-
Unit 1
Life is a
learning curve
Listening to
the world
Sharing
Scripts
H = Hina; W1 = Woman 1, etc.; M1 = Man
1, etc.
Part 1
H: I have a full-time job but I like
learning new things in my spare time. At the
moment, I’m studying
Spanish.
I’m
enjoying
it
but
I’m
finding
it
quite
difficult. Today
we’re
asking
people
about
learning new things.
Part 2
W1: I’m
learning to speak another language, actually. I’m
learning French. I’m also learning, er, to
drive.
W2: I’m
learning to play golf at the moment. Um, my
husband and my son play golf, and when we
go on holiday, I feel that I want to be
able to play with them.
W3: I’m learning to speak Spanish.
W4: I am learning Arabic.
M1: Well, I’ve been
learning to play the guitar for about 50 years
now. And it’s a constant process,
so
still learning bits, yes.
W5: I’m learning yoga at the moment,
and I’m finding it quite hard.
M2: The courses I’m taking are, are
training courses for leadership, er, negotiation,
(and) evaluation.
M3: I’m
learning Swahili.
W6: At
the moment, I’m learning to paint and draw in
evening classes for adults.
W7: I’m studying part-time after work.
M4: I’ve er, just learned
how to er, do a lot of kayaking.
W8: I am learning how to design a
website at the moment.
W9:
I’m in a choir so singing, I guess, is pretty much
the only thing I’m doing at the moment.
M5: At the moment, I’m
taking up a new instrument. It’s a traditional
instrument from Zimbabwe,
and it’s
called the mbira. Er, let me show you.
Part 3
H:
What’s the most difficult
thing you’ve ever learned?
M5: Patience, I think.
W4: Arabic.
M2:
Courage.
W3: Learning a
language is particularly difficult for myself
(me), so probably learning the Spanish.
W6: The most difficult
thing I have ever learned is Mandarin Chinese. I
did it in evening classes a
few years
ago and I found it really, really difficult.
W5: Probably capoeira,
which is a Brazilian dance, martial art, fight
thing. It’s a combination of all
of
these
things. And
yes,
that
was
very
difficult
because
there
were
lots
of
unusual
body
movements to learn.
W1: Learning to drive was the most
difficult thing.
M3: Well,
I learned some Sanskrit, and that’s got um, nine
cases, two more than Latin. It’s quite
difficult by most standards.
M4: I think I found French
very hard at school.
W2:
Um, I learned to play the trumpet at school. That
was pretty difficult. Er ... and maybe learning
to drive. I hated learning to
drive.
Listening
Scripts
P =
presenter; S = Sally
P: Hi. You’re listening to
Ask the Expert
and in
today’s program we’re talking about languages and
how to learn a language. Our expert
today is Sally Parker, who is a teacher. Hi Sally.
S: Hello.
P: Sally, our first question today is
from Andy. He says, “I’ve just started learning
English. My
problem is that I’m too
frightened to speak. My grammar is not very good,
so I’m worried about
saying the wrong
thing.” Have you got any advice for Andy?
S: OK. Well, the first
thing is I think Andy should practice speaking to
himself.
P: Speaking to
himself? I’m not sure that’s a good idea.
S: I know it sounds silly,
but talking to yourself in a foreign language is a
really good way to practice.
You don’t
have to feel embarrassed, because nobody can hear
you. You can talk to yourself about
anything you like – what you had for
breakfast, where you’re going for the weekend –
anything.
And
the
more
you
do
it,
the
more
you
will
get
used
to
hearing
your
own
voice
and
your
pronunciation, so you won’t feel so
frightened in the classroom. Andy should try it.
P: Hm, I suppose so.
Anything else? What about his grammar?
S: He has only just
started learning English, so he is going to make
lots of mistakes, but that’s not
a
problem. That’s how he’ll learn. Andy shouldn’t
worry about making mistakes.
P: You’re right. So Andy, try talking
to yourself, and don’t worry about making
mistakes. Our next
problem
comes
from
Olivia
in
Brazil.
She
is
worried
about
pronunciation.
She
says,
“The
problem is I can’t understand native
speakers. They speak so fast and I can’t
understand their
pronunciation.” So
Sally, any ideas for Olivia?
S: Well, first of all it’s a good idea
for her to practice her listening skills. She
should listen to
English as
much as possible to get used to how it sounds.
Listen to the news, listen to podcasts,
(and) watch English television.
P: OK – that’s a good idea.
S: And another thing she
should do is to focus on listening and reading at
the same time. If you listen
to
something on the Internet, you can often read the
transcript. If you listen and read at the same
time, it’ll help you see what the words
sound like and how the words sound when a native
speaker
is talking.
P: Great. Thank you, Sally. Well, huh,
I’m afraid that’s all we have time for today, but
next week
we’ll be …
Viewing
Scripts
N = Narrator; I = Ian Deary; W1 = Woman
1, etc.; M1 = Man 1, etc.
N: Recent research into the
history of IQ tests in Scotland suggests your IQ
score might predict, to
an extent at
least, your health and even your life expectancy.
W1: You have 45 minutes to
do the test, OK?
M1: OK.
N: Bill and Davina are 79
years old. This is the second time they’ve done
this test. The first time
was in 1932,
when every 11-year-old in Scotland was put through
an intelligence test. It’s the
only
time this kind of mass testing has ever been done
in the UK. The results were rediscovered
recently in an Edinburgh basement. If
you want to know how our intelligence changes as
we
get older, these results are a
potential goldmine.
I: We
brought hundreds of people back and we got them to
sit the exact same test that they had sat
when they were aged 11. Now, these
people are now 79 or 80 years old. We gave the
same
instructions. We gave the same
test. And we gave the same time limit.
M2: It was a little
stickier than I thought it would be.
M3: I walked through it quite happily,
quite honestly.
W2: I felt
I must have been very bright at 11 if I sat that
exam and passed.
N: There
were some intriguing results. Almost everyone had
a better score at 80 than they did at 11.
But some had gone from being just
averagely intelligent to a much higher level.
I: Now, that’s what really
drives our research. We’re interested in: Why have
those people who’ve
gone (people gone)
from IQ 100, at age 11, up to 110 or 120? What
have they done right? What
can be the
recipe for successful aging? We’re finding that
the person with more education, even
though they had the same IQ in
childhood, is doing slightly better in old age, on
average. The
person who had a more
professional job, in old age, is doing slightly
better on average than the
person who
had a manual job, despite the fact that they
started at the same level. The people
who smoked have got slightly less good
mental ability than you would expect.
N: What’s even more remarkable is that
the kids who had higher IQ scores at 11 are the
very ones
still alive today. So it
seems high IQ in childhood is good for
survival.
Speaking for communication
Role-play
Scripts
A: Ah, OK, so we need to
think of the best ideas for taking tests.
B: Yep.
A: Er, well, how about this one? It’s a
good idea to study with friends at the same time
each day.
B: Mm, in my
opinion, this is a really good idea. You can make
it a regular part of your daily life.
A: You mean like having breakfast at
the same time, lunch at the same time, studying at
the same
time.
B: Yes. And also I think it helps when
you study with friends.
A:
Yeah, I, I think it’s more motivating.
B: And you can actually
talk to someone, not just look at books. I find
that if I’m only reading my
notes it’s
easy to lose concentration. I start thinking about
other things. But when you are talking
to someone, it really helps you
concentrate. So, yes, I agree with this one.
A: OK. Another idea is not
to eat too much before the exam.
B: Oh, really?
A: Mm, when I eat a lot, I get sleepy.
B: Oh, I see. I think it
depends. Because if you don’t eat enough, you
start to feel hungry in the
middle of
the exam.
A: Mm, that’s
true.
B: And then you
can’t concentrate.
A:
Yeah, that’s true.
B: So,
I’m not sure about this advice, for me. As I said,
I think it depends. I always try to eat a good
meal before an exam. I’m so nervous
that I never get sleepy.
A: Hm. OK. What other ideas do you
have?
