Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 1 Recording 1
1
When’s the best time to learn a language?
2
Who taught you English first?
3
Where’s the dictionary?
4
Why did people stop speaking Latin every day?
5
What did you learn last lesson?
6
What does your name mean?

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 1 Recording 2
Maria
My mum and dad didn’t speak any other languages at home, only German. But
when I started school they were really keen for me to learn English – my mother
said it would give me a lot of job opportunities. Luckily, I think I had a natural
talent and it’s something I was interested in anyway so I enjoyed my lessons. I
think my mum encouraged me because she liked travelling so much. We used to
visit different countries every year, mostly in Europe, but one year we went to
Thailand and I absolutely loved it. Everything was so different. It was a culture
shock but in a good way! That’s probably why I became a translator, actually,
because of my mum encouraging me to learn other languages and visit other
countries. I’m pleased she did. I feel very lucky that I meet people from all
around the world.

Ahmed
Well, Lebanon is a beautiful country and living in Beirut always felt very
cosmopolitan. I mean when you walk down the street you hear Arabic, French,
English – all sorts. A lot of the population there speak more than one language.
I like that. It’s a great experience, I think. You understand that the world is full
of different people and different cultures. And it’s pretty similar in the
Netherlands too, I guess. When I moved there to work I couldn’t speak Dutch or
Flemish. I mostly communicated in English to start with. To be honest, it didn’t
actually cause many problems because people there are usually fluent in
English. But I did some part-time Dutch lessons at college in the evenings and
by the end of the first year I could get by. I hope I’m pretty fluent nowadays but
you’d have to ask my Dutch friends!

Jessie

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

I think in the UK we aren’t brilliant at learning new languages. I think people

would like to learn but because English is so common everywhere people don’t
always feel a pressure to speak other languages. And when Brits travel they can
generally use English, which is a shame because practice is so important with
that kind of thing. I only learnt Japanese because I was living in Japan for a
while. I worked for an international company and spent a couple of years in
Tokyo. I didn’t have lessons. I picked it up in my day-to-day life. To begin with
I could only use the basics – hello, how are you, that kind of thing. But I
gradually built up my knowledge. I wasn’t fluent when I left but I had basic
communication skills and I could do most day-to-day things – shopping,
arranging to meet people, everyday stuff.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 1 Recording 3
1
He was an employee here.
2
I had a wonderful mentor.
3
All pupils wear a uniform.
4
We were team-mates for years.
5
Have you met my fiancée?
6
Talk to your partner.
7
She’s my godmother.
8
That club is for members only.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 2 Recording 1
1
A: Have you been here before?
B: Yes, we’ve visited Naples a few times.
2
A: Have you had time to see the museum yet?
B: No, we haven’t had time.
3
A: Did you find your hotel OK?
B: Yes, we found the hotel without any problems.
4
A: Have you got your guidebook?
B: Oh no. I’ve left it in my room.
5
A: Have you had any lunch?
B: Yes, we’ve already eaten.
6
A: Have you enjoyed your stay?
B: Yes, we’ve had a wonderful time.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 2 Recording 2
1 Christine
A lot of friends were staying in my apartment. We’d had a party the night
before, and in the morning, one friend, Danny, got up to make everyone some
coffee. While he was making the coffee, he heard the news on the radio. He
came back into the room and told us that John Lennon had died. Someone had
shot John Lennon. We were all really shocked. It was a very strange feeling. We
couldn’t believe it. We had all grown up with the music of John Lennon and
The Beatles. We had played his music the night before. And now, suddenly, he
was dead. There was a huge feeling of loss. He was such a peaceful man, who
had wanted peace for everyone. It was a terrible way for him to die.

2 Rob
I was travelling to a meeting on the Tube that morning and there were delays
everywhere. They closed the Underground station. At first, I was really angry,
and worried about not getting to my meeting on time. But gradually, we started
to realise that something terrible had happened. People outside the station were
trying to talk on their mobile phones but the networks were all down because of
the panic. Some people started to get news and soon we discovered there had
been bombs all over London. It was a strange and terrible feeling. There were
crowds of people outside shops, watching the news on the televisions.

