  We were setting up a local health centre, something that hadn’t existed there before And the thing I especially liked about the work was the fact that it was a joint project with the inhabitants of the village, so they knew it was partly their creation, too It’s my belief that the centre will benefit them greatly for a long time to come, and that’s one of the things that kept us going when we felt at one point that we weren’t going to finish it on time We did, though, and it’s something we’ll always be proud of Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts I didn’t notice the tide coming in, very fast Suddenly I realized that I was completely cut off by deep and fast-moving water, and everyone else had gone I called the emergency services on my mobile, and they told me to stay where I was So I did, and soon a rescue helicopter arrived and picked me up, but I felt a complete idiot Speaker 4  It was windy, rainy and freezing! Night was coming and I was on my own in the forest, a long way from the nearest town I was lost, and I had to make a shelter to stay warm and dry until morning It wouldn’t be the first time I’d built one, but this wasn’t going to be a survival exercise This time it was for real, and I wouldn’t get any help But I did what I’d been taught and chose a place that was well away from water, on slightly higher ground, and then found all the sticks, branches with leaves and other material I needed Soon I had my shelter, and although it wasn’t particularly comfortable, it gave me enough protection Speaker 5  Some years ago, I was staying in Western Australia, right next to the desert I had a mountain bike there, and one morning I was racing down a particularly big hill when I lost control and crashed The front wheel was badly bent I’d also twisted my ankle, and it would be a long walk home in great heat Fortunately, though, I’d read the chapter about deserts in a survival guide which said to rest during the heat of the day and walk at night The sun was getting stronger, so I looked for shade on the hillside and eventually found a small cave I went inside and stayed there until the sun went down Then I slowly made my way home in the cool night air Practice Test Listening Part Audioscripts 2.08 You hear a young singer talking on the radio I’m really lucky because there have always been people around who have been willing to help me I first met Alex when I was a teenager Some stars don’t find the time to talk to young people like me, but he did I used to be really nervous, but Alex could see that and he helped me get over it His advice made a big difference to me, especially before important shows The funny thing is that even though he had such a big influence on me, he wouldn’t acknowledge it – he’s far too modest for that You hear someone talking about a famous building The Bodleian Library in Oxford has played a special role in the city for over 450 years, during which time thousands of visitors have walked through its doors The library opened to students in 1602, although the first university library was opened almost 300 years earlier When the younger brother of King Henry V made a gift of priceless manuscripts to Oxford University, the library was moved to a new building However, at that time the University was very poor, and it was only thanks to the generosity of Sir Thomas Bodley that we have the building we know today, which, as well as books, has also been home to coins and medals, sculptures and pictures You hear an interview with a sportsman Interviewer  Your dad’s also your manager How does that feel? Sportsman  Well my dad obviously wants what’s best for me I don’t have to be worried about him being dishonest Probably the main difficulty is that, because he’s my dad, I can’t shout at him if something goes wrong, as I would if someone else was my manager! Interviewer  So you’re glad to have him by your side? Sportsman  Yeah In this industry, I’ve often been advised not to trust anyone It’s difficult because a lot of people in this business are dishonest You hear about a special day in the life of an inventor When I was invited to the ‘Inventor of the Year’ award ceremony, I was over the moon From the moment I arrived for the ceremony in London, it was a fabulous feeling – there were so many wonderful people there Then, to my astonishment, I was announced as the overall winner The whole audience clapped as I got onto the stage to collect AUDIOSCRIPTS my award I felt ecstatic and amazed at the same time – I couldn’t believe it wasn’t a mistake! It really was one of the best evenings of my life You hear an advertisement for chocolates Whether you want to say thank you or surprise someone on a special day, chocolates from our company make the perfect gift We pride ourselves on offering quality products and excellent service Our special packaging keeps the handmade chocolates in perfect condition for up to a week Remember, there are several delicious and unusual flavours to choose from And unlike with other gift ideas, you don’t have to worry about someone being at home when their chocolates are delivered, as they will fit through any letter box You can order your chocolates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week through our website You overhear two people talking in a restaurant Woman  So what’s the best way to book a table here? Man  Well, if you sound friendly, you’re likely to get better service You’ll probably