Pitman Teachers Book 4 Part 4

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Teacher’s Book 4 CommunicatorMore information

M or e

i nf o

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Communicator level syllabus 179

Frequently asked questions: teachers 192

Frequently asked questions: students 194

Exam advice 196

Sample exam paper 197

Sample exam paper tapescripts 213

Book 2 Communicator Communicator

©2009 The City and Guilds of London Institute. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or transmitted in aform or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system,without permission in writing from the publisher.



International English for Speakers of Other LanguagesTeacher’s Book 4 Communicator

178

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Communicator level syllabus

Listening syllabusThe candidate will be able to:

– understand standard spoken English delivered at normal speed

– follow short conversations both formal and informal in a range of familiar situations

understanding gist, context, purpose, function, attitude, feelings, opinions and

relationships

– follow a conversation and predict the likely outcome

– understand narratives, sequences, instructions, descriptions and explanations

– identify the function of short utterances which may contain idiomatic expressions

(see Grammar and Functions sections)

– follow a discussion to identify gist, detail, purposes and key ideas and distinguishbetween fact and opinion

– extract and reproduce key information from announcements, media broadcasts,

presentations and lectures including abstract and concrete topics encountered in

personal, social, academic and vocational life

– follow clearly structured extended speech and more complex argument when

familiar with the topic.

Phonological features

– recognise how intonation, pitch and/or stress can affect meaning

– recognise feelings, moods, attitudes, important points and opinions expressed

through stress, pitch and intonation.

Range– understand ideas, arguments and descriptions expressed through complex

sentence forms

– understand some lower frequency vocabulary and expressions relating to everyday

life and current events.

Register

– recognise degrees of formality used by speakers in different types of utterances in

everyday and less familiar situations.

Understanding gist

– understand the main ideas in longer but clearly structured announcements,

conversations and discussions on familiar and unfamiliar concrete and

abstract topics.

Understanding detail

– extract the more salient points of detail from longer but clearly structured texts on

familiar and unfamiliar topics and on both concrete and abstract topics.

More informationCommunicator level syllabus

Notes



Reading syllabusThe candidate will be able to:

– understand texts in different styles and purposes with a large degree

of independence

– understand the main ideas in complex texts on both familiar and abstract topics

– understand the way meaning is built up in a range of texts

– locate specific information from different parts of a text or different texts

– understand feelings, opinions, warnings and conditions in both formal and

informal text

– understand lengthy texts containing complex instructions or explanations

– understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary issues in which

the writers adopt particular viewpoints

– locate and understand information, ideas and opinions from longer more specialised

sources in familiar contexts.

Range

– understand a broad range of vocabulary but may experience some difficulty with

low frequency idioms

– understand texts which contain a broad range of grammatical structures.

Register

– understand the features of register in texts including those conveying emotion

or dispute.

Text structure

– recognise how purpose is achieved in a range of texts including those containing

images, graphical and tabular data– understand a broad range of discourse markers including those expressing addition,

cause and effect, contrast, sequence and time.

Writing syllabusThe candidate will be able to:

– write coherently on topics of general interest linking ideas appropriately

and effectively

– write clear connected text describing real or imaginary people or events

– present an argument giving points for and against, supporting and evaluating

different views

– write formal letters, reports or articles to fulfil a range of functions forpractical purposes

– write letters containing descriptions of personally significant events, people or

experiences.

Accuracy

– use words and expressions appropriate to topic and purpose of the writing

– adjust register in familiar contexts to suit purpose and readership.

Range

– use vocabulary adequately to meet straightforward needs

– communicate information and ideas with some adaptation to the intended reader.


180

Notes



Organisation

– use a range of linking words effectively to show clearly the relationship

between ideas

– paragraph appropriately

– reproduce conventional features of common types of text.

GrammarCandidates are expected to know the grammar required for Preliminary, Access and

Achiever levels. They may also be exposed to the grammar required for the Expert

level, but will not be tested on it.

Sentence structureSimple sentences

– word order in simple statements:

subject-verb-object/adverb/adjective/prepositional phrase

– word order in instructions

– word order in questions

– ‘there is/are’ + noun

– ‘there was/were’

– ‘there has/have been’

– ‘there will be’/‘there is going to be’

Compound sentences

– use of the conjunctions ‘and’/‘but’/‘or’

– word ordersubject-verb-(object) (+ ‘and’/‘but’/‘or’) + subject-verb-(object)

Complex sentences

– clauses of:

time with ‘when’/‘before’/‘after’

reason ‘because’

result ‘so’

– noun clause with ‘that’

– word order in complex sentences

– complex sentences with one subordinate clause

– defining relative clauses with ‘who’/‘which’/‘that’

