AULA

Ex 1. You hear two people speaking about their fondness for trains.
1) What point does Philip make about the people who are involved in the locomotive
side of trains?
A) Some avoid doing it because it's too dirty.
B) Some worry about the dangers involved.
C) Some find it to be an instinctive activity.
D) Some only do it for the financial rewards it brings.
2) When Mike discusses why he enjoys the world of trains, what contrast does he
identify between the different groups of people he interacts with?
A) A difference in social status.
B) A difference in ages.
C) A difference in technical ability.
D) A difference in motivation.
3) What view is stated by Mike about how the railway has helped him in his role as a
parent?
A) It has helped him develop a closer relationship with his daughter.
B) It has taught him patience.
C) It has helped him focus on his daughter's career possibilities.
D) It has given him stability in his life.
4) When discussing different aspects of the railway, both speakers agree that
A) age does not need to be a handicap.
B) both men and women are equally welcome.
C) it can be quite demanding.
D) cleanliness is not the first adjective that springs to mind.
5) What final conclusion do both speakers reach about volunteering on the railway?
A) The time they have spent has been difficult but worth it.
B) They have both learnt a lot.
C) They are better people for having been involved with it.
D) It has helped them grow while at the same time giving them a direction for the
future.
Ex 2: You hear two people speaking about their friendship.
1) One speaker felt her watershed moment was when
A) she watched a film under a blanket.
B) she turned fifty.
C) she had an argument with a good friend.
D) she got married.
2) One speaker made a tongue-in-cheek comment about
A) The Tate.
B) the food they both like.
C) taking up knitting.
D) singing in a choir.
3) One speaker expressed the view that a quilt of fear
A) was ideal for daydreaming.
B) was great for keeping you warm in front of the television.
C) protected you from imaginary concerns.
D) made your wishes come true.
4) The speakers failed to agree about
A) the number of times they fell out.
B) where the quilt should be displayed.
C) the number of pieces the quilt should have.
D) the best age to form lasting friendships.
5) What conclusion did they put forward?
A) Friendships made in your teenage years reflect your aspirations.
B) Good friendships are hard to find.
C) The longer the friendship, the better it becomes.
D) It's best not to mix friends.
Ex 3. You hear two people speaking about their work together.
1) One speaker makes the point that the approach to historical accuracy
A) has changed over time.
B) is to be admired.
C) is disappointing.
D) is very demanding.
2) One speaker, when discussing the time constraints on her work, feels
A) unnecessarily pressured.
B) she is not given the respect she deserves.
C) a high level of frustration.
D) it's unfair.
3) Speaking about The Snow Queen costume, one speaker
A) doesn't feel up to the job.
B) is nervous and full of self-doubt.
C) is happy with the actors chosen.
D) feels disappointed by the design.
4) The two speakers are in agreement that
A) only authentic costumes should be used.
B) some actors need to be more respectful.
C) it is important to be psychologically sensitive during the fitting process.
D) A Man For All Seasons was the most challenging work they have been asked to
do.
5) Both speakers conclude that
A) making costumes is extremely demanding work.
B) an actor's ability to perform can be affected by having to wear a costume.
C) they are both extremely grateful for the chance to do the work they do.
D) getting awards for their work is not something they think about.
Ex 4. You hear two people speaking about the experiences they shared.
1) Claire makes the point, when discussing how she was treated by men, that
A) she almost left the trade because of the behaviour of one man.
B) men found their presence threatening.
C) she learnt a lot from her dealings with men.
D) not all men behaved in the same way.
2) One speaker, when discussing sexual harassment, drew a contrast between
A) older bricklayers and the younger generation.
B) being in the trade and being a member of the public.
C) local bricklayers and foreign bricklayers.
D) the bosses and the workers.
3) Both speakers, when discussing how they managed to get through the ordeal
A) mentioned the motivating power of money.
B) identified certain unique abilities.
C) referred to the support their families gave them.
D) referred to the support they gave each other.
4) When discussing how difficult brick laying is, both speakers agreed that
A) women were as capable as men.
B) a female bricklayer needed to be very strong mentally to survive.
C) women were physically at a disadvantage.
D) some men went out of their way to help them.
