B1+ Test Book Key

Quiz 1 2 4 is
1 ashamed 5 Did
Vocabulary 2 cheerful 6 use
1b 2a 3d 4a 5a 6c 7c 8a 3 gossip
9c 10c 11c 12d 13d 14a 4 grumble Writing
15c 16b 17d 18b 19d 20b 5 laundry Students’ own answers
6 peers
Grammar 7 make Quiz 3
1a 2b 3b 4c 5c 6b 7d 8b 8 proud
9a 10b 11d 12c 13c 14d Vocabulary
15b 16c 17a 18b 19b 20a 1d 2d 3a 4d 5a 6a 7b 8b
3
9d 10a 11d 12d 13d 14c
1 along
Quiz 2 15b 16a 17b 18b 19d 20c
2 for
3 together
Vocabulary Grammar
4 of
1a 2b 3c 4b 5a 6d 7c 8b 1c 2a 3b 4b 5d 6c 7b 8b
5 apart
9c 10d 11c 12b 13d 14c 9a 10b 11c 12d 13c 14d
6 about
15b 16c 17a 18b 19a 20b 15b 16b 17b 18b 19c 20c
7 out
Grammar 8 into
Quiz 4
1c 2b 3b 4a 5c 6b 7d 8c 9 At
9c 10a 11d 12c 13a 14b 10 by Vocabulary
15d 16b 17c 18b 19c 20c 1c 2a 3d 4c 5a 6d 7a 8b
Grammar 9a 10b 11b 12c 13a 14a
Progress Test 1 1 15c 16a 17d 18d 19a 20a
1 watches
Reading 2 are you always criticising Grammar
1D ... much of your time will be 3 am not living 1c 2c 3a 4b 5b 6b 7b 8a
taken up with lessons, but 4 see 9b 10b 11d 12a 13b 14b
then the same will be true 5 is thinking 15c 16b 17c 18b 19b 20c
for your classmates. 6 are becoming
2D 7 arrives Progress Test 2
3A 8 aren’t being
4B The right level of eye Reading
contact is important 2 1C It’s my chance to recharge
because it shows them you 1 who my batteries ...
are paying attention. 2 which 2D ... they are addicted to
5B While mobile phones and 3 whose shopping ...
social media have their 4 when 3B The mental picture of
place ... 5 why themselves cooking with
6C ... meeting new people 6 to whom a new saucepan, for
and making friends can be 7 which example, will increase their
challenging. However, there 8 where self confidence and make
are things you can do to the task less scary; If you
make it easier. 3 picture yourself ... you will
1 found be more confident and are
Vocabulary 2 was crying likely to perform better
1 3 didn’t stay when you actually start.
1 remarkable 4 Was … digging up 4C Some people say that
2 adoptive 5 landed shopping is like a sort of
3 biological 6 wasn’t doing mini break.
4 relatives 7 heard 5A According to one study,
5 solve 8 Did … solve more than half of
6 evidence Americans admit ...
7 discover 4 6B Let’s take a teenager who
8 investigate 1 used is going away to college.
9 away 2 would 7B … you will be more
10 praised 3 getting confident ...

178
8C ... I couldn’t do without it. 3 started in sentence A echoes
9D They buy things ... with 4 Have you ever watched greenhouse gases in the
money they don’t have. 5 went atmosphere trapping
10A Have you ever bought 6 haven’t found energy from the sun in the
something to celebrate 7 has just put on sentence before the gap.
getting good grades or 8 have already spent Also this heat refers to the
passing an exam? 9 stood energy from the sun in the
10 were form of heat in the sentence
Vocabulary before the gap.
1 3 3F Sentence F echoes the
1 offer 1 had been playing structure of the sentence
2 keen 2 had left before the gap and explains
3 bargain hunters 3 had been running the opposite end of the
4 outfits 4 called scale, which is introduced by
5 accessories 5 had locked the phrase In the same way
6 footwear 6 had just got in sentence F.
7 suit 7 had you been waiting 4D Sentence D explains why
8 indoor 8 had scored using bikes, public transport
9 squash 9 began or even our feet is much
10 darts 10 didn’t send better for the environment
11 estimation than using cars. Also the
12 rink Writing sentence after the gap
Students’ own answers begins For longer journeys,
2 we can ..., which ties in with
1 price tag Quiz 5 the mention of what we
2 football pitch should do for short journeys
3 car-boot sale Vocabulary in sentence D.
4 skateboarding park 1c 2a 3d 4a 5a 6a 7b 8c 5E This question echoes the
5 full refund 9c 10b 11d 12c 13a 14c sentence before the gap.
