Practice FCE (B2) Listening Test 19 with Answers and Audioscripts

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

Audioscripts

1   You hear two people talking about a film they have just seen.

Man:   Well, I don’t understand what the fuss was about. I thought it was disappointing.

Woman:   Hmm, it wasn’t as good as his earlier work but I enjoyed it. It was longer than his other films but I only noticed it when we came out and I checked my watch.

Man:   The seats didn’t help. I’ve never been so uncomfortable.

Woman:   Mine was OK, but those people behind us were really annoying, chatting through the whole film.

2   You hear a woman talking on the radio about a business she runs.

Presenter:   … And your business is doing well?

Woman:   Yes, very well, especially if you consider we only started the company a year ago. In fact, we’re taking on two trainees over the next few months.

Presenter:   Hmm. And you’re about to launch a new product?

Woman:   It’s already available, actually. That’s one of the reasons we’re taking people on. My husband and I need to spend more time meeting with retailers and getting our products into their shops.

3   You hear a message on an answering machine.

Man:   Hi Aaron. I’m calling to let you know we need to get to the station by two thirty. We had to rearrange the meeting as a few people couldn’t make it. It now begins at five but I think we should be there by four thirty to make sure all the technology works. I’ll meet you at the station and we can travel up together. See you then.

4   You hear a man and a woman talking about the man’s car.

Woman:   Have you sorted your car out?

Man:   Yes, though it’s costing me a fortune. We found out why it wouldn’t start and got it fixed. The next problem was the insurance. My son uses it now and it cost about fifty per cent more to get it insured.

Woman:   Hah! But you’re back on the road, right?

Man:   Not quite. My son’s taken it on holiday so I’m using my bike to get around.

5   You hear a message from a school secretary on an answering machine.

Woman:   Hello, it’s Ambrose School here. I’m calling about the school trip tomorrow. The coach leaves at nine thirty and returns at three thirty so you can collect Sam then. We’ll be using the leisure centre’s catering facilities. They supply the children with a packed lunch so Sam won’t need to bring any food with him. He’ll need a sun hat, though, and sun cream, as it’s going to be a hot day. Thanks.

6   You hear a customer talking to a shop assistant.

Assistant:   Did you find the changing rooms, sir?

Customer:   Yes, thanks. I tried this suit on but the trousers are too big. Have you got them in a smaller size?

Assistant:   Not at the moment, but we’re getting a new delivery in on Friday. Or we could get the trousers altered for you.

Customer:   Hmm. I love the suit but I’m not in a hurry for it. I’ll pop back on Friday.

7   You hear a shopkeeper being interviewed on the radio.

Presenter:   … And you’ve got the support of other shopkeepers?

Shopkeeper:   Yes, and we’re doing all we can to increase trade – special offers, late night opening … But if we can’t even get people into the high street, we’ve got no chance.

Presenter:   But what’s wrong with the bus? It’s a good service, isn’t it?

Shopkeeper:   People want convenience and if they’ve got nowhere to park, they’ll go elsewhere. We really need to provide a space for them.

8   You hear an employee talking to her boss.

Boss:   Morning, Mary. Everything OK?

Mary:   Not really. I told you about the problem I had getting a replacement computer from the technicians when mine stopped working. Well, they sorted that out but they still haven’t given me my account for the Intranet. I can’t work from home until they do.

Boss:   OK, I’ll talk to their manager.

Mary:   Thanks. I just want to be able to get on with my job and transfer some files from home.

9 reports   10 promotion

11 excellent service   12 term

13 in full   14 feedback form

15 (college) training days   16 café/cafe

17 team-building/ team building

18 catering

Audioscripts

Manager:   … I hope you’re all enjoying your new jobs here at the college. Now I’d like to tell you a little about our staff development training programmes. We’re proud of our work in this area and we’ve appeared as a case study in several national reports.

We all operate in an ever-changing world and therefore our training programmes are vital. It means we can support you so that you have the skills and knowledge required to keep you up-to-date in your area of work. This means you can improve your career prospects, whether by getting promotion within the college or finding a job elsewhere. You will also function better as a team player and work more efficiently and effectively. Most importantly, our staff training programmes make sure our students get excellent service from us.

So how does professional development work here? To begin with, we expect you to attend team meetings. These take place in the last week of each term; so three times a year. They will give you the chance to share experiences with colleagues, identify problem areas and notify us of any training requirements. If training is required, the college will fund the costs in full. The members of staff who attend training sessions will be asked to complete a feedback form about their experiences and to share this with their colleagues at their next team meeting. The college also identifies areas where all members of staff can benefit from training. This could come about as a result of the introduction of new technology or new government regulations.