B: Well, there’s one
thing I always do before an exam.
A: What’s that?
B: I go to bed early the night before.
A: Right.
B: I always try to sleep for eight
hours the night before the exam.
Further
practice in listening
Short
conversations
Scripts
Conversation 1
W: It is the third time my paper has
been rejected by journals because of language
problems.
M: You know,
there is a writing center on campus. I had never
got a grade better than C for any of
my
term papers before they helped me out.
Q: What can we learn from
the conversation?
Conversation 2
M: You said you would choose Spanish as
your second foreign language. Why did you finally
choose
French instead?
W: My grandfather speaks fluent French
and he says that French is a language that any
truly cultured
person must know.
Q: Why does the woman
choose to learn French?
Conversation 3
W: You seem to have no problem
understanding native speakers now. How about Dr.
Brown’s speech
last night?
M: Excellent. But it was still too fast
for me to follow, especially when Dr. Brown talked
about those
abstract theories.
Q: What did the man do last
night?
Conversation 4
M: It seems to me that Melissa is in a
bad mood today. What’s wrong with her?
W: Melissa forgot to bring
her identification card yesterday and she was not
allowed to enter the
contest. You know
she had prepared for the contest for months.
Q: What made Melissa
unhappy?
Conversation 5
W: I think my time at school is wasted
because it is just studying books and doing tests.
M: But you also learn new
ideas and new ways of thinking. And more
importantly you meet people
and develop
your understanding of people at school.
Q: What does the man think
of the woman’s opinion?
Long
conversation
Scripts
M:
Miranda, let’s speak about your performance in
class. You’re not participating; you’re careless
with your assignments and often hand
them in late. You don’t want to be here, do you?
W: I’m sorry Dr. Smith.
It’s just … I’ve got lots of things to do. I’m
studying Web design and I’m
a first-
class player on our golf team. It’s hard to see
why I need to take a Spanish language class!
M: Well, I’m sorry you feel
that way, but learning another language can
improve your performance
in all of your
efforts. And it can be very useful sometimes, for
instance, when you visit your
father in
Mexico.
W:
Gosh! What
do
you
mean,
professor? Just
because
my
father
does
business
in
Mexico
I’m
supposed to learn Spanish – on top of
everything else I have to learn? It’s just too
much! And if
I don’t spend enough time
on the golf course, I won’t remain a first-class
player on the golf team.
I still don’t
see why I should learn a language that’s so hard
for me. There are no verb tenses on
the
golf course or in Web design!
M: Listen Miranda, I’ve known your
father since we were students at university 20
years
ago – and
have known you since you were a little
girl. Of course, there are no verb tenses in golf
or Web
design. But I am giving you good
advice. Please listen.
W:
Yes, of course, you’re like my favorite uncle.
M: Your brain isn’t like a
cup that has water flowing over its edge when it
is full. Instead, it’s like a
muscle.
Learning Spanish exercises your brain in new ways,
making it stronger. It will strengthen
your critical thinking skills and
creativity.
W: Really?!
Then I guess I can give it a try.
Passage 1
Scripts
I began
learning Spanish when I was in high school, using
a traditional academic method of studying
verbs, sentence structures, and grammar
by using textbooks and not much else. I found it
very easy
to learn, but was frustrated
with the slow pace and repetitive nature of all my
Spanish classes. So I
worked extra hard
in my spare time and asked my teacher if I could
skip a level by the end of the
semester.
This was unsuccessful, however, because the school
was not willing to test me or otherwise prove
that
I
could
be
successful
in
the
top
level
after
skipping
a
level.
This
made
things
even
more
frustrating, as then I was stuck in a
class where I already knew the material!
Then I went on to
college where I then used the language extensively
both in and out of the
classroom. I
studied Spanish literature, culture, and
linguistics and very much enjoyed the cultural
and linguistic elements, but found the
in-depth study of literature a very unbalanced way
to study
Spanish.
I got a lot out of using my Spanish
outside of the classroom, including a trip to
Mexico with a
church group, where I
found myself acting as an interpreter. It was
certainly challenging, but it was
also
a lot of fun.
I then
also volunteered to be an interpreter in the
community schools and also used my Spanish
to teach English to some Spanish
speakers. This is probably where I learned the
most!
Q1: What do we know about the speaker’s
Spanish learning experience in high school?
Q2: What made the speaker
feel frustrated while leaning Spanish in high
school?
Q3: What did the
speaker say about her study of Spanish literature
in college?
Q4: Which
experience benefited the speaker most in terms of
her use of Spanish?
Passage 2
Scripts and answers
Have you ever
heard of homeschooling? It is a legal choice for
parents in most countries to
provide
their children with a learning environment as an
1) alternative to public or private schools
outside the home. Parents cite 2)
numerous reasons for homeschooling their children.
The three
reasons that are selected by
the majority of parents in the United States are
the concern about the 3)
traditional
school environment, the lack of religious or moral
instruction, and the dissatisfaction with
the 4) academic instruction at public
and private schools. Homeschooling may also be a
factor in the
choice
of
parenting
style.
Homeschooling
can
be
a
choice
for
families
living
in
isolated
5)
countryside or living briefly abroad.
Also many young 6) athletes and actors are taught
at home.
Homeschoolers
often
7)
take
advantage
of
educational
opportunities
at
museums,
libraries,
community
centers, athletic
clubs, after-school
programs, churches, parks, and other community
resources.
8)
Secondary
school
level
students
may
take
classes
at
community
colleges,
which
typically have open admission policies.
Groups of homeschooling
families often join up together to create
homeschool co-ops. These
groups
typically meet once a week and provide a classroom
environment. These are family- centered
support groups whose members seek to
pool their talents and resources 9) in a
collective effort to
broaden
the
scope
of
their
children’s
education.
They
provide
a
classroom
environment
where
students can do hands-
on and group learning such as performing, science
experiments, art projects,
foreign
language study, spelling contests, discussions,
etc. Parents whose children take the classes
10) serve as volunteers to keep costs
low and make the program a success.
Unit 2 Journey
into the unknown
Listening
to the world
Sharing
Scripts
F = Finn; W1 = Woman 1, etc.; M1 = Man
1, etc.
Part 1
F: I’ve
spent a lot of time living in different countries
so there isn’t one place I think of as home.
I’ve lived in Scotland and Poland and
China. I love going to new places and learning
about new
cultures. Today, I’m asking
people about travel.
Part 2
W1: I love travel. It’s one of my
passions.
M1: Well, I
enjoy it a lot. I have traveled to India several
times. I lived there, and I’ve lived here,
and I’ve been to Istanbul once and I
enjoyed that very much.
W2: I’ve done quite a bit of traveling
on holidays and stuff. I think it’s good, good
experience.
W3: You get to
meet different people coming from different
backgrounds, and that’s really important
to get an understanding.
M2: It’s always just nice to get out
and experience a different culture and different
lifestyle.
W4: I get very
excited about the thought of going to most
countries, any country.
W5: I love to travel to different
countries.
M3: Absolutely
love traveling. I’ve been traveling for about two
and a half years solid now.
W6: I’ve been to Turkey. I’ve been to
Egypt. I’ve been to Malta.
M4: I work as an expedition leader and
so I actually operate in different countries
around the world,
many places outside
the United Kingdom.
Part 3
F:
What do you
like about traveling?
M3:
I think you mature a lot when you travel. You, er,
you learn … oh, just completely different
experiences to what you’re used to at
home.
W6: I like the
airport experience. I love that.
M5: I like the arrival more than the
traveling.
W5: To see art
especially. We love to see theater in other
countries.
M4: You
see
some,
some
of
the
most
beautiful
scenery
around
the
world
which
you
wouldn’t
experience in other
countries.
M2: I just
really like getting out there and experiencing a
different culture, getting far away from,
you know, what we’re used to in
Australia, and meeting new people.
W4: The anticipation of being in a new
place, of seeing very different things, er, of
hearing a different
language, (and) of
eating different food. Everything that travel has
to offer.