6 tennis court 15b 16a 17b 18a 19d 20d
Vocabulary
3 Grammar 1
1 take off 1b 2b 3d 4b 5a 6a 7c 8c 1 earthquakes
2 come to 9a 10b 11d 12c 13b 14c 2 volcanic eruptions
3 pass up 15d 16a 17a 18c 19d 20a 3 Arson
4 look round 4 burn
5 keep up with Quiz 6 5 deforestation
6 put off 6 global warming
Vocabulary 7 endangered species
4 1d 2a 3b 4a 5a 6c 7c 8c 8 conservation
1 borrow 9d 10d 11a 12c 13d 14c 9 for
2 push 15b 16a 17a 18d 19c 20a 10 for
3 indication 11 pay
4 portable Grammar 12 go
5 efficient 1a 2c 3b 4a 5c 6a 7d 8b
6 exhale 9b 10b 11a 12d 13d 14c 2
15b 16a 17c 18c 19a 20c 1 shoplifter
Grammar 2 trespassing
1 Progress Test 3 3 kidnapper
1a have been playing 4 prevent
1b has played Reading 5 ended
2a Have … spent 1C 
It in sentence C refers to 6 probation
2b has been spending carbon footprint and invisible 7 vandal
3a has tried out means we cannot see it, 8 starvation
3b has been trying out which is in the sentence 9 alternative
4a has hung before the gap. Also it 10 contaminate
4b have been hanging affects the environment and
5a have been looking round leaves its mark on the earth 3
5b have looked round is echoed by damage our 1 found
environment in the sentence 2 sent
2 after the gap. 3 arrested
1 hasn’t bought 2A 
They prevent this heat from 4 caught
2 Did they borrow leaving the atmosphere 5 robbed
Test Book Key 179
 6 accused reading expands a child’s American state of Texas – in
7 lost vocabulary and shows other words: huge.
8 boasted them how different writers 3A ... many of them mistakenly
are able to express their believe that it is a huge
Grammar thoughts and feelings, island of plastic rubbish
1 both of which result in floating on the surface of
1 will disappear improved comprehension the ocean, able to be seen
2 will call and writing skills.; Reading for miles around.
3 will have been talking for pleasure increases a 4D Once the plastic pieces
4 will have been child’s knowledge of the become small enough,
5 won’t be sitting world and has also been they can be eaten by sea
6 Are you going to cut down linked to improved social creatures, which means
7 won’t have finished skills. D: We both know the they enter the food chain
8 is going to rob positive effects reading has and may even end up on
9 Shall I call on teenagers ... our plates!
10 will be helping 5D ... it was actually Charles
11 Shall we give Use Your English Moore, an oceanographer,
12 Will you put who discovered it in 1997
1 while he was sailing from
2 1d 2a 3a 4c 5a 6b 7c 8b Hawaii to California with his
1 will come crew...
2 promise/have promised 2 6A ... the Great Pacific Garbage
3 will you call 1 starvation Patch, otherwise known as
4 see/have seen 2 payments the Eastern Garbage Patch
5 returns/has returned 3 biological or the Pacific Trash Vortex.
6 won’t stop 4 sponsorship
5 contributions Part 2B
3 6 contamination 1C Probably the most popular
1 ought to have stopped 7 destruction kind of crime fiction is
2 might have 8 apologetic the subject of my talk
3 Would you like 9 filthy today: the detective novel,
4 was able to read 10 appearance otherwise known as a
5 needn’t have brought me Whodunnit.
6 won’t be allowed to 3 2A ... the mystery is actually
1 ought to have come solved when the murderer
Writing 2 is seeing himself admits his guilt,
Students’ own answers 3 once she saves/has saved making it slightly different
4 had been telling from your usual Whodunnit.
Mid-Year Written Test 5 used to play 3A ... in 1887, the world’s
6 has gone most famous detective was
Reading 7 is going to become created.
1d Farrah Higgins, a secondary 8 will have closed by 4D ... a number of well-loved
school student nicknamed 9 is used to authors became known, the
Digit for being brilliant at 10 is always talking most famous being Agatha
maths ... Christie. During this Golden
2b ... showed, rather Writing Age of Detective Fiction ...
unexpectedly, that this was Students’ own answers 5B ... detective fiction really
more important for a child’s came into its own. The
development than the level Mid-Year Listening Test British detective novel
of a parent’s education. increased in popularity ...
3c Alternatively, give me a Part 1
ring ... I need all your 1B 2A 3C 4B 5A 6A 7A 8C Quiz 7
suggestion by the end of 9C 10B 11A 12B 13C 14A
November. Vocabulary
4a ... our students ...; ... we Part 2A 1c 2a 3b 4c 5d 6b 7b 8b
could bring it up at the next 1B It is a result of ocean 9d 10a 11a 12c 13c 14c
teacher’s meeting ... currents moving this waste 15c 16b 17d 18d 19b 20c
5c ... came across a very to one location. These ocean
currents move in a circular Grammar
interesting scheme called
pattern and this movement 1b 2d 3b 4c 5a 6a 7a 8c
Teen Read WeekTM online.
of the water draws rubbish 9b 10a 11a 12d 13b 14a
6d B: ... children who regularly
in towards the centre of the 15d 16b 17c 18b 19a 20b
read for pleasure do
better at school in maths, patch ...