be talking to someone who’s been annoyed by demanding customers all day, so it pays to be polite Woman  And when’s the best time to eat? Man  You’re more likely to get a table if you don’t have an exact time in mind The earlier or later you can eat, the better Don’t forget that waiters are often less stressed early on, so you’ll get better service! And it’s a good idea if you call straight after lunch – that’s when many customers cancel at the last minute You hear a woman talking about her hobby I’m addicted to photography I spend more time on it than I should because I just love taking pictures of, well, just about anything or anyone! And I must admit, I don’t always tell people what I’m doing! I’ve been into photography since I was at school Wherever I go, I’m never without a camera If the weather’s fine, I sometimes just go to the park – there’s always something worth taking a photo of Although, if I’m honest, sometimes I’m happier taking shots indoors You hear a man talking on the radio about windsurfing Windsurfing probably began in this country during the early 1970s, though the first windsurfing board may have been built in 1958 The original boards were made of wood, which made the sport hard to It was difficult to take lessons as well, as there were very few coaches to start with It’s a different story now, of course, though when you first have a go, it can seem like there’s a lot to learn But don’t be put off, because it only takes a few hours to learn the basics With today’s equipment and teaching techniques, it’s never been easier to pick up Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Part 2.09 AUDIOSCRIPTS Part 2.10 You hear five people talking about their experiences at the theatre Speaker 1  … and they reckoned it was a comedy, but I only laughed once during the whole performance Having said that, a lot of people around us were laughing so loudly that it began to get a bit annoying I really tried to enjoy the play I liked the story, and some friends from school had recommended it highly Mum had given me the tickets as a gift That’s the only reason I didn’t walk out at the interval I’ve tried hard since to work out why it didn’t work for me, but I still can’t figure it out Speaker 2  This was a fascinating thriller – quite a complicated story, in fact – played by an excellent cast of actors in a theatre full of history It’s a rather small place, but that added to the whole feel of the play Even though it holds fewer than 300 people, the theatre has great seating, and the advantage is that you can see the stage clearly from just about anywhere, and everyone feels involved in the action on stage The amazing thing is that the play has been at this theatre for more than twenty years It’s easy to see why it’s been such a success Speaker 3  This play didn’t really satisfy me It’s true that the actors did an amazing job of conveying their characters’ personalities and emotions It’s a shame then that the play falls apart towards the end and you start to lose track of what’s going on It begins well, but has a very weak ending To be honest, it didn’t make any sense at all! The theatre was rather small, too, so the sound effects were really loud, which was a bit of a problem Speaker 4  I wasn’t able to find much information on what the play was actually about before buying the tickets As a result, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was certainly not disappointed It was amusing, exciting and occasionally rather sad You just never knew what you were going to experience next It had everything! I must say, the acting was tremendous One of the main actors was very inexperienced and had never been in a big play like this before, but he did a superb job Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts You hear an interview with an expert on insects Interviewer  Today, Professor John Townsend is going to tell us something about insects John, it’s fair to say that they aren’t the most popular of creatures, are they? John  Well, we might not actually like many of them, but insects are essential to our existence Interviewer  Why are we so negative about insects? John  Unfortunately, the ones we tend to notice are those which bite or sting or are a nuisance, but only about 4% ever us any harm In fact, we are hardly aware of the vast majority of insects Interviewer  So why should we care about insects? John  There are over a million species of insects, including bees, beetles and ants, and many of them are in serious danger of extinction We should be worried because they are very important to the environment in so many ways that people don’t fully realize Interviewer  And what about their importance in agriculture? John So much of our food depends on insect pollination, including virtually all the fruit we eat I’m sure most of us would miss special treats like chocolate, which wouldn’t exist without the work of insects Interviewer  Is it true that bees are disappearing? John Yes, three types of bumblebee have recently become extinct in the UK alone, but I am even more worried about the butterfly, since more than 70% of species face the possibility of disappearing forever Interviewer  Are we doing anything to save them? John  The good news is that we are trying to help Conservation societies are working to look after important wildlife sites such as fields or woods, and trying to educate ordinary people We also talk to the government, but