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© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

UNIT 1

CD 01

Interviewer:  Good morning, listeners. Today 

I’m talking to Joan Trent, a psychologist who 

will tell us about people who can’t express 

their feelings. Hello, Joan. Tell us why some 

people find it difficult to show their emotions. 
Joan Trent:  Good morning. People bottle 

up their emotions, as we call it, for different 

reasons. They might be afraid, for example, 

to show their anger to their boss, or they do 

not want others to think they’re weak. Most 

commonly, people hide their feelings in 

certain situations because they’ve learnt to 

do so and they think that it is, let’s say ‘normal’. 

Some people, though, may bottle up their 

feelings because they think that others will not 

understand them anyway.
Interviewer:  So, it isn’t always bad to hide 

your feelings?
Joan Trent:  Of course not. (laughs) The real 

problem appears only when people control 

their feelings for a long time, and then explode 

on others, usually the ones they love most, 

such as their family or close friends. In some 

extreme cases, people might become more 

and more depressed and turn to addictions, 

such as some teenagers who become 

addicted to the Internet, for example. 
Interviewer:  What advice can you give to 

people, who find it difficult to show their 

emotions?
Joan Trent:  First and foremost, learn to be 

assertive. Telling others openly yet politely how 

you feel about something, will not make them 

think worse of you. On the contrary, they’ll 

learn to respect you. Learn to trust your family 

or friends enough to share your problems with 

them. And if you feel you can’t cope with the 

problem on your own, don’t be shy to consult 

a psychologist. 
Interviewer:  Thank you very much, Joan. 

UNIT 2

CD 02

1
Do you feel it’s time to get a place of your 

own? Before you decide to rent or buy your 

dream home, remember to consider a few 

important aspects first. Decide where you’d 

like to live – in the city centre or a quiet village? 

Be reasonable about the size of your home. 

Most people like a lot of space, but make sure 

you can afford the house of your choice. Take 

time to visit at least a few houses or flats for 

sale to get a good picture of what you like and 

dislike. 
2
I live with my parents in a nice detached house 

on the western edge of the city, about 8 km 

from the city centre. The house is great and 

I’ve got a nice, spacious room of my own. The 

only problem is that when I need to go to the 

city centre, I have to ask my parents for a lift 

or depend on the buses, which don’t run very 

often. It’s OK during the warm months because 

I can use my motorbike, but the winter’s really 

bad. 

 

UNIT TESTS. Poziom podstawowy

3
We’ve got a nice three-bedroomed flat, which 

is in a very central location. We’ve recently 

redecorated the place, so it looks great now. The 

only problem is that we have to suffer because 

of our noisy neighbours and so I sometimes 

dream of leaving the place and never coming 

back. Some of them have big dogs which keep 

barking through half the night, while others 

give noisy parties almost every weekend. 
4
Do you think you’ve had enough of living in 

a block of flats in the city centre? If you can’t 

stand the noise of the traffic or your noisy 

neighbours, take a look at our attractive offer 

for affordable housing in the suburbs. The 

brand-new terraced houses are conveniently 

located in a quiet neighbourhood, which has 

all the most important amenities. Why not visit 

our office at 21 Park Avenue today? Our offer 

won’t disappoint you!

UNIT 3

CD 03

1
Tim:
  How are you getting on with your 

revision for the psychology exam next week?
Paul:  Not very well. I haven’t been to all the 

lectures this term and anyway, the rest of my 

notes are in a terrible mess. 
Tim:  So are mine. The professor speaks 

so fast in her lectures and I just can’t take 

everything down. Now that I’m looking at my 

notes, they don’t make much sense to me. 

Luckily, I’ve borrowed some of the books she 

recommended for the course, so why don’t we 

have a look at them together?
Paul:  Great! I’ll come round at about 6 pm.
2
At the moment I’m learning Italian on an 

evening language course. The other students 

in the group are really friendly and I enjoy 

meeting them. The only thing I don’t like about 

the course is that we never do things outside 

the coursebook. It’s not that I think it’s boring 

or has too much grammar, which I hate, but 

I really wish we could do something just for 

fun during the classes, like play a language 

game or something.
3
It gives me great pleasure to see you all 

gathered here on this beautiful morning. I am 

sure that the summer holiday has given you 

lots of motivation and energy to take up many 

new challenges and opportunities. Our school 

will be celebrating its hundredth anniversary in 

a few months. I hope that you will work hard to 

achieve the best results, in keeping with school 

tradition. I am particularly glad to welcome the 

new members of our school community … 
4
Ah, Tony Peters. Well, I want to say that he’s 

been doing much better in my class this term 

and I’ve heard positive opinions about his 

progress and behaviour from one or two other 

teachers as well. Let me see. Yes, his English 

grades are also satisfactory, but he still needs 

to work more on science subjects because his 

progress here is well below our expectations. 
5
When I  think back on my college years, 

I remember those times as one of the best 

periods in my life. I studied a lot and did well 

enough in exams, but I still found the time 

to go out and make new friends. Some of 

those friendships have lasted till today. I just 

think it wasn’t a good idea to stop my higher 

education after getting my BA, but the job 

offer I got sounded so good.
6
A:
  So, Dave, how did it go?
B:  I’m not sure. The first question wasn’t very 

tough, so I was pleased to get it. But I was 

so stressed that I didn’t answer it as fully as 

possible. The second one wasn’t bad, either. And 

again, now I’m sure I could have done better.
A:  Well, at least it’s over and you don’t have to 

worry about it anymore.
B:  Yeah, I guess so, although I feel as if I want 

to go back there and tell them I do know more 

about the subject!

UNIT 4

CD 04

Interviewer:  I’m talking to Mandy Hayes, 

a 19-year-old who is taking part in an on-

the-job training programme with a local 

newspaper. Mandy, could you tell us why you 

decided to join this training course?
Mandy:  After leaving school, I was accepted 

into university, but then I found out about 

this programme. I decided that it would be 

much more exciting and useful than writing 

hundreds of essays at university. So, when 

I was offered a place on the training scheme, 

I didn’t think twice about accepting it.
Interviewer:  And how exactly were you 

accepted onto this programme? 
Mandy:  It was advertised online by the 

National Council for the Training of Journalists 

and the candidates were asked to send 

samples of different pieces of writing. Well, 

I did and two weeks later I got a letter from 

the NCTJ informing me that I’d been accepted.
Interviewer:  You’ll be training with a local 

newspaper, so what is the role of the NCTJ in 

this?
Mandy:  As far as I know, it was their idea to 

choose several young people from all over the 

country to train with professional journalists. 

They’ll be regularly checking on our progress 

and they will also provide most of the funding 

for the programme.
Interviewer:  You’ve already started your 

training, so can you tell us what you’ve been 

doing so far?
Mandy:  I’ve only been on the programme for 

a few weeks, but up to now I’ve mostly been 

learning about the print and digital operations, 

and I’ve also written some short news articles 

for the newspaper website. As part of my 

course, once a week, I also attend specialised 

courses in journalism and media law at college.
Interview:  Thank you Mandy, and good luck 

with your training programme.

