Listening B2 | FCE Practice Test with Answers - English Listening B2 Cambridge FULL Ingles B2 exam º

00:37:12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9aNCkv9lhw

Summary

TLDRThe audio features various scenarios including public announcements, customer service interactions, and personal anecdotes. It discusses the challenges faced by individuals in different situations, such as a car blocking a parade, a malfunctioning camera, and the complexities of travel and work schedules. Additionally, it addresses the evolution of school discipline and the impact of physical punishment on children, as well as the unique characteristics of unusual musical instruments from around the world. The conversations provide insights into societal changes and personal experiences.

Takeaways

  • 📢 Public announcements can disrupt events.
  • 📸 Understanding camera functions is crucial.
  • 🌱 Plant care can be complex.
  • 🏨 Hotel policies can be strict.
  • 📞 Communication is key in customer service.
  • 🎶 Unique instruments reflect cultural heritage.
  • ✈️ Flight attendants have long working hours.
  • 📚 School discipline has evolved over time.
  • 👶 Physical punishment has lasting effects.
  • 🌍 Travel experiences vary by location.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:00

    In a public celebration, an announcement requests the owner of a Skoda car to move it from a parking space to allow floats to pass, emphasizing the inconvenience caused by the car's presence.

  • 00:05:00 - 00:10:00

    A shop assistant explains to a customer that their camera is functioning properly but they may not have followed the instruction manual correctly, particularly regarding the battery and film.

  • 00:10:00 - 00:15:00

    A caller named Cecilia discusses her Swiss cheese plant troubles on a radio program, suspecting it might be root bound after transplanting it last spring, prompting advice from the host.

  • 00:15:00 - 00:20:00

    In a hotel lounge, a guest is informed that using a flash for photography is not allowed as it disturbs other visitors and damages antique paintings, leading to a confrontation about fairness in rules.

  • 00:20:00 - 00:25:00

    A woman in a trading company office discusses her tight schedule on Friday, deciding to cancel a meeting with her agent to accommodate another meeting, demonstrating her prioritization of commitments.

  • 00:25:00 - 00:30:00

    A TV travel program features a woman discussing complaints about a travel package deal, revealing that an investigation led to a compensation directive for affected customers, highlighting consumer rights issues.

  • 00:30:00 - 00:37:12

    In a fast food restaurant, a man shares a humorous story about his pet Samantha, who survived a wash cycle in a washing machine, illustrating the bond between pets and their owners and the unexpected situations they encounter.

Show more

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is the main topic of the first part?

    Public announcements and interactions in various situations.

  • What does Yvonne discuss in part two?

    Her opinion on children being punished at school.

  • What are some examples of unusual musical instruments mentioned?

    Instruments made of bells, ivory drums, hand drums, eucalyptus wood instruments, and rosewood instruments.

  • What does the flight attendant discuss with the passenger?

    The flight schedule, working hours, and travel experiences.

  • What societal issue does Yvonne reflect on regarding school discipline?

    The impact of abolishing physical punishment on children's behavior.