3 Gino
I was sitting in the kitchen of my house in Italy with my family and I was only a
child. Everyone was watching television. I remember the black and white
pictures. I watched as this man landed on the Moon. And I can remember
thinking how amazing it must be to be an astronaut and what an exciting job it
was. Until then, I had wanted to be a train driver, but for a few years afterwards,
I definitely wanted to be an astronaut.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

4 Marianne
I was staying in Los Angeles with some friends and I was only about eighteen
years old. In the night I suddenly woke up and the whole house was shaking. I
had never felt an earthquake before, but I knew that was what was happening. It
was very frightening. But after a few seconds it stopped, everything went quiet
and I went back to sleep. When I woke up in the morning, I thought perhaps it
had all been a dream. But when I went downstairs and turned on the radio, I
heard the news. The quake was in San Francisco and it had done a lot of
damage. So, I was lucky really. But I will never forget that feeling.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

REVIEW 1 Recording 1
1
Who do you work for?
2
What type of things do you do?
3
What problems do you deal with?
4
When did you start working there?
5
Do you enjoy the job?
6
So why did you apply for this job?

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

REVIEW 1 Recording 2
1
I’ve stopped.
2
We made it.
3
He helped me.
4
They’ve killed it.
5
You’ve worked hard.
6
I thanked her.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 3 Recording 1
Ruth
I’m going to backpack around Poland next month with my friend so I’ve
already started making plans. I’m afraid I have to organise things in massive
detail or I get worried. I do everything ahead of time. My friend says I plan too
much but that’s just me. We’re travelling by ferry and bus and then doing a lot
of walking so it’ll be reasonably cheap. We might stay in hotels if we can find
some cheap ones but we’ll probably try and find youth hostels most of the time.
I’ve booked our travel tickets and now I’m making a list of the best hostels in
the cities we’re visiting. Actually I really want to visit Lodz – it’s the third
biggest city in Poland and there’s a lot of unusual street art there on the walls of
buildings. I’m a graphic designer so I’m really interested in art. And these
pictures are huge – on the sides of buildings – so you see them as you wander
around the city. I’m organising a route around the streets so I see the best
artwork. I think it’s going to be fantastic. I’m going to take loads of photos, too.

Kieron
I’d like to think I’m well organised, meet deadlines and so on. For example, I’m
going to a sports tournament next week – I’ve been playing rugby for a long
time and this year we’ve made it to the final matches. So I’ve got started and
written a list of things to pack, the sports kit I need and where to meet the team
bus and so on. But the truth is I’m good on paper and then I procrastinate in real
life. So I know that I’ll put off packing until the last minute despite my plans.
I’m going to try and organise myself earlier but if I’m honest I’ll probably end
up doing it about an hour before I leave, even though the list has been ready for
a week. And I’ll probably get distracted and forget something really important
like my rugby boots.

Amber

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

I’ve recently started work as a party planner. We arrange unusual or specialist

events, the kind of thing people can’t do easily themselves. In my own life I
don’t plan that much to be honest, I prefer to just let things happen without
worrying too much. But at work I’m pretty good at organising things and
multitasking. My first big event is happening next week. It’s an eighteenth
birthday party for a boy who really likes scuba diving. So his parents asked us
to organise his party at the beach and arrange for all the guests to dive. I even
went and tried it out myself! I think it’ll be quite an interesting party. We’ll
have a diving teacher to help people who want to try it, drinks and then a
barbecue and cake and so on. I hope it’ll be successful, especially as it’s my
first party. I think planning comes naturally to me and I love meeting new
people so this job suits me perfectly. Even when I was a child I used to love
organising things for other people – I used to drive my mum mad because I was
so bossy. But I try to keep it balanced. I don’t plan much at all for myself. I just
see what happens and go with that!

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 3 Recording 2
1
They’re going to play squash.
2
I’m going to buy a new phone.
3
She’s going to spend a week in Greece.
4
He isn’t going to eat anything.
5
Are you going to walk to the station?
6
He’s going to change his job.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 3 Recording 3
Conversation 1
A: Hello? I’m trying to find my lost luggage.
B: Ah, OK.
A: My bags went missing in Montevideo in Uruguay, after a flight from
Curitiba, Brazil.
B: Can you say that again? Montevideo?
A: I flew from Curitiba to Montevideo and my bags went missing.
B: Have you reported it already?
A: Yes, the name is Anders Kleeburg.
B: Hang on. Could you repeat the last name? Anders ...?
A: Kleeburg. K-l-e-e-b-u-r-g.

