File Tests Audioscript
File 10
Listening 1
Interviewer Please welcome to the stage, Goran Magnusson. Goran, this is your fourth crime novel set in
Reykjavik, Iceland. Detective Bjornson has plenty of experience, but he’s up against a different
sort of killer this time, isn’t he?
Goran Yes. I wanted to set Bjornson a new challenge. He’s solved murders before, of course, but this
story involves a group of wealthier suspects than he usually deals with. That brings new
problems for him to overcome.
Interviewer I was interested in the setting for this story, which is in the sailing community of Reykjavik. The
victim’s body is found inside a yacht in a sailing club. Did you have to do much research?
Goran Yes, I liked the idea of the sailing club. It’s a place where lots of different types of people mix:
wealthy business people, athletic adventurers. And there are lots of murder weapons! It was a
good opportunity. The victim, and possibly the murderer, are expert sailors but I know very little
about boats. I spent quite a lot of time finding out more before I could plan the evidence and the
clues for my story.
Interviewer I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but Detective Bjornson quickly identifies a main
suspect, doesn’t he?
Goran Yes — too quickly. Bjornson realizes that the murderer is someone who knows about sailing
because of the way the victim was killed. To begin with, he suspects the victim’s business
partner. But then he finds a hidden photograph and letters at the victim’s house and discovers
the victim had a secret relationship. So then this unknown woman becomes a main suspect
too.
Interviewer Hmmm. Your stories don’t tend to involve emails and online histories, do they?
Goran Ha! No, I prefer more physical clues. I suppose my stories don’t accurately copy modern police
techniques. My readers want to escape from everyday life.
Interviewer I was certain that the secret girlfriend was the killer but … the murder remains unsolved at the
end of the story. When is part 2 going to be in our bookshops?
Goran You’ll have to wait until next year, I’m afraid.
Interviewer Well, we’re looking forward to it, aren’t we everyone? Many thanks, Goran Magnusson.
19
File Tests Audioscript
File 10
Listening 2
1 Philippa What do you think is the most iconic book cover?
José That’s a really difficult question. There are so many great covers. The book cover for The
Godfather was so successful that it was used as the poster for the film too.
Philippa I didn’t know that.
José Yes. It’s by the artist Neil Fujita. What do you call people who draw letters and pictures
using computers?
Philippa They’re called graphic designers, aren’t they?
José That sounds right. I’d quite like to be a graphic designer.
2 Arjun Here we are, Chloë. This is the Great Court in the British Museum. It’s my favourite place in
London.
Chloë Wow! The glass ceiling is even bigger than I imagined. There’s so much light even though
we’re inside.
Arjun I know. The Reading Room is over there. And through all of these other doors are
collections of objects from around the world.
Chloë Can we visit the other rooms later? I want to stay here in the Great Court.
Arjun Of course. The roof was only built in 2000. There are over three thousand panes of glass
above our heads. And every single one is different. That’s incredible, isn’t it?
Chloë Yes. I love the way the modern part of the building and the old part of the building go
together.
Arjun Me too.
3 Saliyah Guess what! We won the prize!
Milo That’s such great news. My wife is a world-famous chef!
Saliyah Not yet! Perhaps in a few years’ time. But the restaurant is widely considered to serve the
best Arabic food in town. For a chef who didn’t go to cookery school and learned everything
on the job, that’s something to celebrate, isn’t it?
Milo Yes, it is! Congratulations!
4 Sam Do you remember the news story about the thief who stole a bucket of gold from a van in
New York?
Cora Yes, he was a professional thief, wasn’t he?
Sam That’s right. He took things from cars and vans but he never used a weapon or hurt anyone.
The video of the robbery was everywhere on social media. But the police soon identified him
and released his picture.
Cora And they never caught him, did they?
Sam Not in New York. The New York police thought the suspect had returned home to Ecuador
— and they were right. Local police arrested him there. But he was only sent to prison for a
few months and the gold was never found.
5 Bella I love shopping in second-hand shops, don’t you?
Louise Yes, but you have to know what you’re doing. I don’t expect to find designer dresses and
handbags, for example.
Bella My aunt found a Mary Quant mini skirt in a second-hand shop once. Imagine that!
Louise I’m not sure I would want to wear a skirt that short. But the story of Quant’s career is
fascinating.
Bella I agree. Quant was one of the first people to make designs especially for younger people.
Those girls must have felt so rebellious and free. And she taught herself to sew, didn’t she?
Louise I think you’re right. I know that her shop used to play loud music and stay open late. People
went there to have fun as well as to shop for clothes.
Bella And her designs were worn by the coolest female musicians of the 1960s.
Louise Fashion and music. My two favourite things.
20