Part 4
F:
What don’t you like?
W6: I don’t like long
flights.
W3: I suppose
plane journeys aren’t always the most exciting of
things.
W1: Flying. I
don’t particularly like flying, but it’s a
necessity when you live in Ireland, you know.
M2: I suppose the biggest
problem I have with traveling is living out of a
suitcase.
W4: In all
honesty, I actually see the whole travel as an
adventure in itself. So, er, when, when I was
backpacking, and we all … we ran out of
money, or we were in dangerous situations, I
actually
quite enjoyed that.
M4: You spend a lot of time
outside the United Kingdom, and the disadvantage
of that is, that you,
you tend to miss
families and friends. I miss out on normal things
in life, so … I’ve been outside
the
United Kingdom for two thirds of the year. I’d say
that’s the main disadvantage.
W5: The hardest thing for me is that I
am handicapped. And so sometimes getting around,
especially
very old cities, is very
difficult.
M5: My wife’s
usually late for … getting to the airport. It
wasn’t until I, I got married I actually
started missing flights.
Listening
Scripts
One place that
I think everyone should have the chance to see is
Venice. But the problem is that
this
beautiful and charming city is slowly sinking.
Ever since the 14th century engineers have tried
to work out a way to stop the floods in
Venice, but so far nobody has managed. Sometimes
there are
as many as 40 floods per year
between March and September, and Venice is
actually sinking at a
rate of two and a
half inches every decade. It’s
very
possible that
your grandchildren, and
their
grandchildren will never have the
chance to see this fragile city. Everyone should
have the chance
to enjoy the city, to
walk across its famous bridges, through its
ancient squares. There are no cars in
Venice, and many people think it helps
this to be one of the most romantic cities in the
world. So,
can it be saved?
Well, they are trying.
Barriers are being put in to try and stop the
water getting too high. This
is viewed
as a temporary measure, although they should last
100 years, so the problem is finding a
permanent solution. If you want my
advice, go there while you still can, and then
together we can
put pressure on the
government to spend the money it needs to find a
permanent way to keep this
beautiful
and historic city for future generations. We have
an opportunity now to save this city, and
we must, before it’s too
late.
Viewing
Scripts
V =
V
oice-over; M1 = Man 1, etc.; JL =
Joanna Lumley; W1 = Woman 1, etc.;
EH = Eamonn Holmes; JJE = Jocelyn Jee
Esien; AF = Alex Fraser;
JP = John Palmer; MJ = Melanie Jones;
LS = Lucy Sassoon; Vs = Voices
V: There are so
many amazing places to see around the world. Here
are some of your favorites.
Welcome to
Bangkok! With over six million people, it’s big,
it’s busy and you love it! It’s
very
good for shopping and the nightlife is great, too.
M1: It’s got lots of
clubs, bars, shops, food … Everything you need,
really.
V: There
are 400 temples in Bangkok, so Bangkok is an
important place for Buddhists around the
world, and tourists love to visit the
temples, too.
V: You also
love the Masai Mara in Kenya. It’s a fantastic
place to watch animals: zebras, elephants,
antelope, hippos, and lions. You can
see them all. So, why is it so special?
JL:
Huge
open
spaces,
fantastic
animals,
just
wide
open
freedom,
warmth,
friendliness,
and
all
underneath the great
African skies.
V: Now a
popular, romantic city … the city of lights,
Paris.
W1: To me, Paris is
elegant, romantic and expensive.
W2: Go in the spring and enjoy the art
galleries.
V:
And enjoy the views of the city from
the top of the Eiffel Tower.
V: Back to Africa now, South Africa.
Yes, it’s Cape Town. And behind Cape Town is the
1,000-
meter-high Table Mountain, with
its fantastic views.
EH:
Cape Town is one of my top three places on earth.
JJE: Friendly people, loads
of beaches, and the food is unbelievably cheap.
M2: We went there um, over
New Year and it was lovely. I mean, just a lovely,
lovely place.
EH: Great
place, Cape Town.
V: You
love the mountains and beaches that make Cape Town
so special. And these little guys – the
penguins.
V:
This is the big moment: the number one place to
see before you die. Your favorite is … the Grand
Canyon! The Grand Canyon is an amazing
place. You can read about the Grand Canyon and
you can look at photographs and videos,
but nothing can prepare you for the real thing.
AF: There is so much to see
that you never stop seeing something new.
JP: The colors are just so
… amazing.
MJ: With every
changing inch of the sunset, the colors in the
canyon change.
LS: I
remember actually sitting there … and I just
cried.
V:
But there’s only one word that everyone
says when they talk about the Grand Canyon:
Vs: It really is awesome …
Just completely awesome … Awesome … “Awesome” is
the word … It
was awesome … Awesome …
Awesome … “Awesome” is the only word … Truly
awesome.
Speaking for communication
Role-play
Scripts
Conversation 1
Man: Excuse me. We’re trying to get
to the carnival. Is this the right bus stop?
Woman: Yes, but you don’t
need the bus. It’s very close.
Man: Oh! Can we walk?
Woman: Yes, it takes about 10 minutes
from here. Just go straight on. You’ll hear the
music! Man:
OK. Thank you very
much.
Conversation 2
Woman: Excuse me, can you help me? I’m
looking for the Plaza Hotel. Is this the right
way?
Man:
Um … Plaza Hotel, er, Plaza Hotel. Oh,
yes, keep going, past the cinema and take the
first left.
Woman: OK.
Man:
Then keep going for about 15 minutes until you
reach the end of the road. And you’ll see the
sign for the hotel. You can’t miss it.
Woman: OK. Um, can you show
me on the map?
Man:
Sure.
Conversation 3
Man 1: Excuse me, we want to get to
The Grand Motel. Is it far?
Woman: Um … sorry, I’ve no idea. Jim,
do you know?
Man 2:
What?
Woman: The Grand
Motel?
Man 2: The Grand
Motel? Yeah, it’s just over there. Er, just go to
the end of this street. Go left and
go
past the … um … there’s a restaurant. Go past the
restaurant and it’s on the left.
Man 1: On the left. So I need to go to
the end of the street, turn left, go past the
restaurant and it’s
on the left. Man
2: Yeah, that’s it.
Man
1: Thanks a lot.
Group
discussion
Scripts
OK,
well, we would like to go to Easter Island. It is
very isolated, very far from other places.
Er, we are going to travel there by
plane and stay with different families and the
trip is going to take
three months. We
want to experience the local culture, their music,
food, and way of life. So our
plan is
to speak to the local people about these things
and to film them. We hope to find out about
their traditions and to see what they
think of their history. Well, um, finally, my
husband and I always
wanted to go to
Easter Island. I read about it when I was a child
and I saw pictures of these amazing
stone heads on the island. So for us
this is the journey of our dreams.
Further
practice in listening
Short
conversations
Scripts
Conversation 1
M: I still can’t decide whether we
should have a whole package tour or a self-drive
tour.
W: A whole package
tour means having to spend time in the confined
quarters of a coach, bus or
train
with
people
you
are
not
familiar
with,
but
considering
our
budget,
perhaps we
have
to
sacrifice
comfort and privacy.
Q:
What does the woman say about a whole package
tour?
Conversation 2
W: I was so shocked when I saw the
tiny, dirty houses where the children grew up.
M: So was I. I’m afraid
that they don’t have enough food, let alone go to
school. Next time we
should have our
daughter come with us. She always takes things for
granted. Q: What are the two
speakers
planning to do?
Conversation 3
M: I will say it again: India is not a
safe place for a woman to travel alone.
W: But if I wear the proper
clothes, and learn the cultural dos and don’ts, it
should be fine. Please
don’t be so
alarmed.
Q: What will the
woman do?
Conversation 4
W: I’m going to travel with my five-
year-old this summer. But I feel kind of uncertain
whether things
will work out.
M: You know Jane? She and
her husband spend every holiday traveling in a
jeep with their son and
dog. Probably
you should go to her
before
you go.
