Practice FCE (B2) Listening Test 26 with Answers and Audioscripts

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

Audioscripts

1   You hear a girl talking about a new film.

I know the film is supposed to be fantastic, but normally I wouldn’t bother going to see one like that. I mean, this isn’t the kind of film that usually appeals to me. The story is based on a book by Hemingway that we’re reading in class this term, and I thought that watching the film would make the book clearer to me, so I think I’ll go next weekend. I don’t think any of my friends have seen it, so I’ll see if any of them would like to come with me.

2   You hear a man talking about a car journey he made recently.

I don’t know what the problem was. This wasn’t the bottleneck you get when you come off the motorway, and anyway we were travelling towards London, not away from it. I must have been stuck there for over an hour, hardly moving at all, feeling frustrated and anxious that I wouldn’t make it in time. I mean it’s not as if there was any other way of getting there, so I had to just hope for the best. It took me two hours to reach the airport, although it was only a couple of miles away!

3   You hear a woman talking about a present.

It really was a lovely surprise. I thought she was thinking of getting me something else, because she’d asked me what sort of earrings I liked, so I wasn’t expecting a dress – and such a lovely one, too! I think the colour really suits me – she’s an artist, you know, and she says she’s going to paint me in it, and give it to me when she’s finished! Isn’t that exciting? It was so nice of her to make the effort. It’s obvious she’d put a lot of thought into it, you know. And of course, I’m delighted. Let me get it, and you can see for yourself!

4   You hear a boy talking about his favourite footballer.

I thought it was going to be a big mistake, when he got that transfer from Liverpool They’d been going through a bad patch these last two seasons, but they were a good team and I thought he should have stayed. Anyway, it turns out I was dead wrong! He’s been getting better and better since he signed with Arsenal, and he scored a hat-trick in the last match! Now I wonder whether Birmingham will try to sign him next season because I’ve heard they’re very interested in him at the moment.

5   You hear a man booking theatre tickets by phone.

A:   Good morning. Do you have any tickets left for this evening’s performance?

B:   Let me just have a look. Well, the rear stalls and circle are completely sold out. There are a few seats left in the front stalls. How many tickets do you want?

A:   Just two.

B:   Yes, I can give you two in the third row … they’re £39 each.

A:   £39? I see. All right, I’ll take them.

B:   That makes a total of £78. I’ll have to ask you to pick them up here by 6.30. And your name is …?

6   You hear a woman talking about moving to Scotland.

News travels fast in a small village, I suppose, so everyone seemed to know before I got there that I’d be teaching at the local school. Whether that made the villagers more formal in the way they treated me – for the first few months at least – I really don’t know. I gathered from the way they spoke that they regarded me as quite foreign because I came from London, and this did startle me for a while. It’s different now, however, I’m pleased to say, and I’ve made quite a few friends …

7   You hear a radio advertisement for a museum.

It was an interesting decade, not least as far as music and fashion were concerned. It was a time of wild enthusiasm, but also laid the basis for the future. The 1920s were the dawn of our modern age, when people were still looking back at the previous century. We’ve recently displayed furniture and paintings from the 1940s and ‘50s, but you’ll see that this is very different. Don’t miss the Central Museum’s special exhibition. It starts on Monday and will run until after the summer holidays. In fact it will be on until October 15th. Don’t miss it!

8   You hear two friends talking about a television programme they have both seen

A:   I thought the last bit was really great, didn’t you?

B:   Yes. I’d never have guessed what was going to happen; I mean, everyone thought Molly was miles away on an expedition to Antarctica, and then she walks into the room right at the end, except it’s not Molly at all – it’s her twin sister!

A:   Right! You know, that’s what makes some soap operas really great – you just have to watch the next episode to find out how it all works out! My mum’s always telling me they’re a load of rubbish, and that I should watch things like documentaries instead. And then she’ll sit down and watch a quiz show!