5) Listening to the speakers, it is difficult not to conclude that
A) bricklaying as a trade doesn't have a healthy future.
B) the numbers of female bricklayers could soon match the numbers of male
bricklayers.
C) the technical side of brick laying is nearly always underestimated.
D) bricklayers are highly respected in society.
Ex 5. You hear two people speaking about getting attached to things.
1) Gordon makes the point, when looking at emotional attachment, that
A) it is given too much importance.
B) it might be too painful for them.
C) it weakens their resolve to achieve anything.
D) it needs to be treated with cold logic.
2) Lynn, in referring to other people, suggests that
A) they are somehow different.
B) they also have the same problem.
C) they can help to resolve this impasse.
D) they have somehow contributed to this situation.
3) Speaking about the physical side of the problem, Gordon reflects on the fact that
A) the logistics could be very complicated.
B) they may not be strong enough to get rid of what they don't need.
C) they don't have the time needed to actually throw everything out.
D) getting rid of stuff could be very expensive.
4) Both speakers reluctantly agree that
A) the solution to the problem is beyond them.
B) one partner is worse than the other.
C) they need help to solve the problem.
D) they will be able to sort this out very soon.
5) The only conclusion that can be drawn from what the speakers confess is that
A) they lack the mental fortitude to resolve this situation.
B) this problem is a symptom of age.
C) this problem is a reflection of how much space you have in your house.
D) the problem is getting worse.
Ex 6. You hear two people speaking about their experiences with music.
1) Rolph makes the observation that after a certain number of big performances
A) the audience is more appreciative.
B) the process becomes very mundane.
C) it gets easier to provoke a reaction from the crowd.
D) the financial remuneration becomes very interesting.
2) Alex explains how he misses
A) playing in front of thousands of people.
B) appearing on television.
C) the pleasure of performing their own material for the first time.
D) the intense fear and thrill of their first big performance.
3) Rolph makes the case, while referring to successful artists, that
A) their success must be justified in some way.
B) they must have had a lot of help.
C) success is impossible without a measure of luck.
D) success can negatively impact their personal lives.
4) Both speakers express their common feeling that
A) you have to write your own music to be considered great.
B) playing another person's music would not satisfy them.
C) it's not that difficult to have only one successful song.
D) they deserve the success they've had.
5) Alex reflects about a singer at university
A) who was a brilliant singer and went on to bigger things.
B) who was part of their band.
C) who was great at singing a particular song, but could not sing anything else.
D) who was inspirational in their success.
Ex 7. You hear two people speaking about working with puppets.
1) Linda, when speaking about her children, reveals that
A) her daughter was reluctant to follow the family tradition.
B) they found puppets frightening when they were little.
C) they had a natural talent for making puppets.
D) they spent hours inventing stories.
2) When discussing Sarah, they both agree that
A) she should have gone to drama school.
B) she had a powerful presence.
C) she was very inventive.
D) she would have been a successful actor.
3) Linda makes the point that
A) puppeteers understand a lot about psychology.
B) puppeteers need to be very patient.
C) puppeteers somehow get the audience to identify with the puppets.
D) puppeteers should learn to be ambidextrous.
4) Charlotte explains that when she has an idea, her first reaction is to start writing
because
A) that's what she learnt at school.
B) that's what her mother taught her to do.
C) of historical reasons.
D) that was the only method she knew.
5) Charlotte and Linda come to agree that
A) puppeteering is unlikely to continue to be popular.
B) puppeteering should be taught at school.
C) actors should learn to be puppeteers.
D) starting to write is not the best first step.
Ex 8. You hear two people speaking about their early years together.
1) How did Ranjit react when he first came across Sarah?
A) He was intentionally provocative.
B) He tried to keep a low profile.
C) He refused to speak to her.
D) He was extremely charming.
2) What surprised Sarah about Ranjit initially?
A) His taste in music.
B) The way he dressed.
C) His accent.
D) His daily routine.
3) What embarrassing incident did Sarah recall?
A) Ranjit losing his car keys.
B) Ranjit tripping over his shoe laces.
C) Ranjit falling into the river while sailing.
D) Ranjit dropping his food.
4) How did Sarah try to impress Ranjit?
A) With her skill at sailing.
B) By cooking for him.