Q: What does the
woman feel uncertain about?
Conversation 5
M: Many people love a good
story about somebody traveling in time – either to
repair the future, or
to observe the
past. Why are time travel stories so popular?
W: I think it’s human
nature to dream of what-ifs. What if I could see
an alien? Q:
What are the two speakers
talking about?
Long conversation
Scripts
M: It’s good to
have you back at work Emily. How was your trip to
the Amazon rainforest?
W:
It was like a spectacular dream; I saw so many
more things than I ever could have imagined. The
plants are so thick that you couldn’t
even see the sun or the sky above, and there are
more shades
of green than I’ve seen
before in my life!
M: Wow,
with so many plants, how did you get around?
W: We rode a tour boat down
the Amazon River – it connects the whole jungle,
and the local people
use it to travel,
too. It’s amazing being somewhere so far away from
technology, without any
electricity for
miles and miles. The local people don’t even see
the world outside of the jungle,
never
traveling more than 15 minutes up or down the
river their whole lives!
M: What an entirely different
lifestyle! It must be completely different there.
Did you get to meet
any of the
villagers?
W: Oh yes!
Here’s the story: I finished a small
blue bottle of wine and was about to
throw it away.
The tour guide told me
to save it. Later, when we arrived at one of the
villages, he introduced me
to an old
woman there who greeted our boat. I gave her the
wine bottle as a gift. She looked at it
like a great treasure, and she said
that it would be an honored prize for her hut. I
was shocked
that something so small and
common for me – could mean so much!
M: Emily, I suppose we really take
modern life for granted.
Q1: What does the woman say
about the plants in the Amazon rainforest?
Q2: What does the woman say
about the local people?
Q3: Why was the old woman in the
village so excited?
Q4:
What has the woman learned from her traveling
experience?
Passage 1
Scripts
I believe watching nature
programs on television is not going to give us and
our children a real
experience of
nature. On the contrary, they may distance us from
nature – actual nature – even further.
Because
real
nature
experiences
mean
contact
with
nature.
It
means
being
with
and
within
nature, to experience
it with all five senses.
True, TV programs give us joy but they
will never be able to help us form a relationship
with
nature. We watch our small screens
come alive with the vivid colors and we all let
out “aahhhh …”
and “wooooow”. But,
never once will we feel the pleasure of being
close to nature.
Worse
still – the programs such as those on the
Discovery Channel make nature seem so strange,
and so far away, in the forests of the
Amazon or in the wilds of Africa. Children may
grow up without
even realizing that the
flowers, plants or a couple of trees in their
backyard are nature and they are
equally precious. The truth is – nature
is so close to us. We don’t need to go anywhere
far to enjoy
such experiences. It is
right there in our backyards. Or, in parks,
gardens, forests, or national parks.
All we need to do is make an effort to
get closer to nature – know it, appreciate it, and
explore
it. Feeling the soil under our
feet and the wind in our hair; listening to the
sound of the fallen leaves
and taking
in the smell of the wet soil – all these are pure
joy to the senses that we must experience.
Q1:
What may happen to children after watching nature
programs on TV?
Q2: How
should children get close to nature according to
the speaker? Q3:
What impression might
the Discovery Channel leave on children? Q4:
What is the main idea of this passage?
Passage 2
Scripts and answers
I have never
been able to understand people who don’t see the
point in traveling. The common
reason
is that traveling is a waste of time and money.
I’ve heard some are 1) scared to travel too far
away. I can’t help but feel sorry
particularly for those who 2) perceive the
experience of seeing a
new place as a
100 percent 3) negative one. Telling them stories
about unusual encounters doesn’t
4)
result in the expected curiosity but a “Why would
you wanna go there!?” It makes me 5) lose
faith in humanity. Experience is the
best teacher and knowledge is power. The things
traveling can
teach you are beautiful
because you learn to trust in what you see rather
than what you are told.
It
was Mark Twain who said, “Travel is fatal to
prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness,”
which in my mind 6) goes down as the
closest to the truth about traveling. Too bad
there aren’t
enough people with the
means to travel actually doing it. If you have the
means to go abroad, you
should do it
despite going out of your comfort zone. You might
realize why you loved it once you’re
back home.
I
think traveling is also the best thing you could
do if you feel 7) depressed at home, don’t know
what to do with your future, your life,
your partner – anything. Once you are away, 8)
preferably
somewhere
very
new
and
unknown,
you
are
forced
to
9)
adapt
and
meet
people.
This
works
especially if you travel alone. A new
life and especially the new relationships you
build, even if only
for a short period
of time, 10) reveal opportunities and views you
never would have thought of and
had
otherwise.
Unit 3 Time out
Listening to the world
Sharing
Scripts
F =
Finn; M1 = Man 1, etc.; W1 = Woman 1, etc.
Part 1
F: I
like playing music and going to concerts in my
free time. This weekend I’m going to a bar in
North London to see my friend’s band.
What do you like doing in your free time?
Part 2
M1: I
like to keep fit. I like to be very active. I like
to do a lot of sport. I also like to see a lot of
friends. I like to go to the theater. I
like to go and see plays.
W1: I like to read er, books about …
crime novels, for example. And I like to go
running. And …
cos obviously I can’t
run when I am at work, so in my free time, I like
to do some exercise.
M2:
Well, I have two small children so I don’t have
much free time. But seeing friends is er, is one
of my great pleasures.
M3: I like er, coming up here to London
to see galleries and theater, and things like
that. Um, I like
eating
and
drinking
a
lot.
Sometimes
in
restaurants,
and
sometimes,
either
having
friends
around … uh for that, or going to other
people’s houses.
W2: I
enjoy jazz so I quite like having friends around
to listen to the ... listen to some jazz or go out
to a jazz club.
W3: I like to do many things in my free
time. I love to read. I love to study different
things. I’m
studying oil painting and
different languages now.
M4: I enjoy reading. Um, I enjoy
playing the guitar. Um, I also enjoy er, creative
writing, um, and
watching films.
Part 3
F:
What are you going to do
this weekend?
M2: This
weekend, there is a large camping trip of, of all
my son’s school friends. And we’re all
going off camping, which is going to be
very interesting.
W1: This
weekend I’m going to run a half marathon in um,
Nottingham for the Robin Hood Festival
and raising money for a charity.
M4: I’m going to relax as
much as possible after quite a hard week, and
quite a stressful week. So
I’m gonna
possibly watch a film and do very little.
W3: This weekend I am going
to try to relax a little. I just completed a long
trip.
W2: This weekend I’m
going to take my son to football. He plays in a
local football team.
M3:
This weekend I am going to er, see some friends on
Saturday night, and have dinner at their
house. And then er, I’m gonna be er,
welcoming some friends at our house on Sunday
night.
M1: I have a
friend, who … It’s her birthday. And I’m going to
go to the birthday party on Saturday.
And then on Sunday I’m going to go to a
barbecue.
Listening
Scripts
P =
Presenter; D = Dominique; R = Rob
P: Let’s see
what we’ve got on this week’s ￡15 challenge. We’re
going to send two people out for
a
night in London, and their challenge is to have a
good night out, but not spend more than ￡15.
So, is it possible? Well, we’re going
to find out. We’ve asked Dominique and Rob to
spend an
evening
in
London,
and
not
spend
more
than
￡15.
So,
let’s
speak
to
Dominique
first.
Hi,
Dominique.
D: Hi, George.
P: Tell us, Dominique, what are your
plans?
D: Well, first of
all I’m going to see a free art exhibition at the
Tate Modern. I don’t normally like
modern art, so I hope it’s OK. Um, then
I’m meeting some friends and we’re going to a
concert
at a pub called The King’s
Head. There’s a free band playing and so I only
need to pay for my
drinks. Afterwards
we’re having dinner in Brick Lane where there are
lots of Indian restaurants.
