ECPE Sample Test, Form C

Examination for the Certificate of F: OK, I’m going to give it a shot and see if I get
Proficiency in English used to it.
Sample Test, Form C
3. M: You know, you’re going to get indigestion if you
Listening Section Instructions eat so fast.
This is a test of your ability to understand spoken English.
F: But class starts in 15 minutes and the building’s
The listening section has three parts. There are 50
way over on the other side of campus.
questions. Mark all your answers on the separate answer
sheet. Do not make any stray marks on the answer sheet. M: We’re fine. I know a shortcut.
If you change your mind about an answer, erase your first F: You do? That’s a relief.
answer completely.
4. F: Excuse me. I think you left your wallet on the
Part 1 counter next to the cash register.
In this part, you will hear short conversations. From M: Oh you’re right! I was sure I’d put it in my
the three answer choices, select the answer which pocket, but it’s empty. Thank you so much!
means about the same thing as what you hear, or is true
F: You’re welcome.
based upon what you hear. For example, listen to the
conversation:
5. M: I’m interested in a guided tour of the museum.
M: Let’s go to the football game. When are they available?
F: Good idea. I don’t want to stay home. F: The next one’s at 11:00, and there’s another at
N: The correct answer is b. 2:00.
For problems 1 through 15, mark your answers on the M: I have a lunch date at noon. How long does it
separate answer sheet. No problems can be repeated. take?
Please listen carefully. Do you have any questions? F: Forty-five minutes. If it’s nearby, you can make
it.
1. M: Come take a look at this: the way the snow is
sparkling under the moonlight! 6. F: I’m hoping to get some hands-on experience to
F: Wow! It almost makes you wish that winter go along with my journalism courses, so I was
would go on forever. wondering if you had any information about the
campus paper?
2. F: My doctor says I need to drink more water, but I M: I think they’re always looking for new talent. You
prefer juice. should talk to the editor, Eric. He can tell you
M: Yeah, but water would be much better for you more.
than all that sugary juice you always drink.
7. M: How did the meetings in Paris go?

© 2019 Cambridge Michigan Language Assessment.

1/2019
ECPE Sample Test — Form C — Listening Section Audio Script   1
 F: Really well. The deal’s almost finalized. We just M: Yeah, that’s right. You’re not far away. Just turn
need Greg’s signature on the final version and right at that stop sign there and go about a half
then mail it back for their signatures. a mile. It’ll be on the left-hand side.
M: Great! And did you get a chance to see the city F: Oh, OK. I’m not quite as close as I thought then.
while you were there?
F: Luckily, this wasn’t my first trip there, because 15. F: What shade would you say this is?
this time around all I had a chance to do was M: Hmm, I’d say somewhere between cream and
admire the decor of meeting rooms. light yellow. Very pretty.
F: That’s what I thought. We’re hoping to do our
8. F: Do you still think it was a good idea to invite bedroom walls soon.
George to our study group?
M: You know, I painted my dining room in April. The
M: I do. Even though he’s a little abrasive, he asks staff at the hardware store downtown was really
really good questions. helpful when I picked something out.
F: Yeah, I remember the material better after
discussing it--or arguing about it--with him.
End of Part 1.
9. M: I’m curious how you first got interested in
postage stamps.
Part 2
F: So you don’t collect them yourself, then?
In this part, you will hear a question. From the three
M: No. Actually, that’s kind of why I’m asking. answer choices given, choose the one which best
answers the question. For example, listen to the question:
10. M: My parents are coming to stay for the weekend. M: When’s your sister getting married?
F: Oh, that’s right. You mentioned that last week. N: The correct answer is a.
M: Yeah, but look at this mess! I can’t let them see
my apartment like this. For problems 16 through 35, mark your answers on the
separate answer sheet. No problems can be repeated.
11. M: Professor Johnson, about the exam, I’ve got a Please listen carefully. Do you have any questions?
doctor’s appointment on Thursday, so could I--
Would it be OK if I...? 16. F: How long do you think it’ll be before the
conference room projector is fixed?
F: Took it at a different time?
M: I’d really appreciate it. 17. M: I heard that the university is spending like fifty
F: OK. I’m sure we can accommodate that. million dollars on a new computer science
building.
12. M: Did Tom say that the meeting would start at
12:00 or 12:30? 18. F: Did you mention Professor Harris’s work in your
F: I think it was originally at 12:00 but then he paper?
changed it so people could grab something to
eat first. 19. M: I’m sorry, but I’m on a roll now. Can we talk
later?
M: OK. Then I’m guessing he won’t mind if I bring a
sandwich to the meeting.
20. M: You know that novel you lent me? It’s quite a
page turner.
13. F: How’s the planning coming along for the office
holiday party?
21. F: Tell me if I’m wrong, but we have to rent a
M: Great! We’ve been making a lot of headway compact car for the drive to the conference next
since Caroline joined the group. week, right?
F: Oh yeah, she’s really great with organizational
projects. 22. F: You wouldn’t happen to have any Sunday
M: I’ll send you notes summarizing what we’ve papers left, would you?
done so far.
23. F: Is it vital that I get Kevin to agree with our plan?
14. F: Excuse me, I’m trying to find the indoor
swimming pool here on campus. It’s in the 24. M: Would you like to impart any pearls of wisdom
Carson Recreation Center, or so I was told. as I head off to university?