Quiz 8
vocabulary and spelling 2C ... the garbage patch is
than those who don’t estimated to be roughly Vocabulary
read very often.; ... Extra twice the size of the 1b 2a 3d 4b 5c 6d 7b 8b
180
9b 10d 11c 12a 13c 14c 10 received Writing
15a 16d 17b 18b 19c 20b Students’ own answers
2
Grammar 1 wealthy Quiz 9
1a 2b 3c 4c 5c 6b 7b 8c 2 determination
9c 10c 11a 12b 13a 14c 3 secretive Vocabulary
15b 16d 17b 18c 19d 20b 4 envious 1b 2d 3a 4a 5d 6b 7a 8a
5 bravery 9d 10c 11c 12a 13d 14a
Progress Test 4 6 ambitious 15b 16d 17b 18b 19b 20a
7 publication
Reading 8 subscription Grammar
1A 
At the end of the 1990s, an 1a 2c 3c 4b 5b 6b 7c 8a
estimated 40 per cent of 3 9c 10c 11b 12b 13d 14d
teenagers would combine 1 make 15b 16b 17c 18c 19b 20b
part-time work with school 2 be
or college 3 have Quiz 10
2C 4 be
3B 
... this is having its own 5 have Vocabulary
impact on the availability 6 make 1b 2a 3d 4c 5b 6d 7a 8b
of Saturday positions ..., 9a 10b 11c 12a 13a 14c
... the number of staff 4 15d 16b 17c 18d 19b 20b
members needed is falling, 1 pension
... thereby cancelling the 2 bonus Grammar
need to have newspapers 3 politician 1d 2b 3c 4c 5c 6b 7a 8c
and magazines delivered ... 4 electrician 9a 10d 11a 12c 13a 14b
4B 
Some people, especially 5 horoscope 15b 16d 17d 18b 19c 20b
those who say that 6 review
teenagers should be putting Progress Test 5
all their effort into studying, Grammar
will no doubt be pleased Reading
1 1c Look no further than Goa –
that the Saturday job 1 should be done
seems to be dying out. you won’t be disappointed.
2 could get killed ; Contact your local travel
5D 
What should concern us 3 is being written by
all is the fact that there agent to find out more.
4 being upset by 2a I’m not coming home until
is a very real danger that 5 supposed to be increased
young adults will leave I’ve been bargain hunting
6 was filmed with in the famous flea market.
formal education with ...
none of the discipline or I promise to bring you
2 something back.
responsibility necessary to 1 She is known to write
hold a job down. A part-time 3d Environmentalists accuse
informative scientific articles. the local authorities of not
... teaches practical lessons 2 It is supposed that one day
that no school can teach. taking action ...
people will read everything 4b … the 1.5 million people that
6B 
This unfortunately means online.
that fewer young people live there.
3 It is said that the manager 5b The hottest month is May,
are getting their first taste will be fired today.
of paid employment and just before the rainy season
4 It is thought that wealthy begins. Most of Goa’s
all that it brings until they people are always
have finished their studies annual rainfall is received in
successful. summer ...
and entered the job market 5 Opinions about their work
properly.; ... the earlier 6d B: ... lying in the warm sun
hours are thought to be ...; D: … tropical climate
they learn to appreciate getting worse.
the link between work … warm and humid … the
6 Their benefits are reported rainy season … nighttime
and reward, the better. A to be the best in Europe.
Saturday job should be part temperatures … daytime
of a balanced education ... temperatures …
3
1 Unless Vocabulary
Vocabulary
2 hadn’t taken 1
1
3 will 1 arranging
1 made
4 didn’t think 2 exchanging
2 newspapers
5 wouldn’t have travelled 3 renewing
3 Internet
6 are 4 packing
4 jobs
7 had caught 5 be worlds apart
5 exhausting
8 pay 6 languages
6 on
9 would tell 7 dialects
7 on
10 believe 8 beliefs
8 doing
9 required 9 customs

Test Book Key 181

 10 traditions passports and visas ready. not volunteer echoes the
11 to 8 The man explained that I findings of the researcher
12 culture should take that train to get that voluntary work can
to the city centre. actually help us to live
2 9 He informed them that we/ longer.
1 Europe they might/may go to Spain 4F Sentence F answers the
2 sunbathing the following year. question before the gap by
3 travel 10 She told me (that) she explain what people who
4 gate had been reading about want to volunteer should do
5 peak Japanese customs two hours first. The sentences after
6 aisle before. the gap explain why people
7 Australia should work out how much
8 geography Writing time and when they are free
9 package Students’ own answers to give it.
10 civilisation 5D Sentence D provides
Quiz 11 an example of a skill or
3 specific knowledge that will
1 in Vocabulary benefit an organisation.
2 of 1b 2d 3a 4a 5c 6b 7c 8d The sentence after the gap
3 for 9a 10a 11c 12a 13a 14a echoes the idea of someone
4 of 15b 16c 17b 18b 19b 20c doing something they love
5 in and enjoying themselves
6 for Grammar while they are participating
1d 2b 3a 4c 5b 6c 7c 8c in voluntary work.
Grammar 9c 10b 11a 12d 13a 14d 6B The words few, if any in
1 15a 16a 17b 18d 19a 20c sentence B relate to costs
1 travelling involved in volunteering near
2 to go Quiz 12 home. The sentence after
3 to swim the gap follows this logically
4 like Vocabulary by explaining situations
5 Walking 1b 2d 3a 4a 5c 6c 7d 8b where costs may be higher.
6 stop 9d 10c 11b 12b 13a 14c
7 visiting 15b 16c 17b 18d 19a 20a Vocabulary
8 leave 1
9 to put Grammar 1 physical
10 eating 1d 2a 3b 4c 5b 6b 7c 8b 2 mental
11 to call 9a 10b 11c 12a 13d 14b 3 poverty
12 to book 15a 16a 17d 18a 19b 20a 4 charities
5 recent
2 Progress Test 6 6 welfare
1 than 7 programmes
2 more Reading 8 nursing homes
3 most 1E The sentence before the gap 9 shelters
4 the tells us how sharing is hard 10 assistance
5 as to understand when we are 11 homelessness
6 more young. Sentence E explains 12 addiction
7 less that as we grow older we
8 and understand it. 2
2A The findings in sentence 1 public transport
3 A relates to the survey 2 job centre
mentioned before the gap 3 green energy
1 Tina apologised for losing
and them in sentence A 4 remote control
the tickets.