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Subtitles
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  • 00:00:02
    part one
  • 00:00:04
    you will hear people talking in eight
  • 00:00:07
    different situations
  • 00:00:09
    for questions one to eight choose the
  • 00:00:12
    best
  • 00:00:12
    answer a b or c
  • 00:00:16
    question one you are at a public
  • 00:00:19
    celebration
  • 00:00:20
    when you hear this announcement
  • 00:00:26
    um excuse me everybody this will take
  • 00:00:29
    only a minute
  • 00:00:30
    we have an announcement and the
  • 00:00:32
    announcement is
  • 00:00:34
    could the owner of the great skoda
  • 00:00:36
    registration
  • 00:00:37
    cra 179
  • 00:00:41
    p please remove his car from its parking
  • 00:00:44
    space at the far
  • 00:00:45
    end of the street sorry we appreciate
  • 00:00:47
    this is your
  • 00:00:48
    legal parking space but if your car
  • 00:00:50
    remains there
  • 00:00:51
    the floats won't be able to get past and
  • 00:00:54
    then everybody will be complaining
  • 00:01:00
    excuse me everybody this will take only
  • 00:01:03
    a minute
  • 00:01:04
    we have an announcement and the
  • 00:01:06
    announcement is
  • 00:01:08
    could the owner of the great skoda
  • 00:01:10
    registration
  • 00:01:11
    cra 179
  • 00:01:15
    p please remove his car from its parking
  • 00:01:18
    space
  • 00:01:18
    at the far end of the street sorry we
  • 00:01:21
    appreciate this is your legal parking
  • 00:01:23
    space but if your car remains there
  • 00:01:25
    the floats won't be able to get past and
  • 00:01:28
    then everybody will be complaining
  • 00:01:35
    question two you have taken your camera
  • 00:01:38
    to a shop where the assistant explains
  • 00:01:40
    why it is not working
  • 00:01:46
    oh well there doesn't appear to be
  • 00:01:48
    anything the matter with the camera
  • 00:01:50
    itself
  • 00:01:50
    but i don't think you pay much attention
  • 00:01:53
    to the instruction
  • 00:01:54
    manual and i don't worry about the film
  • 00:01:56
    i wound it back
  • 00:01:58
    into its container now if you look here
  • 00:02:01
    into the battery compartment
  • 00:02:03
    this should be put in this way around
  • 00:02:05
    with a little metal bit
  • 00:02:07
    pointing down towards the base of the
  • 00:02:09
    camera
  • 00:02:10
    and then if you depress the shutter just
  • 00:02:13
    a bit
  • 00:02:14
    you'll see this little light comes on
  • 00:02:17
    so now we have power
  • 00:02:22
    oh well there doesn't appear to be
  • 00:02:25
    anything the matter with the camera
  • 00:02:26
    itself
  • 00:02:27
    but i don't think you pay much attention
  • 00:02:29
    to the instruction manual
  • 00:02:31
    and i don't worry about the film i wound
  • 00:02:33
    it back
  • 00:02:34
    into its container now if you look here
  • 00:02:37
    into the battery compartment
  • 00:02:39
    this should be put in this way around
  • 00:02:42
    with a little metal bit
  • 00:02:43
    pointing down towards the base of the
  • 00:02:45
    camera
  • 00:02:47
    and then if you depress the shutter just
  • 00:02:49
    a bit
  • 00:02:50
    you'll see this little light comes on
  • 00:02:54
    so now we have power
  • 00:02:59
    question three you switch on the radio
  • 00:03:02
    to find a phone-in program
  • 00:03:04
    in progress
  • 00:03:09
    and our first caller today is cecilia
  • 00:03:11
    cecilia what is your question for gerald
  • 00:03:14
    well i've been having quite a lot of
  • 00:03:16
    trouble with my swiss cheese plant
  • 00:03:18
    i just can't get it to do what i want it
  • 00:03:21
    is
  • 00:03:22
    in quite a large pot now i transplanted
  • 00:03:24
    it last spring
  • 00:03:26
    but the leaves and stems haven't spread
  • 00:03:28
    out at all
  • 00:03:29
    i've been wondering if it could be root
  • 00:03:31
    bound well cecilia this is more common
  • 00:03:34
    than you might think
  • 00:03:35
    what you've got to do is
  • 00:03:40
    and our first caller today is cecilia
  • 00:03:42
    cecilia what is your question for gerald
  • 00:03:45
    well i've been having quite a lot of
  • 00:03:47
    trouble with my swiss cheese plant i
  • 00:03:49
    just can't get it to do what i want
  • 00:03:52
    it is in quite a large pot now i
  • 00:03:55
    transplanted it last spring
  • 00:03:57
    but the leaves and stems haven't spread
  • 00:03:59
    out at all
  • 00:04:00
    i've been wondering if it could be root
  • 00:04:02
    bound well
  • 00:04:03
    cecilia this is more common than you
  • 00:04:05
    might think what you've got to do is
  • 00:04:12
    question four you are in the lounge of
  • 00:04:15
    an expensive hotel
  • 00:04:16
    when you hear this exchange
  • 00:04:22
    i'm terribly sorry sir but we can't
  • 00:04:25
    allow you to do that here
  • 00:04:27
    but why ever not i've paid my money and
  • 00:04:29
    now just leave me alone
  • 00:04:30
    i'm awfully sorry but we simply can't
  • 00:04:33
    allow it
  • 00:04:34
    you see the flash disturbs other
  • 00:04:35
    visitors and damages the coloring in our
  • 00:04:38
    priceless antique paintings
  • 00:04:40