1

AUDIOSCRIPT

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UNIT 5

CD 05

1
I have good news for all those parents who 

find it difficult to build good relationships 

with their teenage children. A new publication, 

written by Dr Myra Roberts, is a must-read for 

all parents who feel they are losing touch with 

their teenage sons or daughters. It is written 

in a simple, clear style and does not include 

difficult psychological language. It also gives 

excellent tips on how to be on good terms 

with teenagers.
2
My mum often complains that we do not 

spend enough time together, except for the 

summer holidays, and until recently I thought 

she might be right. But last month I stayed for 

a week at my friend’s house and was surprised 

to see the family didn’t spend a single evening 

chatting or just watching TV together. My 

friend told me that they sometimes went out 

to celebrate someone’s birthday but other 

than that, they didn’t do things together. 

I couldn’t understand that at all.
3
Hi, I’m calling to share my problem with the 

other listeners. I feel that my relationship with 

my mum has got worse recently. I mean, 

she’s a great mother, very loving and caring. 

Perhaps too much. She often wants to control 

everything I do, wear, or say. When I’m ready to 

go out, she often tells me to wear something 

else. When I  go to a  party, she asks me 

a hundred times what time I’m going to be 

back home. If my dad weren’t more tolerant, 

I would probably never get a chance to go to 

any parties.
4
I often talk to parents who complain that they 

have lots of arguments with their teenage 

daughters or sons. However, it often turns 

out that the arguments are partly the parents’ 

fault. They just want their children to behave 

exactly the way the parents would like them 

to. So, I really recommend that all our listeners 

who may have this kind of problem try and 

respect their teenage children’s opinions, 

even if they do not agree with them. Finding 

a compromise is not that hard if you’re ready to 

accept the other person’s point of view.

UNIT 6

CD 06

1
For the last few months I’ve been working as 

an assistant chef in a busy restaurant in the city 

centre. I really enjoy the job, although it’s not 

easy. The restaurant kitchen is hot and noisy – 

everybody seems to be shouting at the same 

time. I don’t really mind it, though. The only 

disadvantage of the job is that I have to work 

till late at night and also at weekends, which 

means that I have practically no social life at 

the moment.
2
I  certainly don’t recommend the new 

restaurant. Before I went there, I’d tried to 

call them to book a table but nobody ever 

answered the phone. Anyway, I got a table 

although the place was almost full. I suppose 

it must be the low prices. The interior looks 

terrible. The decoration is a complete mess, 

a mixture of everything. And that horrible 

folk music drove me crazy. The service was 

surprisingly good and quick, but the food 

tasted bland and I left most of my main course 

untouched. I’m definitely not going there 

again.
3
Man:
  Judy, what do you think I should cook 

for this evening? 
Judy:  Why don’t you try a traditional dish? 

They’re your speciality.
Man:  Well, I did that last time. And Mark isn’t 

coming tonight, so there’s no need to make 

a vegetarian dish.
Judy:  How about trying something unusual? 

How about that delicious Thai lobster soup we 

had last week in that new restaurant?
Man:  Sounds like a good idea. I’ll do that.
4
Like most people, I have my good and bad 

eating habits. I certainly drink too much 

coffee, which I love, and I don’t think I’ll ever 

be able to cut down on it. On the other hand, 

I eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and 

I only occasionally eat sweets, so that’s not 

a problem. But I’m going to eat less between 

meals, which I often do, you know, things like 

sandwiches or crisps.
5
A:
  Mmm, that was delicious. Tell me, how did 

you learn to cook?
B:  Well, it took a  while. When I  went 

to university and started living on my 

own, I cooked most of my own food and 

I experimented a lot. I used cookery books and 

the Internet.
A:  But surely your parents had taught you to 

cook earlier?
B:  Actually, my mum’s hopeless at cooking. 

My dad’s a bit better and he taught me a few 

simple dishes while I was still at home. 
A:  Have you ever taken a cookery course?
B:  I have. It was during my studies. I missed 

most of the classes, though.
6
A:
  It’s such a nice place. It feels almost like 

having a meal at home. 
B:  Yes. It was a good idea to go out this 

afternoon. The weather’s beautiful and for 

a while, I thought we could have dinner in the 

garden. But it was really pleasant to take a walk 

here. It made me hungry, though.
A:  Me, too. Let’s have a look at the menu, shall 

we?

UNIT 7

CD 07

A:  What are you doing? Reading something?
B:  Not really. I’m browsing through the new 

catalogue of an online clothes shop. I’m going 

to need new clothes for my holiday, mostly 

some T-shirts and a pair of shorts, maybe.
A:  But surely you don’t buy all of your clothes 

online?

B:  Most of them, actually. I only ever go 

to clothes shops when I need some smart 

clothes. Shopping online is so much more 

convenient, and quite often it’s a lot cheaper 

than shopping in traditional stores.
A:  All right, but how can you be sure the 

clothes will fit and suit you if you don’t try 

them on first? 
B:  That’s no problem if you know your sizes. 

And I only choose those online stores that 

have good return policies. If something didn’t 

fit me, I’d just send it back, though I can’t 

remember ever doing that.
A:  OK, but where’s the fun? When I  go 

shopping for clothes, most of the time it’s with 

my friends and we always have such a good 

time together. And it’s nice to go for a meal 

afterwards.
B:  Oh, it seems like a waste of time to me. So, 

you never buy clothes online?
A:  I’ve bought a few items, usually things to 

go with my clothes, such as a handbag or 

jewellery. Well, sports clothes are an exception. 

I’ve recently bought some clothes for my 

aerobics class.
B:  Well, that’s a start.

UNIT 8

CD 08

1
Can I have your attention, please? As you 

can see, the weather today is not suitable for 

a visit to the aquapark, so we have arranged 

to do something else today. We’re going to 

visit some historical sites in the area, including 

a museum of local crafts in a nearby town. The 

coach will be picking us up from outside the 

hotel at 10 am.
2
We’re standing in the very centre of the old 

town. A word, perhaps, about the beginnings 

of the town. Before it received city rights in 

1274, the village was a base for the local dukes 

who went hunting in the nearby forests. 

The building in front of us is the Town Hall, 

the oldest structure in the town. Unfortunately, 

the interior is being renovated at the moment, 

so we won’t be going in. Shall we move on?
3
At first, I hoped I might be able to get there by 

plane, because this it’s only a one-hour flight. 

But the early morning flight, which would be 

the most convenient, has been fully booked. 

So, I’ve got no other option but to take the 

train. Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct one so 

early in the morning and I’ll need to change in 

Leeds, where I’ll be waiting for nearly an hour 

for the next one. This is definitely not my idea 

of a quick journey.
4
Good morning passengers. This is a pre-

boarding call for passengers travelling to 

Glasgow on flight BA 295. All passengers with 

small children, and passengers who might 

require special assistance, are requested to 

go to gate 2 and start boarding now. Please, 

remember to keep your boarding pass and 

identification ready. Thank you.