sometimes we cannot stop plans going ahead Almost every day we hear of plans for new roads that will destroy environments that are home to many unusual insects Interviewer  And what about you and me? Is there much we can do? John  There are many ways in which individuals can help It’s important not only to learn more, but also to be active in wildlife organizations You know, two centuries ago we wiped out countless birds until organizations were set up to protect them Now we need to take action for insects Interviewer  And how important are our gardens in this? John  Well, for a start, we should think about making our gardens friendly to bumblebees Bumblebees rely on flowers for a sugary liquid called nectar, so we should give them a variety of flowers rich in nectar all year round Interviewer  But of course it’s not just food that’s important, is it? John  No, bees also need shelter and somewhere to construct their nests If you can leave an area of your garden a bit wild, this will really benefit them Interviewer  Is there anything else we can do? John  Well, your listeners can help by participating in our survey This can help us to discover a lot about some of our rarest insects The information we gather can tell us where we need to take action urgently If anyone would like to get involved, they can visit the website at … Audioscripts Speaker 5  The reviews online had said this play was really exciting, but nothing could be less true In my opinion, the main actor is always important, but he was very poor and so there was simply no atmosphere This made the whole experience very dull In fact, the girl next to me fell asleep at one point To make matters worse, I went with some friends who kept talking during the play I suppose they at least enjoyed themselves, which is more than I did Part 2.11 You hear a radio interview with a diving instructor Interviewer  In the studio today we have with us Julie Moore, who followed her dream to become a diving instructor Welcome, Julie Why did you decide to leave your job? Julie  Well, I knew I had to make some changes I’d been working in the same place in Scotland for over twelve years I got on quite well with the people I worked with, but I was ready for adventure and, most of all, I wanted to try diving Interviewer  So what did you do? Julie  I searched on the web and found an organization that needed volunteers to help protect a beautiful Pacific island I knew I would need to an introductory scuba-diving course before I went, but I was fine with that and signed up with the organization for two months Interviewer  How did you feel when you began the diving course? Julie  I was nervous, of course! The first time you dive is in a public pool It was really difficult to begin with – I kept bobbing around on the top of the water, then sinking like a stone to the bottom of the pool! The worst thing for me, though, being so talkative, was not being able to speak to anyone while I was doing it! When I did a ‘proper’ dive in the sea a few days later, it was raining and a bit cold, but I came out feeling absolutely great Interviewer  It must’ve been a big moment in your life when you set off on your journey to the island? Julie  Yes, I was really worried that I might not be up to the diving once I was out there, or that I wouldn’t get along with the other people on the project As it turned out, we all got on really well The camp was in a stunning location, although the accommodation itself was a lot less sophisticated than I’d expected! Interviewer  So how did you spend most of your time on the island? Julie  Well, apart from diving, of course, we also visited local schools and helped teach the children how to care for the wonderful wildlife around them We also carried out surveys on certain sea mammals and sharks, and kept records of the number of fish that could be found in the coastal waters AUDIOSCRIPTS Interviewer  Did you ever consider going back home? Julie  No, I realized at that point that I could never fit into my old routine again I wanted even more of the independence that I’d discovered I spent the rest of my time off travelling One day I was talking to a friend who had emigrated in search of a more relaxed way of life and more beautiful surroundings It convinced me that I could something similar Interviewer  So at this point diving was still just a hobby for you? Julie  Oh no, it was much more than that! By then I knew that all I wanted was to become a professional diving instructor I got onto a course, and six months later I was a qualified instructor Interviewer  I imagine deciding where to work was a big decision? Julie  I decided that I really wanted to work in the Caribbean, but I didn’t think I had much hope of getting a job, because competition is so intense But I didn’t waste any time and I flew out to the Bahamas, and during the first week I met a man in a restaurant who, quite by chance, turned out to own a diving club It was like a very relaxed interview – and I must have impressed him, because he offered me a job! Interviewer  So what’s your life like now, Julie? Julie  It’s brilliant! I spend my days doing what I always wanted to and what I’m good at I have a house near where I work, the weather’s amazing, and it’s a million miles away from my nine-to-five routine back in Scotland Interviewer  Is there any chance of you getting tired of this new lifestyle? Julie  Not a