Which brings me to our all-college training days. These take place twice a year and are held over an entire day. No classes take place on these days. Members of staff can choose from a series of events the ones they’d like to attend. These days are meant to be fun as well as informative, and the café will provide a free meal from a special menu.

Finally, each team will be given the chance to enjoy an ‘away day’. These are full day events, sometimes held at a hotel or leisure centre. However, some teams like to spend part of the day doing team-building activities such as ice-skating, rock climbing or orienteering. Others choose to spend the ‘away day’ at the home of one of the team. The college covers all the costs for these events, and if you use the home of a member of staff, you will be given £100 to cover catering costs.

Now, any questions?

19 G   20 C   21 E   22 D   23 A

Audioscripts

Speaker 1

Man:   I don’t think I’m motivated by money but I’d like to be able to splash out now and again or take the children out for a treat. Not too often though; I wouldn’t want to spoil them. On the other hand, when money is short, it can cause problems. When I was unemployed, my wife and I argued more than usual … not having enough to pay for holidays, that kind of thing.

Speaker 2

Woman:   It must be great to be rich. Never having to get up for work on a Monday morning again. If I came into a lot of money, I’d see the world – do a one-year cruise. Some people say they wouldn’t feel comfortable with all that money buy it wouldn’t bother me. I’d give some to my friends, donate some to charity. I’d enjoy being generous.

Speaker 3

Woman:   When people think about having lots of money, it’s often to do with material things. But I think it’s about sorting out the things that make you feel safe. For example, you could take out private health care for you and your family and get the best treatment in case of illness. You could pick the best schools for your children but whether those things make you happier, I don’t know.

Speaker 4

Man:   I’ve always been careful with money and over the years I’ve got most of the things I need without owing money to anyone. That’s something I’ve always wanted to avoid at all costs. Having more money wouldn’t make a great deal of difference to me. Some people would say being rich enables you to leave money to your children but I’d like to see my kids work for the things they need in life.

Speaker 5

Woman:   I don’t earn a great deal, so money has always been tight. I think I’d enjoy having more to spend. But if I came into a lot of money, I don’t think it would make me a different person. I wouldn’t waste it or spend it on things I don’t need. In fact, unless I told them, I don’t think my friends or relatives would know I’d become rich overnight.

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

Audioscripts

Presenter:   In the latest of our interviews with women in male-dominated professions, I’m talking to Molly, a commercial airline pilot. Molly, did you always want to fly?

Molly:   I did, yes. My father worked in air traffic control so planes were always a topic of conversation in our house. At first, I wanted to do his job but then there were a few holidays abroad. That’s when I developed an interest in becoming a professional pilot.

Presenter:   And did your parents encourage you? After all, it’s a very male-dominated profession.

Molly:   My parents were fantastic in that way. There were keen for me to explore various career options and we spent time investigating what the life of a pilot is like. Over ninety per cent of pilots are men, and that figure would have been even higher when I was a child. But my parents didn’t see that as a reason for me not to follow my passion.

Presenter:   So how did you get started?

Molly:   It wasn’t easy. I did well at school and went to university. Actually, a degree isn’t necessary to become a pilot but I wanted a backup in case the flying ambition didn’t work out. Then I spent a few years working in sales. It was boring but I needed to save enough money to go to training school to get my private pilot’s licence. I then needed to do at least 150 hours of flying time.

Presenter:   So was that all you needed to become an airline pilot?

Molly:   No! That’s when the hard work starts. I had to do a lot more training. There are theory tests, then training that includes flying a multi-engine plane. Then you move on to the full commercial licence itself. Taken altogether, this training takes about 75 hours and costs a lot of money.

Presenter:   And then six months ago you started to fly professionally?

Molly:   Yes. I applied to a major airline and they took me on. I’m now a first officer, which means I’m second in command. I get to fly the plane for certain sections of journeys; the captain and I decide who will fly which sections before we take off.

Presenter:   Hmm. So where does your career go from here?

Molly:   The next step is senior first officer. That will allow me to fly to more airports and under different weather conditions. Eventually, I can apply to become a captain.

Presenter:   What would you say to people who want to become a pilot?

Molly:   If you’re not obsessed about becoming a pilot, forget it. Getting all your training and flying qualifications costs a lot of money so unless you have a well-paid job to pay for your lessons, you can end up in debt. But if you’re determined, go for it.