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Tapescript – sample test 1 gossip. I wish they’d ask about the real lifestyle;
practising day in, day out, and getting from
This is the B2 First Certificate in English Listening test. tournament to tournament. I probably do around
a hundred long-haul flights a year. It sounds
I am going to give you the instructions for this test. exciting, but it wipes you out and actually ruins
I shall introduce each part of the test and give you time to look at your social life!
the questions. Now listen again.
At the start of each piece you will hear this sound: 4: You hear a poet talking about his work.

You will hear each piece twice. I’ve been slowly writing more and more poems for kids over the
last few years. Talking to young people in schools, which I’ve
Remember, while you are listening, write your answers on the been doing for some time now, reinforces my belief that they
question paper. You will have 5 minutes at the end of the test to need and want the same range of subjects that older people do
copy your answers onto the separate answer sheet. – relationships, work, family, etc. Often it’s something that only
There will now be a pause. Please ask any questions now, because emerges after my poems are finished, but quite a few of them
you must not speak during the test. in my new collection were first thought of as poems for adults,
until I realised that they might work just as well, or better, for
Now open your question paper and look at Part 1. kids. But I hope it’s a book that adults will enjoy too.
You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For Now listen again.
Questions 1–8, choose the best answer (A, B or C).
5: You hear two people talking about a programme they
1: You hear a message on a telephone answering machine. saw on TV.
Oh hi it’s me, John. Sorry to miss you – you must’ve already F: Did you watch that programme about the Gobi Desert last
left for work. Look, I wondered if you wanted to come away night? I thought it’d be really interesting because it’s a part
for the weekend. There’ll be about 10 of us including someone of the world I know very little about.
called Sam Brent who says he was at college with you – and M: The photography was brilliant, wasn’t it?
he remembers that you were brilliant at rock and roll! They’ve
decided it’ll be on October 9, Friday night till Sunday. Anyway, F: Yes, you could really feel how harsh the life was there.
I’ll put the details in the post. I know you’re busy at the M: Overwhelmingly grey, I thought. It’d be hard to feel
moment, so don’t feel you have to come, but just let me know cheerful living in that landscape.
one way or the other when you can. Talk to you soon. Bye.
F: It was a bit short on facts though, wasn’t it?
Now listen again.
M: I don’t think it was that kind of programme. They just
2: You hear two people talking about a water-sports centre. wanted you to be amazed at the fantastic landscape. I
F: So how did you like the new sports centre? guess that’s why there wasn’t much commentary.
M: Well, there’s a wide choice of things to do … It’s just that F: You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that.
their advertisements said something to suit all the family. Now listen again.
I wish they’d had water games for the under fives. There
was nothing really suitable for them. But you can learn to 6: You hear two people talking about an ice-hockey game
windsurf or sail, and you have the freedom to go anywhere they’ve just seen.
in the lake … M: So your first live ice-hockey game. Glad you came?
F: Isn’t that a bit dangerous? F: Well, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but it was
M: Not really. Nobody’s allowed in the water without a life- so cold – I had no idea that it would be like that. I wish I’d
jacket, and a rescue boat is on hand all the time. brought my thicker coat!
F: Sounds great. M: That’s normal! At least it was a really exciting game – our
team was doing much better than usual.
M: It was.
F: Well, perhaps that accounts for the noise! I knew it would
Now listen again. be loud, but it was incredible.
3: You hear a professional tennis player talking about M: What do you expect? We have to support them!
her career.
F: Well I can say I’ve done it – just don’t expect to see me
Int: Are you ever annoyed by interviewers? here next week …!
Star: Well, I’m often asked about the financial side Now listen again.
of things. I don’t mind, but I can honestly say,
for many tournaments, I don’t even know what 7: You overhear two friends talking about a restaurant.
the prize money is. I just focus on playing to M: I can see why people really rate the place.
my full potential. They must find that answer
disappointing! No, the ones I have a problem with
are those who assume it’s all about partying and