refers to the 3,351 adults in 5 outdated
2 I asked if/whether Mark was
America. Also the sentences 6 voice-activated
coming whale-watching that
after the gap give details 7 representative
day.
of the findings that showed 8 text message
3 She agreed to go deep-sea
fishing the next/following that the majority of them
reported feeling both 3
day.
mentally and physically 1 for
4 She denied stealing that
better after participating in a 2 up
postcard from the shop.
volunteer activity. 3 on
5 Ben asked when our plane
3G It in sentence G refers to the 4 to
took off.
evidence the researchers in 5 to
6 The driver told the children
Exeter found. Also people 6 up
to stay on the coach until 7 to
who volunteered had a 20
he/she got back. 8 for
per cent lower risk of death
7 She asked us to have our
than their peers who did
182
Grammar in your bedroom or in the Part 2
kitchen, where you pin 1 sightseeing
1 things you want to keep. 2 1982
1 only I could afford Pinterest is the same idea, 3 Lion Rock
2 got/had my new tablet stolen but on your smartphone. 4 bus
3 had me empty 5D  I just love it and what 5 1200 steps
4 got the boy to go it has done for me and 6 other drinks
5 wish he would stop my students. Haiku Deck 7 the museum
lets me create great 8 wild elephants
2 presentations ...; My
1 prefers students also use it for Part 3
2 doesn’t he their homework … 1G … the news is so
3 somewhere 6B … you can buy almost miserable; all those stories
4 yourself everything! … make me feel terrible.
5 use 7C  The app was launched back 2A I really can’t live without it
6 will it in 2008 and immediately – it’s my passion.
7 isn’t it made a name for itself … 3D … today’s generation seems
8 to take 8A  I usually set my alarm to be more interested in
9 anyone on my mobile to go off celebrities and their private
10 haven’t you after half an hour or so, lives than in important
11 didn’t they otherwise I find that a political and social events
12 whenever couple of hours have gone in the world. … it’s sad that
by without me realising! they don’t show an interest
3 9D  I only wish I’d discovered it in the real world around
1 They had better get a lawyer sooner. them. Times change I
to help their son. 10B ... so when some of my guess.
2 It’s time you started caring colleagues told me about 4F 
I used to come downstairs
about others. an app called Wanelo, ... in the morning and enjoy
3 Not only was the teenager reading a newspaper … I
homeless, she was also Use Your English just don’t have time for a
mentally ill. newspaper anymore, so I
4 Not only is that programme 1 tend to go online once I get
effective, but it is also very 1b 2d 3c 4c 5a 6b 7c 8a to work and catch up on the
popular. 9d 10c headlines there.
5 Not only do youth workers 5C … so it’s our responsibility to
help young people, they also 2 make sure we know what’s
inspire them to do better. 1 requirements going on.
6 It’s high time you got 2 secretive
another job. 3 reception Part 4
7 We had better unplug the TV 4 national 1B Alvin Toffler first talked
before we go to bed. 5 location about ‘Information
8 It’s about time the politician 6 representative Overload’ back in 1970 in
spoke out about poverty in 7 assistance his book …
this city. 8 residential 2C But we’ve had access
9 Unskilled to large amounts of
Writing 10 adventurous information ever since the
Students’ own answers 1400s when the printing
3 press was invented, haven’t
End-of-Year Written Test 1 only does Karen collect we?
2 isn’t it 3A Modern technology moves
Reading 3 she would show me faster and faster all the
1C Frustrating, isn’t it? Well, 4 unless they book time, but the human brain
my favourite app puts an 5 denied being late for his that needs to process the
end to that. 6 am/was allowed to go information doesn’t.
2A You can create boards with 7 wish we had 4B It means that these people
different themes, you can 8 are getting our song played either delay making decisions
also set up group boards 9 only Ben wouldn’t get or make bad decisions …
with your friends and share 10 have been set up by 5B We should also remember
or plan things together, or to be clear when we are
you can choose to make Writing dealing with other people
one or more of your boards Students’ own answers as well. A short report with
private. quality information is much
3B ... similar to Pinterest End-of-Year Listening Test better than a long report
in that all the content is that includes irrelevant
posted by users, ... Part 1 information.
4A Imagine the kind of 1A 2B 3A 4A 5B 6C 6C Well, it isn’t something that
pinboard you might have can be solved easily.
Test Book Key 183
 B1+ Test Book Recording Script

Mid-Year Listening Test 5

W Oh gosh. What’s happened to you? Have you
Part 1 broken your arm?
M No, it isn’t actually broken. I fell over while I was
You will hear fourteen short conversations. After jogging yesterday. Not very clever, was it?
each conversation, a question is asked about W Well, accidents happen. I fell down some stairs last
what was heard. The answer choices are shown year. Do you remember? I broke my leg and hit my
as pictures. Choose the picture (A, B or C) which head. I had to have five stitches.
answers the question. M Yes, I do. Fortunately, the doctor says it should be
better in a few days.