    well what about that man over there with
  • 00:04:41
    the dog i think you are
  • 00:04:44
    fine sir that he is not using a flash
  • 00:04:47
    well i'm going to talk to the manager
  • 00:04:53
    i'm terribly sorry sir but we can't
  • 00:04:56
    allow you to do that here
  • 00:04:57
    but why ever not i've paid my money and
  • 00:04:59
    now just leave me alone
  • 00:05:01
    i'm awfully sorry but we simply can't
  • 00:05:04
    allow it you see the flash disturbs
  • 00:05:06
    other visitors and damages the coloring
  • 00:05:08
    in our priceless antique paintings
  • 00:05:11
    well what about that man over there with
  • 00:05:12
    the dog i think you will find sir that
  • 00:05:15
    he is
  • 00:05:16
    not using a flash well i'm going to talk
  • 00:05:19
    to the manager
  • 00:05:25
    question five you are in the office of a
  • 00:05:28
    major trading company
  • 00:05:29
    when you hear this woman talking on the
  • 00:05:31
    phone
  • 00:05:35
    well peter i do have rather a tight
  • 00:05:38
    schedule on friday
  • 00:05:39
    let's see at 3 30 i have a meeting with
  • 00:05:42
    my agent
  • 00:05:43
    that goes on till 3 45 and then i have
  • 00:05:46
    to drive to the office for the
  • 00:05:47
    departmental heads meeting at 4 15
  • 00:05:50
    and that won't be finished to a quarter
  • 00:05:51
    to six at the earliest
  • 00:05:53
    no i know what i'll cancel my agent
  • 00:05:55
    after all i'm the one who's paying his
  • 00:05:57
    fee
  • 00:05:58
    he'll just have to lump it and then we
  • 00:06:00
    can meet at quarter to four
  • 00:06:01
    and i'll still get to the meeting for 4
  • 00:06:04
    15.
  • 00:06:07
    well peter i do have rather a tight
  • 00:06:09
    schedule on friday
  • 00:06:11
    let's see at 3 30 i have a meeting with
  • 00:06:14
    my agent
  • 00:06:15
    that goes on till 3 45 and then i have
  • 00:06:18
    to drive to the office for the
  • 00:06:19
    departmental heads meeting at 4 15
  • 00:06:22
    and that won't be finished till quarter
  • 00:06:23
    to 6 at the earliest
  • 00:06:25
    no i know what i'll cancel my agent
  • 00:06:27
    after all i'm the one who's paying his
  • 00:06:29
    fee
  • 00:06:30
    he'll just have to lump it and then we
  • 00:06:31
    can meet at quarter to four
  • 00:06:33
    and i'll still get to the meeting for 4
  • 00:06:35
    15.
  • 00:06:40
    question 6 listen to this woman speaking
  • 00:06:43
    on a tv
  • 00:06:44
    travel program
  • 00:06:49
    and now turning to a subject that we
  • 00:06:51
    discussed
  • 00:06:52
    last week we have had a number of phone
  • 00:06:54
    calls from other customers who also
  • 00:06:56
    suffered the same
  • 00:06:57
    inconvenience as result of booking
  • 00:07:00
    horden sun and save package deals
  • 00:07:02
    last summer we have also been informed
  • 00:07:05
    that the office of fair trading have in
  • 00:07:07
    fact carried out an
  • 00:07:08
    investigation and issued the following
  • 00:07:11
    statement
  • 00:07:12
    while not directly responsible hordens
  • 00:07:14
    limited should provide
  • 00:07:16
    compensation of no less than 60 pounds
  • 00:07:19
    for each individual
  • 00:07:23
    and now turning to a subject that we
  • 00:07:26
    discussed
  • 00:07:26
    last week we have had a number of phone
  • 00:07:29
    calls from other customers who also
  • 00:07:31
    suffered the same
  • 00:07:32
    inconvenience as result of booking
  • 00:07:34
    horden sun and save package deals
  • 00:07:37
    last summer we have also been informed
  • 00:07:40
    that the office of fair trading have in
  • 00:07:42
    fact carried out an investigation
  • 00:07:44
    and issued the following statement while
  • 00:07:47
    not directly responsible
  • 00:07:49
    hordens limited should provide
  • 00:07:50
    compensation of no less than
  • 00:07:52
    60 pounds for each individual
  • 00:08:00
    question seven you overhear this man
  • 00:08:03
    talking in a fast food restaurant
  • 00:08:09
    well samantha's really calmed down in
  • 00:08:11
    the last months or so
  • 00:08:13
    in fact she's been a lot better behaved
  • 00:08:15
    since she had her last little adventure
  • 00:08:17
    you did hear about that didn't you it's
  • 00:08:19
    really quite incredible
  • 00:08:20
    i mean she actually survived a whole
  • 00:08:22
    wash cycle in the washing machine
  • 00:08:24
    it's a good thing i came back before it
  • 00:08:26
    started to spin
  • 00:08:28
    and i fur did come out such a beautiful
  • 00:08:30
    snowy white color afterwards
  • 00:08:32
    mind you she won't go near the washing
  • 00:08:34
    machine again
  • 00:08:39
    well samantha's really calmed down in
  • 00:08:41
    the last months or so
  • 00:08:42
    in fact she's been a lot better behaved
  • 00:08:44
    since she had her last little adventure
  • 00:08:47
    you did hear about that didn't you it's
  • 00:08:49
    really quite incredible
  • 00:08:50
    i mean she actually survived a whole
  • 00:08:52
    wash cycle in the washing machine
  • 00:08:54
    it's a good thing i came back before it
  • 00:08:56
    started to spin
  • 00:08:57
    and i fur did come out such a beautiful
  • 00:09:00