C) By showing him around the area.
D) By telling him amusing anecdotes.
5) What did they both agree on?
A) That he was too old for her.
B) That they wanted to be with each other.
C) That the weather in England was unbearable.
D) That their relationship was doomed to fail.
Ex9. You hear two people speaking about participating in an arts event.
1) What were Karles and Shirley required to be careful about?
A) Not eating anything before the event.
B) What colour each one was supposed to be.
C) Making sure they weren't late.
D) Making sure every part of their bodies was painted.
2) What did Shirley like about the experience?
A) The fact that all the participants were so friendly.
B) The fact that all the participants became as one.
C) The international recognition that Hull got from the event.
D) The realisation that they were doing something for their community.
3) What did both Karles and Shirley find unpleasant?
A) Having to lay on the cold street.
B) Being naked in front of so many people.
C) Getting up that early in the morning.
D) Being limited to one area of the city.
4) How did Shirley feel after her encounter with the blonde lady?
A) Relieved that the event was over.
B) As if she had earned street credibility.
C) Embarrassed that she had been recognised.
D) Eager to participate in other such events.
5) What do both Karles and Shirley agree about?
A) How the event put Hull on the map.
B) That more such events should be organised.
C) That people treat each other better after such events.
D) How enjoyable the experience was.
Ex11. You hear a conversation between a father and his daughter.
1) What is a leading cause of the perceived apathetic nature being exhibited by the
current generation of young adults?
A) Current generations of young people not enduring as strict an upbringing as was
more common in the past.
B) Modern society's wider attempts to mould people at a younger age to be
functional members within a society.
C) The constant changing of trends young people are exposed to, creates a loss in
the ability to focus.
D) The proliferation of technological advances currently available.
2) How does the woman feel in regard to how her generation is looked upon?
A) She feels that they are considered to be lacking in work ethic stemming from a
more pampered upbringing than their parents.
B) That they have become more fussy in their tastes making them appear to be
difficult to satisfy.
C) Their ability to focus on matters that appeal to them is misconstrued as lacking in
interest in other matters.
D) Younger generations have lost the ability to be self-dependent.
3) What impression does the male speaker give when discussing the younger
generation's view of financial security?
A) Resulting from parents' attempts to do good, they have created a generation of
dependent young people.
B) Giving one's offspring a platform of financial security is critical in their
development towards adulthood.
C) He is of the opinion that he has unintentionally done a disservice to the youth.
D) He believes that children learning the value of money is a lesson that is given too
much credence.
4) What is the male speaker's opinion of the result of how he raised his daughter?
A) He can see the motivation that has been fostered within his daughter benefiting
her.
B) Resulting from the actions of basic instinct, he feels his child's development was
stunted.
C) Concern that if not allowed to experience more hardships in one's life, essential
lessons may be left out.
D) That parents who do the same can be assured that perfection is never possible
and children will need to struggle in their own way.
5) What innate factor does the father mention when speaking about caring for one's
family?
A) The conditions in which a parent grew up heavily influence how they treat their
children.
B) The instinctive need to provide a safe environment for one's close family.
C) Parents' automatic instinct to protect children can have undesirable effects.
D) That due to genetic factors, humans are driven to act in a certain way.
EX 12: You hear two people speaking about how they met.
1) What elements of early adulthood are being discussed?
A) How early adolescent experiences lead to one's behavioural patterns as an adult.
B) The speakers are discussing the trials and social labyrinths that are part of
teenage life.
C) The uncomfortable nature of early romantic interests in one's teenage years.
D) The importance that young people attach to how they are perceived due to their
fashion choices.
2) For what reason does the male speakers show admiration?
A) The bravery of sporting such an extravagant wardrobe at the risk of being
targeted.
B) For the bravery needed to wear such clothes at such a vulnerable time in one's
life.
C) Her ability to ignore criticism of her peers at a time of emotional susceptibility.
D) For her ability not to pay heed to the voices of others.
3) What reflection on behaviour does the female speaker mention?
A) That the repetition of tasks has led to a growth in confidence.
B) Working in the service industry has made her more tolerant towards the public.
C) How her attempts to assert herself led to bad customer relations.
D) How she has become more confident within herself.
