Documenti di Didattica
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Unit 1 Personally Speaking l’ve been afraid of the dentist for years now, and l’m not
really sure what brouaht it on. There doesn’t seem to be
Listening anv loaical reason for it. Of course, it doesn’t stop me
A Listen to the recording and tick the correct going for a check-up every year. I know that if I put it off,
sentence, a or b, in each ítem that means the things will oniy get worse. It’s not like I freak out or do
same as the sentence you hear. anything embarrassing while l’m in the dentist’s chair.
1can’t exDiain it: I just seem to tense up and my paims
1 I can’t believe he chickened out of the go all sweaty. But it’s weird thouah because i wasn’t
competition. always like that and I know that nothing can happen
2 Trv and look on the briaht side! to me.
3 His behaviour is irrational.
4 The film really let me down. 2 You hear a man taiking about his driving test.
What is he anxious about?
B Look at the siíuations and options below. a crashing the car
Then listen to the recording and write a b failing the test
suitable question for each one. c not turning up for the test
1 You will hear a boy speaking to his mother. l’ve been taking a crash course in driving for over a
a washing the dishes month now, and my instructor is keen for me to take
b watering the plants the test soon. I’m not sure l’m ready psychologicaily,
c emptying the dishwasher though. It’s not that I don’t know how to drive; l’m pretty
sure l’d pass. The course has been very intense and
Munn, why do I have to do the washing-up every l’ve managed to do a lot of driving in such a short length
evening? You know how much I hate it! Why can’t we of time. The thing is, I don’t react very weli in stressful
all do chores that we enjoy? I like watering the plants, situations like tests. I supoose what worries me most is
but Jody’s always compiaining about doing it, and says that ril chicken out of the test at the last minute. What a
she’d prefer the dishes any day. I don't understand why Waste of time and money that’d be!
we haven’t got a dishwasher anyway like everyone eise
has. I wouldn’t mind so much if all I had to do was load 3 You hear a woman taiking about horror films.
the dishwasher and press a button. What is her opinión of the film she saw last
night?
2 You will hear a head teacher speaking to a
a It was very amusing.
student.
b It was very scary.
a the number of absences the student has had
c It was over-rated.
b the student’s inability to concéntrate
c the student’s poor academic resuits I iove watching horror films. They usually make me
laugh. I mean, the storylines are normally so predictable
Hi Anne, in you come. Now, what I want to talk to you
it’s unbelievable, and the special effects are very often
about this morning is your grades, l’m concerned about
a bit of a joke really. But I got a film last night from my
them as they’ve fallen quite dramaticaily this term.
local DVD shop which had got good reviews, and to my
Now, I know you've been absent quite a lot due to
amazement, I was absolutelv terrified! It had me on the
your operation, but l’m not entirely sure that’s the oniy
edae of mv seat from start to finish. It really deserved
reason for such poor performance. You don’t really
the glowing reviews it got.
seem interested in school these days and most of your
teachers say you can’t concéntrate in class. Is there 4 You hear a woman taiking to her daughter.
anything we can do to help? Why is she taiking to her?
a to convey her annoyance
C Swap books with a partner and listen to
b to cheer her daughter up
the recording again to answer each other’s
c to express a lack of confidence in her
questions. Are your answers the same?
daughter’s abilities
D You will hear people taiking in six situations. 1 know you must be very upset that you didn’t make it
For questions 1-6, choose the best answer to the fináis. But it’s not the end of the worid! I admit
(a, b or c). Dad and I haven’t always been that supportive in the
past. I guess we didn’t think you’d make it this far, and
1 You hear a woman taiking about a phobia she we were annoyed when you left college to play tennis
has. How does she describe her fear? professionally. But you’ve certainly proved us wrong,
a severe haven’t you? Trv and look on the briaht side. You were
b Irrational the runner-up after all, and your sponsorship has been
c embarrassing renewed.
RECORDING SCRIPT 161
5 You overhear two people taiking on a plañe. Unit 2 One World?
Why is the man disappointed?
a He didn’t expect to be so uncomfortable.
Listening
b He dislikes the food on the plañe, A Read the sentences below and discuss with
c He feeis confused. a partner how the words in pink could be
expressed differentiy. Then listen to see if
F What’s up, Rob? You’ve hardiy even touched your
you were correct.
meal. Isn’t it up to your usual gourmet standards?
M No, it’s perfectly fine. It’s iust that I can't eat when If you happen to be in Berlin and you want to go on a
l’m crammed into such a small space. waikina tour of the citv. then head for Museum Island.