    snowy white color afterwards
  • 00:09:02
    mind you she won't go near the washing
  • 00:09:04
    machine again
  • 00:09:09
    question eight you telephone a number in
  • 00:09:12
    order to hear a free phone message
  • 00:09:14
    about a new product
  • 00:09:19
    thank you for phoning the positronic
  • 00:09:22
    information service regarding the new
  • 00:09:24
    brain booster theta wave expander you
  • 00:09:28
    have already read our newspaper
  • 00:09:29
    advertisement and will know
  • 00:09:31
    that over a six month period the brain
  • 00:09:34
    booster is capable of raising your
  • 00:09:36
    intelligence level
  • 00:09:37
    by as much as 40 iq points without
  • 00:09:40
    affecting other brain functions
  • 00:09:42
    such as memory if you wish to hear an
  • 00:09:44
    example of the brain boosters unique
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    theta wave stimulator please listen
  • 00:09:50
    after the tone
  • 00:09:54
    thank you for phoning the positronic
  • 00:09:57
    information service regarding the new
  • 00:09:59
    brain booster theta wave expander you
  • 00:10:02
    have already read our newspaper
  • 00:10:04
    advertisement and will know
  • 00:10:06
    that over a six month period the brain
  • 00:10:08
    booster is capable of raising your
  • 00:10:11
    intelligence level
  • 00:10:12
    by as much as 40 iq points without
  • 00:10:15
    affecting other brain functions
  • 00:10:17
    such as memory if you wish to hear an
  • 00:10:19
    example of the brain boosters unique
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    theta wave stimulator please listen
  • 00:10:24
    after the tone
  • 00:10:28
    that is the end of part one
  • 00:10:41
    now turn to part two
  • 00:10:48
    you'll hear a woman called yvonne on a
  • 00:10:51
    tv program
  • 00:10:52
    giving her opinion about children being
  • 00:10:54
    punished at school
  • 00:10:57
    for questions 9 to 18 complete the
  • 00:10:59
    sentences with a word or short phrase
  • 00:11:04
    you now have 45 seconds in which to look
  • 00:11:06
    at part
  • 00:11:12
    2.
  • 00:11:54
    any of you who are of my generation or
  • 00:11:56
    older
  • 00:11:57
    will no doubt remember the strap but for
  • 00:11:59
    those youngsters listening
  • 00:12:00
    i'd better explain because i'm saying
  • 00:12:03
    this for your benefit
  • 00:12:05
    the strap as they called it was a thick
  • 00:12:08
    piece of leather about an inch wide
  • 00:12:10
    and half as long as a belt and it was
  • 00:12:12
    especially designed for hitting small
  • 00:12:14
    children
  • 00:12:15
    on the palms of their hands nowadays
  • 00:12:18
    if you do something wrong at school
  • 00:12:19
    you're unlucky if you even get a telling
  • 00:12:22
    off
  • 00:12:22
    and even the most serious offenses get
  • 00:12:25
    little more than a concerned phone call
  • 00:12:27
    from the head teacher to your mum and
  • 00:12:29
    dad
  • 00:12:30
    now when i was at st anne's school for
  • 00:12:32
    girls in the 50s
  • 00:12:33
    we didn't have things quite so easy it
  • 00:12:36
    didn't take much to get a strapping
  • 00:12:39
    i'll never forget the first time it
  • 00:12:40
    happened to me
  • 00:12:42
    one morning i came to school in the
  • 00:12:44
    wrong shoes
  • 00:12:45
    brown ones instead of black and that was
  • 00:12:48
    enough for the principal
  • 00:12:49
    to call me up in front of the whole
  • 00:12:51
    class of children and beat my hand until
  • 00:12:54
    it bled
  • 00:12:55
    i saw this and many other examples of
  • 00:12:57
    our school's discipline system
  • 00:12:59
    as very cruel and unfair now
  • 00:13:03
    unlike many people of that time i didn't
  • 00:13:05
    just forget about it when my school days
  • 00:13:07
    were over
  • 00:13:09
    soon i had children of my own and the
  • 00:13:11
    thought that they would one day get the
  • 00:13:12
    same treatment
  • 00:13:14
    really made my blood boil and that's
  • 00:13:16
    when i heard about poppy
  • 00:13:18
    uh parents opposed to physical
  • 00:13:20
    punishment of infants
  • 00:13:22
    all the other members were like me they
  • 00:13:25
    had young children
  • 00:13:26
    and didn't want some unfeeling teachers
  • 00:13:28
    filling their lives with misery
  • 00:13:30
    so we started writing letters first to
  • 00:13:33
    the schools
  • 00:13:34
    then to the education department and
  • 00:13:36
    eventually to our local politicians
  • 00:13:39
    and in 1979 the government put an end to
  • 00:13:42
    the strap
  • 00:13:43
    and the cane and the paddle and we
  • 00:13:47
    thought that we had
  • 00:13:48
    guaranteed our children the chance to
  • 00:13:49
    grow up into fine young people
  • 00:13:52
    and that i'm afraid did not happen my
  • 00:13:55
    own son
  • 00:13:55
    and daughter have turned into lazy
  • 00:13:57
    irresponsible young adults
  • 00:13:59
    who really have no idea how lucky they
  • 00:14:01
    are
  • 00:14:02
    i'm sure you all know people like them
  • 00:14:05
    and they're not the worst by far
  • 00:14:07
    but it's only recently that i've begun
  • 00:14:10
    to think
  • 00:14:11
