You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1–8, choose the best answer (A, B or C).
One: You hear a boy talking about how he got his name.
BOY 1: Sometimes I'm surprised I ever got a name at all. You see, my dad's Portuguese and my mum's English and they had real trouble choosing a name. Of course, my dad wanted to go for a Portuguese name and my mum wanted one that was more English. But they decided it was only fair to choose a name that was easy to say in both languages. The problem was that there aren't really that many options and since they already had three boys, they were running out of names. I spent the first two weeks of my life nameless. And what did they come up with in the end? Bob!
Two: You hear a girl talking on her phone.
GIRL 1: Well, the thing is that Mum says if I want a sleepover for my birthday, then I can only have two friends. So that would be you and Julia, but what about Lucy? I mean, she's not going to be happy, is she? I begged Mum to let me have three, but she says if I want to invite more friends, then it's got to be a party or a cinema trip. She says my room’s not big enough for four of us to sleep in. I said we could sleep in the living room, but she said, ‘No way’. I suppose I could have a party. It would probably be fun, but a sleepover's way more fun. I don't know. What do you think?
Three: You hear part of an interview with a footballer.
INTERVIEWER: So what's the hardest part of your job?
FOOTBALLER: That's a tough question. I mean, there are a few things I suppose I find difficult. I guess most people might think it would be all the training, but I really like that. No, that's no problem at all. Um, the fans can be a bit cruel at times, especially if you've had a bad game. That can be difficult, but as long as you try your best, they're usually OK. They forgive you pretty quickly. I suppose it must be having to work every Saturday and not being able to spend time with the kids. That can be tough.
Four: You hear two friends talking about a camping trip.
STEVE: You do a lot of camping, don't you, Alan? Got any advice?
ALAN: Steve, you're not going camping, are you? I don't believe it. I never thought I'd see you ...
STEVE: I know, I know. I thought I'd give it a go.
ALAN: You'll love it. It's brilliant.
STEVE: So what do I need, then? I mean, I've got nothing.
ALAN: OK, well, obviously you need a tent. You should go for something light and easy to put up. Then you'll need a sleeping bag and something to cook on. Again, go for something light. Remember, you've got to carry everything. Keep it light. That's the secret.
STEVE: Actually, my dad's going to take us to the campsite, so that's not such a problem.
ALAN: What?! You're getting a lift to the campsite? That's not camping!
Five: You hear a local news report.
REPORTER: When street cleaner Clive Roberts found a brown paper bag containing £10,000 inside one of the bins he was emptying, he didn't think twice about what to do with it. He walked straight to the nearest police station and handed it in. The thought that he might keep it never entered his mind. Clive, who’s been praised by the local police for his actions, might still discover that honesty is the best way: if the money isn’t claimed within the next 30 days, he’ll find himself £10,000 richer.
Six: Two friends are talking about a party.
CHLOË: Josh, I'm so sorry I missed your party.
JOSH: That's all right, Chloë. Though everyone asked where you were. What happened?
CHLOË: You're not going to believe it. My dad made us all get up early to go on a really long bike ride. Anyway, I was already feeling tired because I hadn't slept well. It was the last thing I needed. But you know my dad.
JOSH: He wasn't taking no for an answer.
CHLOË: Exactly. So we got back at about two and I thought I’d just watch a bit of TV before getting ready for your party and...
JOSH: You dozed off in front of the TV.
CHLOË: That’s right. When I woke up, it was already five. I was so cross with my dad. I tried to text you but my phone was out of credit. Anyway, I feel really bad about it.
JOSH: Don't worry. So long as you've got me a nice big present ...
Seven: You hear a girl talking about a difficult decision.
MAN: So what's the most difficult decision you've ever made, Ally?
GIRL 2: It was probably when I had to choose which subjects to take at school. I was only 13 and I had to choose which nine subjects to study at exam level. The problem was that I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with my life, so it was tricky knowing which exams I'd need. My dad was saying I should do all the sciences because that would lead to a good job – I should say that he's a scientist. Although I didn't want to let him down, I thought, ‘This is my life I'm making decisions about and one thing I do know is that I don't like science.’
Eight: You hear a book review on the radio.
GIRL 3: Wild Country by Margaret Johnson is a short novel written for learners of English. My teacher recommended it to give me some extra reading practice. I was really happy to be able to read a book in English, so that made me feel good. I should say I'm not a big fan of romantic stories but I really enjoyed it. It had quite a bit of adventure too, to keep things exciting. But I think what really brought the story alive were the main characters, Tess and Grant. They were really convincing and I loved the way that their relationship slowly grew stronger. I would highly recommend this book to all learners of English.