– clause as subject/object

Simple, compound and complex sentences with subordinate clauses

– word order in sentences with more than one subordinate clause

– ‘there had been’

– use of common conjunctions expressing contrast, purpose, consequence,

condition, concession

– non-defining relative clauses

– defining relative clauses with ‘where’, ‘whose’, ‘when’

– defining relative clauses without relative pronouns

– participal clauses describing action with ‘-ing’


Notes



Verb formsPresent reference

– simple present tense of ‘be’/‘have’/‘do’ and common regular verbs

– present continuous of common verbs

– ‘have got’

– simple present with no time focus

– present continuous to express continuity

Present/Past reference

– present perfect with ‘since’/‘for’/‘ever’/‘never’/‘yet’/‘already’/‘just’

– present perfect continuous

Past reference

– past tense of regular and common irregular verbs with time markers– ‘used to’ for regular actions in the past

– past continuous

– past perfect

Future reference

– noun phrase (NP) + ‘be going to’, present continuous and time markers

– future simple verb forms, NP+ ‘will’

Other

– ‘yes/no’ questions

– question words: ‘who’/‘what’/‘where’/‘when’/‘how much’/‘how many’/‘how old’

– auxiliary ‘do’ for questions and negatives

– imperatives and negative imperatives– verb + ‘to’ + infinitive, such as ‘want’/‘hope’

– questions, such as ‘what time’/‘how often’/‘why’/‘how’/‘which’

– contracted forms appropriate to this level

– zero and 1st conditional

– range of verbs + ‘-ing’ forms

– ‘to’ + infinitive to express purpose

– common phrasal verbs and position of object pronouns, such as ‘I looked it up’

– simple reported/embedded statements and questions

– simple passive

– use of 2nd and 3rd conditional

– verbs + (object) + gerund or infinitive such as ‘would like someone to do something’,

‘suggest doing something’– causative use of ‘have’ and ‘get’

– reported speech with a range of tenses

– wider range of phrasal verbs such as ‘give up’, ‘hold out’

– reported requests and instructions

– question tags using tenses appropriate to this level

– contracted forms appropriate to this level


182

Notes



Modals, nouns, pronouns, possessives,

prepositionsModals and forms with similar meaning

– ‘can’/‘can’t’ (ability/inability, permission) and ‘would like’ (request)

– ‘not’ negative questions

– ‘must’ (obligation)

– ‘mustn’t’ (prohibition)

– ‘have to’/‘had got to’ (need)

– ‘can’/‘could’ (requests)

– ‘couldn’t’ (impossibility)

– ‘may’ (permission)

– single modal adverbs: ‘possibly’/‘probably’/‘perhaps’

– ‘should’ (obligation, advice)– ‘might’/‘may’/‘will probably’ (possibility and probability in the future)

– ‘would’/‘should’ (advice)

– ‘need to’ (obligation)

– ‘needn’t’ (lack of obligation)

– ‘will definitely’ (certainty in the future)

– ‘may I’ (asking for permission)

– ‘I’d rather’ (stating preference)

– ‘ought to’ (obligation)

– ‘must’/‘can’t’ (deduction)

Nouns

– regular and common irregular plural forms

– very common uncountable nouns

– simple noun phrases

– all cardinal numbers

– wider range of noun phrases with pre- and post-modification

– word order of determiners, eg ‘all my books’

Pronouns

– personal

– subject

– object

– reflexive

Possessives

– possessive adjectives, such as ‘my’/‘your’/‘his’/‘her’/‘its’/‘our’/‘their’

– use of ’s, s’

– possessive pronouns, such as ‘mine’/‘yours’/‘whose’

Prepositions and prepositional phrases

– common prepositions, such as ‘at’/‘in’/‘on’/‘under’/‘next to’/‘between’/‘near

to’/‘from’

– prepositional phrases of place, time and movement, such as ‘at home’/‘on the

left’/‘on Monday’/‘at six o’clock’

– prepositions of place, time and movement, such as

‘before’/‘after’/‘towards’/‘up’/‘down’/‘along’/‘across’/‘in front of’/‘behind’/‘opposite’


Notes



– prepositional phrases of place and time, such as ‘after dinner’/‘before tea’

– wide range of prepositions, such as ‘beyond’/‘above’/‘beneath’/‘below’

– prepositional phrases, such as ‘in her twenties’/‘of average height’/‘in the top right-

hand corner’

– collocations of verbs/nouns + prepositions such as ‘point at’, ‘have an interest in’

– preposition + -ing form such as ‘after leaving’

Articles, determiners, adjectives,adverbs, intensifiersArticles

– definite with superlatives

– definite article with post-modification, such as ‘the present you gave me’

– use of indefinite article in definitions, such as ‘an architect is a person whodesigns buildings’