1 N What part of his body has the man injured?
W Hi Josh, I didn’t know you were a member of this
sports centre. 6
M Hi Wendy. Yes, I’ve been playing badminton here M Mum, will you come to the shops with me later.
for a couple of years now. I don’t usually come on I’ve got a party to go to at the weekend and I need
a Tuesday, though. I prefer Saturday or Sunday your help.
morning, but I’m going to be away this weekend. W Yes, of course. Do you want me to help you choose
What are you doing here? something to wear?
W I’ve just started squash lessons. I’m not very good; M Er ... no, thanks. I’m going to wear my new jeans
it’s much harder than it looks. and a shirt. I want to get a present for Sue – it’s
her party. She’s going to be 18. I’m doing the
M Don’t get discouraged; all sports are hard in the
music with her brother. It’s going to be great!
beginning. I remember when I first played cricket –
W Oh, I see. Well I’m sure we’ll be able to find
I was terrible! You’ll get better.
something for her.
W Well, I can’t get any worse!
N What does the boy want to buy?
N Which sport has the woman recently taken
up?
7
W That’s an unusual watch, Mike.
2
M Yes, it is. I bought it for myself a couple of years
W How was your ‘haunted house’ weekend away?
ago. My grandfather died and left me some money
M It was good, the hotel was in a lovely area and the
...
food was really good! There was even a small gym
W ... and you spent it on the watch. What a good
for visitors to use. idea!
W Yes, but did you see any ghosts, or hear anything M Yes, he used to collect clocks and watches and he
strange? I mean that was why you went, wasn’t it? had one just like this. I always admired it. Now
M Well, the room I stayed in is supposed to be whenever I look to see what the time is, I think of
haunted by a young girl, but I had the best night’s him.
sleep ever! N What did the man inherit from his
N What happened to the man at night? grandfather?

3 8
M So what’s it like living on your own? W Right, I suggest we split up. I’m going to the 4th
W I’m getting used to it now, thank goodness. Leaving floor where the footwear is. I need a new pair of
home wasn’t easy at first. I felt so lonely and just boots. Why don’t you go and look for trousers while
sat around feeling sorry for myself. I do that?
M What changed? M OK. I think menswear is on the 3rd floor, but don’t
W Well, one day I woke up and said ‘That’s it. Enough worry. I’ll find it.
is enough!’ Later that day, I joined the local gym W Good. Now what else did we want to buy? Oh yes,
and a book club. Since then I’ve made a few new a new jacket for Susie – childrenswear. That’s here
friends and I’m feeling much happier now. I’m on the 2nd floor, so perhaps we should do that
really enjoying the freedom I have. first?
N How does the woman feel now? N Which floor is footwear on?

4 9
M OK. Can everybody listen for a minute, please? W So, are you and Jackie coming with us to the
Don’t forget that you all need to be here at 9.30 cinema tonight?
tomorrow morning. The bus leaves at 10 o’clock M Not this time, we saw the film last week with Stella
sharp, so don’t be late. and John.
W But the match doesn’t start until 2.30! W Ah, so what have you got planned then – a
M I know that, Jenny, but it’s quite a long way and romantic evening in?
we’ll need time to have something to eat and warm M No such luck! Jackie’s going to do the ironing and I
up before you play. get to clean the windows. At least we’ll be ordering
W Yes, I guess you’re right. a takeaway, so no one has to cook!
N What time does the bus leave in the morning? N What chore does the man have to do tonight?

184
10 Before the talk, you will have time to read the
W Guess what? I’ve found a Saturday job! questions. Listen to the talk about the Great
M Congratulations! Doing what? Pacific Garbage Patch and choose the best
W Working at Best Books in the shopping centre. I answer from the answer choices (A, B, C and D).
really wanted to get a job at Perfect Pets, but they
aren’t taking people on at the moment. Floating in the North Pacific Ocean is something
M I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. By the way, the music shop no human being can be proud of: the Great Pacific
– I can’t remember what it’s called – is looking for Garbage Patch, otherwise known as the Eastern
people. Perhaps I’ll apply – I know quite a lot about Garbage Patch or the Pacific Trash Vortex. Whichever
music. name you choose to use, it’s shocking.
N What kind of shop did the woman want to
work in? The garbage patch is made up of rubbish that comes
from coastal areas of both North America and Asia, as
11 well as that from vessels that sail through the area.
M That documentary last night was really good; did It’s a result of ocean currents moving this waste to
you see it? one location. These ocean currents move in a circular
W No, I was out last night. What was it about? pattern and this movement of the water draws rubbish
M It was about wildfires. They talked about the in towards the centre of the patch, where it becomes
damage the fire itself does, but also how nature trapped and cannot escape.
recovers afterwards. It’s part of a series called
The Power of Nature and it looks at how powerful While rubbish from North America takes five or six
nature is and the damage it can cause. Last week, years to become part of the garbage patch, waste
they looked at earthquakes, what causes them and from Japan and other Asian countries takes closer to a
what safety measure we can take. year. Composed mainly of plastic, the garbage patch is
W I think I saw one of the early shows in the series. It estimated to be roughly twice the size of the American
was about water; not oceans and rivers, but floods state of Texas – in other words: huge.
and tsunamis. That was really good too.