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F: Yeah. They really know how to bring out the flavours in We’re not sure about the actual number of spectacled bears that
the different dishes. They also put a lot of thought into remain in the wild, but it’s been estimated that there are only
combining unusual ingredients. And as a restaurant it’s not about 2,400 still around. The bears are endangered not so much
too stuffy and formal. It’s got a really lively feel about it. because they are hunted by other animals, but what I find really
sad is the fact that humans destroy their habitat. Spectacled
M: Perhaps a little too lively. It was quite hard to hear each
bears are quite small compared with other bears, and of course
other above the din. I’m not sure it’d be the place to come
they do have other enemies – these mostly include mountain
for a romantic dinner. Great food though, and so visually
lions and jaguars – but they remain a smaller threat.
appealing on the plate.
The bears are primarily vegetarian, and their normal diet is tree
F: They’ve made a lot of effort with that. It really adds to the
bark and berries. On rare occasions though they eat honey,
experience, doesn’t it?
which I thought was just something in children’s books. I was
Now listen again. interested to find that they are incredibly good climbers, and
one thing I found really funny is that they’ve been known to sit
8: You hear a man talking on the radio.
up a tree for days – they make a platform – why? – I couldn’t
As a result of heavy snow, there has been major disruption to guess, but they’re waiting for fruit to ripen so they can eat it! It’s
rail services this morning. A number of breakdowns have been quite surprising that although they rarely eat meat they have
reported in the west, with people stranded on some trains. In extremely strong jaws and wide, flat teeth. Very occasionally
this region blizzard conditions are making driving conditions they do eat meat – something like birds or insects though they
hazardous. A severely restricted train service will be operating like small mice best if they can get them!
within the next few hours into the capital and delays are
We’re really trying to make people more aware of the bears, and
expected on all lines in the south of the country. In the north,
we’ve made a television series about one man’s efforts to make
there is some snow, but services have been able to continue,
people understand the dangers facing the animals. He spent a
with only a few cancellations reported.
long time in Peru studying them, and has published a very funny
Now listen again. diary of his time there. I hope everyone will read it, and support
our efforts to help these fascinating creatures!
That is the end of Part 1.
So are there any questions?
Now turn to Part 2.. Now you will hear Part 2 again.
You will hear a woman called Angela Thomas, who works for Now listen again.
a wildlife organisation, talking about the spectacled bear. For That is the end of Part 2.
Questions 9–18, complete the sentences with a word or
short phrase.
Now turn to Part 3.
You now have 45 seconds to look at Part 2.
You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about
Thanks for inviting me tonight. As you know, my main interest their visit to a city. For Questions 19–23, choose from the list
is in conservation and I’m lucky enough to work with lots of (A–H) what each speaker liked most about the city they visited.
different organisations looking after animals both in captivity Use the letters only once. There are three extra letters which you
and in the wild. I’d been fascinated by all kinds of bears for a do not need to use.
long time before I started working in this field. But it was the
You now have 30 seconds to look at Part 3.
spectacled bear that really attracted me – some people find it
appealing because of its size and shape, and it’s less well known
Speaker 1: We spent a day exploring the shops and markets
than other types of bear, but for me I thought it was such a
in the city, and bought some souvenirs. Then
great name! It comes from the patches of yellowish fur around
we wanted to see some of the area outside the
the bear’s eyes which grow in a sort of circle shape, like glasses,
city, and discovered it was easy to get to loads of
although these golden markings vary greatly from one bear to
places by train, including the mountains, where
another and may not be limited to the eyes – they can extend
we were told there were great hostels. You can do
as far as the bear’s cheeks or even chest.
bushwalks out there and apparently the scenery
I’d like to explain what we know about this bear, and why I find is stunning. But it can be dangerous – we were
it so fascinating. It’s the only survivor of a type of bear that once warned to have the right gear and tell other people
ranged across America during the last Ice Age. We thought that where we were going. So we decided to give it a
it was only found in certain places in Venezuela and Chile, but I miss. Anyway, we weren’t short of things to do in
was thrilled to read some reports that suggested it might also be the city! We were spoilt for choice.
living in northern parts of Argentina and eastern Panama.
Speaker 2: We were pretty tired when we first arrived so we
It’s quite difficult to find spectacled bears in the wild because they were glad just to relax. We’d booked late and I
are quite shy animals, and tend to live in a wide variety of habitats, have to say that the room wasn’t the best I’ve
which can range from dry coastal deserts to high mountain areas stayed in. But we had a view of the lake, which
above 4,000 metres. They are most commonly found in forests, was a real treat – we were really impressed by the
though. Being such timid animals they tend to come out at night, forests and mountains around the city. We made
which is another thing that makes them difficult to see, though, good use of the swimming pool, though we were
like me, you may be surprised to learn that they don’t sleep all too lazy to go to the famous markets. We didn’t
through the winter as many other types of bear do. take advantage of all the shows either. Lots of