They’ve
told me that if you go to one of the restaurants
there at 10 ., you can get a free meal. I
don’t know if that’s true, but I’m
going to try anyway. Then I’m getting the bus
home. A taxi is
too expensive.
P: That sounds great. Have
a good evening, and you can tell us all about it
tomorrow.
D: I will.
P: Our second volunteer is
Rob. Rob, can you tell us about your evening?
R: Yes. I’m starting the
evening with a visit to a museum, too. I’m going
to the National Gallery to
see the
paintings there. They stay open one night a week,
and it’s free. Then I’m going to Covent
Garden to watch the street
entertainers. Um, that’s free, too. And after
that, I’m going to watch
some comedy.
There’s a really good comedy club just near Covent
Garden. It’s ￡8 to get in. I’m
not
having dinner. There isn’t enough time.
P: Thanks, Rob. Enjoy your
evening, and don’t forget to call us …
Viewing
Scripts
Part 1
Holiday
10 Best
takes a journey to the coolest,
the hippest, the biggest and the most exciting
cities around the world. We’ve got
shopping, socializing, sightseeing, history,
culture, and of course
the odd beach or
two.
So, what is it that
makes a city truly great? Let’s face it: We spend
most of our time trying to
get away
from them. They’re busy; they’re crowded; they
aren’t exactly relaxing. So, how does
Barcelona manage to get it so right?
I love Barcelona. I’ve been
here about a dozen times, and what keeps bringing
me back? Well,
it’s the art, the great
buildings, fantastic shopping, and just the
general laid-back attitude to life. It’s
my favorite city and I’m gonna show you
my recipe for the perfect day here.
Part 2
Now, you don’t want to
start your day too early because it’s going to be
a long one. But when
you do
manage to drag yourself out of bed, the only way
to kick things off here is with a nice, big,
fat, creamy cup of hot chocolate, with
some lovely sugary churros.
First stop on my sightseeing tour: La
Sagrada Familia. Barcelona likes to think of
itself as such
an individual city and
for me the Sagrada Familia really sums that up.
People always think that a
siesta is about sleeping. Not true. In Barcelona,
it means a nice, long
lunch, and that
means it’s time for tapas. What I love about tapas
is the way you can just try a little
bit of this, a little bit of that, and
if you really want to find out what it’s all
about, get Juan Carlos,
who’s the owner
of the oldest tapas bar in Barcelona, just to
serve you up a selection.
No city break is complete without a
spot of serious shopping. Most first-timers will
end up on
the Ramblas, famous for its
silly statues and being ridiculously crowded. What
can I say? I’m a
northern girl and I
love my markets, and this is the best one I’ve
found anywhere in the world. Now,
there’s
probably
more
tourists
here
than
there
are
locals,
but
that’s
because
of
two reasons:
this
fantastic bar – Pinocchio’s Bar, and
the amazing array of things that you can buy here.
Well worth a
visit.
Now, one thing that will probably
surprise you about Barcelona is that it’s got
beaches. Five of
them. Now, they’re not
the best you’re gonna find on the Med, but it’s
one of the things that makes
this place
so special.
There are two
things to remember when you’re heading out for the
night here. One: Don’t even
think about
coming out early. Nobody has dinner before nine.
And two: Pace yourself. It’s going to
be a long night. The way to approach a
night out in Barcelona is to take a drink here, a
nibble of
tapas there, and then repeat
until you get tired, or the sun comes up. And
that’s exactly what I’m
going to do.
Speaking for communication
Role-play
Scripts
Conversation 1
A = Restaurant manager; B =
Customer
A: King’s Restaurant.
B: Hello, er, I’d like to book a table
for four on Friday night. Around eight thirty, if
possible. A:
Let me just have a look.
Er, sorry, we’re completely full on Friday.
There’s nothing at all.
B:
Ah, what about Saturday?
A: Saturday, Saturday. Um … the best I
can do is a table at ten o’clock.
B: Ten o’clock? You haven’t got
anything earlier?
A:
Nothing at all, I’m afraid.
B: OK, let’s go ahead. Ten o’clock.
A: Can I take your name,
please?
B: The table is
for Rodney Collins.
A:
Rodney … Oh! Can you repeat that, please? Did you
say Rodney Collins?
B:
Yes.
A: OK, that’s all
booked. Table for four, ten o’clock, Saturday.
B: Great. Thank you.
A: Thank you.
Conversation 2
C = Box office
worker; D = Customer
C: High Tower Productions.
Paul speaking. How can I help you?
D: Hello, I was wondering if you could
help me. I’ve booked a ticket for the show on the
fifth of
June, but I’d like to change
the date.
C: OK, one
moment. Can I just check? What’s the name please?
D: The tickets are booked
in the name of Judy Starr.
C: Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Did you
say Starr?
D: Judy Starr.
S-t-a-double r.
C: OK,
yes. Two tickets for June the fifth. What date
would you like to change to?
D: What dates do you still have seats
for?
C: There’s nothing on
the sixth or seventh. Er, there are two seats for
the eighth but they’re separate.
We
have …
D: Sorry, can you
slow down, please? Two seats for?
C: Sorry, two seats for the eighth, but
they aren’t together. Er, we can do you two seats
together on
the ninth of June.
D: Ninth of June. That’s
fine.
C: OK. I’ll just go
ahead and book that.
Conversation 3
E:
Hello?
F:
Hello, it’s Wendy here.
E:
Oh hi, Wendy. How are you?
F: Very well, thanks. And you?
E: Yeah, fine.
F: Are you doing anything on Saturday?
Because a few of us are going out for dinner.
E: Sorry, Wendy, can you
speak up, please? I’m on Oxford Street and I can’t
hear a thing. F:
Do you want to go for
dinner on Saturday?
E: Oh,
that sounds nice.
F:
There’s going to be a few of us, Tom and Zoe, and
Steve.
E: That sounds like
fun.
F: Are you free?
E: I think so.
F: Alright. Eight thirty, Saturday.
Zanzibar’s.
E: OK.
Zanzibar’s on Saturday at eight thirty.
F: That’s right. Brilliant.
See you soon.
E: OK.
Thanks for calling.
Conversation 4
G = Receptionist; H =
Caller
G: Thomson and Co. Who’s calling?
H: Hello, this is Andy.
Andy Jones. Can I speak to Sarah Hobbs, please?
G: I’m afraid she’s not
here at the moment.
H: Ah,
do you know when she’ll be back? I’ve
tried her mobile three or four times
and left messages,
but she hasn’t
called back.
G: She’s
visiting a customer. She should be back this
evening. Can I take a message?
H: It’s about dinner tonight. I’ve had
to cancel because of work.
G: OK. I’ll ask her to call you back.
H: Thanks.
G: Does she have your number?
H: It’s 0988 45673.
G: Can you repeat that,
please?
H: 0988 45673.
Group discussion
Scripts
I’m going to tell you about
my perfect day in Prague. Um, first of all, we’re
starting the day in
the main square.
It’s a beautiful place to have breakfast in one of
the cafés. It’s a little bit expensive,
but we’re going to sit outside so we
can watch the clock tower.
After breakfast, we’re going to walk
through the old city, and go to Charles Bridge.
There are
some interesting statues on
the bridge, and there’s a market where you can buy
some souvenirs.
From the bridge, we’re
walking up to the Castle. And we’re going to have
lunch in a restaurant near
there.
In the afternoon, we’re
taking a tram around the city. It’s a good way to
see the sights because
it’s cheap and
easy. And afterwards, we’re going to relax in the
park at Petrin Hill. Er, there is a tall
tower here, where you can see wonderful
views of the city, too. We’re going to a coffee
shop in the
afternoon, in the Municipal
House, where they do wonderful coffees.
And then, in the evening,
we’re planning to go to a classical music concert
in St. Nicholas
Church. You can come
here to listen to Bach, Mozart or Vivaldi, and the
atmosphere is very special.
When it’s
finished, we’re having dinner at Kolkovna, in the
old town, which serves traditional Czech
food, and then we’re going to spend the
rest of the evening trying different bars in the
old town,
which serve very cheap, local
beers. It’s going to be fantastic!
