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A. Decide whether the expressions below are positive (P) or negative (N).
1. It wasn't up to scratch.
2 They achieved such great things.
3 I couldn't put that book down.
4. Their story could have been presented in a more appealing way.
5. That wasn't a problem I had.
B. Now listen to a conversation between two people and check your answers in A.
Answers: 1. N - 2. P - 3. P - 4. N - 5. P
C. Listen to the conversation again and choose the best answer a, b or c.
1. What didn't appeal to the man?
a. the book's subject matter
b. the way the book was written
c. the book's descriptions of pyramids
2. What do both speakers agree on?
a. The first two books in the series were better.
b. The author seems to have lost his touch.
c. The Mayan civilisation was very impressive.
Tips on listening to short extracts:
• Read the stem question first to focus on what you need to listen for.
• Then read the a—c options and underline any key words.
• Don't worry if you can't answer the question the first time you listen. Remember you will hear each recording twice.
Answers: 1. b - 2.c
D. You will hear two different extracts. For questions 1 — 4, choose the answer (a, b or c) which fits best according to what you hear.
Extract One. You hear two people on an arts programme talking about a famous artist.
1. What is the woman's opinion about the artist's current exhibition?
a. It's a classic.
b. It isn't up to scratch.
c. It's her best work so far.
2 What do the man and woman agree about?
a. The artist's works look like they were done by school students.
b. Most artists produce poorer works when they become famous.
c. The artist could have produced better works for this show.
Extract Two. You hear part of a radio interview with a woman who has just completed a marathon.
3. What was the woman sad about?
a. not completing the marathon
b. not recognising the people cheering her on
c. being unable to see the finishing line
4. Why was this Joyce's first full marathon?
a. She previously hadn't wanted to risk running with her old dog.
b. She had only just reached peak fitness.
c. She didn't have enough confidence until now.
Answers: 1. b - 2.c - 3.c - 4.a