4) On which topic do the speakers signal agreement?
A) Now they can accept previously unnerving behaviour as standard fare.
B) How difficult it can be dealing with impatient clients.
C) That to be noticed people must be slightly aggressive in business dealings.
D) Certain sectors of trading bring difficulties in dealing with customers.
5) What reason does the lady give behind learning to be more assertive?
A) Dealing with agitated clients has caused her to become more headstrong.
B) Seeing how impatient people behave has forced her to adopt a different
personality.
C) Engaging with a different demographic pushed her to be more forward.
D) The early experiences as an adolescent taught her to ignore the views and
opinions of others.
Ex13. You hear a mother and her daughter speaking about deep sea diving.
1) What light-hearted remark does the younger speaker make about her dislike of
being alone?
A) A sense of floating as in space.
B) The feeling of weighing less than she does on land.
C) Having the necessity of having someone to antagonise.
D) That when alone no one can see how fearful she is.
2) What point, mentioned early in the conversation, do the speakers agree on?
A) The system of having an assigned partner is ideal for some.
B) Doing this type of activity with family members helps overcome the fear.
C) The experience is akin to what astronauts go through.
D) They both feel the same sensation when leading a dive.
3) What sentiment is expressed by the younger speaker towards a specific dive?
A) She felt an acute sense of panic.
B) She expresses how her nerves got the better of her.
C) A lacklustre resignation.
D) How visiting a certain dive site gave her confidence for future dives.
4) When looking back, how does the younger speaker reflect on her behaviour?
A) The woman is embarrassed about how she acted in the presence of her father.
B) She is surprised at how calmly she completed the dive.
C) Her behaviour was not a real representation of how she is as a person.
D) She feels she exaggerated how she actually felt.
5) After admitting to enjoying the dive what concern does the younger speaker admit
to having?
A) She was unsure of her escape route should she have needed one.
B) That she was not fully convinced of her instructor's abilities.
C) She did not feel safe with such reduced visibility.
D) Diving in unfamiliar waters brings serious danger if not led by a person familiar
with the area.
Ex14. You hear a man and a woman speaking about funerals.
1) What confession does the man give regarding his fear?
A) The manner of death is what gives him the most fear.
B) Hours spent in a similar scenario instilled this fear.
C) Having an unfortunate history of family members dying in unpleasant
circumstances.
D) That the origin of his fear is unknown.
2) On reflection how does the man feel about a close call?
A) A great feeling of disconnectedness.
B) It was an enchanting experience.
C) An overwhelming sense of fear.
D) He considers it to be a spiritual experience.
3) Which aspect of the process does the woman admit to fearing?
A) Having family and close friends witness a drawn out ending.
B) A fear of a prolonged period of discomfort.
C) The sense of uncertainty coming from a slow death.
D) The not knowing what is to come after one dies.
4) How does the woman envisage herself if faced with the choice of euthanasia?
A) That it would be challenging in the face of certain principles she holds.
B) It would be a divisive topic considering her family history.
C) She would attempt to preserve her life to the fullest extent.
D) She views it as something not to be concerned about.
5) What uncertainty does the man divulge?
A) A questioning of the standard social responses people have towards death.
B) An uncertainty as to which parameters to gauge the value of an individual's life.
C) That the feeling of uncertainty in one's life is somehow preparation for the end of
one's life.
D) The importance of human relationships as viewed from the perspective of one
dying.
Ex15. You hear two men speaking about being fathers.
1) What self-imposed agreement do the men agree upon?
A) To limit the aspirations they have for their children.
B) Projecting their own desires and goals onto their offspring.
C) Not to be so overbearing as to be a negative influence.
D) To avoid engaging with their children as older generations of parents did.
2) What opinion does one speaker express while reflecting on earlier years?
A) Parents should be prepared to deal with difficult children.
B) We will inevitably develop behavioural patterns similar to our own parents.
C) They should have been slightly more aware of future responsibilities that lay
ahead.
D) Inward reflection is more problematic than viewing others.
3) What conclusions did the speaker incorrectly arrive at?
A) That every parent experiences a sense of helplessness in the early stages of
raising a child.
B) Children developing a certain routine that could be worked around.
C) That the transition to parenthood would have taken a more natural course.