Conversation 2
A: OK, so cricket. So this is the bowler, OK? He runs up and bowls at the
batsman.
B: What exactly do you mean? What’s a bowler?
A: A bowler is the person with the ball in his hand, OK? And he tries to get
the batsman out. Get him off the field.
B: Do you mean to say he tries to kill the batsman with the ball?
A: No!

Conversation 3
A: Did you read this?! About popcorn. In 1948, two American scientists
found some popcorn in a cave in New Mexico and dated it. It was over
five thousand years old.
B: I didn’t catch any of that. Are you talking about popcorn?
A: Yeah, it’s an ancient food. Popcorn is thousands of years old.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

B: I don’t get what you’re saying. You mean the popcorn we ate in the
cinema yesterday is thousands of years old!
A: No! Popcorn in general. People have eaten it for thousands of years.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 4 Recording 1
1
I work in a busy airport in France. I am responsible for a small group of people.
In my job you need to know what you are doing. You must be very accurate and
observant. And you have to be able to work well under pressure and be a good
decision maker.
2
I work in a pizza restaurant. In my job you need to have a friendly, relaxed
manner. It’s important to be friendly to customers, and patient. You have to be
organised and have a good memory, too.
3
In my job you have to be a really good communicator. You need to be able to
listen carefully to customers and find out what the problem is. And then you
have to be able to think outside the box sometimes to see if you can find a
solution to the problem which will keep everybody happy. You have to be able
to stay calm, even if the customer starts getting angry.
4
I work in a lawyer’s office. You have to have good organisational skills, I think,
and you shouldn’t get stressed too easily. You have to be quite hardworking as
well. And you need to pay attention to detail.
5
I work in a children’s hospital. I think the most important quality for my job is
that you must be a caring person. You have to care about the people you’re
looking after. And you have to get on with children. That’s very important.
6
You need to be very patient in my job, especially when there’s a lot of traffic.
And you have to be a good timekeeper as well. You always have to be on time.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 4 Recording 2
1
I used to be very sporty.
2
Can I use your phone?
3
He never used to worry about it.
4
I used to live in the USA when I was 18.
5
This stuff is used to kill insects.
6
I don’t use the car much any more.
7
We used to love going there on holiday.
8
I didn’t use to live in Europe.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

REVIEW 2 Recording 1
amazing
successful
delicious
exhausted
salary
interview
furious
difficult
tasty
leader
boiling
freezing
competitive
impossible

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 5 Recording 1
Mia
Well, it’s changed a lot, goodness, enormously. I mean thirty years ago, I was
still at school. I was ten years old. Life was a lot simpler then. All I had to think
about was doing my homework and enjoying my free time with friends. I think
life was simpler for everybody then. We didn’t have all this technology and I
think the pace of life was slower. At work, when someone sent a letter, it could
take a week or two even before they would get a reply. Nowadays, people email
and they expect an instant response. On the same day or within an hour or two.
That puts a lot of pressure on people. We say that technology has saved us time,
but it just speeds things up, and we’re expected to do so much more. It’s non-
stop. We have mobile phones and BlackBerries, iPhones. So we don’t just turn
off and relax.

Tom
That’s an interesting question. It’s changed a lot. I live in Beijing. So there has
been a huge advancement of technology and huge growth. There are more
people, with more money. There has been an economic explosion here, so the
city has grown. All the offices and high-rise buildings, lots of those weren’t
here thirty years ago. And it’s very multicultural nowadays. People from all
over the world live in Beijing. People came from everywhere to see if they
could get rich, and many of them did get rich. They made millions. I think in a
lot of places out in the countryside, things haven’t changed that much. Life is
quite similar to how it was before for farmers and their families. I suppose they
have more technology now. They have mobile phones, and televisions, and the
internet, so they know a lot more about the wider world and what is going on.
Thirty years ago, they just had a radio and it was difficult to find out
information. That’s much easier now.