    to wish that they'd never changed the
  • 00:14:13
    law
  • 00:14:14
    cruel it may have been unfair it often
  • 00:14:17
    was
  • 00:14:18
    but it taught us our place in society
  • 00:14:20
    and that's something that few young
  • 00:14:22
    people today
  • 00:14:23
    seem to know or want to respect for
  • 00:14:26
    example we wouldn't have all the teenage
  • 00:14:28
    crime that goes on nowadays
  • 00:14:30
    if those teenagers concerned had
  • 00:14:33
    when they'd been younger being given the
  • 00:14:42
    strap
  • 00:14:46
    you will hear the piece again
  • 00:14:49
    any of you who are of my generation or
  • 00:14:52
    older
  • 00:14:53
    will no doubt remember the strap but for
  • 00:14:55
    those youngsters listening i'd better
  • 00:14:57
    explain
  • 00:14:58
    because i'm saying this for your benefit
  • 00:15:00
    the strap
  • 00:15:01
    as they called it was a thick piece of
  • 00:15:04
    leather about an inch wide
  • 00:15:06
    and half as long as a belt and it was
  • 00:15:08
    especially designed for hitting small
  • 00:15:10
    children
  • 00:15:11
    on the palms of their hands nowadays
  • 00:15:14
    if you do something wrong at school
  • 00:15:15
    you're unlucky if you even get a telling
  • 00:15:18
    off
  • 00:15:18
    and even the most serious offenses get
  • 00:15:20
    little more than a concerned phone call
  • 00:15:23
    from the head teacher to your mum and
  • 00:15:25
    dad
  • 00:15:26
    now when i was at saint anne's school
  • 00:15:28
    for girls in the 50s
  • 00:15:29
    we didn't have things quite so easy it
  • 00:15:32
    didn't take much to get a strapping
  • 00:15:35
    i'll never forget the first time it
  • 00:15:36
    happened to me
  • 00:15:38
    one morning i came to school in the
  • 00:15:40
    wrong shoes
  • 00:15:41
    brown ones instead of black and that was
  • 00:15:44
    enough for the principal
  • 00:15:45
    to call me up in front of the whole
  • 00:15:47
    class of children and beat my hand until
  • 00:15:50
    it bled
  • 00:15:51
    i saw this and many other examples of
  • 00:15:53
    our school's discipline system
  • 00:15:55
    as very cruel and unfair now
  • 00:15:59
    unlike many people of that time i didn't
  • 00:16:01
    just forget about it when my school days
  • 00:16:03
    were over
  • 00:16:04
    soon i had children of my own and the
  • 00:16:07
    thought that they would one day get the
  • 00:16:08
    same treatment
  • 00:16:10
    really made my blood boil and that's
  • 00:16:12
    when i heard about poppy
  • 00:16:14
    uh parents opposed to physical
  • 00:16:16
    punishment of
  • 00:16:17
    infants all the other members were like
  • 00:16:20
    me
  • 00:16:20
    they had young children and didn't want
  • 00:16:23
    someone feeling teachers filling their
  • 00:16:24
    lives with misery
  • 00:16:26
    so we started writing letters first to
  • 00:16:29
    the schools
  • 00:16:30
    then to the education department and
  • 00:16:32
    eventually to our local politicians
  • 00:16:35
    and in 1979 the government put an end to
  • 00:16:38
    the strap
  • 00:16:39
    and the cane and the paddle and we
  • 00:16:43
    thought that we had guaranteed our
  • 00:16:44
    children the chance to grow up into fine
  • 00:16:47
    young people
  • 00:16:48
    and that i'm afraid did not happen my
  • 00:16:51
    own son and daughter have turned into
  • 00:16:52
    lazy
  • 00:16:53
    irresponsible young adults who really
  • 00:16:55
    have no idea how lucky they are
  • 00:16:58
    i'm sure you all know people like them
  • 00:17:00
    and they're not the worst by far but
  • 00:17:04
    it's only recently that i've begun to
  • 00:17:06
    think
  • 00:17:06
    to wish that they'd never changed the
  • 00:17:09
    law
  • 00:17:10
    cruel it may have been unfair it often
  • 00:17:13
    was
  • 00:17:14
    but it taught us our place in society
  • 00:17:16
    and that's something that few young
  • 00:17:18
    people today
  • 00:17:19
    seem to know or want to respect for
  • 00:17:22
    example
  • 00:17:22
    we wouldn't have all the teenage crime
  • 00:17:24
    that goes on nowadays
  • 00:17:26
    if those teenagers concerned had
  • 00:17:29
    when they'd been younger being given the
  • 00:17:31
    strap
  • 00:17:38
    that is the end of part two
  • 00:17:42
    part two
  • 00:17:48
    now turn to part three
  • 00:17:54
    you will hear five different people
  • 00:17:57
    describing different
  • 00:17:58
    unusual musical instruments from around
  • 00:18:00
    the world
  • 00:18:02
    for questions 19 to 23 choose from the
  • 00:18:05
    list a to h
  • 00:18:06
    which speaker's instrument best fits the
  • 00:18:09
    description given
  • 00:18:10
    use the letters only once there are
  • 00:18:14
    three
  • 00:18:14
    extra letters which you do not need to
  • 00:18:16
    use
  • 00:18:18
    you now have 30 seconds in which to look
  • 00:18:20
    through part 3.
  • 00:18:53
    speaker one there are only two
  • 00:18:56
    examples of this instrument in the world
  • 00:19:00
    one in a museum in japan and one
  • 00:19:03
    recently unearthed in southern china
  • 00:19:06
    many experts do not consider it to be
  • 00:19:08