2

AUDIOSCRIPT

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UNIT 9

CD 09

1
A:
  So, what do you think? There are lots of 

films to see tonight.
B:  I’m not sure. How about this comedy? There 

are some great actors in it.
A:  Oh, come on. You can watch a comedy 

like that on TV any time, there are hundreds 

of them on the film channels. I’d like to see 

something made especially for the big screen, 

like a horror or an action film. 
B:  You know I hate horror films! An action film 

sounds good, but, anyway, on the way home, 

we can borrow a comedy on a DVD from the 

rental shop.
A:  That’s fair. Now, let’s see what we’ve got 

here.
2
I play computer games a lot and I also like 

reading novelisations. These are books in 

which the authors use the original plot from 

a computer game to invent new stories. I think 

they are very interesting to read because the 

characters that you already know from a game 

have completely new adventures. I know that 

some people complain that these books are 

badly written, but for me they make a good 

read.
3
I’m speaking to you today from outside our 

local art gallery, where an interesting photo 

exhibition opened yesterday. It has been 

organised to show how our town has changed 

over the last hundred years. It features 

some photos from the collection of David 

Christianson, a well-known photographer 

from our town, who had a brilliant career over 

50 years ago. There are also new photographs 

taken by young amateur photographers who 

were keen to share their work with the general 

public.
4
I must say I found the performance absolutely 

amazing. It wasn’t like any performance of that 

kind that I’ve been to before. This time the 

conductor introduced each of the pieces with 

an interesting comment on the composer’s 

biography. I think it really helped the audience 

to understand and enjoy the music and gave 

me a feeling of watching a biographical film or 

a theatre play.
5
Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve liked drawing 

and sketching. That’s why my mum keeps 

saying I should study art at college. But I’m 

really into computers and would like to study 

something connected with IT as well as art. So, 

when I finish school next year, I’m going to try 

to get a place at university and do a degree 

in computer graphics. My dad has helped 

me to find a job for this summer with a small 

computer company, which I think will help me 

to get some practical experience in this field.
6
A:
  That was quite a disappointment, wasn’t it?
B:  Very much so. I mean, you would expect 

a much better performance from such famous 

Hollywood names. I thought they were terrible.

A:  But on the other hand, I think the actors 

did their best if you think about how simple 

the plot was, and how easy it was to guess the 

ending. I wanted to see it mainly because I’d 

heard such enthusiastic opinions from people 

who’d read the book, but now I’m definitely 

not going to read it.
B:  Nor am I. I mean the story just wasn’t 

interesting at all.

UNIT 10

CD 10

1
A:
  Where’s Tina? Is she coming today? Or is 

she having problems with her knee again?
B:  I don’t think there’s anything wrong with 

her knee. She hasn’t been to the class for a few 

weeks now and every time I ask her about it, 

she always has some sort of excuse. Last week 

it was an exam she had to prepare for, two 

weeks ago it was the pain in her leg. 
A:  So, do you think she just doesn’t want to 

come any more?
B:   I guess so.
2
I’m not that much into sports, really. I mean, 

I have been to the local football games once 

or twice, just because my friends wanted me 

to come, but I prefer watching sports on TV, 

actually. But only when there is a really big 

thing on, like the Olympic Games or the World 

Cup. My brother watches extreme sports a lot, 

but I honestly don’t understand that. I mean, 

those sports are probably fun to do but 

watching others do them is just a waste of time.
3
I’ve recently seen a  documentary about 

ice climbing. You know, about people who 

climb glaciers or even frozen waterfalls. It’s 

an extremely difficult and dangerous sport, 

something I can’t imagine trying myself. On 

the other hand, I think I can understand why 

some people do it. The rush of adrenaline and 

the feeling of achievement when you’ve made 

it to the top must be fantastic. 
4
A:
  Hi Tom. What are you doing?
B:  I’m looking through my cycling stuff. The 

cycling season is starting again.
A:  It looks like you need a new helmet. This 

one’s all scratched. Look.
B:  I know, but other than that it’s still good. 

The cycling gloves look pretty worn out. I don’t 

need to buy a new pair right now, though. But 

look here. There’s a big hole in the saddle. I’ll 

need to get a new one tomorrow.
A:  Yes, I don’t think you could repair that on 

your own.
5
A:
  What’s your schedule for this afternoon?
B:  Well, I’ve got a small group for strength 

training at 3 pm. Then I’m working with a new 

guy who’s preparing for the ski season. Then 

I’m free. Patty Jones called in this morning to 

cancel her session today. What about you? 

A busy day?
A:  Not really. In an hour, I’m seeing a new guy 

for his first training session. He’s got a history of 

heart problems, but his doctor has given him 

a special exercise programme. Look, if you’re 

free now, why don’t we go to the cafeteria on 

the ground floor?
6
Attention everyone! As you already know, 

some of the outdoor competitions at our 

school sports day, including the cycling and 

running contests, have been cancelled due 

to bad weather. Instead, we would like to 

encourage all students to enter a swimming 

competition, which will be held at the main 

swimming pool. If you are interested, please 

contact Mr Benson, the PE teacher, who will 

give you more details on how to take part in 

the event.

UNIT 11

CD 11

A:  Hi Peter. Sorry to say this but you look as if 

you stayed up all night.
B:  I know I do. And I feel like it, too. I haven’t 

been sleeping very well for the last few weeks. 

I mean, I have no problem falling asleep but 

I wake up several times during the night and 

never get a good night’s rest. Last night was 

no different.
A:  Have you tried taking sleeping pills?
B:  Well, I’ve read that it’s not easy to stop 

taking them once you’ve started, so I won’t 

touch them, but I tried some herbal stuff, 

which didn’t work at all. If it doesn’t get better 

soon, I’ll need to go to the doctor’s.
A:  I certainly would if I were you. On the other 

hand, though, I think your sleeping problems 

might be the result of poor sleeping habits.
B:  What do you mean?
A:  I mean regular activities that may help you 

a lot to get a better night’s rest. You might try 

working out a little in the evening or changing 

your menu for the evening. What’s most 

important, though, is to teach yourself to go 

to bed and get up at the same times, even at 

weekends. I think some of these ideas may 

actually help you.
B:  Well, I don’t think my problem has anything 

to do with my diet because I’m really careful 

about what and how much I  eat in the 

evening. But it’s true I’ve been really stressed 

out recently, so maybe jogging in the evening 

will make me feel more relaxed.
A:  I’m sure it will.