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Owen
Oh, well, both probably. The world is getting better in many ways. I think if we
look at living standards across the world, obviously there are still millions of
people living in terrible poverty, but I think the situation is getting better.
People have better access to food and medicines and education. So, these are all
things which are improving. Medicine is improving, so people live longer and
we can fight infectious diseases. People’s lives have improved because of
technology, so life is easier now than it was before. A lot of manual work is
done by machines. But in some ways, the world is getting worse. War, for
example, is a bigger problem all the time. There are more and more wars, which
is surprising. And weapons are becoming even more dangerous. I think the
environment is definitely suffering, so we are polluting more than we used to
because of all the industrialisation. And I think also, socially, things are getting
worse. Because people are less social now than before. They spend more time
on their own, with computers and computer games, and less time talking to
others, working together, and I think that is a great shame and a problem for the
future, too.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 5 Recording 2
make
space
communications
aeroplanes
vaccinations
apple
antibiotics
travel
satellites
vacuum
polar
nuclear
machine
commercial
solar

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 5 Recording 3
1
A: Have you met Yinka’s parents?
B: Only once. They’re doctors, aren’t they?
2
A: There isn’t a cloud in the sky.
B: I know. It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?
3
A: Are you looking for the scissors?
B: You haven’t seen them, have you?
4
A: Have you read Jhumpa Lahiri’s new book?
B: Yeah, she’s a great writer, isn’t she?
5
A: I’ve got my final exam tomorrow.
B: You’ll pass, won’t you?
6
A: I think this is the wrong address.
B: Yes, we’ve made a mistake, haven’t we?

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 5 Recording 4
1
A: Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the swimming pool, please?
B: Yes, of course I can. You keep going this way, until you get to the traffic
lights. Then, …
2
A: Hello. Do you know what time the bank opens?
B: I’m not sure. I’ll just ask someone.
3
A: Do you want us to bring anything?
B: That would be great. Could you bring some salad, and maybe something
for dessert?
A: Yes, of course. Anything else?
B: No, that’ll be fine.
4
A: Could you help me with my bags?
B: I’m sorry, I can’t. I’ve got my hands full.
5
A: Would you mind opening the door for me?
B: Of course not. There you are.
A: Thank you. That’s very kind.
6
A: Could you tell me what time the show starts?
B: Let me have a look. The afternoon show starts at 3p.m.
A: Thanks very much.
7
A: Would you mind coming to get me from the station?
B: OK. Sure. Wait outside and I’ll be there in ten minutes.
8

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A: Do you know if there’s a post office near here?

B: Yes, there is – there’s one just along this road.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 6 Recording 1
1
If I had more time, I’d learn to ski.
2
If you didn’t work, what would you do?
3
If they had to move, they wouldn’t live with me.
4
She’d go out at night if her parents let her.
5
Where would you go if you had the chance?
6
I wouldn’t sleep if I drank that coffee.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 6 Recording 2
In the eyes of street criminals, everybody communicates something. Some
people communicate strength and power; others communicate ‘I am a victim’.
Researchers Jean A. Hampton and Robert Ealey asked convicted criminals to
watch a secret video of a street scene and then say which people look like
possible victims of a crime. They did it easily. The potential victims,
surprisingly, were not always small women; sometimes they were big men. For
this interview, Robert Ealey looked at this picture of a street scene and
explained which people were potential victims.

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Speakout 2nd Edition Intermediate Workbook Audio – formatted for ActiveTeach

UNIT 6 Recording 3
I = Interviewer E = Robert Ealey
I: So which of these people would a criminal go for?
E: Not the ones you think.
I: Can you explain?
E: Yeah, so for example, you’ve got an old woman, see?
I: Yes.
E: So you’re a criminal, OK? You might think, OK, this old woman is small
and weak. She’s not going to fight me or give me any trouble. But who’s
she with?
I: She’s with a dog.
E: That’s right. And the thing about dogs is they are unpredictable. And the
last thing you want if you’re a criminal is unpredictability. You have
about five seconds maximum to commit the crime and you don’t want
any surprises. OK? So you leave the old woman.
I: Right. Is that really the length of time for a street crime?
E: Five seconds? That’s the maximum. Most street crimes take maybe two
seconds, then it’s over.
I: Wow.
E: OK, so let’s take someone else. There’s a woman talking into a mobile
phone, OK?
I: Yes, I see her.
E: Easy victim or not?
I: Well, if she’s talking on a mobile phone, she could tell her friend what’s
happening, right?
E: And then what?
I: Um, the friend calls the police?
E: And do you think the police are going to get there in five seconds?
I: Well, no.

