Two friends talk about how one can help the other with an upcoming charity show.

Listen to the mp3 file and choose true/false for each question. Then listen again to check.

Right click here for the mp3 listening file.

1. Ben needs someone to help with the cooking. True False

2. The show is going to take place in the park. True False

3. Kathy likes Graham's jokes. True False

4. Somebody from Kathy's family has already volunteered to help. True False

5. Ben doesn't think Kathy's card tricks will work. True False

6. Kathy can't dance very well. True False

7. Kathy can't participate because she is helping Susan. True False

Ben: Kathy, we need some help for the charity show on Saturday. Do you think you can help?

Kathy: Sure, what do you want me to do? I can do some of the cooking if you need.

Ben: No, the cooking is taken care of.

Kathy: OK, what about the clearing up? I can pick up the litter off the floor. There's going to be a lot of people around and the park will get pretty messy I think.

Ben: John and Lindsay have volunteered to do all of that.

Kathy: So what do you want my help for?

Ben: The talent contest?

Kathy: I'm sorry?

Ben: Yeah, you know. The talent contest we are doing. The problem is - we don't think many people will volunteer to take part unless there are some people already signed up, so I want you to put your name down now to do something.

Kathy: But I can't do anything!

Ben: Sure you can!

Kathy: No, seriously Ben. I am the last person you want for a talent show. I don't have any.

Ben: You don't have any what?

Kathy: Talent!!

Ben: Look, I asked Graham and he said he would tell a few jokes to begin the show.

Kathy: Have you heard any of Graham's jokes? He can't tell jokes Ben! Who else do you have?

Ben: Your mother agreed to play a piece of music on the clarinet. Something from a film.

Kathy: Oh, that will be nice. She can play well.

Ben: Alright! So now we need you to do something. What can you do really well?

Kathy: I can cook!

Ben: I don't think people are going to want to watch you cook, Kathy!

Kathy: I can do some card tricks. That could be a nice idea.

Ben: Do they always work?

Kathy: I can practice! They usually work!

Ben: Hmm! Is there anything else you can do?

Kathy: Well, I can't dance and I can't juggle....

Ben: What about singing? Can you sing?

Kathy: My voice isn't too terrible! I can sing the national anthem quite well.

Ben: Hey that's great. It will only take a couple of minutes and with three volunteers already, I think other people will be less shy to sign up.

Kathy: What time does the talent show start?

Ben: Around 3 in the afternoon

Kathy: Oh no! I'm on Susan's cookery stall until 4!

Ben: Can you escape for just 5 minutes?

Kathy: Not really but if you want, I can sing my song at the end of the show instead of the beginning.

Ben: Yeah, that sounds perfect. We will finish up at about 5pm.

Kathy: OK, agreed. Put me down as the last act in the talent show.

Ben: Thanks a lot Kathy, I really appreciate it.

Kathy: Sure, no problem!

Listen to David and Carol talking about a modern art exhibition.

Choose the best answer for the questions below.

Right click here for the mp3 listening file.

1. What is Carol's reaction to David's opinion that modern art looks like it has been done by children? She can understand why he thinks that. She disagrees totally. She accuses him of not understanding modern art.

2. What did Carol like about the picture of the tree? That is was so big. It reminded her of winter. The way the artist represented the tree.

3. What did Carol say about the second picture? It was large. It was her favourite painting. It had a lot of strange colours.

4. Which of these statements is not true of the last painting that Carol describes? She saw it near the end of the art gallery visit. She also liked the frame on the picture. It reminded her of her childhood. She spent a long time looking at it.

5. What suggestion does Carol make to David at the end of their conversation? To buy a painting if he sees something he likes. To attend the exhibition with someone who couldn't go with Carol today. To go with their aunt, who is in town this week.

David: Hello Carol. What did you do today?

Carol: Hi David, I've just got back from the Art Gallery. You know, they had a wonderful exhibition of abstract art today. You should have come with me.

David: No, I really can't stand modern art. It just seems like children's painting to me.

Carol: Yes, if you don't understand what the artist is trying to communicate, it can seem a little like that.

David: Well, what did you see then? Tell me about some of your favorite pictures.

Carol: OK, I'll try to remember. There was this one huge painting which was mainly black and gray. I think it was supposed to be a tree although it could have been anything really - you know what these modern paintings are like.

David: And what did you like about that one?

Carol: Just the way the tree looked. It was like the tree was made of hard, metal spikes and the mix of white and gray made everything look like it was winter. Very cold.

David: What else did you see?

Carol: There was this other huge painting which was mainly black and white. It looked very impressive. It was a sort of spiral and each part of the spiral was a white disc and they all met in the middle. It's really hard to explain. But my absolute favorite was a painting we saw in the last room we visited.

David: Who did you go with?

Carol: I went with Melanie and her sister. Anyway, there was this beautiful painting and it looked like a meadow and all the grass was purple and red and there was this green sky in the background. I looked at it and thought of summer. It also had this amazing jet black frame and the whole effect was very impressive. I spent about ten minutes just looking at that one.

David: Wow, that really does sound impressive. Maybe I should go and visit this exhibition.

Carol: You really should. I think you would be inspired by some of the paintings. I think you should look at modern art like food. You need to taste things to see if you like them. At that exhibition today, some of them were even for sale. That last one, the meadow one, was on sale for $8,000.

David: How much?! That's really expensive. I may go and visit the exhibition tomorrow, but I'm not going to buy anything.

Carol: OK, let me know how it goes, won't you? Give Mark a call. He wanted to come with us today but his aunt was in town so he couldn't. He'd be really keen on going.

David: OK, I will.