Further practice in listening
Short conversations
Scripts
Conversation 1
W: I’m going to relax a
little after such a hard week. How about a long
walk this weekend?
M:
Sounds good, but no high-heeled boots this time. I
still remember last time you were dog-tired
after a long walk in the woods.
Q: What can we infer from
this conversation about the woman?
Conversation 2
M: One of the things I do
on the weekends is cookout. It is fun to have a
barbecue party with friends
in the
backyard.
W: Have you
tried cooking with Coke? The sweetness of Coke
adds a nice touch to the barbecue
sauce.
Q: What
does the woman suggest the man do?
Conversation 3
M: The entry fee is $$2 per
person. The price for sweet cherry is $$10 per
kilogram. But you can have
a 10 percent
discount for the cherries if you pick more than 3
kilograms.
W: Five of us
picked 5 kilograms.
Q: How
much should the woman pay?
Conversation 4
W: I was advised to take a weight-loss
class. But I find it intimidating to exercise in
front of others
since I’m out of shape.
M: Exercising at home is
also a great way to start and it helps build up
your confidence. Q:
What do we know
from the conversation about the woman?
Conversation 5
M: How about going on a
camping trip with us? We are planning on canoeing
this weekend.
W: That
sounds good. But I’ve never been in a canoe before
and I am not much of a swimmer either.
Q: What does the woman
mean?
Long conversation
Scripts
W: Hello?
M: Hi Amy, it’s Ryan. I’m
calling because I want to invite you and your
sister Ashley to a dinner
party this
Saturday. My roommate Erick and I are hosting a
1960s theme party with a few other
friends.
W: A
theme party? Is that like a dress-up party?
M: Sort of … You’re
certainly encouraged to dress in 1960s fashions!
Short skirts, bright colors, and
bell-
bottom
jeans!
Or
go
to
the
beginning
of
the
1960s
and
come
as
one
of
your
favorite
actresses … But it’s not just cool
clothes; we’ll have food, games, and entertainment
inspired by
the 1960s. In fact, we’ll
start our meal with alien noodles in honor of all
those space and alien
TV shows.
W: Wait! Wait! What are
“alien noodles”? Why not have regular noodles in
honor of the movie
The
Godfather
?
M: No way!
The Godfather
is from the 1970s. Anyway, alien
noodles are bright green noodles with
purple sauce!
W: What?! That’s crazy!
M: Yeah! Anyway, there’ll be lots of
other things. I don’t want to spoil the surprises.
But just for
you, we’ll end with light
desserts and coffee from one of your favorite
1960s movies.
W: I can’t
wait! Ooooooh, I have an idea. We can have a
special bar and make fancy mixed drinks.
They’re always drinking in old TV
shows!
M: Perfect! And
start reviewing 1960s music! We’re having a dance
contest and a singing contest.
W: This sounds like a lot of fun. Can I
invite my roommate? She loves all of the classic
movies from
that time!
M: Of course – the more, the merrier!
Anyway, it starts at 7:00 . – my apartment.
Q1:
What do we know about those people who are invited
to the party?
Q2: What is
particular about alien noodles?
Q3: Why won’t they have regular noodles
at the party?
Q4: What
other arrangements do they have for the
party?
Passage 1
Scripts
Since I’m a student, I go
to school on weekdays and so I don’t have too much
free time. I
usually spend six or seven
hours at school. After that I either go downtown
for some shopping or go
home and study.
If I have some free time during the week I might
read a book or watch TV. Lately
my
evenings have been spent preparing for my
graduation examination, which takes up a lot of
time.
Even though I have a
lot to do, I still have some free time for leisure
activities. On weekends I
like to go
with my family to our cottage. I like taking long
walks around the countryside and I like
watching the seasons change. I have the
most free time during the summer
months. One of my
favorite
activities is to go canoeing with my friends. We
borrow a couple of canoes and choose a
nice spot on the river to begin. We
spend the day floating down the river. Sometimes
if it gets hot
we jump in the water and
go swimming. Of course we take breaks during the
day; we stop along the
river to prepare
some food or to visit a local pub. In the evening
we set up our tents and make a
campfire. We spend the evening talking,
singing songs, and enjoying nature. We often cook
some
sausages over the campfire. And
one of my favorite things to do is wrap potatoes
in foil and then
cook them in the hot
ashes. These wonderful trips, just like summer,
always end too soon.
Q1: What do we know from
this passage about the speaker?
Q2: What does the speaker like doing on
weekends?
Q3: How do the
speaker and his friends spend the day when they go
canoeing? Q4:
What does the speaker
most like doing when camping in the
evening?
Passage 2
Scripts
Rock
climbing
is
an
activity
in
which
participants
climb
up,
down
or
across
natural
rock
formations or
artificial rock walls. The goal of rock climbing
is to reach the top of a formation or
the endpoint of a predefined route
without falling. Rock climbing competitions have
1) objectives
of completing the route
in the quickest possible time or reaching the 2)
farthest point along an ever
increasingly
harder
route.
While
not
an
Olympic
event,
rock
climbing
is
3)
recognized
by
the
International Olympic
Committee as a sport.
Rock
climbing has been 4) separated into several
different styles and subdisciplines. At its most
basic, rock climbing 5) involves
climbing a route with one’s own hands and feet and
little more than
a cushioned bouldering
pad for protection. This style of climbing 6) is
referred to as bouldering,
since the
relevant routes are usually found on boulders no
more than 10 to 15 feet tall. As routes get
higher
off
the
ground,
the
increased
risk
of
7)
life-threatening
injuries
makes
additional
safety
measures necessary. Climbers will
usually work in pairs and use a system of ropes
and anchors 8)
designed to catch
fallers.
Rock climbing is
a physically and mentally demanding sport that
tests a climber’s strength, 9)
endurance, and balance along with their
mental control. It can be a dangerous sport and
climbers are
10) putting themselves at
risk when they go climbing. However, the risk can
be reduced by having
the knowledge of
proper climbing techniques and using specialized
climbing equipment.
Unit
4
Life under the spotlight
Listening to the world
Sharing
Scripts
H =
Hina; W1 = Woman 1, etc.; M1 = Man 1, etc.
Part 1
H: I
like reading about famous people and finding out
about their lives. But I wouldn’t want to be
famous myself. I’m happy being a normal
person, doing a normal job. How do you feel about
fame? Would you like to be famous?
Part 2
W1: Oh, I
would love to be famous.
M1: Not particularly. I like to keep to
myself. I’m a fairly private person.
W2: No, I wouldn’t like to be famous.
W3: No, I don’t think I’d
like to be famous.
W4: I
think I would, but not too famous.
W5: No. M2:
No.
W6: No, I wouldn’t like to
be famous. Um, I think that people are too
obsessed with fame, too
interested in
fame these days.
M3: It’s
not something I’d actively look for, no.
W7: Um, I’m not sure about
that. I would like, like to be a bit famous but I
wouldn’t like to be like,
really really
famous, because you just don’t have time on your
own anymore.
W8: I’m not
sure. I think it’s very easy to get obsessed with
the good things that fame can bring, like
the free gifts, and the doors opening
for you, and all that kind of side of things.
M4: When I was younger, I
used to want to be an actor. And thought, yeah,
being famous would be
great, but er,
but now I’m not so bothered.
Part 3
H:
What would you like to be famous for?
W8: I’d like to be famous
for doing something new and exciting.
M4: Um, these days, I’d like to be
famous for doing something worthwhile, I think.
Ah, for the, sort
of charitable work.
W7: Maybe being a model.
W2: I’d like to be well-
known as a graphic designer, but that’s not real
fame.
W6: If I were to be
famous, ah, I would like to be famous for an
amazing invention, I think, or for
perhaps, a medical cure, something to
cure cancer.
M3: I suppose
directing films. If I was gonna be famous for
anything, that would probably be what
I’d like to be famous for.
