Practice test audioscript C1
Part 1 Extract Three
Extract One Man: Well, as an arts critic, I’m often asked why
Woman: I really thought I’d feel like an utterly different opera is such a minority thing, and my answer is
person once I graduated … cool, calm, collected always the same. People get put off it because
… . Ah well, I guess one good thing I got out they think it’s highbrow – only for sophisticated
of it is I finally have a firm grip on what I want people who know a lot about it. I know there
to do for a living. A Master’s would certainly are columnists in the media who try to promote
help my chances of achieving my goal, but I just it, but it still has that image with the general
don’t have the will. Besides, I’ve spent enough public and they don’t want to go near it.
time with lecturers to last a lifetime! Woman: I know exactly what you mean. I’ve always
Man: If anything, I think uni has made me much been interested in most art forms. I’m a theatre-
more withdrawn. I felt there was a real lack of goer, film-goer, concert-goer … but I’d never
support from the academic staff. They set the thought of going to the opera until a friend
odd assignment now and again, then left us took me along. And then I was instantly turned
to get on with it. The workload wasn’t exactly into an opera-goer too. I’d expected it to be dull
challenging … not what I expected at all. but I loved that performance! Since then, I’ve
Woman: So the opposite experience to me then! What been to a broad range and loved every one.
I’d always envisaged was spending more time Part 2
with my peers, discussing papers and ideas … Man: OK, welcome to the Debating Society’s first
that kind of thing. meeting of the year. It’s good to see so many
Man: Exactly! The reality couldn’t have been more new faces – welcome to the club! We’re going
different. to be mixing things up a little this semester and
Woman: Well perhaps you should consider doing a moving away from academic theories towards
postgraduate degree. I hear they tend to events that are in the news and social issues.
involve much more one-on-one time with a With that in mind, I’m going to start by running
mentor, and you’d be able to run seminars for through the programme we’ve organised so far.
undergraduates.
So, January’s debate will be on the economy.
Man: Hmm … you know that might not be a bad idea.
Due to recent developments and events, widely
Extract Two covered all over the media, it’s a hot topic.
Man: I’m just puzzled why the government are even We’ve spent the past few months considering
considering the project. What was the point whether a banker or a stockbroker would be the
of officially declaring it an area of outstanding most suitable speaker. However, to ensure the
natural beauty if you’re going to let the first debate is just as entertaining as it is stimulating,
developer with a big enough wad of cash we’ve booked the comedian Tom Spicer, who
cover it in concrete? But you know what really has a degree in global economics. Last year, we
disgusts me, is that the wetlands are an essential had an economic theorist, who of course has
stopping-off point for Canadian geese flying devoted years to the study of the subject. But
south for the winter. No one ever thinks about we felt a fresh perspective would be welcomed.
the negative impact our actions can have. It all February’s debate will be on a political matter.
just seems so illogical … when I read about it We always schedule one with that theme over
in the paper, I thought they were talking about a four-month period. This time it will centre on
somewhere else with the same name. the subject of recent elections, not just here but
Woman: Of course, all wetlands are of the utmost in a number of countries around the world. Do
importance for the survival of many species. the results have something in common? We’ll
Entire ecosystems utterly depend upon them. be debating whether they indicate a general
So I do have some sympathy for your position. change in the attitudes of the public. Our guest
On the other hand, the nearby urban area is will be Vince Price, who has spent a large part
incredibly deprived. Ministers have to weigh up of his career researching voting patterns and
the effects on nature against the benefits the interpreting them, so his contribution will be
airport will bring. Just think of the thousands of fascinating.
jobs it will provide and the boost it will give the
economy. It must seem like an opportunity too
good to miss.
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Practice test audioscript C1
OK, now March’s topic is one that people often I: Now, you were suddenly catapulted to fame,
have strong opinions on when they watch the a favourite on TV panel shows, on the cover of
news or read a paper, and that is the issue of every magazine, your private life the subject of
media influence. A lot of people claim that the lots of media coverage. How did you feel when
media is never neutral, and has a power over you first became a celebrity?
the way people think that it shouldn’t have. G: It was really strange to be honest. People
Well, to help us debate that issue, we’ve got told me to enjoy it while it lasted, and I was
the TV presenter Gail Cross, who recently had assuming that it wouldn’t last for very long,
a bad time as a result of negative press about which didn’t bother me at all. I thought it would
her private life that put her in a bad light. She’ll just be a very unusual episode in my life and
have plenty of strong views to bring to the nothing more. But it was a shock and I felt
debate. pretty uncomfortable about having the spotlight
Finally, in April, we’ll be debating the issue of on me, being looked at and talked about
social change. The debate will briefly discuss wherever I went. My life completely changed
whether the recent government housing project and it did have its advantages, but at first I was
has been for the good or whether it’s brought more shocked than thrilled.
new problems of overcrowding. But the primary I: Now your fame lasted for quite a while in the
point for discussion will be the newly introduced end. What would you say is the chief downside
Social Care Law. We’re expecting some lively to being famous like you were?
exchanges of opinion on that one, and we’re G: I got used to the lack of a private life pretty
particularly pleased to have Michael Trent as quickly, actually. Nobody forces anyone to be
our guest speaker for it. As a politician who has famous and you can’t moan if you have to
spent many years working in that area, he’ll sacrifice your privacy for it. I met a lot of people
have some very interesting and informative of course. Suddenly I had a lot of friends,
things to say. and in a way that was the real drawback – I
could never know if they were real friends
For suggestions for next semester, it makes the
or just attaching themselves to me because
most sense to email me directly, though you
of who I was. In fact, that’s what many of
can also write a comment card and post it in the
them turned out to be doing, and they came
box at the front of the debate hall, or … a more
and went. Another thing is that people treat
modern way of doing it … join our social media
you differently if you’re famous. They make
page.
assumptions about what you’re like because of
OK, now I’m going to move on to talk about … their image of you … but you just have to live
Part 3 with that … it’s to be expected.