UNIT 12

CD 12

1
A:
  So, what did you think of the presentation?
B:  Oh, it was OK. I mean, when I realised it 

wasn’t exactly going to be what I wanted, 

I thought it would be a waste of time. But 

actually I found it really interesting.’
A:  You did? The leaflet said it would be about 

graphics software, but instead the guy just 

gave a commercial presentation of their own 

program. He might be a good speaker and 

the talk wasn’t that bad, but I’m still going to 

complain to the organisers.
2
Ladies and gentlemen! Could I have your 

attention, please! The next presentation will be 

3

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a talk on data security by Dr William Hanson, 

who will present a  number of solutions 

to the problem of how to protect large 

computer networks. Due to a huge interest 

in the talk, the organisers have decided to 

move the presentation to a larger room. The 

presentation will not take place in room 25 as 

planned, but in room 31 on the second floor. 

We apologise for any inconvenience. We are 

also pleased to inform all those, who cannot 

attend the presentation at that time that it will 

be broadcast on the local radio station at 9 

o’clock this evening.
3
A:
  Look. I’ve found an interesting article about 

the beginnings of genetic engineering. I think 

we could use the information for a short 

introduction.
B:  Well, I’m not sure. It might be a bit of 

a waste of time. In my opinion, we should 

focus on explaining the idea of genetic 

engineering and talk about what is going on in 

the field at the moment. Look here, I’ve found 

some interesting info about the use of genetic 

manipulation in agriculture and medicine.
4
A moving image was transmitted for the first 

time in 1923 by the Scottish engineer, John 

Logie Baird, who a few years later, managed to 

send a long-distance TV signal from London 

to Glasgow, and from London to New York. 

In 1928, the Baird Television Development 

Company produced the first TV programme 

for the BBC. However, Baird’s TV system was 

a mechanical one and it was slower and less 

effective than the electronic system developed 

by the Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi. 

As a result, the BBC stopped using Baird’s TV 

system in 1935.
5
A lot of people of my generation criticise 

modern technology. They say we grew up 

without all these useful new devices and 

gadgets at home and so we were not as 

lazy as the younger generation. Honestly 

though, I can’t imagine my life without all the 

household appliances that make life so much 

simpler and let me have more free time for 

my interests and hobbies. And I completely 

disagree that modern technology has 

a negative influence on family relationships. 

On the contrary, I can use email and other 

online communicators to keep in touch with 

members of my family who live far away.
6
Look, I was thinking. Could you come over 

tonight and take a look at my computer? For 

a few days, I’ve been getting the BSoD, you 

know, the ‘blue screen of death’ message on 

the screen. I’ve removed a lot of programs, 

so there’s plenty of space on the disk and 

I’ve updated most of the system drivers. 

I really don’t know what else to do. Maybe 

I should install the system again? It’s just really 

annoying when I have to press the reboot 

button several times a day.

UNIT 13

CD 13

1
When I bought my first pet snake about 15 

years ago, some of my friends thought I was 

crazy. I needed to learn how to take good 

care of it, and I must say that it was not easy 

or cheap. I joined a forum for owners of exotic 

pets and I also read a lot of books and online 

articles. Since then, I’ve kept several types of 

snake, and I think that they are fascinating 

animals as long as you know how to handle 

them.
2
I’ve been working in a pet store for a few years 

and I’ve observed that more and more people 

are buying exotic animals as pets, such as 

snakes or tarantula spiders. The thing is that 

many of our customers don’t realise that it isn’t 

easy to take good care of these animals. You 

need to have some expert knowledge and be 

ready for the sometimes high costs of looking 

after exotic pets.
3
On the whole, I like animals. I’ve got a pet 

dog and I  used to have a  hamster and 

a budgie when I was a kid. But honestly, I can’t 

understand why some people decide to keep 

lizards or insects as pets. They’re disgusting! 

One of my friends has an iguana and I wouldn’t 

touch it even if you paid me. Besides, what fun 

are they? You can’t take them for a walk or 

teach them tricks. 
4
Are you interested in exotic and unusual 

animals? Would you like to keep one at home 

as a pet but don’t know how to go about it? 

Here at Exotic Pet Care, we can help you get 

started. Visit our website, www.exoticpetcare.

com, to find all sorts of information about 

exotic pets. You can also download our full-

colour veterinary reference book on exotic 

animals for the small fee of £12.99. 

UNIT 14

CD 14

A:  What are you reading?
B:  An article about community service. The 

author thinks that it’s a good idea to punish 

criminals and offenders by getting them to 

do some work for the community instead of 

sending them to prison. Personally, I find this 

idea difficult to agree with.
A:  But why? Isn’t it better for the local 

community if criminals do something useful 

rather than stay in prison and just learn to 

commit crimes more effectively? I’ve read 

somewhere that criminals who did community 

service are less likely to break the law again.
B:  Hard to believe, really. I mean, getting 

a prison sentence is much worse than doing 

community work or paying a fine. It shows 

criminals that we, as a society, take the law 

seriously. I think that only strict punishment 

can scare people away from breaking the law.

A:  I have to disagree with you on that. People 

who go to prison lose their lives. They lose their 

jobs, sometimes their homes and even their 

families. What prospects do they have after 

they’ve done their time and leave prison? So 

they turn to crime again. Community service 

may help them to learn a better way to live 

without ruining their lives.
B:  But what about the victims? If you were, 

say, a mugging victim, wouldn’t you like to 

see the mugger go to prison? Criminals must 

be separated from society to make ordinary 

people feel safe.
A:  You’ve got a point there, but I think that this 

is only true when it comes to violent crime. In 

less serious cases, I still think community 

service is a reasonable solution.

4

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UNIT 1

CD 15

1
When Mary invited a group of her friends, 

including me, to her coming-of-age a few 

months ago, Tom came up with the idea of 

dressing up for the party. ‘It’ll be great fun’, 

he said. He wasn’t serious, though, which 

I failed to notice. So I emptied my wardrobe 

and eventually used a few bits and pieces to 

create an elf outfit. Imagine my surprise, when 

I arrived at the party and everyone else was 

wearing ordinary clothes. But I didn’t feel 

offended and we all had a bit of laugh about it.
2
A few months ago I needed to attend a job 

interview and I decided to wear a neat trouser 

suit and high heels. But to avoid making my 

feet tired on the way, I went in my trainers 

and intended to change my footwear before 

entering the interview room. Well, I was so 

stressed out that I forgot to do that, and 

I walked in wearing my old trainers. It must 

have looked rather comical to the interviewers 

and as soon as I realised my blunder, I wished 

the earth would open up and swallow me.
3
Last weekend I was asked out to dinner by 

a man I’d met on a dating website. I wanted 

to look and feel my best, so I decided to go for 

a smart casual look, like a smart top and a skirt. 