chance! I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and I hope to carry on doing this for a good many years yet! Practice Test Listening Part 2.12 You hear someone talking about a river I’ve always loved walking along here, watching the fish right down there in the water It’s usually as clear as it is now, except when a boat comes along Then you get waves running along the banks and the sand on the bottom gets stirred up for a while The water level changes, of course, depending on the time of year, and when there’s been a lot of rain it’s full and it flows very quickly indeed Do you see that tiny little island in the middle there? Sometimes it disappears completely, but it always eventually reappears when the level goes down again And the river’s never been known to flood the surrounding area Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools AUDIOSCRIPTS You hear a woman talking to a friend about her car I don’t know what you think about this, but I’m considering selling my car I don’t really need it, and every time I use it I add more pollution to the atmosphere and make climate change that bit worse This morning I was thinking about that TV programme about the likely effects of global warming, and I suddenly decided to get rid of it Then, later on, when I thought about the prospect of having to wait for the bus every morning, especially in the winter, I wasn’t so sure So now I’m in two minds, and I’m wondering what you would in my situation You hear a man talking about his new home I’m very happy in my new flat; it’s a much nicer place to live than the studio I was in For a start, it’s much bigger: more than sixty square metres, whereas the old place was only about forty And it’s well furnished, too, with fitted cupboards throughout and a new three-piece-suite in the living room Above all, though, there’s plenty of light because it’s got great big windows facing south That was the main reason I chose it, really I would have liked somewhere with another bedroom so friends could stay over, but I’m sure for the occasional night they’d be fine using the sofa bed You hear a hotel receptionist talking I’m extremely sorry about that I’ll get someone to clean it right away, and I’ll have some clean towels sent up to you as quickly as possible I really don’t know what happened there All I can say is that we’re very short-staffed at the moment The current outbreak of flu has meant that six of our regular cleaners are off work this week, and two of our porters called in this morning to say they were ill, too But of course this still shouldn’t happen, and I can guarantee that we’ll everything possible to ensure you have a pleasant stay Part 2.13 You hear a radio interview with an expert in crocodile behaviour Interviewer  Now, Dan, crocodiles get a lot of bad press – they really deserve this? Dan  In a word, yes! The biggest of them, known in Australia as saltwater crocodiles, can reach twentyeight feet in length, and I’ve actually seen one of twenty-two feet on a beach near here Crocodiles that size will eat almost anything, including humans Attacks happen every year, and once those jaws get you … Interviewer  When are they at their most dangerous? Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts You hear a woman talking to her son Yes, I know you’ve always liked wearing those white trousers, but you’re going to have to find some other ones Look at them on you You’ve grown taller so quickly they don’t fit you any more; they don’t even come down to your ankles And, to be quite honest, I’ll be glad to throw them out They look all right at the moment, because I’ve just washed them, but as soon as you go out, you’ll get them dirty again and they’ll have to go straight back into the washing machine And don’t put that sweater on, either You’ve outgrown that, too, and it’s very tight on you now You hear someone talking about his favourite sport When I first started doing boxing, everyone I knew told me I must be mad They said it was a sport for stupid people, that I’d get hurt and lose all my fights, because I’m so small But that was just the point I live in quite a dangerous area and if anyone tried to hurt me, I wanted to be able to protect myself I was already very fit, because I used to gymnastics, so it was really just a question of learning new moves And adding some punch to them, of course! You hear a woman speaking on her mobile phone Well, that’s exactly my own view, too He has no right to ask you to work on Saturday morning, even if he does own the company, so I don’t blame you at all for saying ‘no’ I would’ve done just the same And I’m very glad to hear that you didn’t get angry when you were talking to him, because that never works in those situations I think it’s perfectly acceptable to say you don’t agree with something the boss suggests, as long as you remain calm and polite, and you give your reasons You hear a conversation about walking in the mountains Woman  I’ve just seen the weather forecast for the mountains this weekend and they say it’s getting colder, with heavy snow showers in places Man  That’s not so good I mean, low temperatures don’t bother me – I’ve been out walking when it’s twenty below freezing before now – but heavy snow falling can make it difficult to see where you’re going Woman  But we’ll be on well-marked footpaths, won’t we? There won’t be any danger of falling over the edge Man  No, it’s not that It’s just that we don’t know those mountains, and