ECPE Sample Test — Form C — Listening Section Audio Script   2

25. F: What’s the high temperature expected to be
today? Now you will hear the first segment.
M1: Few people in the United States today worry about
26. F: Will you stay at a hotel or your parents’ house getting enough water. You turn on the faucet in your
during the conference? kitchen or bathroom, and there it is! But ensuring an
adequate water supply is one of the basic concerns
27. M: Don’t tell me you lost your keys again! of any civilization. We literally can’t live without it.
Janna Morgan reports.
28. M: If you’re interested in joining our study group, F: A striking example of the high priority that past
like we discussed earlier, could you just let me civilizations have placed on water is provided by
know? the amazing aqueducts of Ancient Rome. These
structures were so extensive and so well-built that
29. F: Are you interested in a position with greater many of them still stand, two thousand years after
responsibility or one that allows you the their construction. An aqueduct is, basically, a
flexibility of working from home? channel for transporting water: the word comes from
the Latin aqua, for water, and ductus, for channel.
30. M: Why don’t you drop me a line sometime next Historian William Griggs tells us about why these
week? structures were built.
M2: The aqueducts were a response to the growth in
31. M: You said there was another student available to Rome’s population. When Rome and the other cities
do data collection, didn’t you? of the Roman Empire were small, people were able
to get enough water from local rivers and wells. But
32. F: I feel like the senator should resign because of as the civilization prospered and the population grew,
the scandal. these traditional sources proved to be insufficient.
The Romans were lucky, however: most towns
33. M: The CEO really underscored the importance of weren’t far away from rivers and lakes. The problem
cutting costs this quarter in the meeting, didn’t facing the Romans was how to transport that water
he? from surrounding areas to the growing cities. The
answer was the aqueduct. Aqueducts were carefully
34. F: Do you have any idea where I could go to constructed to use the force of gravity: they were
reserve a city sightseeing tour? inclined ever so slightly downhill, at precise angles.
Although the majority of aqueducts ran slightly
35. M: Are you going to be able to salvage any of your below ground, in what we would describe today
computer’s data? as trenches, occasionally, in order to cross valleys
or other low-lying areas, Roman engineers built
End of Part 2. magnificent arched stone structures that we can still
see the remains of today.
F: One would assume that in the hundreds of years
Part 3 since the fall of the Roman Empire, humans might
In this part, you will hear three short segments from a have abandoned the use of aqueducts. But they
radio program. The program is called “Learning from the are still relied on today. In fact, much of the drinking
Experts.” You will hear what different radio guests have water in Los Angeles, California, comes to southern
to say about three different topics. Each talk lasts about California from the Colorado River via aqueduct.
three minutes. As you listen, you may want to take some Here’s William Griggs again.
notes to help you remember information given in the M2: The Colorado River Aqueduct carries water almost
talk. Write your notes in this test booklet. After each talk, 245 miles--or about 400 kilometers--from Arizona
you will be asked some questions about what was said. west to the Los Angeles area. This aqueduct, which
From the three answer choices given, you should choose was completed in 1941, is credited with being a
the one that best answers the question according to the principal reason for the growth of the Los Angeles
information you heard. region over the past 60 years. A second and even
longer aqueduct is the California Aqueduct: it
Remember, no problems can be repeated. For problems
is almost twice the length of the Colorado River
36 through 50, mark all your answers on the separate
Aqueduct, and it carries water from Northern
answer sheet. Do you have any questions?
California to Southern California. The problem for
engineers on these projects is the same one faced
by the Romans: how to transport water across
ground that is generally flat and low-lying. However,
today, engineers take advantage of modern pumping