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E: No, this woman on the phone is a potential victim. The phone doesn’t
matter. The reason she’s a potential victim is that she isn’t paying
attention to what’s happening around her. She isn’t looking at other
people. She’s distracted.
I: I see.
E: The same with the tourists looking at the map, OK?
I: Right.
E: They’re concentrating on the map, not the people around them. This also
tells the criminal that these people are lost and don’t know what they’re
doing.
I: But there are two of them, right, so maybe a criminal would hesitate?
E: Maybe, but don’t forget, it takes half a second to steal something and run.
OK, what about the man at the cashpoint?
I: The guy taking cash out of the bank?
E: What’s he doing wrong?
I: Well, if that was me, the cash would be in my wallet before I turned
round.
E: That’s right. He’s basically saying, ‘look at me, I’ve just taken out lots of
money and I’m too stupid to put it in my wallet quickly’. He’s a
criminal’s dream. What about the woman in a mini-skirt?
I: Well, she’s attractive and … I don’t know. She’s not exactly big and
strong either. Maybe a victim?
E: But look at her body language. She’s confident, she knows where she’s
going, she’s looking straight ahead and she’s probably moving fast. No
criminal would go for her.
I: That’s interesting. So body language is pretty important.
E: It’s extremely important. Look at the man in the coat. Big man, probably
strong, but what’s his body telling us?
I: He’s not focusing.

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E: Yes, that’s right. He’s looking at his feet. He doesn’t know who’s around
him. Any criminal will think, ‘nice coat, probably a fat wallet in there,
full of money, and he’s not concentrating’. The key for a street criminal is
surprise. It doesn’t matter who the victim is; if you can surprise them,
they have no chance.
I: The couple leaving the taxi?
E: Rule number one of the street: if you have anything valuable, don’t show
it. This man’s wearing an expensive watch which everyone can see. The
other thing is people leaving cars are always in a weak position. They
aren’t standing up properly and they aren’t aware of who else is on the
street.

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UNIT 6 Recording 4
Conversation 1
A: Bad news, I’m afraid.
B: What’s the matter?
A: I’m afraid it needs a new engine.
Conversation 2
A: What’s the problem?
B: I’m sorry to have to tell you, but we lost the match.
Conversation 3
A: I’ve got some good news for you.
B: What’s that?
A: We’ve won a holiday for two in Turkey!
Conversation 4
A: I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.
B: What’s happened?
A: The flight’s been cancelled.
Conversation 5
A: There’s something I’ve got to tell you.
B: What’s that?
A: I failed my exam.
Conversation 6
A: You’ll never guess what happened.
B: What?
A: I was promoted!
Conversation 7
A: Unfortunately, we were burgled last night.
B: Oh no. That’s terrible.
Conversation 8
A: I’ve got something to tell you.

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B: What is it?
A: We’re getting married.

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UNIT 7 Recording 1
1
He’s very gifted.
She’s really skilful.
2
He has an aptitude for sport.
I’m hopeless at gymnastics.
3
He thinks he’s useless.
She has a talent.
4
They say he’s an expert.
She has great ability.

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UNIT 7 Recording 2
A: Sidis was the greatest genius in history.
B: William Sidis? A genius.
C: Probably the greatest mind of the twentieth century.
D: They say his IQ was between 250 and 300. That’s off the scale.
E: A genius.
F: William Sidis? Great brain, difficult life.
G: Sidis? Genius.
Was William Sidis the most intelligent man who ever lived? If so, why isn’t he
famous? Why isn’t his name known like the names of Einstein, Leonardo and
Charles Darwin? What can his life teach us?
William James Sidis was born on April 1st in 1898. That’s right: April the first,
April Fool’s Day. His parents were Boris and Sarah Sidis, Russian–Jewish
immigrants who had settled in New York. They were both passionately
interested in education. Boris was a psychologist who taught at Harvard
University and Sarah used to read Greek myths to her son as bedtime stories.
It soon became clear that their son was something special. Aged six months,
William said his first word: ‘door’. At seven months, he pointed at the moon
and said ‘moon’. At eighteen months, William could read The New York Times.
And aged three, he reached up to a typewriter and wrote a letter to a shop called
Macy’s asking them to send him some toys! At six, he could speak Russian,
French, German and Hebrew.
All of this took place at home, but soon he made newspaper headlines. He
passed the entrance exam to one of the United States’ best universities at the age
of eight. Then, aged nine, he gave a lecture on mathematics at Harvard
University. Attended by maths professors and graduate students this lecture put
Sidis on the map. He began attending Harvard University two years later, at the
age of eleven.