    one instrument
  • 00:19:09
    as it is made up of 46 silver alloy
  • 00:19:12
    bells
  • 00:19:12
    each suspended from its own supporting
  • 00:19:15
    wooden frame
  • 00:19:16
    i must mention that some of these bells
  • 00:19:19
    weigh as much as
  • 00:19:20
    40 kilograms what makes this assembly
  • 00:19:23
    one
  • 00:19:24
    instrument in my opinion is the fact
  • 00:19:26
    that each one
  • 00:19:27
    of the 46 bells plays a separate note
  • 00:19:31
    and that the wooden supporting structure
  • 00:19:33
    has been designed so that they fit
  • 00:19:35
    together in an ascending scale
  • 00:19:37
    rather like the strings inside a piano
  • 00:19:40
    or the threats on the guitar
  • 00:19:45
    speaker 2 what gives this drum
  • 00:19:49
    its unique mellow tone is the fact that
  • 00:19:51
    the bowl around which the skin
  • 00:19:53
    has been stretched is made from a single
  • 00:19:55
    piece of
  • 00:19:56
    white ivory the outer surface of the
  • 00:19:59
    bowl has been
  • 00:20:00
    carved with special places for the
  • 00:20:02
    fingers
  • 00:20:03
    in each of these there is a hole that
  • 00:20:05
    the player can cover
  • 00:20:07
    with one of the fingers of his left hand
  • 00:20:09
    to slightly alter the tone as he beats
  • 00:20:11
    the skin
  • 00:20:12
    with his right hand the finger movements
  • 00:20:14
    of the left hand
  • 00:20:15
    are not dissimilar to those used with
  • 00:20:18
    the guitar
  • 00:20:19
    it is perhaps rather sad that since the
  • 00:20:21
    international trade in ivory has been
  • 00:20:23
    made illegal
  • 00:20:24
    few of these instruments have been made
  • 00:20:27
    there is a risk that the tradition
  • 00:20:28
    behind its production will soon be lost
  • 00:20:32
    forever
  • 00:20:35
    speaker 3 what is particularly
  • 00:20:38
    interesting about this traditional hand
  • 00:20:40
    drum
  • 00:20:40
    are the unique red and gold patterns
  • 00:20:42
    painted on its wooden underside
  • 00:20:44
    this of course does not affect the sound
  • 00:20:47
    but reflects the social importance of
  • 00:20:49
    this instrument for the sachawire tribe
  • 00:20:51
    who produce it they believe that as a
  • 00:20:53
    result of its use in public celebrations
  • 00:20:56
    it is filled with the good spirits of
  • 00:20:57
    the community then later
  • 00:20:59
    in the year when the autumn winds begin
  • 00:21:01
    to blow the drum can be displayed
  • 00:21:03
    outside a building of
  • 00:21:04
    importance to drive away the evil
  • 00:21:06
    spirits that may cause destruction in
  • 00:21:08
    the winter ahead
  • 00:21:13
    speaker 4 the stem and sound box of this
  • 00:21:17
    instrument are made from the wood of the
  • 00:21:19
    eucalyptus tree
  • 00:21:20
    this is quite a soft wood which means
  • 00:21:22
    that the instrument goes out of tune
  • 00:21:24
    very rapidly
  • 00:21:25
    the craftsmen who construct them still
  • 00:21:27
    use stretched snake gut to make the five
  • 00:21:29
    strings
  • 00:21:30
    this of course makes the instrument very
  • 00:21:32
    expensive
  • 00:21:33
    and it was traditionally only played by
  • 00:21:35
    tribal chiefs and their families
  • 00:21:37
    surprisingly not only its appearance but
  • 00:21:39
    the tuning as well are similar to that
  • 00:21:41
    ever classical guitar
  • 00:21:43
    suggesting that this tribe must have had
  • 00:21:45
    some contact with the outside world
  • 00:21:47
    long before the 20th century
  • 00:21:52
    speaker 5 the curved base and supporting
  • 00:21:57
    structure of this instrument
  • 00:21:58
    are made of matured rosewood while the
  • 00:22:01
    nails that hold the blocks are
  • 00:22:03
    traditionally
  • 00:22:04
    made of ebony which was the hardest wood
  • 00:22:06
    available until recently
  • 00:22:09
    four different trees are used to make
  • 00:22:10
    the blocks themselves
  • 00:22:12
    which are matured in different ways to
  • 00:22:14
    give each one its own
  • 00:22:16
    individual note the special hammers are
  • 00:22:19
    fashioned by hand from willow
  • 00:22:21
    a wood still widely used in the
  • 00:22:23
    manufacture of guitars
  • 00:22:25
    as a result of its construction the
  • 00:22:27
    instrument is surprisingly light
  • 00:22:30
    making it easy for the nobundo tribe to
  • 00:22:33
    use it at its various social functions
  • 00:22:36
    and annual celebrations
  • 00:22:47
    you will hear the peace again
  • 00:22:52
    speaker one there are only two
  • 00:22:56
    examples of this instrument in the world
  • 00:22:59
    one in a museum in japan and one
  • 00:23:02
    recently unearthed in southern china
  • 00:23:05
    many experts do not consider it to be
  • 00:23:07
    one instrument
  • 00:23:08
    as it is made up of 46 silver alloy
  • 00:23:11
    bells
  • 00:23:12
    each suspended from its own supporting
  • 00:23:14
    wooden frame
  • 00:23:15
    i must mention that some of these bells
  • 00:23:18
    weigh as much as
  • 00:23:19
    40 kilograms what makes this assembly
  • 00:23:22
    one
  • 00:23:23
    instrument in my opinion is the fact
  • 00:23:25
    that each one