it’d be easy to take a wrong turning and not be able to find our way back Audioscripts Dan  During the breeding season, which begins in September Here in Australia that’s early spring, of course – the equivalent of March or April in the northern hemisphere – and the warmer weather enables them to move even faster than in winter It continues until May, as a rule Interviewer  Do you mean they can swim very fast? Dan Oh yes, but I was talking about their speed on the ground Interviewer  But aren’t they usually in the water? Dan  Yes, though in the summer months the females may be a little way inland guarding their eggs, and that makes them very aggressive if disturbed In general, if you see one on land, it’s best to keep at least ten metres away And remember that just because you can’t see them in the water, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there – or that they’re necessarily going to stay there They can launch themselves out of a river like a missile, so if you’re walking near a river in any area where they’re likely to be, don’t go near the river bank Interviewer  What about if you’re in a boat? Are you safe there? Dan  If it’s a pretty big, solid one, maybe You still have to take care, though Interviewer  In what way? Dan  Well, it may be tempting when the weather’s very hot to put your legs over the side, in the water, to cool off Don’t it A crocodile might think they look like food And, of course, don’t even think of going swimming in waters known to contain crocodiles That’s one of the biggest causes of accidents People see a nice cool stretch of water in a quiet spot, pay no attention to warning signs, and suddenly there’s another victim Interviewer  And it’s probably not a good idea to camp there! Dan  Definitely not In fact, whenever you’re thinking of pitching a tent anywhere near water in this part of the world, it’s advisable to have a good look round On one occasion, I woke up in the morning to discover I’d spent the night right next to a nest The last thing you need is an angry female crocodile, and whilst those young crocs, known round here as crockettes, may look cute, their mother won’t be far away Interviewer  But once you’re sure there aren’t any breeding in the area, is it fairly safe to camp? Dan  As long as you’re more than about fifty metres from the nearest water, yes And it’s also vital to keep the whole place clean You need to make sure the ground around your tent is free of scraps of food, as these can attract hungry crocodiles They don’t only eat meat, by the way Interviewer  And where crocodiles most like to go to feed? Dan  It’s common for them to wait at points where they usually drink The crocs lie just under the water AUDIOSCRIPTS near these places and suddenly pounce The TV documentaries set in Africa often show them going for antelope, buffalo, and so on, but here their most common big target is cattle, which they drag into the water Interviewer  And how often they eat? Dan  The thing about cold-blooded creatures is that they don’t have to keep eating to maintain their body temperature We, for instance, eat three times a day, and other mammals eat many times a week But crocodiles, certainly all those I’ve observed, so once every seven days So they can afford to have a lot of patience Interviewer  Thank you, Dan Part 2.14 You hear five people talking about difficulties they had while learning something Speaker 1  I’d been doing Russian at school for quite a while It had always interested me, and my teacher said I’d made quite good progress The only thing was, I’d learned a lot of grammar and vocabulary and could read and write it pretty well, but I very rarely spoke it to anyone, even in class It wasn’t that kind of school So when I heard my parents wanted me to spend two weeks in Russia, I knew I had to find someone to talk to in Russian, to get used to real conversation in the language But I live in a small town and there was nobody with a good enough level, so the first time I actually spoke it was on the airport bus into Moscow Speaker 2  I’d bought this new MP3 player and was really looking forward to putting all my favourite music on it I’d got it quite cheaply over the Internet but it looked like a good one and it had all the latest features, with enough memory for lots of songs So I charged up the battery and then switched it on I didn’t quite know what to next, so I had a look at the booklet that came with it, but I couldn’t make sense of it The words were definitely English, but none of the sentences seemed to mean anything I think it must have been translated by a computer, and it was no help at all Speaker 3  I’d had a car for several years, but when I went to England to work it wasn’t easy to get used to driving on the other side of the road Not so much the traffic; you just tend to follow everyone else, especially on motorways No, it was the car itself, and no matter how much practice I got, I still found it strange to have the handbrake and the gearstick on the left Maybe I should have got a driving instructor to teach me properly when I first went there, because after all it is a kind of learning process And the same, of course, goes for British people who drive in my country! Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Part 2.15 You hear part of an interview with a reporter about a city’s bicycle rental scheme Interviewer  Kate, you’ve lived in this city for quite some time How’s the bicycle rental scheme going? Kate  Overall, it’s working pretty well Basically, you just take any bike you like from one of the stands located all over the city, ride it to wherever you’re going and drop it off at the stand nearest to your destination It’s open to residents and visitors alike, as long as you buy an access card You can get one of these either from a machine by the stands, or, if you want one for a year, by filling in a form online and receiving it by email The card costs a pound for one day, five pounds for a week or twenty-nine for twelve months Interviewer  And is that it? I mean, you don’t have to pay any more? Kate  You don’t have to pay for the first half an hour, though if you use it for more than that the price goes up quite quickly The next half hour costs one pound, the following thirty minutes will be two pounds and for every extra half hour after that you’ll have to pay four pounds So it’s not cheap if you’re in the habit of riding around town all day, and all the bikes cost the same AUDIOSCRIPTS Interviewer  Do you have to put down any kind of deposit on the bike? Kate  Yes, when you get your card you have to give credit card details and a hundred pounds is held against the safe return of the bicycle You lose that if it isn’t back within twenty-four hours I can see the point of that and it seems a reasonable amount, but it doesn’t matter why you’re late returning it – accident, illness or whatever – you still lose all your money, which doesn’t seem right Interviewer  And how popular has the scheme been? Kate  Very In the first two months, there were over 3,000 rentals Some residents are finding it a great way to get home late at night after public transport has stopped running But it’s the visitors to the city that are really using them now – it’s such a great way to see the sights There don’t seem to be many children on them yet – they still haven’t replaced the school run – but of course kids tend to have their own bikes Interviewer  Are there areas of the city where they’re not popular? Kate  Well, I’ve noticed that in the hillier parts of the city there seem to be very few available at the top of the big hills, but far more than are necessary at the bottom Also, there aren’t enough in the out-of-town areas where lots of motorists park to avoid driving into the city centre, and I’m told the same kind of thing happens at the stations When everyone rushes off the trains in the morning, only a certain number can actually get one – the demand is not met Interviewer  So has the scheme actually managed to reduce traffic? Kate  Well, I think it’s changed attitudes towards the car rather than actually getting people out of their vehicles People who drive their cars into the city put up with the traffic because they’re comfortable or they like driving, so it’s difficult to make them think differently Actually, I’d say the majority of those using bikes have previously used the buses, underground or trains for journeys that are too far to walk It could change, though, as bikes start to take over from the cars That’s what people hope, anyway Interviewer  How you see it in the future? Kate  I’m not convinced it’ll make such a huge difference as some people would like to think I don’t think it’s realistic to talk about it leading to a car-free central area, for instance But the sheer number of cyclists is eventually going to force the council to increase the number of lanes for them on the city’s streets quite considerably, and in the end there just won’t be room on those streets for all the cars using them now Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools Audioscripts Speaker 4  This self-study course in information technology seemed like a good idea, even though it was expensive, but I soon found it was taking up more and more of my free time It wasn’t that I couldn’t follow the material I was studying, it was just that there was so much to do; and to be honest, I was getting tired of all the mental effort required So I called the organization’s information line to try and get some advice That, too, was much harder than it sounded After going through a whole series of recorded messages and pressing one, two or three, I finally gave up And I’ll probably give up the course, too Speaker 5  I took up karate three years ago and I’m now doing my green belt, which is kind of halfway to black belt It’s a fantastic sport, and I’ve always really enjoyed it, though in the first couple of years I often had problems doing patterns – the series of movements you to practise different kinds of defence and attack The thing was, I could all the kicks and everything, but I kept forgetting which order I had to them in So they’d shout the instruction to a particular pattern and I’d start off really well but end up doing different things from everyone else Eventually I bought a DVD which showed how to the patterns and that helped a lot  ... I want to visit a museum, for Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Part 4? ?Preparation 1.09 Interviewer  Hello, and welcome to today’s Youth... food and accommodation, so I’ll be dependent on my parents financially unless Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Audioscripts example, and. .. sport, isn’t it? Oxford Preparation & Practice for B2 First for Schools © Copyright Oxford University Press Audioscripts 2 Examiner  Where did you go for your last holiday? Candidate 1  We went