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Now that he was in the public eye, things began to go wrong for William Sidis.
The media was fascinated by him. Journalists followed him around and wrote
articles about this young genius. Not surprisingly, Sidis began to feel like an
animal in a zoo, with everyone watching him.
He wasn’t interested in becoming famous, nor in becoming an academic. He
just wanted to live a quiet, private life. He tried. He went from job to job,
publishing only one book of any academic interest. But everywhere he went,
whatever he did, people eventually learned who he was and the press kept
writing about him. In 1944, he died aged 46, almost forgotten.
Since his death, many stories have been told about Sidis. Some said that his
genius burned out like an old light bulb. His sister said Sidis knew all the
languages of the world and that he could learn a language in a day. None of this
was true. Even his IQ – which was supposed to be between 250 and 300 – was
just a guess. No intelligence test has been invented to go to that level of genius.
So what can we learn from his life? Firstly, not all childhood geniuses will
produce great things as adults. They may think great thoughts or do incredible
calculations, but many of them just do normal jobs and find happiness in that
way. Secondly, Sidis spent much of his time and energy running away from
fame. Unless they want to be Hollywood stars, people need to be left in peace.
That’s how most geniuses do great work.

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UNIT 7 Recording 3
Conversation 1
A: We really need to stop this. In my view, it’s getting out of control. For
example, she watched TV for six hours yesterday. Six hours!
B: I must say that’s a lot.
A: It is a lot. She needs to get out more.
B: And when she’s not in front of the TV, she’s on the internet.
A: That’s what I was saying. She’s always in front of a screen.
Conversation 2
A: For me, Elizabeth is the best. She would be really good in this job.
B: Why do you think so?
A: For one thing, she has the right qualifications. For another, she obviously
really wants the job.
B: Yeah, that’s very clear. I think the other woman ...
A: Hayla.
B: Hayla. She would do a good job, too.
A: She would, but having said that, she already has a good job. You can see
that Elizabeth is really hungry for this position.
Conversation 3
A = Presenter B = Mr Dyson
A: Mr Dyson, in your presentation you said that the arts in many schools
weren’t getting enough attention. Can you explain?
B: Yes, the reason I say this is that funding has been cut for arts subjects.
There just isn’t enough money. Let me give you an example. A school I
visited last month wanted to do a play in the little school theatre but there
was no money for costumes, for music. So in the end there was no school
play and the theatre was closed for the whole summer term.
A: And this is a money issue?

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B: I do think we could solve a lot of the problems if the government

recognised the arts as it recognises maths or science or reading, yes. Like
I said, money isn’t everything, but it’s part of the problem.

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UNIT 8 Recording 1
Elise
E = Elise I = Interviewer
E: I live next door to my parents, who are on one side, and my brother’s
family, who are on the other side.
I: Right.
E: It’s really, really useful. They’re the perfect neighbours.
I: In what sense?
E: Well, I like the situation because we help each other. For example, if I
need a babysitter for my kids, it’s no problem.
I: And you see each other a lot?
E: We work together in the family business so we see each other every day.
And I guess the whole extended family, which is eleven of us including
the children, we eat together maybe once or twice a week, always on
Sundays and sometimes during the week. So, yes, we do see each other a
lot.
I: You never get fed up with the family?
E: No, I think this situation is quite normal in a lot of countries, maybe like
Italy. It certainly is for our family. We’ve always lived in the same town.
I’ve lived here all my life, and we always wanted to live side by side. I
hope our children continue the business and live here, too.
I: And what about your husband? Does he like being so close to your
family?
E: Um, I’ve never asked him actually! Yeah, course he does! I think.

