Track 12: Mid-course Test, Listening exercise 2 1

I’ve signed up to quite a few connected with environmental issues. I try to post my comments before I start work otherwise it can all get too time-consuming. That’s the drawback I guess, but used wisely, they’re a great tool.

2

To be honest I don’t think the solution is sending in loads of food. Year after year these countries suffer such terrible tragedies but in so many cases the food doesn’t get delivered to the people who are starving and in any case that’s just a short-term fix.

3

I read somewhere that during an average working day you can be caught on film up to 300 times! How is that possible? And what’s the point?! There aren’t enough people to go through all the footage and what evidence is there to suggest that crime figures have fallen in areas where they’ve been installed?

4

Most of my colleagues are OK but unfortunately I have to share my office with someone who must be the world’s greatest bore when it comes to computers … on and on and on he goes. I’m sure I could walk out of the room and he’d still carry on!

5

There’s a new ad on TV and I just can’t get the tune out of my head. I find myself singing it to myself when I’m on the bus, walking along the road … something will set me off and that’s it. Really irritating but I suppose it shows just how powerful advertising is though, ironically, I couldn’t tell you what the ad is actually for.

6

Well, if you don’t try you’ll never know will you? I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker especially when it comes to work. I can’t think of anything worse than being stuck in a dead-end job doing the same thing day in day out. There are so many interesting things to do and as they say … nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Track 13: Mid-course Test, Pronunciation exercise 1

How long have you been working here?

How long have you been working here?

2

What’ve you been doing? You look exhausted!

What’ve you been doing? You look exhausted!

3

Their photos might be sent to the newspapers.

Their photos might be sent to the newspapers.

4

Dan was feeling sad because his holiday was coming to an end.

Dan was feeling sad because his holiday was coming to an end.

5

If only I hadn’t refused to help.

If only I hadn’t refused to help.

6

I’m not a big fan of autobiographies.

I’m not a big fan of autobiographies.

Track 14: End of Course Test, Listening exercise 1

1

A lot of my friends have a problem with Ben because he can be so confrontational when he thinks he’s right, which he does pretty much most of the time. I try and calm him down, but he won’t listen and just tells me I’m being too aggressive. Honestly! I mean, it can actually be quite unpleasant sometimes especially when we start talking about politics.

2

I’ve just finished watching the most amazing wildlife programme on penguins. It was the last in the series, but hopefully they’ll do another one so we can find out what’s happened to those fabulous little creatures. I’m not really a great fan of TV, but I do love documentaries like these ... the perfect combination of entertainment and education with the ‘Oh aren’t they cute’ factor.

3

Not that I’m cynical or anything, but I can’t help thinking I’ve been the victim of age discrimination. You only need to look around the office to see that I’m by far the oldest member of the team, so I guess it was only a matter of time before I got called in to see the boss. He came up with all the usual excuses, but at the end of the day we both knew why I had to leave.

4

I’d have been a bit annoyed if I’d had to pay for the tickets, but as they were free I can’t really complain though to be honest the exhibition was hardly the must-see that the reviewers said it was. Maybe I missed the point, but I can’t see how huge metallic balls hanging from the ceiling represent life in the twenty-first century. Mind you, I wasn’t alone in my views judging by the comments I overheard as we were walking around.

5

I don’t really have much time to read the papers during the week, though for some reason I do normally buy one on my way to work. I tend to get my information from the radio as I listen to the news when I get ready in the morning. At the weekend, when I’ve got more time, I love to get a couple of papers, usually a tabloid for all the celebrity gossip. I’d never admit to it though! And, of course, a broadsheet for the editorials and serious news.

6

I can’t remember the last time I managed to get a good night’s sleep. I’ve never been particularly good in the mornings, but now I feel distinctly groggy. I’ve started waking up just before the alarm goes off and I just lie there with that familiar sense of dread. Maybe it’s because I’m not really enjoying my job any more.