ECPE Sample Test — Form C — Listening Section Audio Script   3

 techniques and this is how it works. Water will flow
gradually downhill for many miles, until it arrives at Now you will hear the second segment.
a pumping station. Here technology takes over. A M1: Many farmers in the United States are continually
pump pushes the water uphill, and then the water looking for ways to control diseases that can harm
resumes its downward journey to the next station. their plants. An interesting new method to prevent
F: Now there’s something to think about the next time disease on strawberry plants is currently being tried
you turn on your tap! out in New York. Mary Rodriguez reports.
F: Strawberry plants are challenging to grow, because
36. According to the historian, why did the Romans they are susceptible to many diseases. One disease,
seek another water supply? a fungus called gray mold, occurs if the plants get
too wet and can’t dry out. Up until now, the only
37. What does the historian say about the design of
way to control this disease was to frequently spray
Roman aqueducts?
the strawberry plants with chemical fungicides,
38. According to the historian, what impact has the specifically designed to kill the gray mold. This is
Colorado River Aqueduct had? a very labor intensive and expensive process, in
39. What is the main difference between the Colorado addition to being dangerous. Professor Marcus at the
River Aqueduct and the California Aqueduct? Agricultural Research Center has come up with an
alternative solution.
40. What is one of the main challenges in the
construction of aqueducts? M2: We are investigating new ways to control disease
without using chemicals. These alternative methods
are known as biological control. In our experiments in
strawberry fields, we know that the chemicals used
on the plants are dangerous for the farmers to be
exposed to. They need to wear protective gear and
then be careful not to come in contact with the newly
sprayed plants. The chemical sprays also cover the
whole plant--the leaves and flowers--when in fact
the target for the chemicals is only the flowers. If the
flowers are free of mold, then the fruit will develop
uninfected. As an alternative to the spraying, a
biological control method was developed using bees.
We found that bees could deliver a natural fungicide
directly to the strawberry flowers.
F: Professor Marcus and his team put a tray of a
natural fungicide--an anti-fungal microorganism--at
the entrance of bee hives located in the strawberry
fields. The bees would simply walk through the
fungicide on their way out. It would stick to their legs
and the bees would fly off to the flowers. As they
flew from flower to flower, the fungicide would be
deposited directly on the flowers. But what about the
effectiveness of this method?
M2: When we compared the results of both the biological
and chemical methods, we found that with the
bee delivery method, the total amount of fungicide
present on the flowers was less, but the result was
more effective. The bee method reduced the amount
of infected fruit by 75%, while chemical spraying
reduced it by only 40%. What was unexpected
was that strawberries from the plants with the bee
delivered treatment weighed 25 to 50% more than
berries with no treatment. So, adding bee hives to
strawberry farms not only controlled disease but also
helped farmers increase their fruit yield.
F: Professor Marcus also found that delivering the
fungicide by bees in no way harms the bees or

ECPE Sample Test — Form C — Listening Section Audio Script   4

 damages the bee hives. And, of course, any time retention. What are some additional steps companies
chemical use can be reduced in agriculture, the can take? And won’t the strategies chosen depend
better it is for all of us. on the company’s size?
41. According to the report, why did farmers need to M2: Yes, definitely. Your strategies do depend on size.
wear protective gear? Many small organizations don’t have the resources to
42. According to the report, what is one problem with pay employees a competitive salary, so they make up
distributing chemical fungicides? for it in other ways: you know, by making the office a
fun place to work or by providing more opportunities
43. Where did the researchers put the natural for being mentored. Bigger organizations have an
fungicide? advantage because they can offer a greater number
44. How do the results of the bee delivery method of traditional options, like professional training or
compare to the chemical treatment? tuition reimbursement for workers who want to go
back to school.
45. What is surprising about the bee delivery method?
But there’s no need to worry if you’re managing a smaller
business. Don’t underestimate the importance of
Now you will hear the third segment. praise and personal attention. Keeping the lines
M1: One of the biggest challenges organizations face of communication open is very effective. Some
is finding a way to keep their best employees for businesses have been known to conduct employee
the long term. Company loyalty is mostly a thing of interviews every six months, just to keep track of
the past. Nowadays, many workers are concerned whether their workers are happy or not.
with personal ambition, so after a year or two in one F: So talking with your employees is a good place
position, they may begin looking for other work. And to start if your company is having problems with
hiring people isn’t cheap. Organizations spend big employee retention. Organizations can’t make
bucks replacing key staff. Marilyn Ford reports. positive changes if they don’t know what their
F: In order to retain your best employees, it’s important workers need or want. And this is critical because
to understand what makes workers leave in the first the long-term success of a business often depends
place. Of course, many employees simply want on its employees.
a larger paycheck. But one of the most common 46. What does the woman say is the most common
complaints that employees make about their jobs is employee complaint?
the lack of career development opportunities. People 47. What important research finding is mentioned in
feel stuck in a job if there’s no room for promotion the interview?
or advancement, they receive little training, or if they
don’t feel challenged. Henry Richards, a human 48. What can small organizations offer that many large
resources expert, is here to discuss what companies businesses cannot?
can do to reduce employee turnover. 49. Why does Mr. Richards say that companies should
M2: Well, the bottom line really is the money. It doesn’t conduct interviews with employees?
matter how much you love your job if the pay is too 50. What is the woman’s opinion about employee job
low. If employees think that other companies will satisfaction?
pay more for the same work, you can bet it will be
difficult to keep them around without raising salaries End of the listening test.
or improving benefits.
However, employees also want to enjoy going to work.
For many people, this means feeling like their work
makes a difference and that their work is appreciated.
So the quality of the office environment matters a lot.
Generally employees prefer a collaborative workplace
to a competitive one. In a number of research studies,
workers have reported that the most rewarding
aspect of work is personal attention from their
supervisor. So whether that be positive feedback or
praise, employees want their work to be valued by
the people they admire.
F: So increasing pay and benefits and showing workers
appreciation are key strategies for employee

ECPE Sample Test — Form C — Listening Section Audio Script   5