Listening Tapescript 1 59
 people told us how good they were so that was a Int: So, tell us about your day.
pity. And the theatres themselves were supposed
RR: Well, it all starts with the huge pile of post we get. We
to be impressive.
often get artists sending in photographs of their work to
Speaker 3: One of my main ambitions was to see inside the see if we’d be interested in exhibiting it. I learned very early
big concert hall – and in fact we managed to get on how to differentiate between the ‘possibles’ and those
in to a concert there, which was pretty special. which are unsuitable.
The acoustics were amazing! The city was divided
Int: But how do you tell?
by a river, and getting round had its problems,
especially as we didn’t really understand the RR: It might be the style, or sometimes the subject matter is
city plan. The best way was the ferries – I was just not going to look right in our gallery, but more often
really impressed that they were always on time than not, it’s just that they’re not of the required standard.
and provided good views in the city. The trams The ‘possibles’ I pass on to the gallery manager who makes
were good too, and the local commuters seemed the final decision.
happy to chat to us and give us ideas for the best
Int: So you have quite a lot of contact with artists?
things to do and see. We didn’t have time to do
everything, though. RR: Yes. Sometimes I spend nearly all day on the phone and
about fifty percent of the time it’s artists. I send letters
Speaker 4: Before we went we couldn’t decide where to stay –
explaining why we can’t show their work – some of them
so many people recommended different places, and
phone up to argue about it – I find those calls very hard
there seemed to be loads of different and unusual
to deal with. Artists we do exhibit also phone to find out
possibilities, like old traditional farms converted into
if we’ve managed to sell anything and, if we have, when
guest houses – so we decided to move around and
the money will be coming through. I don’t mind those so
try something different every couple of nights. That
much. Most other calls are from clients. We have a new
worked out really well, and they were all excellent.
artist exhibiting here every two to four weeks and before
Although we’d been told that getting round on the
the show takes place, we send out a catalogue to the
buses was easy and cheap in the city, we decided
clients on our database.
to rent a car so that we could get out into the
countryside – we didn’t want to miss out on the Int: Obviously the catalogue’s illustrated?
views driving along by the ocean.
RR: Oh yes, and as soon as the catalogue goes out, we start
Speaker 5: Even though we had a city plan we got lost several getting phone calls because people see something they like
times – especially in the old town where the and want to reserve it. Sometimes they even buy things
buildings were quite similar – though I know some over the phone. The catalogue also contains a commentary
people say getting lost is the best way to get to about the artist, which I have to write and research. I try
know a city! We were never short of help, though to find out what has influenced them, where they learned
– some people were even prepared to walk with to paint, what the subject matter represents, that sort of
us to show us the way. That was something I’ll thing, but I try to avoid quoting from positive reviews of
always remember! Our hotel was all right without their work; it’s not meant to be advertising as such.
being spectacular, and it was a long walk in to
the evening shows – we took a taxi most times. Int: So your job is not all administrative?
There was loads to do every day, though, and we RR: Compared to a typical office, that side of it’s quite
certainly weren’t bored. minimal, that’s why I can cope without an assistant. There
Now you will hear Part 3 again. are systems in place to deal with routine jobs. For instance,
I don’t have to send out the catalogues – the company
That is the end of Part 3. which prints them also prints the envelopes and posts
them. Another company takes care of the food and drinks
when we have the opening of a new exhibition.
Now turn to Part 4.
Int: And are you involved in other aspects of the business?
You will hear part of a radio interview with a woman called Rachel
Reed, who works in a commercial art gallery, a shop which sells works RR: Yes. The company also offers a consultancy service for
of art. For Questions 24–30, choose the best answer (A, B or C). large companies that want to display works of art in their
offices. I phone round companies, explain what we do
You now have 1 minute to look at Part 4.
and, if they’re interested, make an appointment for the
gallery manager to go and see them. It’s interesting, the
Int: This evening in our series ‘Careers with a Difference’ our
companies tend to go much more for modern or abstract
guest is Rachel Reed who works for a small commercial art
art than people coming to the gallery.
gallery. Rachel welcome.
Int: And the best part of the job for you?
RR: Hello.
RR: The really rewarding thing for me is that you never know
Int: Rachel, what exactly do you do?
how a day is going to go. Some days it’ll be really quiet,
RR: Well, there’s two great things about working for a really other days it’s really busy and you don’t know what you’re
small company. Firstly, you get to do a bit of everything. going to have to cope with. And there’s the added bonus
The other is that you can practically invent your job title. of working with really nice people and of course I have
Mine is marketing manager – although I do a lot of other the pleasure of spending my days surrounded by beautiful
things too, it does describe the majority of what I do. works of art, so I can’t complain.

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Int: Thank you Rachel, and now we’ll move on to …

Now you will hear Part 4 again.
Now listen again.
That is the end of Part 4.

There will now be a pause of 5 minutes for you to copy your

answers onto the separate answer sheet. Be sure to follow the
numbering of all the questions. I shall remind you when there is
1 minute left, so that you are sure to finish in time.
You have one more minute left.
That is the end of the test.
Please stop now.
Your supervisor will now collect all the question papers and
answer sheets.

Listening Tapescript 1 61