W5: I prefer to be anonymous. I like
anonymity when I’m in the street.
Part 4
H:
Which famous person would
you most like to meet?
W3:
I’d love to meet Barack Obama.
M3: At the moment, I’d probably like to
meet the President of the United States, Barack
Obama.
W7: Maybe Mischa
Barton. Because she does loads of different
things, and I think she’s really pretty,
and I like her style.
W6: Um, I’d like to meet Bob Dylan. I
really like his music. Um, I don’t know what I’d
say to him,
but I think I’d like to
meet him.
W2: Famous
person I would most like to meet? Probably – quite
vacuous – it would probably be
Johnny
Depp, or somebody like that, ’cause he’s really
good-looking.
W5: I would
like to meet Johnny Depp, because I enjoy his
movies a good deal.
M4: I
think I’d like to meet er, Ranulph Fiennes – ah,
just generally because of … of what he’s done,
his sort of Arctic exploration, and the
fact that he’s been able to go where other people
haven’t.
W8: I’d love to
meet a famous explorer. If he was still alive I
would really like to meet Edmund
Hillary.
Listening
Scripts
P = Presenter; A = Anita Jacobs; J =
Jasmin Wells
P: Have you ever felt stuck in a rut?
Well, this morning we talk to two women who have
made big
life changes and they are here
to tell us about it. Anita Jacobs used to work in
advertising. But
she sold her house,
gave up her job, and decided to travel around the
world. Jasmin Wells used
to work as a
doctor in York. In her 30s she gave up her job and
became a professional musician.
Anita
first, what made you decide to change?
A: Well, I was nearly 40. I
was in a job that I wasn’t really interested in. I
used to work long hours
and I didn’t
enjoy the job much anymore. So I decided to follow
an ambition I’ve had for a long
time. I
always wanted to travel, but I never had the
chance.
P: Your ambition
was to travel around the world?
A: That’s right. The idea was to take a
year off. I started work when I was 18 and I never
had a break
in all that time. I never
had time to travel or see the world. So I decided
to take a year off and go
traveling.
The time was right, so I left my job and went.
P: And you earned some
money while you were traveling, didn’t you?
A: Well, a little. I worked
on a farm for a while in Australia. They didn’t
pay me very much,
but I
stayed on the farm and ate for free, so
I was happy.
P: I see.
Now, Jasmin, doctor to musician is quite a big
change. What happened?
J:
Well, it is a big change. And it happened quite
suddenly. I was working in a hospital doing more
than 100 hours a week, looking after
elderly patients. I didn’t use to have time for
anything else.
It was just work, work,
work. And one morning when I left the hospital, I
saw a piano in the
corner of the room.
I sat down and started to play. I remembered that
I really enjoyed making
music.
P: So, did you use to play
the piano before, as a child?
J: Yes, I used to play, but I wasn’t
very good! Luckily, I’m a bit better now. Anyway,
I decided I
wanted to learn the piano,
so I started piano lessons, and learned about
writing songs. It became a
passion for
me, and I realized that it was something I really
wanted to do. So, I decided to make
more time for it, and eventually I gave
up medicine altogether, and started playing my own
music.
P: Fascinating, now
tell me about …
Viewing
Scripts
V =
V
oice-over; M1 = Man 1, etc.; W1 =
Woman 1; DL = Denise Lewis;
P = Presenter; LH = Lewis Hamilton; N =
Newsreader
Part 1
V:
This is Lewis Hamilton,
Formula One driver, model, celebrity, winner.
M1: He has a face, an
attitude, a style and a talent that the sponsors
love.
M2:
Everybody’s
talking
about
Lewis
Hamilton.
Everyone
wants
to
talk
to
me
about
Lewis
Hamilton. I want to
talk to them about Lewis Hamilton.
W1: He’s my new hero. He really is.
He’s ... he’s a hero for, for loads of people.
DL: I feel so passionate
about his story, his progression and the impact
he’s made on Formula One.
V: This is the story of how Lewis
Hamilton went from this ... to this. Formula One
is all about speed.
In this world, only
the fastest survive. The season lasts from March
to October, and it takes
place in some
of the world’s richest locations. It’s the sport
of millionaires ... and heroes. Speed
on the track, money in the bank, fame
and glory. And nobody does it better than Lewis
Hamilton,
the billion dollar man. A
hero today. But where did it all start?
Part 2
P:
Cars
like
these
are
getting
ready
to
compete
in
the
World
Championships.
Somebody
who’s
preparing for those
very same championships is Lewis Hamilton, who is
only seven years old.
So
how long have you been racing cars for already,
Lewis?
LH: About a year.
P:
So you must be pretty good at it. Is it
easy to do?
LH: No.
P:
What do you have to do then?
LH: This is the brake.
P:
That’s the brake. Oh, you need the
brake.
LH: And these are
the turns for steering.
P:
That’s your steering wheel, right and left. OK,
now … um … do you think I’d be able to have a
go?
LH: Yes.
P: You sure? They’re under
starter’s orders for the Blue Peter mini-Grand
Prix. Three, two, one.
Go! ... And I’m
last already. I hope you’re allowed to do that.
Put it back on the track. I’m going
to
be lapped. It’s been brought back on. And cars are
over me all the time. And we have a
winner! Who won the race?!
LH: Me!
P:
Lewis! Well done!
Congratulations!
LH: The
reason I wanna be a Formula One driver is because
it’s got a lot of speed in it. Um, when I
saw the actual speed that they were
doing, it was amazing because you don’t actually
think
about it when you’re watching TV.
And my kart feels really powerful when I’m in it
but imagine
being in a Formula One car.
It must be very powerful.
N: Lewis Hamilton has won four British
go-karting championships. Now he says he wants to
be
world Formula One champion by the
time he’s 20.
LH: My
ambition is to get to Formula One. Definitely. Um
… I enjoy the speed. Um … I like to be
with all the ... the big guys, and I
like to be making lots of money.
V: After go-karting, Lewis moved on to
Formula Three, which is two levels below Formula
One.
Formula Three is fast, dangerous,
and full of young, ambitious drivers. The best of
the drivers
are seen by Formula One
managers. And Lewis, of course, was the best.
After two years of
winning everything,
he moved up to the next level, and then to Formula
One.
LH: It’s so different
to what I, I’m used to. Before I was, I was just a
driver, but now it seems to
change
absolutely everything, and it’s just an unreal
feeling. It’s my dream come true
basically.
Speaking for communication
Role-play
Scripts
Conversation 1
A: Hello, Mr. Petersen.
What can I do for you?
B:
Hello, Tom. Um, I’d like to go on a private tour
of the White House.
A: The
White House? In Washington?
B: Yes.
A: OK.
B: And I’d like to go maybe
tomorrow afternoon. A:
Tomorrow
afternoon in the White House. OK.
B: Yes. If it’s OK with the President.
A: Right, let me see if I
have a number … hang on … ah, here it is. OK, I’ll
call the President’s
office and I’ll
get back to you later.
B:
OK.
Conversation 2
A: Hello, Clara. What can I do for you
today?
C: Hello, Tom.
Would it be possible to book a ticket for that
space flight?
A: What
space flight is that?
C: I
just saw it on TV. They’re sending a flight into
space next week and I would really like to go.
A: OK. I know the one
you’re talking about. Would you like me to get a
ticket for your husband,
too?
C: Yes, please.
A: OK. Just a moment. I’ll
call Mr. Branson.
Conversation
3
A:
Hi there, David.
D: Hi, Tom. We’d like to
rent a boat and take it down the River Thames for
about three or four days.
And it needs
to be a big boat for about 80 people.
A: Eighty?
D:
Yes, we’re inviting a few friends along.
A: And when would you like
it?
D: We told our friends
this weekend. Would you be able to organize it for
us?
A: Yes, of course. Can
you give me a moment? I’ll make a few calls. Do
you want me to get a boat
with a cook
and restaurant service?
D:
That would be wonderful.