– definite, indefinite and zero article with both countable and uncountable nouns

in a range of uses

Determiners

– ‘any’/‘some’/‘a lot of’

– ‘all’/‘none’/‘not (any)’/‘enough’/‘(a) few’/‘(a) little’/‘many’/‘more’/‘most’,

‘much’/‘no’

– a range of determiners, such as ‘all the’/‘most’/‘both’

Adjectives

– common adjectives in front of a noun

– demonstrative adjectives ‘this’/‘that’/‘these’/‘those’– order of adjectives

– comparative, superlative, regular and common irregular forms

– use of ‘than’

– adjectives ending ‘-ed’ + ‘-ing’ such as ‘tired’ and ‘tiring’

– comparative structures, such as ‘as … as’/‘… is the same as’/‘not so … as …’/‘looks

like’/‘is like’

– all ordinal numbers

– comparisons with ‘fewer’ and ‘less’

– collocations of adjective + preposition such as ‘responsible for’

Adverbs

– simple adverbs of place, manner and time, such as ‘here’/‘slowly’/‘now’

– simple adverbs and adverbial phrases: sequencing, time and place, frequency,

manner, such as ‘as soon as possible’

– position of adverbs and word order of adverbial phrases

– adverbial phrases of degree, extent, probability

– comparative and superlative of adverbs

Intensifiers

– ‘very’/‘really’

– ‘quite’/‘so’/‘a bit’

– a range of intensifiers such as ‘too’/‘enough’

– wide range such as ‘extremely’/‘much too’


184

Notes



Punctuation and spellingPunctuation

– use of capital letters and full stops

– use of question marks, exclamation marks, use of commas in lists

– use of punctuation in formal and informal texts, such as dashes, brackets, bullet

points, speech marks

– multiple uses of commas

– use of apostrophes for possession and omission

– use of other punctuation to enhance meaning

Spelling

– the correct spelling of personal details

– the correct spelling of words used in work, studies, leisure and daily life

DiscourseDiscourse

– sentence connectives ‘then’/‘next’

– adverbs to indicate sequence ‘first’/‘finally’

– use of substitution ‘I think so’/‘I hope so’

– markers to structure spoken discourse ‘Right’/‘Well’/‘OK/Okay’/‘anyway’/‘by the

way’/‘as I was saying’

– markers to indicate addition ‘also’, sequence ‘in the first place’, contrast ‘on the

other hand’

– use of ellipsis in informal situations ‘got to go’ and in informal speech and writing

‘sounds good’– use of vague language ‘I think’/‘you know’

– a range of discourse markers expressing addition, cause and effect, contrast

‘however’, sequence and time ‘at a later date’

Topics1 Self and family

– name

– address

– telephone/fax number

– date and place of birth

– age– sex

– marital status

– nationality

– origin

– occupation

– family

– likes and dislikes

– physical appearance

– email address

– title

– first language

– character, disposition


Notes



2 House and home, environment

– accommodation, rooms

– furniture, furnishings, bedclothes

– services

– amenities

– region

– flora and fauna

– types of accommodation

– cost

3 Daily life

– at home

– at work

– income

– prospects

4 Free time, entertainment

– leisure

– hobbies and interests

– TV, radio, computer, etc

– cinema, theatre

– intellectual pursuits

– sports

– press

– internet

– music

– holidays– exhibitions, museums

– artistic pursuits

5 Travel

– public transport

– private transport

– traffic

– holiday accommodation

– luggage

– travel documents

– signs and notices

– entering and leaving a country

6 Relationships with other people

– relationships

– correspondence

– behaviour

– invitations

– club membership

– government and politics

– crime, justice

– social affairs

– friends


186

Notes



7 Health and bodycare

– parts of the body

– personal comfort

– hygiene

– ailments, accidents

– medical services

8 Shopping

– shopping facilities

– foodstuffs

– clothes, fashion

– household articles

– prices

9 Food and drink– types of food and drink

– eating and drinking out

10 Services

– post

– telephone

– banking

– police

– hospital, surgery

– garage

– petrol station

– emergency– insurance

– diplomatic services

11 Places

– asking the way and giving directions

– location

12 Language

– ability at using a foreign language

– understanding, expression

– English spelling and alphabet

13 Weather

– obtain information from weather forecast

– climate and weather

14 Measures and shapes

– all digits and cardinal numbers

– telephone numbers, process

– height, length, weight, capacity, temperature

– dates, times, days

– shape


Notes



15 Education

– schooling

– subjects

– qualifications

Functions(See Topics list for contexts)

Giving and finding out factual information

– identifying

– correcting

– narrating

– describing

– asking questions to obtain confirmation/information/identification/descriptions