  • 00:23:26
    of the 46 bells plays a separate note
  • 00:23:30
    and that the wooden supporting structure
  • 00:23:32
    has been designed so that they fit
  • 00:23:34
    together in an ascending scale
  • 00:23:36
    rather like the strings inside a piano
  • 00:23:39
    or the frets on the guitar
  • 00:23:44
    speaker two what gives this drum
  • 00:23:48
    its unique mellow tone is the fact that
  • 00:23:50
    the bowl around which the skin has been
  • 00:23:52
    stretched is made from a single piece of
  • 00:23:55
    white ivory the outer surface of the
  • 00:23:58
    bowl has been
  • 00:23:59
    carved with special places for the
  • 00:24:01
    fingers
  • 00:24:02
    in each of these there is a hole that
  • 00:24:04
    the player can cover
  • 00:24:06
    with one of the fingers of his left hand
  • 00:24:08
    to slightly alter the tone as he beats
  • 00:24:10
    the skin
  • 00:24:11
    with his right hand the finger movements
  • 00:24:13
    of the left hand
  • 00:24:14
    are not dissimilar to those used with
  • 00:24:17
    the guitar
  • 00:24:18
    it is perhaps rather sad that since the
  • 00:24:20
    international trade in ivory has been
  • 00:24:22
    made illegal
  • 00:24:24
    few of these instruments have been made
  • 00:24:26
    there is a risk that the tradition
  • 00:24:28
    behind its production will soon be lost
  • 00:24:30
    forever
  • 00:24:34
    speaker three what is particularly
  • 00:24:37
    interesting about this traditional hand
  • 00:24:39
    drum
  • 00:24:39
    are the unique red and gold patterns
  • 00:24:41
    painted on its wooden underside
  • 00:24:43
    this of course does not affect the sound
  • 00:24:46
    but reflects the social importance of
  • 00:24:48
    this instrument for the sachawire tribe
  • 00:24:50
    who produce it they believe that as a
  • 00:24:52
    result of its use in public celebrations
  • 00:24:55
    it is filled with the good spirits of
  • 00:24:57
    the community then later
  • 00:24:58
    in the year when the autumn winds begin
  • 00:25:00
    to blow the drum can be displayed
  • 00:25:02
    outside a building of
  • 00:25:03
    importance to drive away the evil
  • 00:25:05
    spirits that may cause destruction in
  • 00:25:08
    the winter ahead
  • 00:25:12
    speaker iv the stem and sound box of
  • 00:25:16
    this instrument are made from the wood
  • 00:25:18
    of the eucalyptus tree
  • 00:25:19
    this is quite a soft wood which means
  • 00:25:21
    that the instrument goes out of tune
  • 00:25:23
    very rapidly
  • 00:25:24
    the craftsmen who construct them still
  • 00:25:26
    use stretched snake gut to make the five
  • 00:25:28
    strings
  • 00:25:29
    this of course makes the instrument very
  • 00:25:31
    expensive
  • 00:25:32
    and it was traditionally only played by
  • 00:25:34
    tribal chiefs and their families
  • 00:25:36
    surprisingly not only its appearance but
  • 00:25:39
    the tuning as well are similar to that
  • 00:25:40
    of a classical guitar
  • 00:25:42
    suggesting that this tribe must have had
  • 00:25:44
    some contact with the outside world
  • 00:25:46
    long before the 20th century
  • 00:25:52
    speaker five the curved base
  • 00:25:55
    and supporting structure of this
  • 00:25:57
    instrument are made of matured rosewood
  • 00:26:00
    while the nails that hold the blocks are
  • 00:26:02
    traditionally made of ebony
  • 00:26:04
    which was the hardest wood available
  • 00:26:06
    until recently
  • 00:26:08
    four different trees are used to make
  • 00:26:10
    the blocks themselves which are matured
  • 00:26:12
    in different ways
  • 00:26:13
    to give each one its own individual note
  • 00:26:17
    the special hammers are fashioned by
  • 00:26:18
    hand from willow
  • 00:26:20
    a wood still widely used in the
  • 00:26:22
    manufacture of guitars
  • 00:26:24
    as a result of its construction the
  • 00:26:26
    instrument is surprisingly light
  • 00:26:29
    making it easy for the nobundo tribe to
  • 00:26:32
    use it at its various social functions
  • 00:26:35
    and annual celebrations
  • 00:26:42
    that is the end of part three
  • 00:26:47
    part three
  • 00:26:55
    now turn to part four
  • 00:27:02
    as you are leaving an airplane at the
  • 00:27:03
    end of a flight
  • 00:27:05
    you overhear this conversation between a
  • 00:27:07
    passenger and a flight attendant
  • 00:27:09
    for questions 24 to 30 choose the best
  • 00:27:13
    answer
  • 00:27:13
    a b or c there will now be a pause of
  • 00:27:17
    one minute for you to look through part
  • 00:27:19
    four
  • 00:28:18
    sorry you'll have to leave by the door
  • 00:28:19
    at the front sir
  • 00:28:21
    okay and thanks for everything have a
  • 00:28:23
    good holiday sir
  • 00:28:25
    well actually i'm not exactly on holiday
  • 00:28:27
    oh
  • 00:28:28
    do you live here well that's what i'm
  • 00:28:30
    planning to do
  • 00:28:31
    i'm visiting a friend who says he can
  • 00:28:33
    get me a job
  • 00:28:34
    so i'm going to be around this area for
  • 00:28:36
    a bit is this your last flight today
  • 00:28:39
    i wish it was i've already been on for
  • 00:28:41
    five hours and i've got the return
  • 00:28:43