(I = Interviewer; G = Georgia Taylor) I: But of course it had its good sides, surely?
I: Well, everybody these days seems to be G: Oh yeah, for sure. I made a lot of money in a
fascinated by celebrities and the whole business very short time, but I’m afraid I just came to
of fame. Today we’re looking at that in a take that for granted, and the lifestyle it gave
slightly different way – what’s it like to be me. I didn’t really appreciate all that. I wish
famous for a time and then not famous at all. I had done now I don’t have it! What I must
I’ve got Georgia Taylor with me and that’s her admit I really loved was how much freedom
story. Not so long ago, Georgia was incredibly it gave me. If I didn’t want to work, or do
famous … on TV all the time … all over anything much, I didn’t have to. I had a lot
magazines and newspapers … Georgia, hi. of really nice holidays. And of course, people
G: Hi. said all sorts of nice things all the time, very
I: Now, first of all, was it always your ambition to flattering things, but I realised they weren’t
be famous? always sincere and I didn’t let that go to
G: I was always incredibly driven to be a success, my head.
but I actually wanted to achieve that in a I: Now, your fame came to an end. Why was
normal career, not in the public eye. I tried my that?
hand at all sorts of things but I never really G: Well, of course for many people famous for the
found the one thing that would suit me. And sort of reason I was, it can all be short-lived.
then, while I was working for a beauty products Age can be a factor in that, although I got out
firm, I happened to run into a photographer before that could become an issue. I didn’t
who was shooting an advertising campaign want to get into the position where the offers
there. He suggested I could be a model and stop coming and you have a slow decline – you
everything else happened as a direct result
of that.
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Practice test audioscript C1
find yourself turning into a has-been. A lot of Speaker 3
celebrities struggle to cope with that. I simply I couldn’t fault the place in terms of working conditions,
realised one day that I’d had enough of it … and the company was certainly thriving. I was involved in
that it was a phase that had come to an end. So some very successful campaigns and we were given huge
I just gave up … disappeared. I felt like it was amounts of money to spend on promoting the products.
time for a new challenge, and one that involved The only problem was that during my time there, I realised
some kind of normality. it wasn’t the kind of work I wanted to do at all. I retrained
I: We’ll talk about what you did next in a as a therapist and much to my relief have just passed my
moment. But when you look back on that six-month trial period at the clinic where I work. One
period of fame, how do you feel about it now? thing, though … my job in marketing was well-paid and
G: Good question. I had a lot of good times but I I particularly liked the perks – discounts, long holidays …
don’t miss it. I don’t feel it was a mistake, that there were even quiet rooms for taking it easy. There isn’t
I shouldn’t have done it. It just seems like it really the budget for all that at my new place.
was a different me, a different person who did Speaker 4
all those things. I don’t … it’s funny … I don’t There was never a dull moment in that job – one day I
really know what to make of it … I have mixed might be assessing the management, another interviewing
feelings. I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. staff, writing up reports, leading the team … all sorts of
I: OK, well, after you were famous, you went things. We also got to travel which was a plus. Staff were
on to … sometimes suspicious of us, wanting to know why we
Part 4 were there, but I really enjoyed coming up with advice on
Speaker 1 how each company could improve or become even more
It was a decent company to work for and I enjoyed my successful – it really was quite rewarding and I don’t just
time there. There were three of us in my section and we mean financially. Before long, I was offered a promotion.
had a right laugh together. It was very hectic though … It was a bit of a surprise as I wasn’t really qualified for the
always something going wrong. The thing I really liked role, but I jumped at the opportunity. It’s been tough,
there was how I was forced to learn new skills every day. but I’m starting to grasp it and I’m looking forward to
Any tools we wanted, our boss got them for us – he just succeeding at this level.
didn’t pay us enough. So when an opportunity came up, Speaker 5
I left. In my new job, I can afford to go out more and buy It was a nice place to work. The managers would always
expensive clothes. But I’ve come to realise that’s not all show their appreciation for our work by giving us rewards
there is to life. I can’t see myself here for much longer. and sending us on team-building excursions, which were
I feel like I’ve made a mistake rushing into such a big more fun than they sound! One day though, I thought to
decision. myself: if you don’t follow your dream of being an artist
Speaker 2 now, when will you? So I quit. It was a tough decision
I was working at my Dad’s advertising firm. I thought the as the pay was excellent and that was the main reason I
other employees would be a bit hostile towards someone stayed there for so long. But I have to say: so far, so good!
walking straight into the job without any experience, I’ve sold one or two pieces already and have an exhibition
just because they were the boss’ son. So I worked extra at a local gallery next month. I’m not going to get ahead
hard, never took a lunch break and learnt as much as I of myself, though, and will just take each day as it comes.
could from the other executives who knew the industry
inside out. I needn’t have worried, though. Everyone
there was so lovely and made all the long hours not only
bearable, but completely worth it. Last year I went out on
my own, and even though it was pretty scary at first, it’s
wonderful not having to get my Dad’s stamp of approval
for everything.
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