Practice English Listening Test for B2 with answer and audioscript – Test #26

1 B   2 C   3 A   4 C   5 A   6 A   7 C   8 B

Audioscript

1

M   It was so crowded in town, wasn’t it?

F   Yes, it was dreadful. Jane and I were going to go shopping but everywhere was so packed we decided to leave it till Monday. It’s usually quieter then.

M   So, you just sat and had a chat over a cup off coffee all afternoon?

F   Actually we went to see that new spy film. It was brilliant. You must go.

2

M   It’s me. I’m on the train. When you get this message can you do something for me. I’ve left a work file in my study on the desk beside the computer. Could you find it and then ring me back with the reference number on the front of the file? I hope you come straight home after taking the kids to school – it’s really important I get this before 10. Ring me on my mobile. Bye.

3

F   I can’t understand why things have got so bad here. It used to be such an excellent place. I know I came late and I do apologise for that but there was no need for the receptionist to be so rude to me. I had to wait ages to be seen to and I’m really not at all satisfied with the service I’ve had all morning.

4

M   My dad gave it to me. It’s great, isn’t it. If I plug in these headphones, no one else has to listen. So it’s not too painful for them if I practise the same thing over and over again and also I can play as late as I want without disturbing anyone. You can create all sorts of interesting effects with these buttons too. Do you want to have a go?

5

F   And finally Layton Zoo have announced the arrival of the first baby hippo to be born there for fifty years. Attempts to encourage mating have until last year met with very little success and zookeepers and experts from the local university were at a loss to understand why. It has been suggested that last summer’s spell of exceptionally sunny weather may have put mum and dad in the mood.

6

M   We had a fantastic holiday. Normally we just head for the seaside as that’s what the kids like but this year their grandparents took them to stay with some friends of theirs on an olive farm in Italy. They had a great time. Anyhow, we could go where we wanted. In the end we decided to go hill-walking. We used to do it a lot when we were at university but hadn’t been for about fifteen years so were afraid we’d be a bit unfit. But we were fine though we took it easy at first. We got up to 5,000 feet quite a few times and had the most amazing views.

7

F   How did it all go at work?

M   Oh, you know. Much as I was expecting

F   Did the presentation go down well?

M   It was OK. Jim seemed quite pleased with it at least.

F   That’s good then. Dinner’ll be ready in half an hour. Why don’t you go and have a shower first?

M   Good idea. I was thinking of having a bath but I think I’d fall asleep in it.

F   Yes, thank goodness, things should be a bit easier for the next few weeks now, shouldn’t they?

M   Yes, I hope so.

8

F   The heavy rains overnight have caused quite a few problems this morning. There are reports of accidents on the A104 near Gallows Corner and the A14 at the junction with the A51 so avoid these areas if you possibly can. Large numbers of people are expected to be travelling to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for this afternoon’s rugby match and it is recommended that you leave plenty of time for your journey if you plan to be among them. The rain is not likely to let up until the early afternoon and so is likely to slow your journey though it should at least be fine for the match.

9 Switzerland   10 tornadoes   11 India   12 heavy rainfall

13 economy   14 strong winds   15 18th century

16 northern hemisphere   17 30   18 unpredictable

Audioscript

F   Welcome to today’s edition of Science Today. A lot of people have been claiming recently that the climate is changing. But is that really true? I’m joined today in the studio to discuss this question by Mark Pontin. Mark is in an excellent position to answer our questions because he is the head of statistics at the World Climate Organisation, an international meteorological institution with headquarters in Switzerland.

So, Mark. Do people’s claims of climate change have any foundation?

M   Well, yes, they do. A whole series of very unusual weather phenomena have been noted over the last month which certainly do suggest some fundamental climate change. In the States, for example, there were more tornadoes last month than in any preceding month since records began – the country experienced an extraordinary total of 562 leading to the deaths of 41 people.

F   There have been similar things all over the world, though, haven’t there?

M   Yes, indeed. India, for example, is one of several places in the world to have experienced particularly high temperatures over the last month – at 45 degrees, these are from 2 to 5 degrees above what would normally be expected at this time of year. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has experienced some unusually heavy rainfall. This led to flooding and landslides and a large number of deaths. The country’s economy is expected to suffer seriously as a consequence.

F   Has anything special been happening in Europe?

M   Well, yes. England and Wales have had remarkably strong winds and Switzerland has been enjoying an amazingly hot spell – the country hasn’t had such a heat-wave since the mid 18th century.

F   So are these just one-off phenomena or is it possible to make some general conclusions about what is happening to the world’s weather?