    flight to come
  • 00:28:44
    so have you got another five hours ahead
  • 00:28:46
    of you more like five and a half
  • 00:28:49
    and that's if there are no delays so the
  • 00:28:52
    return flight is longer
  • 00:28:53
    well it's the same distance but from
  • 00:28:55
    london to athens we have a tailwind
  • 00:28:57
    which makes it quicker
  • 00:28:59
    but on the way back that becomes a
  • 00:29:00
    headwind which slows us down
  • 00:29:02
    that's a long day do you work any longer
  • 00:29:06
    days
  • 00:29:06
    well the longest working day is about 12
  • 00:29:09
    hours
  • 00:29:10
    but if there are delays at either end it
  • 00:29:12
    can soon mount up
  • 00:29:14
    is that 12 hours actually in the air
  • 00:29:18
    no it's not actually flying time there's
  • 00:29:20
    a one-hour pre-flight and a post-flight
  • 00:29:23
    routine that we have to go through
  • 00:29:24
    oh i don't envy you mind you i used to
  • 00:29:27
    work
  • 00:29:28
    nights in a hotel and that was often 12
  • 00:29:30
    hours or more
  • 00:29:31
    but at least it was on the ground i hope
  • 00:29:35
    you don't mind me asking
  • 00:29:37
    what do you do on longer flights well
  • 00:29:40
    actually they're better
  • 00:29:41
    anything over four and a half hours is
  • 00:29:45
    rostered as a stopover so
  • 00:29:48
    you do the out flight on one day and we
  • 00:29:50
    fly back on the next
  • 00:29:51
    and sometimes if you're lucky you even
  • 00:29:54
    get two night stop over
  • 00:29:56
    does that happen often about once a week
  • 00:29:58
    usually
  • 00:29:59
    i'm doing moscow tomorrow that's one and
  • 00:30:02
    it's a nice place
  • 00:30:03
    but it's a bit chilly around this time
  • 00:30:05
    of year the weather there must be very
  • 00:30:07
    cold
  • 00:30:08
    do you stay there often not very often
  • 00:30:11
    but you are right
  • 00:30:12
    it's not the best place to be in in the
  • 00:30:14
    winter
  • 00:30:15
    i like warm weather spain greece and
  • 00:30:18
    italy are my favorite countries
  • 00:30:29
    you will hear the piece again
  • 00:30:33
    sorry you'll have to leave by the door
  • 00:30:35
    at the front sir
  • 00:30:36
    okay and thanks for everything have a
  • 00:30:39
    good holiday sir
  • 00:30:40
    well actually i'm not exactly on holiday
  • 00:30:43
    oh
  • 00:30:43
    do you live here well that's what i'm
  • 00:30:46
    planning to do
  • 00:30:47
    i'm visiting a friend who says he can
  • 00:30:49
    get me a job
  • 00:30:50
    so i'm going to be around this area for
  • 00:30:52
    a bit is this your last flight today
  • 00:30:54
    i wish it was i've already been on for
  • 00:30:57
    five hours and i've got the return
  • 00:30:59
    flight to come
  • 00:31:00
    so have you got another five hours ahead
  • 00:31:02
    of you more like
  • 00:31:03
    five and a half and that's if there are
  • 00:31:05
    no delays
  • 00:31:07
    so the return flight is longer well it's
  • 00:31:10
    the same distance but from london to
  • 00:31:12
    athens we have a tailwind which makes it
  • 00:31:14
    quicker
  • 00:31:14
    but on the way back that becomes a
  • 00:31:16
    headwind which slows us down
  • 00:31:18
    that's a long day do you work any longer
  • 00:31:21
    days
  • 00:31:22
    well the longest working day is about 12
  • 00:31:24
    hours
  • 00:31:25
    but if there are delays at either end it
  • 00:31:28
    can soon mount up
  • 00:31:30
    is that 12 hours actually in the air
  • 00:31:34
    no it's not actually flying time there's
  • 00:31:36
    a one-hour pre-flight and a post-flight
  • 00:31:38
    routine that we have to go through
  • 00:31:40
    ah i don't envy you mind you i used to
  • 00:31:43
    work
  • 00:31:43
    nights in a hotel and that was often 12
  • 00:31:46
    hours or more
  • 00:31:47
    but at least it was on the ground i hope
  • 00:31:50
    you don't mind me asking
  • 00:31:52
    what do you do on longer flights well
  • 00:31:55
    actually they're better
  • 00:31:57
    anything over four and a half hours is
  • 00:32:00
    rostered as a stopover so
  • 00:32:03
    you do the out flight on one day and we
  • 00:32:06
    fly back on the next
  • 00:32:07
    and sometimes if you're lucky you even
  • 00:32:09
    get two night stop over
  • 00:32:11
    does that happen often about once a week
  • 00:32:14
    usually
  • 00:32:15
    i'm doing moscow tomorrow that's one and
  • 00:32:17
    it's a nice place
  • 00:32:19
    but it's a bit chilly around this time
  • 00:32:20
    of year the weather there must be very
  • 00:32:23
    cold
  • 00:32:23
    do you stay there often not very often
  • 00:32:26
    but you are right
  • 00:32:27
    it's not the best place to be in in the
  • 00:32:29
    winter
  • 00:32:30
    i like warm weather spain greece and
  • 00:32:33
    italy are my favorite countries
  • 00:32:40
    that is the end of part four there will
  • 00:32:43
    now be a pause of
  • 00:32:44
    five minutes for you to copy your
  • 00:32:46
    answers onto the separate answer sheet
  • 00:32:49
    be sure to follow the numbering of all
  • 00:32:51
    the questions
  • 00:37:11
    you
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