F You should have asked for extra legroom. Museum Island has built a reputation for itself as a
M Weil, that’s Just it, you see! I even oaid more for cultural centre in the Germán capital. Built on a small
extra leoroom. but there was some mix-uo and island on the Spree River, the island is home to five
I was aiven an ordinarv seat in the end. I feel of Berlin’s most visited museums. Each museum was
reallv let down bv the airline. Normally, they’re custom-built to house the specific collections they
very reliable, but I guess they’re more interested contain. These impressive buildings were constructed
in making money than making sure passengers between 1824 and 1930. The collections, such as the
enjoy the flight. gold of Troy, are of immense historical valué. It has been
said that they trace the development of civilisations
6 You hear a man taiking about living alone. throughout the ages. As a result, Museum Island was
How does he feel when he comes home at desionated a World Heritaae Site bv UNESCO in 1999.
night?
a lonely B Now listen again and complete the sentences
b frightened in A.
c peaceful
C You will hear part of a radio report about a
I can remember being so enthusiastic when I first
cultural festival. For questions 1-7, complete
moved in. I’d never lived on my own before, so I was
the sentences.
looking forward to some peace and quiet. Having been
brought up on a farm with nine brothers and sisters, I I’ve always been intrigued by the way in which customs,
just wanted to do my own thing and come and go when I lifestyies and habits spread from one country to the
wanted. And I do mostiy, but I must admit I do miss them next. These days, people can travel from one country
and their comoanv when I come home to a coid. dark. to another with relativo ease. They can aiso access
emptv house. That's when I realise how alone I am. My information about foreign countries and their customs
mum took it really hard when I first toid her I was moving at the touch of a button. Both of these play an imoortant
out. She burst into tears. She was scared that I wouidn’t role in the exchange of knowledge concerning what’s
be safe living on my own in a big city, I suppose. happening elsewhere.
The Long Night of the Museums in Berlin is an example
Speaking of how good local ideas can catch on in other parts
B Listen to a student in a Speaking test. Tick of the World and end up becoming an International
the ways he could improve his performance.
phenomenon. The event, which started in Berlin in
1997. is simply paradise for culture vultures. The Long
F Now, Gerardo, l’d like you to compare the Night takes place twice a year, at the end of Januarv
photographs and say why family is important to and then again at the end of Auaust. During the event
these people. All right? participating museums, palaces and exhibitions remain
B Yes. The first photograph is a big family. There open from six in the evening till two in the morning. For
are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven children a measly 15 euros, Berliners and visitors to the City can
and the mother and father. They must be in the purchase a special oass which ailows them unrestricted
kitchen of their house as they are sitting at a big access to all participating institutions. This pass aiso
table in front of a cooker. Most of the children are entities them to rides on special shuttie buses which
quite happy, but the smallest bursts into tears. ferry them from museum to museum.
Maybe he is frightened of cameras or maybe he The event started on a small scale with around a dozen
doesn’t like his food. The father looks like strict museums opening their doors late into the night on the
a man and he's wearing a black suit and tie. designated days. The original idea aróse in order to
He’s much taller than the mother. She’s quite attract the general public to museums which they might
pretty with very long black hair and blue eyes. not have known about or visited previousiy. Today, over
The children really look like their mother. In the 120 institutions take part in The Long Night, and other
second photograph there is an oíd lady and a cultural events, such as concerts, dance performances
young boy. Maybe he’s her grandson. The oíd and film viewings, aiso take place at the same time.
lady is sitting down and the boy is giving her a
present. I think it is her birthday because there
are some birthday cards on the table beside her.
She seems very happy to see her grandson and
to receive a gift.
162 RECORDiNG SCilPT
What is really interesting is that the event hasn’t oniy Speaker 2
expanded to inelude other nnuseums, but it has aiso It was towards the end of the summer holidays and I
extended to other cities. You can find similar festivals in wanted to find out from the university administration if
cities such as Aachen, Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne the dates for the September resits had come out. I’d
to mention a few Germán examples. On a global level, been touring Europe all summer and had lost all contact
The Long Night has in recent years become a common with the others on my course. As I was approaching
occurrence in other cosmopolitan cities such as the campus, I feit that something wasn’t quite right.
Barcelona and Buenos Aires. The Street signs had been changed and there were
However, some say the concept of having such cultural lots of American-looking cars on the road. Before I
events late into the night has its roots elsewhere and knew what was happenina I saw this Brad Pitt lookalike
dates to before Berlin’s Long Night. It is possible the runnina across the Street. Then when I tried to get into
idea migrated from Russia, and in particular from Saint the university they toid me it was closed to the public
Petersburg, where the White Niahts Festival has been all week due to shooting for the Hollywood film World
held annually since 1993. Unlike the Berlin event, War Z. It actuallv had been Brad Pitt runnina across the
however, the Saint Petersburg festival doesn’t last Street. How cool is that?
oniy one night, ñor does it happen twice a year. it is a
series of cultural events and performances that take Speaker 3
place from May to July. At this time of year, days are l’m a receptionist in a five-star hotel, so I get to meet
exceptionally long in this part of the worid. Around the all sorts of rich and famous people. I’ve got used to it
summer solstice in mid-June, sunset is as late as 10 pm over the years, and I usually don't bat an eyelid when
and twilight lasts almost all night. As a result, the locáis celebrities check in. Most of them are pretty low-key and
make the most of this extra light by attending classical don’t want to draw too much attention to themselves.
ballet performances as well as concerís and operas. It must get tiring being in the Iimelight constantiy. But
ril never forget the time Brian Ingram, the singer with
the Simpletons, carne to stay. I had been dreadína him
Unit 3 Star Quality
turning up because he’s aot this reputation as beina
üstening a bit of a ‘wild chiid’ who alwavs aets into fiahts with
A Listen and tick the sentences that reflect what DhotoaraDhers. But in realitv he was reallv verv sweet.
the speaker says. I even saw him carrying this oíd lady’s suitcases for her
when there was no porter available.