The guy, however, showed an appalling lack 

of taste. He wore jeans, a horrible shirt, white 

socks and sandals, which, of course, put me 

right off him. I had a feeling that everyone else 

was staring at us and all I wanted was to leave 

the restaurant and forget the shame.
4
I’m so used to dressing down for the office 

on Fridays that last week I completely forgot 

about a business presentation I was going 

to give for some of our customers. So, 

when I arrived at the office wearing jeans 

and a T-shirt, my boss was furious. Well, he 

was right to shout at me and I knew I had 

blundered. Anyway, there was no time to go 

home and get changed, so I just tried to do 

my best during the presentation. Fortunately, 

it went very well and my appearance didn’t 

seem to matter to our customers.

UNIT 2

CD 16

Interviewer:  Good morning, everyone. It’s 

time now for the weekly Our Space, Our Times. 

I have with me Dr Sarah Hawkins, who will talk 

to us about how we should manage our home 

space. Good morning, Sarah.
Sarah Hawkins:  Good morning.
Interviewer:  Sarah, how well do we manage 

our home space these days?
Sarah Hawkins:  Quite badly, I’m afraid. We 

are practically drowning in clutter. In 2005, 

a group of researchers from UCLA visited 32 

homes of middle-class families. What they 

found were garages full of boxes, housewares 

and tools, kids’ rooms overflowing with old 

 

UNIT TESTS. Poziom rozszerzony

toys. Similar research done here in the UK has 

shown that a lot of British families are no better 

in this respect. The point is that although most 

people value their home space, they can’t stop 

accumulating unnecessary stuff.
Interviewer:  Then why do we clutter our 

living space?
Sarah Hawkins:  There are a  number of 

reasons. Storing things is comforting as we like 

to think we’ll use them sooner or later when 

the need arises. Sometimes we can’t get rid of 

old stuff because of silly sentimental reasons. 

Most importantly, though, we are a consumer 

society. We have come to believe that buying 

things is a measure of our financial success. 

And gradually, over the years, we clutter our 

homes and our lives to a crisis point.
Interviewer:  What do you mean by a ‘crisis 

point’?
Sarah Hawkins:  That’s when we realise that 

we’ve turned our homes into a warehouse 

of junk. Most often, it is a moment when we 

find it difficult to fit something new into the 

house or garage. Occasionally for some, it 

could be the need to rearrange their homes 

because their adult children have just moved 

out, moving to a new location or even doing 

a jumble sale for charity.
Interviewer:  Does the clutter affect the 

quality of our lives?
Sarah Hawkins:  It does! It takes up valuable 

resources: time, space, money and energy. 

Tidying up becomes more time-consuming, 

and your living and working space, if you work 

from home, is badly reduced. Research has also 

shown that clutter can make you passive – it 

costs you energy which you could otherwise 

use for more creative pursuits like sports, 

hobbies or improving your social life.
Interview:  What advice can you give to those 

who would like to declutter their homes?
Sarah Hawkins:  Well, you have to realise it’s 

going to cost you a lot of time and energy 

and the mess can’t be tackled overnight. 

Separate junk from useful stuff and get rid 

of it. You might be able to sell some of it or 

give it away but, if necessary, just dump it in 

the garbage can. An absolutely crucial thing 

to do is to start with something that will have 

a positive impact on your life. For example, if 

you can no longer put your friend up for the 

night because the spare room is in a mess, deal 

with that first. It will motivate you to carry on 

with the task.
Interviewer:  Thank you very much, Sarah, for 

talking to us today.

UNIT 3

CD 17

1
A:
   I’m rather concerned about Stephen 

Adams. It is almost the end of term and his 

test results show he’s been making very little 

progress recently. How’s he been doing in your 

classes this term?
B:  Well, that is not the case in my class. He’s 

achieved satisfactory results in his tests and he 

clearly has a lot of academic potential. What 

worries me is that he is not using as much of 

it as he could. He seems to be satisfied with 

what can only be seen as average scores.
A:  You’ve got a point there. Stephen was 

much more involved last year and now he 

seems to have become awfully passive. That is 

definitely the reason why his performance has 

suffered this term.
2
The unfavourable demographic situation 

that is badly affecting the educational system 

nationwide is threatening a number of schools 

with closure. It seems that the first victim of the 

situation will be St. George’s Grammar School, 

one of the oldest privately-owned schools in 

the area. The school authorities announced 

their decision to close down the school after 

local government had rejected their request 

for financial help, arguing that several state 

primary schools in the area are facing similar 

problems. The government has already begun 

working on a restructuring model that will 

determine the number of schools to be axed.
3
A:
  A lot of teachers complain nowadays that 

the Internet has become the only source of 

information, especially for secondary school 

students. Do you think this is true?
B:  Well, I wouldn’t agree with the statement 

that the Web is the only source of information, 

although, undoubtedly it is the primary source. 

This has been confirmed by a recent study, 

which has shown that the Internet is the 

first choice for the vast majority of teenage 

students. However, I personally believe that 

the fact that so much information is instantly 

available nowadays makes some young 

people more critical and encourages them 

to check whether the information is reliable 

enough to be used for their schoolwork.

UNIT 4

CD 18

1
I’ve always wanted to work in one of the 

professions that serve the general public, and 

I’ve been seriously considering becoming 

a firefighter. My uncle is a retired fireman and 

I really admire him, although he doesn’t seem 

to approve of my chosen career. To tell the 

truth, he’s often tried to talk me out of doing it, 

and I don’t think my parents are pleased with 

my decision, either. But for the time being, I’m 

determined to apply to the local fire station as 

soon as I leave school next year.
2
Last summer I did some voluntary work at the 

local health centre. I worked as an assistant to 

a physical therapist and I found it a fascinating 

thing to do. I used to want to be an economist, 

but now I know I’d like to be in a caring 

profession. It seems so worthwhile and 

satisfying to help injured or disabled people. 

Of course, before I can work as a therapist, I’ll 

need to do a three-year course in order to get 

a physical therapy degree. 
3
I’m leaving school in a few months and as 

soon as I do that, I’m going to join the police 

5

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force. Some of my friends think I’m crazy and 

I’ve heard lots of people talking about how 

dangerous, unrewarding and even menial this 

job can be. I do realise that working as a police 

officer is not a bed of roses. But there are also 

lots of advantages and I definitely want to try 

and make a difference to the local community.
4
I’ve been playing the guitar for years and two 

years ago my friends and I formed a rock band. 

So far we haven’t really had any commercial 

success – we have only played a few gigs at 

some local events. My parents have advised 

me to try and get a place at university in case 

the band never really takes off and I think 

I’ll go along with what they say. So, to keep 

my options open, I’m going to study sound 

engineering.

UNIT 5

CD 19

A:  What are you reading? Anything intere-

sting?
B:  I’ve just finished, in fact. A very interesting 

article about ‘boomerang kids’.
A:  Boomerang kids? I don’t think I’ve heard 

that phrase.
B:  Oh, you know, they are young people who 

leave their parents’ homes and then go back to 

live with their parents again, for various reasons. 