N What was last week’s documentary about? When people hear the words ‘garbage patch’, many
of them mistakenly believe that it is a huge island of
12 plastic rubbish floating on the surface of the ocean,
M Listen to this! Ronald Baker, who was found guilty able to be seen for miles around. This is not the
of arson ... case, however, because in water, plastic breaks down
W Isn’t he the young man who admitted setting fire to into smaller pieces, very often tiny pieces called
the Youth Centre on Draper’s Road? He should get microplastics.
at least five years.
M Yes, that’s the one. Anyway, it says here that he Microplastics make up the largest part of the garbage
was only given a two-year sentence because he patch and can’t be seen by the naked eye. Once the
had been ‘very cooperative’ with the police. Can plastic pieces become small enough, they can be
you believe it? eaten by sea creatures, which means they enter the
W I think people like that who damage property on food chain and may even end up on our plates! While
purpose should get longer sentences. I bet he’ll be larger pieces of plastic do float on the surface, other
out of prison in six months for good behaviour too. pieces sink to the middle or the bottom of the ocean.
N How long will the criminal go to prison for? These larger pieces of plastic are also a threat to sea
life. For example, sea turtles may mistake plastic bags
13 for jellyfish and eat them, and the plastic rings used
W Did you hear about poor Tom? He was mugged on to hold four or six soft-drink cans together get stuck
his way home last night! around the necks of many marine animals and birds,
M Yes, what a shock for him. He was lucky that he which kills them.
didn’t get hurt.
W I know; it’s one thing to have your wallet taken, Interestingly, many climatologists, who study weather
but quite another to get hurt as well. patterns and the climate, and other scientists
M At least they didn’t take his watch or his mobile. who study the oceans and seas predicted back in
N What did the mugger steal? 1988 the existence of something like the garbage
patch. However, it was actually Charles Moore, an
14 oceanographer, who discovered it in 1997 while he
W Good morning, Sir. Can I help you? was sailing from Hawaii to California with his crew
M Yes, I’m looking for a present for my wife. It’s her after competing in a yacht race. The environmental
birthday tomorrow … I know I’ve left it very late, organisation that he had founded in 1994 then turned
but I’m not sure what to buy her, to be honest. its attention to raising awareness of this serious
W How about some perfume or perhaps a new scarf environmental problem.
and some gloves?
M Yes, they’re both good ideas, but what if she Number 1 How do ocean currents affect the
doesn’t like what I choose? Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
W You could always get her a voucher for £100 and Number 2 Why does the speaker mention
then she can choose something for herself. Texas?
M Yes, I think that’s what I’ll do. Number 3 What mistake do people often make?
N What does the man decide to give his wife for Number 4 Why are microplastics a threat to
her birthday? humans?
Number 5 What was Charles Moore doing when
Part 2 he discovered the garbage patch?
Number 6 Based on the talk, which statement
A You will hear a short talk and some questions. is true?
Test Book Recording Script 185
 B You will hear a short talk and some questions. End-of-Year Listening Test
Before the talk, you will have time to read
the questions. Listen to the talk about crime Part 1
fiction and choose the best answer from the
answer choices (A, B, C and D). You will hear people talking in six different
situations. For questions 1-6, choose the best
Crime fiction of various kinds has been around for many answer, A, B or C.
years. The genre includes a number of different kinds
of novels such as courtroom dramas, legal thrillers, and 1 You hear two students talking about the
so on, all to do with crimes, the criminals who commit college e-zine.
them, the reasons why, and the people who investigate W Have you heard? We’re going to have to stop
and solve the crimes. Probably the most popular kind publishing the college e-zine.
of crime fiction is the subject of my talk today: the M Why? I thought it was successful. I really enjoy it.
W Yes, loads of people subscribe, but it’s getting
detective novel, otherwise known as a Whodunnit.
harder and harder to find people to contribute
to it each month. No one seems to want to write
A detective novel is the kind of story where someone,
anything for it. It just isn’t working.
either an amateur investigator or a professional M That’s such a shame. I know you were really
detective, investigates and solves a crime, often murder. enthusiastic about it.
The earliest known example of this kind of story is The
Three Apples, which is one of the stories told in One 2 You hear someone telling their neighbour
Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights). The dead about a recent holiday they have had.
body of a young girl is discovered inside a chest and the M Anyway, you’ll never guess who was staying in the
ruler, whom the chest belongs to, tells his advisor to same hotel as we were.
find out who murdered her. Although this character was W Not the old classmate you met last year in China
investigating the crime, the mystery is actually solved surely!
when the murderer himself admits his guilt, making it M No, Melanie and I had just come back from dinner
slightly different from your usual Whodunnit. Other early when we saw Jim Banks.
examples come from Chinese fiction where a judge is W Not the Jim Banks, who writes those fantastic
usually the detective in the novel. features for the Sunday papers.
M No, he was just there to interview Madeleine Rivers.