M   I think we can safely draw two conclusions about what is happening – at least in the northern hemisphere. First temperatures are certainly getting generally hotter. This tendency has been particularly noticeable over the last three years but it is a trend that’s been observed for over thirty years. However, at the same time the weather is not as stable as it used to be. Extreme and unpredictable weather events seem to be happening with increasing frequency.

F   Could you tell us …

19 D   20 A   21 B   22 F   23 C

Audioscript

F   I know a lot of people think it’s morally wrong to use animals for any kind of experiment but it doesn’t really bother me all that much. I think it does depend a lot on what the purpose of the experiment is. If it’s just to test out a new kind of lipstick or shampoo, then I guess I’d be against it but if it’s to help in the development of a new medical treatment, then I think it’s necessary – otherwise medical science won’t be able to progress as effectively.

M   Well, of course, people say that important advances are made thanks to animal experiments but I still do not feel that we have the right to exploit our fellow creatures in this way. They cannot put their own case to us so animal rights groups have to do it on their behalf. I am sure it is always possible to find an alternative method that does not involve abusing animals in any way. And if there isn’t, then we should just do without whatever is being tested.

M   Well, the cat doesn’t think about the rights of the mouse when it jumps on it, does it? I’m afraid nature is naturally cruel. Human beings are top of the pecking order, I guess, which gives us, in my view, the right to do things to creatures below us in the chain if it is going to benefit humankind. Of course, I don’t condone pointless cruelty but I do think that we should be like all other creatures in the natural world and act in accordance with our own interests as a species.

F   I never used to have strong feelings either way until I was at college. Then I shared a flat with a girl who used to spend every weekend taking part in animals rights protests. At first I thought she was a bit odd but she took me along to a couple of lectures and I gradually began to change my mind. I was horrified when I learnt what some companies do to animals for the sole aim of increasing their already massive profits. I even went to the odd protest with her. I’m not so active now I’ve left college but I still feel pretty sympathetic to the cause.

M   I think it is right that there should be strict controls on how animals can be used for research purposes but I really think there are far more important things to demonstrate about. Surely we should be far more concerned about children dying of starvation or other social problems caused by inequality between nations and between individuals. When there is no more famine, disease or war, then it will be time to start paying more attention to the question of whether animals are maltreated by scientists or not.

24 B   25 B   26 A   27 C   28 A   29 C   30 B

Audioscript

F   Right, class, I’d like to talk to you today about Tonga, After I’ve introduced the country to you, we’re going to watch a video based on a famous Tongan short story. You’ll be able to appreciate this much better if you already know a little bit about the country. So here goes. There’s no need to take notes – I’ll give you a handout later.

The South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga is a group of 171 islands – 45 of which are inhabited – in the South Western Pacific about 1,400 miles north east of New Zealand. It is situated just west of the international dateline, and is close to the Tropic of Capricorn. The islands are 13 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and are proud of their claim to be the first country to see the dawn of each new day.

The population of the islands is estimated at about 100,000. There are almost as many Tongans living abroad as on the islands themselves – mainly in New Zealand, Australia and the US. Economically, the country relies predominantly on remittances from abroad and on foreign aid. There is some exporting of agricultural products. Tourism and cottage handicrafts are small but growing industries.

The island group was discovered by the British explorer, Captain James Cook, who named them as the Friendly Islands. Today tourist brochures emphasise the aptness of this name. They became a British protectorate under its own monarchy in 1899. It gained independence in 1970. The constitutional monarch still enjoys considerably more economic and legislative power than in most other modern monarchies. The official language in Tonga is English although of course there are a number of other native languages spoken on the islands.

Tonga features in the Guinness Book of Records on two counts. Firstly, the royal family of Tonga was given a tortoise by the explorer, Captain James Cook, which, amazingly, lived for over two hundred years, dying only about thirty years ago. Secondly, the country has boasted the world’s heaviest monarch, King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. He used to weigh 209.5 kilos but on medical orders has now slimmed down.

His weight is undoubtedly partly due to the Tongan style of eating. Tongan feasts are renowned throughout the area for their variety and their size. They are traditionally served on a ‘pola’ or long tray made from plaited coconut fronds and there can be up to 30 different dishes including steamed pork, suckling pig, fish, shellfish, beef, octopus, and a wonderful variety of tropical fruits. With the exception of suckling pig, which is roasted over a fire, most Tongan foods are cooked in an underground oven called an ‘umu’.

Right, I think that is enough to be going on with. Does anyone have any questions at this point?