Some have had an unsuccessful marriage which 

ended up in a divorce, others are university 

drop-outs. According to statistics, most 

boomerang kids return to their parents’ nest 

because they simply can’t afford to live on their 

own, even though many have full-time jobs.
A:  Not very surprising, is it? I mean the cost of 

living is so incredibly high these days.
B:  Exactly. What’s worse, the trend is so strong 

that it has affected the property market 

because there are very few first-time home 

buyers. Just a second, I’ll look at the numbers 

quoted in the article. It says here that in the 

last 15 years, the number of young Britons 

living with their parents has increased from 2.5 

million to 3.2 million. That’s a 28% rise! It turns 

out that a third of young adults, most of them 

males, are living with their parents.
A:  Phew! It’s hard to believe there are so many 

of them! But it also means that they can’t only 

be going back home for financial reasons. 

I don’t think it was any easier for us to leave 

home and live independent lives, but we all 

wanted to do so as soon as we could. I can’t 

think of any of my friends who’d have wanted 

to keep living with their parents till they were 

thirty something.
B:  Well, I’m sure that there were such people 

in our generation, too. But you’re right in 

saying we did crave real independence and it 

was only possible if you lived on your own and 

paid your own bills. Apparently, these young 

people find the present situation convenient. 
A:  I bet they do! Most probably don’t do any 

cooking, washing or shopping. I wonder if they 

at least contribute to the family budget.
B:  According to the article, most of them 

don’t, actually.
A:  Then the parents should make them! Those 

who do have a job, that is. Can you imagine 

Mark coming back to live with us and not 

sharing the bills?
B:  Funny you should say that. He called me 

this morning from his office. He’s coming to 

see us this weekend.
A:  That’s nice. Hold on, isn’t Janet coming, 

too? Have they fallen out or something?
B:  No, nothing like that. Janet’s going to 

university this weekend, so he just doesn’t 

want to stay at home alone. Probably because 

he wouldn’t have anything to eat!
A:  That’s right. He’s so hopeless in the kitchen.

UNIT 6

CD 20

1
Presenter:
  I’m talking to David Benson, who is 

a nutritionist. David, a lot of people believe it’s 

unhealthy to eat snacks between meals. What 

can you tell us about that?
David:  Obviously, some snacks which are 

known to be ‘junk food’ are unhealthy. But 

we need to know that there are a number of 

modern myths about eating between meals. 

For example, it is commonly believed that 

eating snacks will make you put on weight or 

lose your appetite. Research shows, however, 

that some snacks, such as yogurt or nuts, are 

actually very healthy as they help you get 

used to eating smaller portions during lunch 

or dinner and, as a result, effectively reduce the 

risk of unwanted weight gain.
2
Earth ovens, or more precisely, cooking pits, 

have been used by people in many cultures 

for centuries. This easy-to-build and non-

energy intensive cooking method is perfect 

for camping. It can also be an interesting 

alternative to barbecues in your own back 

garden. To make an oven, choose a safe spot 

for the fire and dig a hole in the ground 

around 30 cm deep and about 60 cm wide. 

Line the hole with some flat stones, and on 

top of them, pile up some small dry twigs. 

Light the fire, making sure it burns evenly 

over the whole pit. As soon as the fire starts 

dying down, remove the ashes, leaving the 

hot stones in place. Next, cover the stones 

with grass and place the meat on it. Use the 

remaining grass to cover the meat. Finally, 

cover everything with the excess earth from 

the hole to prevent air ventilation. The crisp, 

aromatic and delicious meat will be ready in 

about 12 hours.
3
If you just can’t live without red grapes, this 

might be bad news for you. Studies have 

shown that allergic reactions to red grapes are 

becoming more and more common among 

both children and adults. So, be careful if 

you notice any of the following: flushed skin, 

a stuffed nose, or, most commonly, a faster 

heartbeat. Take special care in case of more 

severe reactions, such as vomiting, shortness 

of breath or swelling of the lips and mouth. 

And the good news? Allergic reactions to 

grapes are often caused by substances on the 

grape skin, so peeling the fruit might solve the 

problem.

UNIT 7

CD 21

1
I think that we live in a very materialistic 

society, in which many people believe that the 

ability to buy lots of things helps them to feel 

in control of their lives. I used to think the same 

until I found out that, in fact, the opposite is 

true. It is not the ability to spend which gives 

us control but rather being able to put aside 

some money every month. Of course, it is 

important to know what you’re saving your 

money for, as this motivates you to control 

yourself every time you feel the urge to spend.
2
I had been trying to control my monthly 

budget for a long time. I had prepared my 

shopping lists carefully to feel in charge of 

my spending. The problem was that I had 

never been able to stick to them and I always 

ended up buying things not on my list. They 

were usually small, inexpensive items, but in 

a monthly perspective they badly affected my 

modest budget. So, I made a firm decision to 

avoid doing this and for the last few months 

I have actually managed to save a little money 

each month.
3
I have to admit I hadn’t been a very budget-

conscious customer. I used to spend a lot 

of money during my weekly supermarket 

shopping and I’d only occasionally notice that 

I‘d spent more than I meant to. Then a friend 

of mine lent me a book, from which I learnt 

about some selling techniques that retailers 

use to make their customers spend as much 

as possible. It really opened my eyes! Now it is 

much easier for me to resist the temptation to 

spend, simply because I know their tricks and 

I have taught myself to buy only the things 

I really need.
4
Like most of my friends, I would go shopping 

once a week to the out-of-town supermarket 

and I always ended up feeling disappointed 

with my inability to control my spending. 

Finally, I decided that I had to change my ways 

if I was ever to save any money. I now tend 

to do most of my shopping in small corner 

shops nearly every day, and I just buy the few 

items I need. I also no longer go shopping for 

clothes with my friends because I feel it’s easier 

to resist the urge to buy more items if you’re 

on your own.

UNIT 8

CD 22

Interviewer:  Good morning, listeners. In 

today’s programme I’m talking to Dr Edward 

Clyde, a psychologist and the author of a book 

about the different personality types of 

holidaymakers. Good morning Dr Clyde.
Dr Clyde:  Good morning.
Interviewer:  I have to admit I found your 

book very interesting and absolutely hilarious. 

But I don’t think that that was the main reason 

why you wrote it, was it?
Dr Clyde:  Thank you. Well, I’m glad that 

you found the book entertaining. But going 

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on holiday is a serious issue and the wrong 

attitude may cause a number of problems. 