D) His own instinctive ability to rise to the challenge of being a parent.
4) What does one speaker express assurance over?
A) That there are a substantial number of parents who hold the same view.
B) In the long term, the sacrifice of one's personal life will negatively affect children.
C) There are other parents who benefit from having more personal space.
D) Parents will constantly regret the loss of personal down time.
5) What concern is shown by one of the fathers speaking?
A) Personal stress resulting from a lack of individual leisure time.
B) The inability to maintain a social life leading to a more subdued family life.
C) The loss of external personal relationships will cause friction within the family unit.
D) A worry that one day they will be a source of embarrassment to their children.
Ex 16. You hear a mother having a conversation with her daughter.
1) How does the mother describe her arranged living situation?
A) As being in a neighbourhood suitable to raise a child.
B) As being conveniently located for her place of work.
C) As a place that had been the victim of neglect.
D) As being acceptable with the negative factor of the landlady.
2) In what manner was the mother advised to find alternative accommodation?
A) Forcefully.
B) Impetuously.
C) Despairingly.
D) Pleasantly.
3) Over what theme is the mother remorseful?
A) She carries an element of guilt for not financially providing for her daughter.
B) That being in a situation of needing to work she missed out on the formative
experiences of her daughter.
C) She is regretful that she was forced to live in the surroundings of a mother and
baby care home.
D) That she was forced to move away from familiar surroundings at such a critical
age for mother and child.
4) What opinion does the daughter express about her mother when going through
childbirth?
A) The daughter opines on the differences between how she and her mother
experienced pregnancy.
B) The daughter remarks that previous generations did not have the same level of
pre and postnatal care available at that time.
C) The daughter is highly critical of how society used to view single unwed mothers.
D) That her mother was an extremely practical person in handling stressful
scenarios.
5) In which way is the mother's concern alleviated by the conclusion of the
conversation?
A) She is relieved to have her daughter state that she was not negatively influenced
by the early years in a maternity home.
B) Now that her daughter has become an adult, she feels the challenges of their
early years served them both well.
C) That she needn't have been concerned about not being present for some of the
early developmental moments of her child's life.
D) The concern of not having a solid family support group leading to difficulty in
forming lasting relationships as an adult.
Ex17. You hear a conversation between a father and his son.
1) What opportunity, mentioned early in the conversation, in unavailable to the
father?
A) He is no longer able to relay his emotions towards his father.
B) He has missed the chance to learn more about his family history.
C) The opportunity to take advantage of the knowledge held by the speaker's father.
D) The ability to engage in a more meaningful discourse.
2) What does the man think an alternative side of his personality is doing?
A) Fantasising.
B) Lamenting.
C) Reflecting.
D) Regretting.
3) On what issue does the son seek an answer from his father?
A) Whether there was any difference in the manner of conversation as the two grew
older.
B) Whether or not he should have tried to mend bridges with his grandfather while he
was in better health.
C) If there had been any positive moments that they had shared.
D) Whether both the father and grandfather had ever expressed their feeling towards
each other.
4) How, according to the older speaker, would the grandfather react if his interests
were peaked?
A) He would generally take the dominant role in the conversation.
B) He was a man who enjoyed taking in the views of others on topics the interested
him.
C) He was a man who would not restrict himself on topics he was familiar with.
D) He would become overly insistent regarding his own opinion.
5) What change occurred within the relationship of the grandparents being
discussed?
A) Over time one half of the couple began to play a more dominant role in the
relationship.
B) The grandfather, being an overly reserved person, provoked issues in the
marriage.
C) That having lost one's life partner, the grandmother became more withdrawn and
isolated.
D) The behavioural patterns of grand parents became more pronounced as their
relationship continued.
Ex18. You hear a conversation between a father and his son.
1) In what way does the father admit to being mistaken?
A) He was surprised how he was able to stay resolute for the benefit of his family.
B) What happened between the two men was in direct contrast to what he had
expected to happen.
C) He thought his own children would have taken the news in a considerably worse
fashion.
D) The effect that the incident had on him was more severe than he thought it would
be.
2) What view does the son express towards his father?
A) Despite the incident he should have been more attentive to the needs of his
children during the ordeal.