9 unfashionable   10 largest

11 healthier   12 adults

13 bankers   14 real-life

15 boys   16 Asia

17 (toy) fairs   18 controlled

Audioscripts

Good afternoon, my name’s Graham Jones. I’m glad to be here this afternoon and to see so many of you. Thank you for coming. One of the most interesting developments in the toy market has been the revival of interest in that most traditional of toys: train sets. In the 1980s and 1990s, people felt that models of all sorts, and especially railways, were unfashionable, but they have become big business in the last few years.

In Britain there has always been a strong interest in railways, as can be seen from the number of people who go ‘train spotting’ – collecting information about locomotives and train movements. People are happy to stand outdoors in the cold for hours on end in the hope of seeing an engine or even just a carriage that they haven’t seen before, and noting down the serial number. It must be one of the most uncomfortable hobbies in the world! But this interest does help explain why Britain is the largest model railway market in Europe.

Modern train sets are introducing children, who may never have travelled by real train, to the joys of railway modelling. Model trains are more lasting than other toy equipment, their quality is superb and that has added to their popularity with both parents and children. And many parents think model railways are a healthier indoor alternative to computers and videogames.

Market research has been done to see what sort of people the hobby appeals to. Interestingly, the majority of purchasers of model railway equipment today are adults, not children. By that I don’t mean that parents buy model railways for their children, although obviously this happens a great deal. I’m talking about people who are willing to spend a lot of money on miniature locomotives and re-live part of their childhood. More detailed analysis into the people who buy this equipment has also proved interesting. Many model trains are bought by middle-aged men, with a large proportion of lawyers, bankers and business executives.

Of course, we need to plan for the future, and makes as many predictions as we can based on what we know. It seems reasonable to assume that children will always have a natural interest in models and miniature versions of real-life objects like toy cars and aeroplanes.

Model railway manufacturers are always trying to maximise their sales and come up with new ideas, and they’re experimenting with toy trains aimed directly at girls. But despite their best efforts, one aspect of the market for these items is likely to remain the same: boys will probably continue to find these toys far more appealing than girls do.

Of course manufacturers are also keen to expand outside countries like the UK where there is already a demand for their products. They are investing in new markets in countries in Asia, for example, where there isn’t the same traditional interest in railways.

Researchers and marketing specialists believe that there is a lot of potential in these markets, and manufacturers will be taking part in international toy fairs to promote their model trains. It’s exciting to think that their products may soon be available – and selling well, we hope – all over the world! There is plenty of work for designers, too, as railway buildings are different all over the world and the models are always incredibly accurate. Many people spend as much money on the miniature stations as they do on the actual trains.

Model railways are becoming more up to date, too. Computer-controlled model railways are available in the toy market now, and of course who knows what the future holds? As long as there are trains, there will be model railways!

19 F   20 C   21 A   22 H   23 D

Audioscripts

Speaker 1

I went to a private school where it was compulsory to wear a uniform. The school had sent out a list to parents of the items you had to have – school tie, blazer, cap – and the shops where you could find them all before the term started. My mother went on a business trip and didn’t manage to go shopping. I was the only one from about 50 11-year-old boys who didn’t have a cap or tie. I felt very awkward dressed in a pair of jeans and sweater …

Speaker 2

I remember being very nervous as I was walking into the school, because I thought I wouldn’t know anyone at all, which might have been a bit frightening. I didn’t fancy having to spend the first few days getting used to a new place all on my own. And then I spotted my cousin, Peter, who was two years older than me. I expected that he wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me, but unlike some kids that age, he was very nice, showed me round and helped me settle in.

Speaker 3

When my mother offered to drive me to school, I suppose I should have known that this could be a bad idea because she’s always had the most awful sense of direction. And sure enough, she got lost, and it took us ages to find the school. I will never forget how embarrassed I felt when I walked into the first class half an hour after it had started. Awful! After that, things improved. It wasn’t a very big school, so I soon found my way around. And I made new friends quite easily, too.