The book is basically meant to make travellers 

think about how their dominant personality 

traits may affect their vacation. It might also be 

useful in choosing the right company for your 

holiday, to avoid disappointment and conflicts.
Interviewer:  So, can you tell us about the 

more common personality types, please?
Dr Clyde:  Sure. Let’s take the ‘timekeeper’ 

type, for example. They always stick to 

a carefully planned itinerary. That might not be 

so bad in itself, but timekeepers often overdo 

the planning. They’re constantly in a rush, 

hurrying themselves and those with them 

to keep to the schedule of sightseeing trips, 

lunches, excursions and the like. They never 

do anything on impulse and often ruin their 

holiday just because they’re unable to break 

away from their planned routine.
Interviewer:  Not the best company for 

a holiday. What about some other types?
Dr Clyde:  Another common type is the 

‘texter’. Texters are often unaware of the fact 

that they’re uncomfortable about leaving their 

familiar environment. To make up for it, they 

keep in touch with it all the time, by sending 

messages, emails, and tweets back to their 

family and friends. Logging on to their office 

mailbox while on the beach is nothing odd 

for them. No wonder, those travelling with 

a ‘texter’ will often feel ignored.
Interviewer:  Terrible. They should get a digital 

detox, I believe. 
Dr Clyde:  Exactly. Now, another type is the 

‘hippie’. Unlike the timekeeper, the hippie 

never plans anything properly. ‘I’ll figure it out 

when I get there’, is what a hippie type thinks. 

There’s some similarity between the hippie 

and another type, called the ‘underpacker’, 

who always fails to pack essential items for 

the holiday. As you can imagine, both of these 

types waste a lot of their precious holiday time 

and budget to compensate for their lack of 

suitable preparation.
Interviewer:  What general advice can you 

give to such travellers?
Dr Clyde:  Well, read my book for specific tips 

for each of the personality types. But speaking 

more seriously, I don’t try to make people 

change their personality. Holidays should be 

a time of relaxation, not a struggle. The most 

important thing is to be aware of those habits 

which might spoil your holiday and try to 

do away with them, at least for the holiday. 

So, if you’re a timekeeper, for example, do 

something crazy for once.
Interviewer:  Thank you very much, Dr Clyde.

UNIT 9

CD 23

1
A lot of people start learning to play a musical 

instrument on their own, using the resources 

available online. Some of them might actually 

be quite successful if they’re talented and 

hard-working. Personally, however, I believe 

that professional tutoring is necessary if you 

are seriously considering a career in music. 

Self-instruction often results in developing bad 

habits, which will prevent you from reaching 

the level of a pro. The cost of classes might put 

you off a bit, but it’s still worth the money in 

the long run.
2
My dad taught himself to play the guitar 

when he was a teenager and he’s really good. 

He showed me how to get started with the 

guitar and gave me his old books which he 

used to learn from. I’m actually using one of 

them. With all the useful stuff available on 

the web nowadays, it’s much easier for me 

to learn. Watching people show you how to 

play something online is a great help, not to 

mention the fact that it’s no problem finding 

guitar arrangements for almost any song you 

would like to learn.
3
If you’re bored with your guitar classes 

because your teacher makes you play scales 

all the time, or if you’re self-taught and need 

professional instruction to hone your guitar 

skills, my online course may be the answer to 

your needs. It features a number of 45-minute 

guitar lessons, aimed at helping beginner to 

intermediate guitarists. All the lessons come 

with my own arrangements of various pieces, 

including classical, blues, jazz, rock and heavy 

metal pieces. Subscribe today and improve 

your guitar skills!
4
My parents are both professional musicians 

and I used to think I’d follow in their footsteps. 

I started learning to play the piano at the age 

of 4. Now I’m 17 and I believe I’m pretty good. 

But honestly, only the most talented musicians 

can make it to the top and I have realised that 

I might not be one of them. So, I no longer see 

myself pursuing a music career, and I’d rather 

do a degree in sound engineering. Fortunately, 

my parents are very supportive and have never 

shown any disappointment with the fact that 

I’m not going to play music professionally.

UNIT 10

CD 24

Interviewer:  With me today in the studio is 

Robert Bryce, an author of several books on 

sports. Good morning, Robert.
Robert Bryce:  Good morning.
Interviewer:  Robert, I must admit I’ve found 

your latest book an excellent read. It cuts 

through some modern myths about sports 

and draws an interesting comparison between 

traditional and extreme sports. There’s also 

a large section in which you try to predict the 

future trends in sports.
Rober t Br yce:  That ’s all true. M ore 

importantly, though, it also shows modern 

society through sport. Sport is an important 

part of popular culture and it reflects social 

values and the way people interact with each 

other. And that’s what I’d call the main point. 
Interviewer:  I see. Let’s talk for a while about 

how sport might develop in the future. There 

are already some interesting trends we can 

observe. New, unusual sports activities are 

being invented all the time. Some of them 

are short-lived while others gain popularity 

quickly. On the other hand, traditional 

disciplines seem to have changed very little 

since they were invented. Do you think they’re 

bound to disappear?
Robert Bryce:  Well, if we’re talking about 

amateur sports, activities that people do for 

fun or to keep fit, I don’t think a lot is going 

to change here. Ideas that sports will become 

extremely violent, or reserved for a small rich 

elite, rightly belong to science-fiction literature. 

I also disagree with the views that extreme 

sports will prevail over traditional disciplines. 

I think that most people will be happy enough 

to stick to traditional activities like cycling or 

skiing.
Interviewer:  And what about professional 

sports? What are the trends there?
Robert Bryce:  Well, a  lot of people are 

critical of the fact that professional sport has 

become big business, with top sportspeople 

earning incredible amounts of money. They 

think sport should become less commercial 

whereas I feel the opposite will happen. Sports 

authorities will introduce changes to the most 

popular disciplines that will attract even larger 

crowds to the stadiums and as a result, make 

professional sport even more profitable. 
Interviewer:  Thank you very much for talking 

to us today.
Robert Bryce:  Thank you.

UNIT 11

CD 25

1
I went skiing in Italy with some friends last year. 

On the second day of our trip I was feeling a bit 

unwell and some of my friends recommended 

that I stay in the hotel. But I was determined 

not to waste my time, so I went skiing with 

them. I fell really badly on my way down the 

piste and got a complicated fracture in my 

right elbow. Since the accident I’ve already had 

two surgeries, but I still do not have the full 

range of motion in my right arm, which means 

I can’t stretch it out fully. This hasn’t stopped 

me from going back to skiing, though. 
2
Last year I was working out in the gym and 

I badly strained a muscle in my left shoulder. 

To be honest, I could only blame myself for the 

injury, as I hadn’t warmed up properly before 

the exercise. While I was doing the upright row, 

I felt a terrible pain in my left shoulder. In the 

hospital, I was given an X-ray, which showed 

that some of the muscle fibres had broken. 

Luckily though, although it was really painful at 

first, the injury was not so serious as to require 

any clinical treatment. Still, it took over two 

months to heal completely.
3
Two years ago I had a cycling accident while 

I was riding in the forest. I shouldn’t have 

been going so fast as the path was still wet 

after the rain the night before. Anyway, the 

bike skidded, I fell off and hit the ground 

really hard. At first, I thought I’d got away 

with a few bumps and scratches, but a week 

later, I started getting frequent pains in my 

back. I wasn’t getting any better, so I had to 

consult a doctor. It turned out that as a result 

of my accident, I was suffering from a ruptured 

disc. I spent over a week in hospital, taking 

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medicines and attending a course of physical 

therapy. 
4
A few weeks ago I broke the calf bone in my 

right leg during a game of football. I was just 

going to shoot at the goal when one of the 

defenders attacked me. It was a really brutal 

foul, which he got sent off for. I was taken to 

hospital where the doctor diagnosed me with 

a broken bone. Fortunately, though, there 

were no complications, so I stayed there for 

just two days, got my leg in plaster and then 

returned home. I had the plaster removed 

yesterday and everything seems to be fine, but 

the doctor says I’ll have to wait a few months 

before I go back to doing sports. 