B) That he has the ability to process matters such as a death in an admirable way.
C) How he regrets the manner in which he reacted to the incident with his mother.
D) That the father is considered to be a stoic character.
3) What change in behaviour does the father recognise after his wife's emergency?
A) He quickly became emotionally withdrawn from the rest of his family.
B) He started to develop relationship issues outside of his personal relationships.
C) He started to become observant of members of his own family.
D) He noticed how he became more emotionally dependent on others from this time.
4) What is the biggest loss according to the father?
A) An inability to do the activities that they felt brought them closer.
B) A loss of how the two are able to interact with one another.
C) Their ability to experience their golden years in a state of rest and relaxation.
D) The loss of being in contact with others outside of the family.
5) To what does the father confess?
A) That he is emotionally damaged by trauma and continuing hardships of caring for
a stroke victim.
B) That he is overcome with guilt as he feels he is inadequately able to care for his
wife.
C) He is concerned as to how his proposal to hire professional help will be perceived
by the rest of the family.
D) He lacks the ability to manage the situation without the aid of others.
Ex19. You hear two people speaking about their names.
1) How was the initial error magnified?
A) A number of the staff members were familiar with a similar name from eastern
Europe.
B) The vocal range required for the pronunciation of his name was not commonly
used in the middle east.
C) The speaker's name was repeated without his presence to rectify the error.
D) The person responsible for presenting him to the staff mixed his name with that of
another member of staff with a similar sounding name.
2) What religious based assumptions does one man make?
A) That as a result of being brought up under a certain denomination means certain
titles are less familiar to other cultures.
B) That the name in question was reserved for people from a particular part of the
world.
C) That due to the man's name there was an increased chance of being of a specific
religious order.
D) That carrying this name would be a source of conflict in certain parts of a city.
3) How did Ian feel about his name during his teenage years?
A) That it was a name that brought certain connotations.
B) His name was a particularly unremarkable name.
C) He felt his parents went for an uninspired choice of name.
D) He felt that his name lead to him being judged by others at his school.
4) What does one speaker see as a possibility stemming from speaking another
language?
A) The possibility of travelling through other cultures being able to converse with
others.
B) He sees it as a portal through which one can experience new relationships.
C) That being multi-lingual creates a greater chance that one can speak to others.
D) The potential to be able to share and benefit from shared information gained from
being able to converse bilingually.
5) What convenient factor does the speaker mention in learning his chosen
language?
A) Having positive experiences while going through the learning process enhanced
it.
B) From a logistical standpoint it was convenient.
C) That there is a particular sense of joy when speaking the language of one's roots.
D) There were certain locations by which learning the language was made more
convenient.
Ex20. You hear a conversation between two friends about living abroad.
1) In what way was the first woman speaker mistaken?
A) Having family and friends in close proximity would make that transition of
returning home easier.
B) She underestimated the extent to which she would miss her friends.
C) That her nostalgic memories of returning to her hometown would be tarnished by
returning.
D) A period of acclimatisation was more protracted than expected.
2) What does one woman feel is lost when not surrounded by one's core of
confidants?
A) One's confidence can be diminished.
B) Not being surrounded by trusted people leads to a decline in well-being.
C) An ability to form lasting relationships.
D) A sense of comfort and intimacy is lost.
3) Which aspect of her life does the second speaker claim to be apathetic about?
A) That she no longer believes she has the drive to emigrate again.
B) That growing up during the fifties instilled a closed minded mentality on her
generation.
C) That without her family she would be unable to sustain a lasting period of time
abroad.
D) That she no longer has the same inclination to create new alliances.
4) Which source does the speaker maintain is the cause of her stress?
A) An element of post-traumatic stress disorder after a serious incident.
B) After witnessing severe poverty in other countries she feels a sense of shame for
maligning her own lifestyle.
C) An inability to focus on herself with such a hectic lifestyle.
D) A sense of despondency with an inability to pinpoint the reason behind it.
5) What obligation does one of the speakers feel?
A) She must admit to her family the psychological difficulties she is having in order to
overcome them.
B) That as a parent she must push herself to be more motivated in her family and
home life.
C) Passing on life lessons to her children is critical in their emotional development.
D) That she must seek alternatives to what was available in her past.