Speaker 4

I know it may sound unlikely, but I didn’t experience any feeling of anxiety. I was confident that everything was going to be fine. I felt optimistic being surrounded by the familiar faces of friends from primary school. My most vivid memory is the warm welcoming speech of Mr Stephens, our headteacher. I don’t recall feeling stressed or lonely. And I was actually pleased there was a uniform, unlike some of my friends who complained about it. I thought it was much easier than having to decide what to wear every morning!

Speaker 5

My strongest memory from my first day at high school is simply feeling terribly alone and sad. We moved house at just about the time I was due to go to high school, so I ended up going to a new school two weeks after the term had begun. It’s not a long time, but it was long enough for all the other new boys to have made friends with each other, so I really had the impression that I was never going to fit in. Of course, I soon made friends and settled down, but the first few days were rather difficult.

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

Audioscripts

Interviewer:   Hello, Mark, thank you for agreeing to talk to us about your experience of being a student at Gramwell University. I’m sure many of our listeners will be thinking of applying next year, and they’ll be very interested in what you have to say!

Mark Stone:   Thanks, it’s great to be here.

Interviewer:   First of all, why did you choose Gramwell University?

Mark Stone:   Well, no one in my family had been to university before, and my parents couldn’t really help me decide. My mother hoped I’d live at home while I was a student, but I really wanted to go to a different city, and make new friends. And Gramwell is really one of the best places in the country for law, so that’s why I went for it.

Interviewer:   Was there anything that particularly surprised you when you arrived at Gramwell?

Mark Stone:   Yeah, I hadn’t actually realised before I came here how different many things would be. It may sound silly, I know, but I hadn’t actually spent more than a few hours here – when I came on an open day – before arriving at Gramwell as a student. Of course the buildings are all very modern, but I knew that. I just wasn’t prepared for how different everything would feel, you know – most people are my age, so it’s all quite exciting. It rains as much as it always did at home, though!

Interviewer:   And what’s it like, studying law?

Mark Stone:   People told me before I started that I’d find it very stressful. It hasn’t been too bad, though – I’ve really enjoyed the challenge. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of work involved, especially just before a deadline! But the more you put in, the better you do, and as long as you’re well organised, which I am – I think I get that from my mother – then it’s OK?

Interviewer:   Do you have a part-time job?

Mark Stone:   Yes, I share a flat with three other students, and I need to pay the rent! It’s OK though, it makes a change from the library and the people I work with are cool. It is quite tiring though, especially when I’ve been studying all day – I’m a waiter in a busy restaurant, so it certainly keeps me fit!

Interviewer:   I’m sure it does! And what are your lecturers like? Are they helpful?

Mark Stone:   I must admit I was a bit scared of them when I first arrived. You know, I thought ‘Why on earth would they want to talk to someone like me?’. In fact most of them are very interested in how their students are getting on. The problem is that students usually don’t take advantage of the opportunities they have to talk to them. They have times every week when you can go and see them. Even outside of those hours, it’s usually quite easy to find them and they won’t mind at all.

Interviewer:   Do you mainly mix with other law students?

Mark Stone:   I have some very good friends here in the law faculty, but because I lived in a big student residence in my first year, I met people doing all sorts of courses. It was nice not to talk about law for a change! One of my best friends is reading history, and I’m sharing a flat with him, as well as a biologist and a drama student!

Interviewer:   Sounds fun! And what’s the social life like at Gramwell?

Mark Stone:   There are lots of societies, and good sports facilities – there’s even a skateboarding club! I’ve made friends that way too – I’m in the basketball team – and as long as you don’t let it take up too much of your time, it’s a really good way of unwinding and forgetting about work for a while. And then when I get back to my desk, I’m definitely more focused. I know some people think we just spend all our time at parties, but that’s not actually the case.

Interviewer:   Well, thanks, Mark, it’s been great talking to you. Good luck with your studies!

Mark Stone:   Thank you!