UNIT 12

CD 26

1
For the last few months I’ve been taking part 

in an archaeological project in Peru which is 

aimed at exploring the Inca ruins. Many of 

the participants, like myself, are volunteers 

who help to carry out research work in the 

Amaybamba Valley. We live like the local 

Peruvians, which most of us found hard to 

get used to at the beginning. However, the 

difficult living conditions and hard work are 

easily made up for by the great satisfaction 

I felt when my team helped to excavate and 

explore an ancient settlement. It was an 

incredible feeling and I’m sure that a lot of 

people would love to experience something 

like that.
2
Few science-related topics can trigger 

such heated discussions as the idea of 

space exploration. Personally, I can’t agree 

with the opponents of space exploration, 

who point out that the costs involved are 

immense, because I  believe that space 

exploration is a natural and necessary step 

in the development of human civilisation. 

Although the issues of poverty, starvation 

and protection of the natural environment 

are certainly important, I am strongly in favour 

of exploring outer space because scientific 

knowledge is of incalculable value, and the 

research might well benefit the human race in 

a number of ways. 
3
A:
  Have you read this article? 
B:  The one about genetically modified crops? 

Yes, I have. It’s rather critical, isn’t it?
A:  I don’t honestly understand why. I know 

that there have always been doubts about 

every new technology. The author’s arguments 

that GM crops have resulted in genetic 

pollution have not been confirmed by any 

research data. In fact, I’ve read some more 

about the issue on the Web and most experts 

seem to agree that genetic modification 

of crops is likely to improve the quality of 

the natural environment and boost food 

production.
B:  Well, I’m not so sure. After all, he does 

quote some figures in his article to show that 

GM crops have already increased the risk of 

allergies. And I think I agree with his beliefs 

that in the long term, GM crops may cause 

unwanted mutations in some bacteria or 

insects. I really don’t think we just have the 

right to interfere in nature so much.
A:  Oh, well I’m sorry to say this, but I really 

can’t go along with that at all.

UNIT 13

CD 27

1
I live in a lovely, small seaside town, whose 

beautiful sandy beaches attract crowds 

of tourists each year. Every summer it was 

the same sad story – the beaches were 

covered in all sorts of rubbish, with the local 

authorities unable to stop people littering the 

environment. So last year, some of the local 

residents like me decided to set up beach 

patrols to deal with this problem. Groups of 

volunteers walked along the beaches to make 

sure that the tourists used rubbish bins. They 

talked to people about the health hazards that 

litter might pose and teamed up to clean up 

the beaches. I’m convinced that such voluntary 

schemes can do more good than any strict 

laws imposed by the local authorities.
2
I often go hiking in the mountains and I’m very 

concerned about how mindless some tourists 

can be. They drop all sorts of litter in the forest: 

broken glass, plastic bottles, food leftovers, 

even cigarette ends. They completely ignore 

the fact that these things can be dangerous to 

the woodland and the animals that live there. 

A fire caused by a thoughtlessly dropped 

cigarette end could easily destroy hundreds of 

acres of forest. The forest wardens I’ve talked 

to say that most of the tourists are just too lazy 

to take their rubbish with them, even though 

they do realise the danger they’re causing.
3
The village where I live is located on the 

shore of a large lake, and so it’s very popular 

with tourists who come flocking here in the 

summer for the water sports. No wonder the 

beaches around the lake are littered with all 

sorts of stuff left by the tourists. And I don’t 

blame them! People are lazy by nature and if 

they do not feel any pressure, they will drop 

their litter anywhere. I believe that there should 

be high penalties imposed by the local officials 

to make people think twice before they leave 

their rubbish on the beach. Unless firm legal 

action is taken against people littering the 

lakeside, the problem will remain.
4
Whenever I go on holiday, it strikes me how 

much damage tourists can do to places of 

natural beauty. I sometimes see whole families 

leaving all their rubbish on the beach or near 

a river. I’m not surprised that small kids do that. 

After all, they’re just following their parents’ 

example. I think the only way to change 

this is to teach people about the dangers 

of pollution. People need to realise that the 

environment is a fragile system and it’s our 

common responsibility to protect it. Without 

proper education, most people will just keep 

thinking like this: ‘It’s only a sweet wrapper! It 

won’t destroy the forest, will it?’

UNIT 14

CD 28

A:  I’m talking to John Davids, who works as 

a volunteer for Victim Support. John, could you 

tell us more about the organisation?
B:  Of course. Victim Support is a charity that 

provides various forms of help to people who 

have been victims of a crime. This help might 

range from helping to deal with the damage 

done by burglars, for example, to going 

through some formalities, or, as is the case of 

my group, helping the victims cope with the 

after-effects of the crime.
A:  You mean counselling?
B:  Not exactly. Counselling involves specialist 

therapy which is provided by trained 

professionals who help their clients solve their 

problems. Crime victims hardly ever need this 

kind of specialist therapy unless they suffer 

from PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. 

What most of them need is to make sense of 

what they’ve been through and get their lives 

under control again. So most of the time, we 

just let them express their emotions and fears 

while we are there to hear them out.
A:  Surely this can be done by family members 

or close friends, too?
B:  You’re right, but from my own experience 

I can say that most crime victims prefer talking 

to our volunteers. I believe that it’s easier for 

them to open up to strangers and avoid 

troubling their nearest and dearest, who, more 

often than not, might also have been affected 

by the crime. 
A:  John, you’ve mentioned some practical 

help offered by Victim Support. What kind of 

help do most crime victims need?
B:  Various sorts. Our volunteers help, for 

example, the victims of burglaries to get their 

houses renovated, or they help people get 

whatever medical treatment they need. The 

majority of crime victims, though, need our 

assistance with filling out compensation claims 

or dealing with the criminal justice system. It’s 

a lot of paperwork. 
A:  What essential piece of advice could you 

give to people who are finding it difficult to 

cope with their emotions after becoming 

a crime victim?
B:  Oh, there are lots of things that are very 

important. You have to try to regain control 

over your daily life. Don’t make life-changing 

decisions unless they’re absolutely necessary. 

However, remember that your recovery 

depends on one important condition – 

you must never blame yourself for what’s 

happened to you. Unless you get rid of the 

feeling of guilt, you will never come to terms 

with the experience.
A:  Thank you very much for talking to us, 

John.

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