Marc
M = Marc I = Interviewer
M: We don’t have any neighbours. Our nearest neighbours are a couple of
cows that live in a field about ten miles away.

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I: Are they good neighbours?

M: Fantastic! Very quiet! No, we really are completely isolated.
I: So how come? I mean, was this your dream?
M: Well, it wasn’t at first. We were living in Paris, which is a great city, but
it’s kind of big and we got tired of crowds of people and all the noise and
using public transport. So about ten years ago, we bought an old
farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. It’s not a functioning farm but it has
an internet connection and me and my wife both work online. And we
just love the peace and quiet.
I: So the cows aren’t yours?
M: No, they belong to a farmer about ten miles away!
I: And isn’t it a bit lonely out here?
M: We love it. We never see our neighbours, apart from the cows, which is
just fantastic for us as we’re a bit antisocial. Actually, you’re the first
person we’ve seen this year!
I: Oh, sorry to interrupt your peace!
M: Not a problem. Just don’t stay too long!

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UNIT 8 Recording 2
1
traffic lights
2
high street
3
housing estate
4
sports centre
5
industrial estate
6
car park
7
supermarket
8
language school
9
shopping centre
10
one-way street
11
terraced houses
12
outdoor market
13
gift shop
14
primary school

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UNIT 8 Recording 3
1
The website which we built is too slow.
2
Those people who are always working don’t enjoy life.
3
The ratings site, which I check every day, is growing fast.
4
Those students who do online courses love studying.
5
Near my flat, where you’re staying, there’s a supermarket.

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UNIT 9 Recording 1
1
If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve waited.
2
If I’d waited, I would’ve been late.
3
If I’d been late, I would’ve missed the show.
4
If I’d missed the show, I would’ve wasted my money.
5
If I’d wasted my money, I would’ve been angry.

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UNIT 9 Recording 2
Hello, and welcome to ‘Fascinating Facts!’ Today we’re going to take a look at
some of those ‘modern’ inventions which turn out to be … well, not quite so
modern at all!
Let’s start with toothpaste. So you think, ‘hmm, toothpaste – when was that
invented?’ A hundred years ago? Maybe two hundred? But we find that
actually, toothpaste has been around for sixteen hundred years. People from
Egypt used it and then the Ancient Greeks and Romans used it. Was it the same
as modern toothpaste? Definitely not. Ancient Greek toothpaste used
ingredients like crushed bones and oyster shells.
OK, another invention for you: biological weapons. Again, you think,
‘biological weapons – must be a twentieth-century invention’. Wrong again.
Biological weapons have been used for over three thousand years. Probably
beginning in Ancient Greece, it was common for one side to poison their
enemy’s water supply during a war. Some generals would even throw dead
bodies at the enemy or into the enemy’s river. One leader called Hannibal even
put poisonous snakes into pots and threw them onto an enemy’s ship. In the
eighteenth century, one way American Indians were killed was through using
infected blankets given to them by the Europeans who were colonising
America.
Next topic: football. Just how old is the game? The answer is, we don’t really
know. But we do know that forms of it were played in China over two thousand
years ago. And it also seems that the game developed by chance in different
parts of the world. Wherever European explorers went, they discovered that
native people already played some kind of football: Aborigines in Australia, the
Inuit in Greenland, Japan and the Americas. So I suppose it really is the
people’s game.
Right. Central heating. It’s been a wonderful thing for us in cold countries and
helps us get through the winters. But most of us don’t realise it’s a very old

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invention. Once again, the Ancient Greeks were the first in Europe, over two
thousand years ago, although there was a similar system in Korea. Both of these
civilisations had pipes and controlled fires under the floors to keep the buildings
warm. In England, one of the first examples of central heating was in the 1830s.
A rich banker installed it in his house so that he could grow grapes in England’s
cold weather!
The final invention we’re going to look at today is the good old umbrella. If we
look at a number of ancient sculptures from Egypt and Persia, which is now
called Iran, it’s clear that the umbrella has been around for a long, long time,
certainly more than two thousand years. Interestingly, it seems that only kings
or very important people had umbrellas in these sculptures. So they were a
symbol of high social class. But what were they for? In Europe we tend to think
of umbrellas as things to protect us from the rain. But historically, they
protected people from the sun. And later, they became a fashion item.