Despite these early examples, critics think of Edgar You know, the woman who presents the new chat
Allen Poe’s The Murders in The Rue Morgue as the show on Channel 7. She’d just checked in.
first true detective novel in the English language. It
was published in 1841 and featured the first fictional 3 You hear a careers advisor talking to a
student.
detective C. Auguste Dupin. Just over 45 years later,
M So, Sally. What career do you think you want to
in 1887, the world’s most famous detective was
follow when you’re older?
created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes, you’ve guessed it:
W Well, I’ve always been proud of my mum and
Sherlock Holmes. Holmes, who appeared in four novels for many years I wanted to be like her and go
and fifty-six short stories, was able to solve even the into teaching. Then that changed when I became
most difficult cases. quite interested in the law. There were so many
programmes on TV about crime that, at one stage,
Between the two world wars, detective fiction really I considered becoming a police officer or even a
came into its own. The British detective novel lawyer, but I’ve realised that I’m actually really
increased in popularity and a number of well-loved good with numbers, so I expect I’ll become an
authors became known, the most famous being Agatha accountant like my dad.
Christie. During this Golden Age of Detective Fiction
a set of ‘rules’ relating to the detective novel became 4 You hear someone making an announcement.
standardised and while some writers chose not to Good morning. Please accept our apologies for the
follow them, Christie’s books met all the criteria. For delay in getting you all on board, but as you know,
example, the reader must care about the victim and today’s snow storm has caused chaos. Flight time
the victim should die early on in the story, there must is expected to be 2 hours and 50 minutes, so we
be plenty of clues and the reader should have access should be landing at Heathrow at 10.20 am local
to all of them, and the criminal must play an important time. Fortunately the weather in London is better
role in the story and so on. Agatha Christie’s stories than it is here. It’s cold but sunny and a high of 7
presented puzzles that readers had to solve at the degrees Celsius is expected later this afternoon.
Please make sure your seat belts are fastened and
same time as her detectives. The puzzles are solved by
your seat back is in the upright position. On behalf
logical deduction and not by accident.
of Go Fly, we wish you a pleasant flight.
Number 1 Which statement would the 5 You hear someone talking about problems
speaker agree with? faced by the local community.
Number 2 What makes The Three Apples The town just isn’t the same any more. I remember
unlike most detective novels? when I moved here 40 years ago, it was smaller
Number 3 Why is 1887 an important year in and there was community spirit, a feeling that you
the history of detective fiction? belonged. People were much friendlier than they
Number 4 What is true of Agatha Christie? are now. Perhaps we had more time back then,
Number 5 What does the speaker mean when and of course we used to walk everywhere, which
she says ‘detective fiction really gave us the opportunity to catch up with each other
came into its own’? even if it was just to say good morning. Nowadays
you see people jumping into their cars for even
186
 the shortest journeys, which has led to a lot more
cars on the roads. The town centre is a nightmare I’m glad we didn’t stay there overnight. Those who do
sometimes; you can’t move! But what I think is stay are advised to be back at their hotels by about
worse is the number of young people that can’t find 6.30 pm because of the wild elephants in the area.
a job. In my day, youngsters would leave school Apparently they can be very dangerous and there have
and then either study or start work, but nowadays, been incidents involving these elephants where people
whether they have finished school or university, have actually died! Fortunately we caught the last bus
there just don’t seem to be enough jobs available. back to Dambulla at 6 pm and avoided any danger.

6 You hear a talk about the British Museum. Part 3

The British Museum in London is dedicated to
human history and culture. Permanent exhibits, You will hear five short extracts in which people
which today number approximately 8 million, come are talking about the news. For questions 1-5,
from all continents of the world. The museum, which choose from the list (A-H) what each speaker
was founded in June 1753, first opened its doors says about it. Use the letters only once. There are
to visitors in January 1759. However, it wasn’t until three extra letters which you do not need to use.
the early 19th century that the number of exhibits
began to increase rapidly. By the latter part of that Speaker One
century, the original museum building was no longer Gosh, I haven’t read a newspaper for years! I can’t
large enough to house all the exhibits and so in the remember the last time I did. It was probably while I
1880s, the natural history collections were moved to was still living at home. You see, my parents had and
a building in South Kensington, which later became still have a daily newspaper delivered and two at the
the Natural History Museum. weekend. I much prefer to read books – the news is so
miserable; all those stories of unemployment, natural
Part 2 disasters, crime rates rising and so on make me feel
terrible. I travel to work by train every day, so I usually
You will hear Penny talking about a recent trip she have a novel in my bag and, fortunately, I can escape
took with her family. For questions 1-8, complete the real world for a while.
the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Speaker Two
Do you like travelling to unusual places? I do, and I’ve always kept up-to-date with the news. I read a
recently, I was lucky enough to go to Sri Lanka with newspaper every day, listen to the news while I’m
my parents. We stayed there for about ten days and driving and I watch the news and current affairs
spent most of our time either sightseeing or relaxing programmes on the television in the evening. I really
on the wonderful beaches. A lot of the tours we went can’t live without it – it’s my passion. When I was
on were organised, but the one we all enjoyed most, younger and would travel abroad on holiday, I had no
although we went on our own, was the trip to Sigiriya. access to the news. I used to feel quite odd, sort of cut
It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982 and is off from the world really. Things are much better now,
the country’s most popular attraction. though. I have a subscription to an online newspaper
and as long as my tablet is charged, I can keep up with
Sigiriya is famous for its palace ruins on top of a huge what’s going on quite easily wherever I am.