– responding to requests for confirmation/information/identification

– comparing

– reporting

– explaining

Expressing and finding out attitudes

Factual: agreement, etc

– expressing agreement with a statement

– expressing disagreement with a statement

– expressing views with reasons

– enquiring about agreement and disagreement

– denying statements

Factual: knowledge

– expressing one’s knowledge or ignorance of a person, thing or fact

– enquiring about another’s knowledge or ignorance of a person, thing or fact

– stating whether one remembers or has forgotten a person, thing, fact or action

– enquiring whether another person remembers or has forgotten a person, thing,

fact or action

– expressing degrees of probability

– enquiring about degrees of probability

– expressing or denying necessity (including logical deduction)

– enquiring about necessity

– expressing one’s certainty or uncertainty of something (strong/positive/

intermediate/weak/negative)

– enquiring about another’s certainty or uncertainty of something

Factual: modality

– expressing ability or inability

– enquiring about ability or inability

– expressing one’s obligation (or lack of) to do something

– enquiring about one’s obligation to do something

– granting permission


188

Notes



– denying permission

– seeking permission

– responding to granting of permission

– expressing permissibility

– enquiring about permissibility

Volitional

– expressing want, desire or need

– enquiring about want, desire or need

– expressing intention

– enquiring about intention

– expressing and responding to preference

– enquiring about preference

Emotional

– expressing liking, with reasons

– expressing dislike, with reasons

– enquiring about likes and dislikes

– expressing pleasure, happiness with reasons

– expressing displeasure, unhappiness with reasons

– enquiring about pleasure, happiness/displeasure, unhappiness

– expressing hope

– expressing satisfaction

– expressing dissatisfaction

– enquiring about satisfaction

– expressing disappointment

– expressing gratitude

– expressing feelings

– expressing interest

– expressing lack of interest

– enquiring about interest or lack of interest

– expressing surprise

– expressing lack of surprise

– expressing fear

– giving reassurance

– enquiring about fear/worry

– reacting to an expression of gratitude

– expressing regret/sympathy

Moral

– offering an apology

– accepting an apology

– granting forgiveness

– expressing approval

– expressing appreciation

– expressing regret

– expressing indifference

– expressing moral obligation

– expressing disapproval

– enquiring about approval/disapproval


Notes



Getting things done

– responding to a request– requesting something

– requesting someone to do something

– inviting someone to do something

– giving instructions

– accepting an offer or invitation

– declining an offer or invitation

– enquiring whether an offer or invitation is accepted or declined

– advising others to do something

– warning others to take care or to refrain from doing something

– offering assistance

– asking for assistance

– insisting politely

– persuading

– suggesting a course of action

– agreeing to a suggestion

– encouraging someone to do something

– asking for advice

– responding to advice

– rejecting advice with reason

– making/agreeing plans and arrangements

– compromising

– prohibiting

– complaining

– asking for suggestions

– responding to suggestions– rejecting suggestion with reason/alternative

Socialising

– attracting attention

– greeting people

– responding to greetings

– responding to offers or invitations

– expressing thanks

– addressing somebody

– introducing somebody

– reacting to being introduced

– congratulating– proposing a toast

– taking leave

– hesitating

– praising

– complimenting

– offering someone something


190

Notes



Frequently asked questions: teachers

GeneralQ Can the candidates use dictionaries in the test?

A Yes, they can use English–English dictionaries only; no electronic dictionaries can

be used.

Q How many different parts of the test are there?

A At Communicator level, ten parts.

Q Is there a time limit for each part of the test?

A At Communicator level, the Listening section takes 20 minutes. The candidates then

have 2 hours 10 minutes for the rest of the paper. Teachers need to help their students

to plan how to use their time effectively.

Q Do the candidates have to pass every part of the test?

A Yes, the candidates must reach the required pass mark for each of the Listening,

Reading and Writing sections in order to pass the test as a whole.

Q What grades of pass are there and how do the candidates get these?

A Pass: the candidates must get a pass mark in each of the Listening and Reading

sections and a Pass grade or above in the Writing section.

First Class Pass: the candidates must get a First Class Pass in each of the Listening,

Reading and Writing sections.

ListeningQ The Listening part of the test is now all recorded – why?

A It gives us the chance to test conversations as well as monologues. We can test the

candidates’ recognition of stress and intonation. It also makes the test more reliable.

Q Do the candidates hear different accents?

A The accents are mostly neutral, standard British English. In conversations, there is one

male and one female speaker to help the candidates know who says what.

Q Do the candidates hear everything twice?

A Parts 1, 2 and 3 are played once only. Part 4 is played twice.

Q What happens if the candidates spell their answers incorrectly?

A If the answer can be understood, it is accepted (unless the answer is spelt out inthe recording).


192

Notes



ReadingQ Is there sometimes more than one correct answer to multiple-choice

questions?

A No. We check this when we vet the exam tasks and when we trial the papers.