... but the idea of what it means to be a celebrity is
one that is forever changing. For example, Cleopatra
Speaker 4
reached celebrity status as a member of the Eavotian
My dad’s got a season ticket for Sheffield. He’s always
roval familv. In the twentieth and twentv-first centuríes.
been a huge fan and never misses a game. I’m not
celebrities have more often than not been oeoole from
particularly interested in football myself, but I went with
the World of show business. However, after vears of
him to the cup final, to keep him company. After the
obscuritv. voung rovals are now once aaain beina
game. Dad wanted to go to the Members’ Club for a bite
oronounced idols. Having been seen as dull and boring
to eat. When we got there, there was a crowd of people
for decades, the new young glamorous royáis have
gathered in a córner. One of the team’s top players,
been pushed into the iimelight. Barelv a dav aoes oast
still wearing his strip and everything, was signing
without seeina the faces of Prince William and his wife.
autographs for the fans! It wasn’t a surorise reallv
Kate Middieton. or those of Zara Phillips and Princesses
because the oress are alwavs aoina on about how he
Euaenie and Beatrice in the press. It seems that the
reallv appreciates his fans. It was aood to see that thev
British public can’t aet enouah of them these davs.
were riaht. I mean, so manv celebrities take their fans
for granted these davs.
C You will hear five people taiking about
meeting celebrities. For questions 1-5,
Speaker 5
choose from the list A-F what each person
The nearest l’ve ever come to meetina anvone famous
says about the experience. Use the letters
was when I was a teenaaer - about fifteen vears aao.
oniy once. There is one extra letter which you
My friend Tracey brought round her cousin Bobby one
do not need to use.
day to hang out with us. She was babysitting him for her
Speaker 1 aunt. He was oniv about two at the time. He made our
It all happened by accident really. There I was looking lives a right misery that day, chucking stuff on the floor,
through the bargain bin at my local supermarket, when spilling drinks and writing on the walls. My mum had a fit
someone tugged on the T-shirt I was picking up. I looked when she saw it. But anyway, I was watching Top ofthe
up, ready for an argument about who had seen the Pops one day last week when I got a cali from Tracey.
T-shirt first, when I realised I was looking at that actor The auitarist in the band that was plavina at the time
from CSl. You know, the one who plays the Computer was none other than Bobbv.
nerd. It was really quite embarrassing because I blurted
out something like ‘Oh, I didn’t expect to see you here,’
and he replied ‘I didn’t expect to see you here eitherl’
l’m alad he saw the funnv side of it.
D You will hear a broadcast from a youth 4 What won’t you see at the festival?
festival. After the broadcast, you will hear a dances
some questions about it. Choose the best b plays
answer to each question from the answer c concerts
choices. There are six questions about this d athletics
broadcast.
5 How much is normal entry to the cheapest
Good evening and a warm welcome to the S*
shows?
International Youth Festival. Tonight is the festival’s
a 4 dollars
Opening Showcase and we’re reporting live from the
b 8 dollars
Athletics Stadium, the venue for the event everv vean It
c 15 dollars
promises to be the biggest and best ever; ten fun-filled
d 20 dollars
days and nights of young performers from all corners of
the globe showing off their talents.
6 What costs eighty dollars?
Like every year, the festival kicks off with its Showcase.
a a pass for twenty shows
Now, at the Showcase, some of the top acts
b entry to the most expensive shows
participating in the festival are here to entertain us.
c several festival passes
Unfortunately, the festival has too many acts to appear
d a pass to all the shows
in one show, so we’ve chosen oniv home arown talent
for the Showcase. So, tonight spectators in the stadium,
and TV viewers and radio listeners at home will be Unit 7 Right or Wrong?
abie to watch and listen to local sinaers. dancers and Listening
musicians and get a sneak preview of what they’ll be
doing for the rest of the week. A Listen to these sentences and use the words
All Showcase performers and acts will be performing on below to say how the people are feeling.
other days. The festival catalogue has a comprehensiva
list of performances, as well as their venues, dates and Speaker 1
times. Look at all these broken shop Windows! It’s an absolute
There’s evervthina from African dance troupes to outraae.
Norweoian choirs. There’ll be theatre productions from
local schools as well as from students from some of the Speaker 2
most orestiaious academias of music and drama in the I couldn’t care less if he ends up in prison.
World. Events will be held throughout the City, not just
here at the athletics stadium. Speaker 3
Mv heart aoes out to the victims of violent crimes.