rock, which is surrounded by gardens, rivers and
other smaller buildings. Translated into English, the Speaker Three
monument’s name is Lion Rock and in ancient times, I find it very disappointing that today’s generation
visitors would enter through the open mouth of a lion. seems to be more interested in celebrities and their
Unfortunately, all that is left of this huge lion now private lives than in important political and social
are its enormous paws carved into the rock. What events in the world. There’s a huge number of gossipy
surprised me was that the rock is actually made of lava magazines on sale and e-zines online with so-called
from an ancient volcanic eruption. ‘news’ about who’s seeing who and what famous
people are wearing and where they’ve been. Do people
As we weren’t staying in Sigiriya and had to travel really care about all this? I suppose they do, but it’s
about 25 kilometres from Dambulla, we got up early sad that they don’t show an interest in the real world
in the morning and caught the local bus. We could around them. Times change I guess.
have taken a tuk-tuk, which is a kind of taxi, but we
decided not to. When we arrived, we walked up to the Speaker Four
top of the rock, which meant climbing 1200 steps! The I used to come downstairs in the morning and enjoy
muscles in my legs by the time we got there really reading a newspaper over a leisurely breakfast before
hurt! Still, it was worth it as the view from the top was going back upstairs to my office and starting work for
spectacular! the day. That was before I stopped working at home
and got a ‘proper’ job as my mother says. I now work
We knew it would get hot there, so we wore sunscreen in an office in town, so mornings are a bit of a rush for
and sunhats, and some people staying at our hotel had me. Get up, get dressed, get something to eat and get
told us to take water with us. Thank goodness they out of the house on time! I just don’t have time for a
did because you can’t buy water or other drinks once newspaper anymore, so I tend to go online once I get
you’re inside the main area. to work and catch up on the headlines there. It’s not
the same of course, but what can I do?
Another piece of good advice is to visit the museum
before you enter the main site. It’s just outside the Speaker Five
main entrance and nowhere near the tourist car park, It makes sense, doesn’t it? The news affects all of us in
so spend an hour or so looking round before you go in. one way or another, so it’s our responsibility to make
The cost is included in the price of the entrance ticket, sure we know what’s going on. OK, some events are
so don’t miss it. happening in faraway places, but so much of it has
Test Book Recording Script 187
 to do with the country we live in. Just being able to encourages organisations to find solutions to
join in a conversation about something in the news is the problem.
important and then, of course, there are the sporting Int I see.
events, cutting-edge technology and even the weather. Clare 
Once it’s present in an office situation, it
The news really is so varied there’s bound to be spreads like wildfire. Let me explain. Imagine an
something of interest for everyone. employee is experiencing information overload
and, therefore, is unable to understand and
Part 4 process any information effectively. Instead
of summarising a report, for example, and
You will hear an interview about a phenomenon selecting specific individuals to send it to, they
called information overload. For questions 1-6, may send the whole report to everyone in the
choose the best answer, A, B or C. office. The result is that now everyone else in
the office must go through the whole report
Int  On Our World of Work today is someone who to find the main points, or the part of it that is
is going to tell us about information overload. relevant to their job. In a similar way, the fact
Clare Bennett, who is a research psychologist, that information can be passed on so easily
became interested in information overload in and for free, means that people are likely to
2005 and has been studying it since then. She send information to everyone who might need
has some interesting things to tell us. Welcome to know, rather than just to those people who
Clare. definitely need to know.
Clare 
Thank you, Greg. It’s nice to be here. Int And so the pattern repeats itself.
Int  Clare, just to clarify, what exactly is Clare 
Exactly. It means that these people either delay
information overload? making decisions or make bad decisions simply
Clare 
Well, in simple terms, it refers to the difficulty because they don’t have the time necessary to
someone can experience when they’re trying process information properly.
to understand a situation and perhaps make a Int  That all sounds pretty depressing. Is there
decision related to it because there is too much anything that can be done? Do you have any
information available. Alvin Toffler first talked advice for listeners who may be experiencing
about ‘Information Overload’ back in 1970 in information overload themselves, either at
his book Future Shock. He claimed that the work or in fact in any area of their life?
increasing amounts of information available to Clare 
Well, it isn’t something that can be solved
us would eventually create problems. easily. However, we can do a few things to
Int  But we’ve had access to large amounts of reduce the effects of it. Firstly, and most
information ever since the 1400s when the importantly, we should focus on doing one
printing press was invented, haven’t we? thing at a time and avoid multi-tasking.
Clare 
You’re right, of course, but computers have Secondly, we can learn how to select
allowed us to create, copy and send out information that we need to know while
information much more quickly than ever ignoring information that is simply nice to
before. We also have access to huge amounts know. We should also remember to be clear
of information online via the Internet. It’s when we are dealing with other people as
becoming a common problem for people at well. A short report with quality information is
work nowadays to get so many emails and much better than a long report that includes
reports, for example, that they cannot deal irrelevant information. Finally, it’s not a bad
with them effectively. Modern technology thing to turn off your email when you are
moves faster and faster all the time, but doing something important that requires your
the human brain that needs to process concentration. You can always get back to
the information doesn’t. That’s when we people later in the day.
get information overload. There is even an Int  Well, Clare, I think it’s time to let our listeners
Information Overload Awareness Day, the ask you some questions. Our first caller is
first of which took place in August 2009, that Janet from Birmingham ...

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