Q Is there sometimes more than one way of answering the questions in

Reading Part 4?

A There may occasionally be alternatives – these are included in the examiner’s

answer key.

Q What happens if the candidates exceeds the word limit in giving answers

to Reading Part 4?

A The answer will not be allowed.

WritingQ How much do the candidates have to write?

A At Communicator level, 100 to150 words in Writing Part 1 and 150 to 200 words in

Writing Part 2.

Q What happens if the candidates write more or fewer words than instructed?

A If they write fewer words, this is taken into account in the marking. If they write more

than required, they have probably penalised themselves by not planning their work

sufficiently, or giving themselves time to proofread and review and correct errors.

More informationFrequently asked questions: students

Notes



Frequently asked questions: students

GeneralStudents preparing for International ESOL naturally have questions about

what they will find in the test. Here are some frequently asked questions,

along with answers. We hope these will be useful to you and your students.

Some of the students who are now preparing for IESOL at Communicator level

may be familiar with the test at B1 Achiever. The basic structure of the test

remains the same but there are some features of the different parts which will

be new. These include:

– not all listening tasks are heard twice

– there are two writing parts

It is worth going through these FAQs in preparation for the test to help yourstudents know exactly what to expect as candidates.

IESOL candidates often ask about the pass grades and how they achieve

these. Pass and First Class Pass grades are available, and it is important for

candidates to perform to a sufficient standard in each section of the test.

Q Can I use a dictionary in the test?

A Yes, you can use an English–English dictionary, but not an electronic version.

Q How many different parts of the test are there?

A There are ten: Listening 1, 2, 3 and 4; Reading 1, 2, 3 and 4; Writing 1 and 2.

Q Do I have a time limit for each part of the test?

A The Listening Part will take 20 minutes. You have 2 hours and 10 minutes to completethe rest of the test.

Q Do I have to pass every part of the test?

A You have to pass in the Listening, Reading and Writing sections. You don’t have to

pass each separate part of these sections as long as the overall total for each section

is sufficient to pass.

Q What grades of pass are there?

A A Pass or a First Class Pass.

Listening

International ESOL candidates are sometimes concerned that they willhave trouble understanding strong regional accents. Stress that mostof the recordings are made by speakers with mostly neutral, standardBritish English accents. Another worry the candidates have is spellinganswers correctly. Tell them that unless a word is spelt out, they willnot be tested on correct spelling and if their answer can be understoodit will be accepted.


194

Notes



Q Is all of the Listening part of the exam now recorded?

A Yes.

Q Do I hear many different accents?

A No. The accents are mostly standard British English. In conversations, there is one

male and one female speaker to help you know who is speaking.

Q Do I hear everything twice?

A No. Listening Parts 1, 2 and 3 are heard once only.

Q What happens if I spell answers incorrectly?

A If the examiner can understand your answer, that’s not a problem.

ReadingThe candidates are sometimes concerned that there may be more thanone correct multiple-choice option in reading tasks; tell them that therewill be only one correct answer to each question. Remind the candidatesto read the instructions very carefully before giving answers and not toexceed any given word limit.

Q Is there only one correct A, B, C or D answer to multiple-choice questions?

A Yes.

Q What happens if I write too many words in my answers in Reading Part 4?

A Your answer will not be allowed.You must use no more than five words maximum.

WritingThe candidates sometimes worry that they will not be able to writeenough or will write too much. Point out that there are word limitsin Parts 1 and 2 and explain why it is useful for the candidates tokeep to these.

Q How much do I have to write?

A Between 100 and 150 words in Writing Part 1 and between 150 and 200 words in

Writing Part 2.

Q What happens if I don’t write the correct number of words?

A If you write too few words, this is taken into account in the marking. If you write more

than required, you will probably make more mistakes and not give yourself time to

read it through and correct errors, so try and keep to the limit.

More informationExam advice

Notes



Sample exam paper – Communicator level

Listening Part 1You will hear eight short unfinished conversations. Choose the bestreply to continue the conversation. Put a circle round the letter of thebest reply. First, look at the example. You will hear the conversationsonce only. 23

Example

Speaker 1: Are you sure this one will fit into the room?

Speaker 2: It’s no bigger than the one we have now.

Speaker 1: You really should measure it.

a Why are you so surprised?b You worry too much.

c I’ll change it after I finish this one.

d I have it right here.

1

a No, I like that one.

b I like the white one.

c I’m not very sure.

d No, not really.

2

a It’s my first choice.

b I really want to go to Spain.c I suppose so.

d I really doubt it.

3

a I’m not going to go.

b I think you should be careful.

c That would be fortunate.

d That’s a lost cause.

4

a Pleased to meet you.

b You didn’t interview me.

c I haven’t met you yet.d I work in Accounts.