Conversation 4
A: Hi, Maggie. How can I
help?
E: Hi, Tom. We’re in
London and we’re going out for lunch and we were
wondering … well, could
you recommend
somewhere in Paris?
A: In
Paris?
E: Yes, we’re going
to take the helicopter.
A:
What type of food?
E: Any
type really. Well, French.
A: French. OK. Um, there’s a very good
restaurant near the Eiffel Tower.
E: Oh good. That’s perfect.
A: Shall I book it?
E: Yes, please. And can you
give us directions?
A:
Have you got your laptop with you?
E: Yes.
A: Hold
on. I’ll email you a map.
Group discussion
Scripts
I’m 28 and I
live in South Wales. I’ve grown up here. My dream
began from an early age. As a
child I
always used to listen to my dad’s records on a
Sunday afternoon. And the music really excited
me. I knew I wanted to be a rock star.
As a teenager, I had music idols: Jimi Hendrix,
Keith Moon,
Jim Morrison, Nick Drake.
Many of them died before they were 27. It made me
think that I had to
do something about
my dream, before it was too late. When I was 15 I
bought myself a second-hand
drum kit. I
joined bands, and we played concerts. And then I
started to write songs. I played all the
time. I played for pleasure; I played
for money; I played when I was angry. It was like
everything I
ever wanted. But although
we had songs on the radio, we never got famous. I
don’t know when my
dream started to
change. But at 28 it was like I woke up and I
realized there was something else. I
was watching my son grow up, to have
his own dreams and ambitions. I woke up to my
family, and
my friends. I still play,
but it’s just for fun because I’m 28 now and it’s
time to live.
Further practice in
listening
Short
conversations
Scripts
Conversation 1
M: Why do you declare the news that
you’re pregnant on your blog directly?
W: I’m so excited that I
want to share this good news with the people who
love me, but I also hope
all my fans
can respect my privacy at this special time.
Q: How did the woman react
to the fact that she got pregnant?
Conversation 2
W: Miley was voted the
worst actress this year by the teenagers who used
to admire her so much.
M:
Yeah, but no reasons were given. Maybe we can get
some hints from what Miley did last year.
Remember that time she
slapped a 20-year-old female model? Q:
What do we learn from the conversation
about Miley?
Conversation 3
M: The Chinese couple won gold in pairs
skating. It’s the first Olympic gold in figure
skating for
China.
W:
I
just
can’t
imagine
they’ve
broken
Russia’s
46-year
hold
on
pairs
figure
skating
gold. One
minute on the
stage and 10 years of practice off the stage. They
deserve it. Q: Why does the woman
admire the couple?
Conversation 4
W: Some people are
fascinated with the lives of public figures, so
there are some media devoted
exclusively to their privacy.
M: But what they do often
makes these
public figures
embarrassed and annoyed. I believe that the
privacy of every individual, including
public figures should be respected. Q: What’s the
man’s
attitude toward these
media?
Conversation 5
M: You know? This American swimmer has
apologized for his actions after a picture was
published
in a newspaper showing him
taking drugs.
W: This is
not the first time he has been compelled under
public pressure to issue a public apology
for his behavior.
Q: What does the woman imply about the
American swimmer?
Long
conversation
Scripts
M:
Michelle? Why are you dressed up like this? Are
you studying acting or something?
W: Yeah Josh, I’m looking forward to a
future of fame and glory.
M: Yuck! Why would you want fame? I
thought you were better than all that fake
nonsense! Do you
want to be another
dumb girl running around Hollywood, trying to look
fashionable?
W: There’s no
fake nonsense in my plans! You’re thinking of
spoiled rich kids who are only famous
for being rich. I’m going to earn my
fame by being a great actress. Then, once I have
my famous
husband and a beautiful
house, I’m going to use my fame to help others
across the world. I’ll do
charity work
with starving children in Africa!
M: Oh please, if you really cared about
helping people you’d sign up for charity
organizations that
help feed the
hungry. You
just want to be
famous! You want to have your picture on the front
cover of magazines every time you go
out to get a coffee in your silk sleeping gowns!
W: Not true! I don’t care
about those stuff – though I certainly wouldn’t
mind being famous for my
excellent
fashion sense. And don’t make fun of me! As a
volunteer right now, I could work for
weeks and only help a few people at a
time. But once I’m famous, I’ll be able to make
such a big
difference! You’ll see, one
day I’ll be famous AND doing good AND I’ll send
you a postcard
saying: “I told you so!”
Q1:
What did the man think of those famous actresses
in Hollywood?
Q2: Why did
the woman want to be famous?
Q3: How did the man react to the
woman’s reasons for wanting to be famous? Q4:
What can we infer about the woman?
Passage 1
Scripts
Bill
Gates
was
born
on
October
28,
1955
in
a
family
having
a
rich
business,
political
and
community service
background. From childhood Bill was intelligent
and competitive. In school, he
had
excellent records in mathematics and science.
Still he was getting very bored in school and his
parents knew it, so they always tried
to feed him with more information to keep him
busy. Bill’s
parents came to know about
their son’s intelligence and decided to send him
to a private school,
known for its
serious academic environment. It was a very
important decision in Bill’s life, and it
was there that he was introduced to a
computer. Bill Gates and his friends were very
much interested
in the world of
programming and formed the “Programmers Group” in
late 1968. In the next year,
they
got
their
first
opportunity
in
Information
Sciences
Inc.
in
which
they
were
selected
as
programmers. Bill and his close friend
Allen developed a small computer to measure
traffic flow
and they earned around
$$20,000 from this project. In 1973, he left home
for Harvard University. He
did well
there, but he didn’t find it interesting. He spent
many long nights in front of the school’s
computer and the next day was asleep in
class. Bill and his friend Allen remained in close
contact
even though Allen was away in
Washington State University. They would often
discuss new ideas
for future projects
and the possibility of starting a business one
day. At the end of Bill’s first year,
Allen moved closer to him so that they
could follow some of their ideas. Within a year,
Bill Gates
dropped out of Harvard, and
then formed Microsoft with Allen.
Q1: How did
Bill Gates perform in school?
Q2: Why was studying in a private
school a very important decision in Bill’s life?
Q3: How did Bill like
Harvard University?
Q4:
What did Bill Gates do at Harvard
University?
Passage 2
Scripts and answers
Florence
Nightingale
was
a
celebrated
English
social
reformer
and
the
founder
of
modern
nursing. She became famous while
serving as a nurse during the Crimean War, where
she tended to
wounded
soldiers.
Early
21st
century
1)
commentators
have
asserted
that
Nightingale’s
achievements
in the Crimean War had been 2) exaggerated by the
media to satisfy the public’s need
for
a hero. But later on her achievements remain
widely accepted and she has generally been well
regarded by historians.
Nightingale was born to a wealthy
upper-class family, at a time when women of her
class were
expected
to
3)
focus
on
marriage
and
child
bearing.
Her
father
had
progressive
social
views,
providing his
daughter with a well-rounded education that
included math, and supported her desire
to 4) lead an active life. Nightingale
rejected proposals of marriage so as to be free to
pursue her
calling. In 1860,
Nightingale 5) laid the foundation of professional
nursing with the establishment
of her
nursing school in London. It was the first nursing
school in the world. The Nightingale Pledge
taken
by
new
nurses
was
named
in
her
honor,
and
the
6)
annual
International
Nurses
Day
is
celebrated
around
the
world
on
her
birthday.
She
made
7)
a
series
of
social
reforms
including
improving health care for all sections
of British society; improving health care and 8)
advocating
for better hunger relief in
India; helping to 9) abolish laws that were overly
harsh to women; and
expanding the
acceptable forms of female participation in the
workforce. Nightingale’s ability to
effect
reform
rested
on
her
extraordinary
skills,
her
good
reputation,
and
her
network
of
10)
influential
friends.
Unit 5 Urban pulse
Listening to the world
Sharing
Scripts
H =
Hina; M1 = Man 1, etc.; W1 = Woman 1, etc.