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UNIT 9 Recording 3
1
The Institute is given a million euros a year.
2
One day a cure for cancer’ll be discovered.
3
The files were stolen last year.
4
These photos were taken at the end of the war.
5
The missing people have been found.
6
The paintings are cleaned once a year.

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UNIT 9 Recording 4
1
A: Marisa had her baby yesterday.
B: Did she? What wonderful news!
2
A: I’m doing an online project about Minecraft.
B: Oh really? That’s interesting.
3
A: His cousin was an Olympic boxer.
B: Was he? Wow!
4
A: My sister doesn’t eat meat.
B: Doesn’t she? OK, I’ll cook fish.
5
A: I think we need to go down this road here.
B: That’s right! I remember that café.
6
A: I love Lady Gaga!
B: Do you? I think she’s crazy.
7
A: Did you know that dolphins have names for each other.
B: That’s interesting.
8
A: My parents have never been here.
B: Haven’t they? When are they going to visit?
9
A: Jake was the number one student in the country.
B: Really? I didn’t know that.
10

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A: John’s got the car. We’ll have to travel by bus.

B: Will we? Oh, that’s annoying.

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UNIT 10 Recording 1
P = Presenter, A = Amy, J = Jay-Jay
P: In 2007, one city decided to take a stand against climate change. 2.2
million people across Sydney switched off their lights for an event that
would become known across the world as Earth Hour. Earth Hour quickly
went global, spreading across the world, and in 2010, thousands of cities
in 128 countries took part. Global landmarks like the Eiffel Tower in
Paris, the Egyptian Pyramids, New York’s Empire State Building and
Sydney Harbour Bridge all plunged into darkness as millions of people
around the world switched their lights off to protest against climate
change.
Organisers say that they want to demonstrate what people can do to
reduce their carbon footprint and save energy, and thus draw attention to
the problem of climate change. However, critics describe the event as
meaningless. In today’s programme, we’re asking what you think. Can
Earth Hour really make a difference? Is it a good way to raise awareness
about the problems the world is facing? Have you taken part in the
switch-off? First on the line, we have Amy. Amy, can you tell us what
you think?
A: I think Earth Hour is a great idea. It’s a really simple way for people to
show that they care about the environment and want something to change.
P: So, did you do anything for Earth Hour last year, Amy?
A: Yes, I did. I was at home with my two children, who are eight and
thirteen years old, and we switched the lights off at home and had our
dinner by candlelight.
P: And how did you find that? What did the children think?
A: It was brilliant. The children loved it and we enjoyed a really quiet hour,
with no television or music. We talked, actually. And we’ll be doing it
again this year, definitely.

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P: Thank you, Amy. Thanks for calling. Now, we’ve got Jay-Jay on the line.
Jay-Jay, what do you think of Earth Hour?
J: I think it’s a complete waste of time. I can’t believe it.
P: Wow. And why is that, Jay-Jay? What’s the problem?
J: I don’t understand how anybody can think that turning off your lights for
one hour is really going to make any difference. It’s just a way for people
to do something which makes them feel better. They turn their lights off
for an hour and then they think they‘ve done something about climate
change. And then they can carry on as they were before. What we need is
for people to really change how they behave every day, not just for an
hour. They need to use less electricity, not drive around in their cars
everywhere. We need governments to make big changes and turning your
lights off ... well, it’s just silly.
P: But don’t you think, Jay-Jay, that it is a symbol, a gesture that helps to
get people around the world thinking about the problems?
J: Yes, you’re right. But the main problem is not to get people thinking
about it, but to get people to actually change the way that they live, and
that’s not easy.
P: You’re right about that. I suppose …

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UNIT 10 Recording 2
1
Gina refused to come with us.
2
He promised to call me later.
3
They decided to go out for a meal.
4
They agreed not to go on holiday this year.
5
She warned us that the restaurant was very expensive.
6
They invited James to go to the theatre with them on Friday.
7
The teacher explained that the children grow vegetables in the garden.
8
He recommended buying our fruit at the market.

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