5

a It is rather boring.

b Not at all, please do go on.

c It depends on the time.

d It’s not very helpful.

More informationSample exam paper

Notes



6

a OK, bye for now.

b I do need to know the price.

c You can ring me back.

d That’s not very useful.

7

a I can look it up for you if you like.

b I can’t help that much on this one.

c For when you forget someone’s birthday.

d They must all be labelled somehow.

8

a I’m afraid you’ll learn the hard way.

b No problem. I’ll do it for you this time.c You could have thought ahead.

d Don’t worry – no real harm done.

Listening Part 2You will hear three conversations. Listen to the conversations and answerthe questions below. Put a circle round the letter of the correct answer.You will hear each conversation once only. 24

Conversation 1

What are the two people discussing?

a Their differences in taste.

b The woman’s mature personality.c How to make life interesting.

d To make room for meeting friends.

What does the woman think of the man?

a He’s full of inspiration.

b He has a sparkling personality.

c He likes sitting around too much.

d He’s a bit unexciting.

Conversation 2

What is the relationship between the speakers?

a Husband and wife.

b Both teachers.

c Both cleaners.

d Mother and son.

What is the woman’s opinion about recycling?

a It won’t save the planet.

b It should be abandoned.

c It’s a worthwhile exercise.

d It’s always unhygienic.


198

Notes




NotesConversation 3

Where are the speakers?

a On the beach.

b In a hotel.

c In a café.

d On a yacht.

How does the woman react to the man’s suggestions?

a She’s not entirely convinced.

b She thinks his ideas are stupid.

c She doesn’t think he’s serious.

d She agrees wholeheartedly.

Listening Part 3Listen to the talk and complete the notes. Write short answers (1–5words). First, look at the notes. The first one is done for you. You willhear the talk once only. 25

Big Ben

Big Ben refers to: bell

1. Name can also refer to: the clock tower

2. Construction material at top: cast iron

3. Access to the top by: climbing stairs/steps

4. Tower’s vertical shift due to: ground condition changes

5. Age of Big Ben: 150 years

6. Country of largest four-faced clock: USA/America

7. Old penny alters time by: 0.4 seconds daily

8. Clock parts damaged by war: two clock faces



Listening Part 4Listen to the conversation and answer the questions. Put a circle roundthe letter of the correct answer. First, look at the questions. The first oneis done for you. You will hear the conversation twice. 26

Example:

The speakers

a disagreed that they’d enjoyed themselves.

b agreed that they’d enjoyed themselves.

c both thought what they had seen was funny.

d both thought what they had seen was good.

1 Sue thinks success can be measured by

a the reaction of an audience.

b defining what success means.

c how much she enjoys something.

d judging people’s movements.

2 Sue thought the costumes were

a tasteful and authentic.

b tasteless but authentic.

c not typical of the seventies.

d not made of the right material.

3 Tony’s main criticism is that the production

a was not entertaining enough.

b had too many songs and dances.c had a soppy romantic plot.

d was not well thought out.

4 Sue’s reaction to Tony’s comments about the plot is that she

a doesn’t believe him.

b thinks he’s too critical.

c agrees with him.

d thinks he’s too complimentary.

5 Tony prefers plots that are

a to the point .

b down to earth.

c very romantic.d well-structured.

6 Tony and Sue

a have the same taste in entertainment.

b prefer the theatre to concerts.

c have different views on entertainment value.

d prefer classical to popular music.


200

Notes



7 Why does Sue believe the show is a hit?

a It’s full of lovely popular songs.

b People like songs of the seventies.

c It’s designed to be popular entertainment.

d People respond positively to it.

8 What do Tony and Sue agree in the end that the musical is?

a Lacking in depth.

b Worth recommending.

c Not true to life.

d Not sufficiently classical.


Notes




202

Notes Reading Part 1Read the text and complete the tasks that follow. Choose a, b, c or d. Puta circle round the most appropriate answer. The first one is done for you.

Hundreds of rare sand lizards to be released

Hundreds of sand lizards are to be released into the wild as part

of an attempt to ensure the survival of threatened reptile and

amphibian species in Britain.

Lacerta agilis was once a common sight in dunes and on heathland.

Males were particularly distinctive, with their striking green flanks.

Over the past 100 years, however, the species disappeared in many

English counties, especially in the south, as housing development

destroyed habitats. Declines of up to 90 per cent were also seen in

parts of the north.

Conservationists estimate that there are now fewer than 300

locations in the country where they are still thriving. These remaining

colonies are mostly found on small fragmented areas of heath or

dune in isolated areas surrounded by woodlands.

In an attempt to restore Britain’s rarest lizard, the species is to be

re-introduced at five sites in the south. The first release of 80 baby

lizards, which have been reared in hatcheries, is to take place today

at a nature reserve in Surrey. The breeders have had to minimise

contact with the animals to prevent them becoming too tame, which

would leave them at risk of being eaten by their main enemy, the

smooth snake, another threatened species. During the next two weeks

320 more lizards are also to be introduced on other nature reserves.

Native frogs, toads, newts and snakes have also suffered decline due

to intensive farming practices. A spokesman for Amphibian and

Reptile Conservation (ARC) said, ‘These lizards needed channels of

sand to lay eggs and without them could not survive. The problem

was really down to ignorance, and people were not aware how best

to manage these habitats and allow development on dunes and

heathland.’ Nick Moulton, who is co-ordinating the releases for ARC,

said, ‘It is great to see them going back, now safely protected wherethey belong.’

ARC, which was formed by a merger of the charities Froglife and the

Herpetological Conservation Trust, has a three-year partnership to

release threatened species with Natural England, the Government’s

wildlife advisers. Tom Tew, chief scientist at Natural England, said,

‘Reptiles and amphibians are coming under pressure from an

increasing number of factors, including habitat loss and disease. This

important re-introduction programme is an example of the action

that is being taken to reverse the decline in England’s biodiversity

and to conserve the habitats that our unique wildlife relies on.’




204

Notes Reading Part 2Read the text and fill the gaps with the sentences A–H. Write the letter ofthe missing sentence in the box in the correct gap. There are two extrasentences you will not need.

People’s chef

Is Jamie Oliver a national treasure? This young exuberant chef, who left

school without any academic qualifications, burst onto British TV screens

a decade ago. He was bubbling with enthusiasm, but perhaps a little

annoying.

1 Maybe this was because he seemed too much of a do-gooder: the

golden boy, who liked to visit his grandma and spoke readily of his love for

his wife, Jools. 2 This is probably thanks to his willingness to receive

sponsorship from one of Britain’s leading supermarket chains, and his

unwillingness to cook with food not locally and organically sourced.

3 He has recently officially become Britain’s bestselling author. He has

defeated not only the literary efforts of authors such as Khaled Hosseini and

JK Rowling, but has also outsold those of his fellow celebrity chefs. 4

More than a mere celebrity chef, he has become the ‘Chosen One’. He

holds meetings with the Prime Minister. He changes supermarket policy.He cooks for heads of state and Hollywood stars. 5 He has his own

magazine, a website, a blog, and his shows are broadcast in many

countries overseas.

Oliver might still have his critics, but it appears they are seriously

outnumbered these days. 6 He is a chef who is on our side, who has

used his position of power to expose injustices and to educate. He is a man

who surely has the makings of a proper national treasure for the UK.

A He has been criticised too for being both a hypocrite and a food snob.B In truth, there have been times when people really disliked Jamie Oliver.

C Jamie Oliver has not so far regained his popularity over time.

D Oliver still can’t compete with other celebrities.

E At last, a majority has come to recognise that he is one of the good guys.

F Oliver is now, without doubt, the country’s leading ‘foodie’.

G Sales of Oliver’s latest cookbook appear to point to his return to favour.

H Today, Jamie Oliver’s media influence is far-reaching.

B

F

H

E

G

A




NotesReading Part 3Read the four texts below. There are ten questions about the texts. Decidewhich text A, B, C or D tells you the answer to the question. The first oneis done for you.

A

Volunteers from Swindon spend prize money to help wildlife.Not only did they work hard to earn their Quality of Life Award, but adedicated group of Swindon conservation volunteers has worked just ashard to spend their prize money helping wildlife. In particular, they arehoping to invest in a new bee-keeping scheme to help the declining localbee community. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact

www.witshirewildlife.org. There will also be an interesting talk on makinghoney in Swindon on Friday 27th and honey tasting to follow.

B

Blakehill Conservation Volunteers – Conservation TaskWasteland – Cricklade – 10am–4pm Sun 22, Mon 23 and Tue 24Birds of Maryland and Coffee – Illustrated TalkThe Memorial Hall, Station Road, Wootton Bassett – 7.30pm Wed 25Smallbrook Meadows Conservation Volunteers – Conservation TaskWarminster – 10am–3pm Thu 26A Year in the Life of Bee – TalkWesley Hall, Pewsey – 7.30pm Fri 27Jones's Mill Conservation Volunteers – Conservation TaskNew breeds, Pewsey – 10am–12.30pm Sat 28

C

I’m writing to say that we all very much enjoyed your excellent talk abouta year in the life of the bee. So much so that I would like some informationabout volunteering and training courses on keeping bees. I’d appreciate itif you could let me know of any associations locally where I could do some

voluntary work. I’m afraid I couldn’t stay to speak to you after the talk onFriday. I look forward to hearing from you soon.




NotesReading Part 4Read the text and answer the questions. Write a maximum of five wordsfor each answer. An example is done for you.

High-speed rail in Spain

Ana Portet had an unusual commute to work today. At half-seven in

the morning she popped down to Sants railway station in Barcelona.

At half-ten she was in a meeting with colleagues from her firm, 315

miles away in Madrid.

‘I'll be back in Barcelona by half five,’ she said, as her early afternoon

bullet train flew back along the new high-speed tracks at up to 210mph.

‘It’s so quick, sometimes you’re there before you’ve even noticed.’Portet is one of hundreds of thousands of travellers who have migrated

from the world’s busiest air shuttle, linking Madrid and Barcelona, to

what is now Spain’s most popular train, the high-speed AVE.

The AVE delivers its passengers to the heart of Barcelona in just two

hours and thirty minutes. With Madrid’s station a short walk from

the Prado museum, the journey is from one city centre to another.

Furthermore, the high-speed train does this in a punctual,

problem-free, elegant style. High-speed trains pulled by aerodynamic

engines with noses shaped like a duck-billed platypus are grounding

aircraft across Spain. The year-old Barcelona-Madrid line has already

taken 46% of the traffic – stealing most of it from fuel-guzzling,

carbon-emitting aircraft. As the high-speed rail network spreads a

web of tracks across Spain, it threatens to relegate domestic air

travel to a distant second place.

A high-speed network is not designed overnight. Spain’s AVE story

started in the 1980s, when the Prime Minister commissioned a line

between Madrid and Seville. The project was greeted with a certain

amount of scorn. Why was sleepy Seville getting the line and not busy

Barcelona? Some saw it as an expensive white elephant. The line,

however, was a spectacular success. Remote Seville was suddenly

two-and-a-half hours from Madrid.

Previously, the choice on the Madrid–Seville run was between a hot,tiring six-hour coach journey or a flight often subject to delay.Seventeen years later, only one traveller in ten takes the plane to

Seville. Nearly all the rest go by a train that is 99% punctual. TheSeville line proved high-speed trains could be the answer to someof Spain’s most enduring problems. A country almost two-and-a-half

times the size of Britain, it is traversed by mountain ranges and widerivers that act as barriers to communication. EU funds were used tohelp railways bulldoze their way through. Spain’s vast open spaces

and fuss-free approach to planning meant a high-speed network




208

Notes

could expand fast. Budget airlines offer cheaper prices but theregular air shuttle cannot compete, except on time. The high-speed

train network also helps Spain control carbon emissions, withpassengers on the Madrid-Barcelona line cutting their own emissionsby 83% on the trip.

Example:

Where does Ana Portet live?

Barcelona

1 How did Ana Portet travel to other cities in the past?

By air

2 How long does the train journey from Madrid to Barcelona take?

2 1/2 hours / 2 hours 30 minutes / two hours thirty minutes

3 Where are Barcelona and Madrid’s AVE stations?

(in the) city centres

4 What effect are high-speed trains having on air travel?

Reducing it

5 What is predicted will happen to Spain’s railways?

They will grow / increase / expand

6 What was the initial reaction to the Madrid–Seville high-speed link?Scornful / sceptical

7 What two advantages does the Seville train have over coach and plane?

Shorter and punctual (both for one mark)

8 Which geographical features pose problems to travel in Spain?

Mountain/s (ranges) and (wide) rivers (both for one mark)

9 What, excluding time and price, is the advantage of rail travel?

Cuts / reduces / lower carbon emissions




NotesWriting Part 2Write a letter to your friend describing a memorable, important ordifficult journey you have had. Talk about your reasons for taking the journey, what happened and how you felt about it. Write between 150and 200 words.




212

Notes



Listening Part 224

Male voice 1 ‘Part 2. Part 2. You will hear three conversations. Listen to the

conversations and answer the questions below. Put a circle round the letter of

the correct answer. You will hear each conversation once only. Look at the

questions for Conversation 1.’

M1 ‘Conversation 1’

Female voice ‘Ooh – this is nice – very cheerful!’

Male voice 2 ‘You are joking?! It would probably be lovely in a nursery – but it’s

hardly suitable for sophisticated, mature adults like us who wish to entertain

their friends!’

F ‘I suppose you’d like something brown and cream and boring to sit and stare at.’

M2 ‘No, no – not at all – just plain – no patterns. I had in mind something thatreflects our personalities – you know – chic, classy, that sort of thing.’

F ‘But that’s so dreary – and all the walls are plain now – I thought we could have a

change – brighten up our lives a bit.’

M2 ‘Umm – excuse me! Are you suggesting I need livening up a bit?’

F ‘Well, now you come to mention it...’

M1 ‘Now look at the questions for Conversation 2. Conversation 2’

F ‘Well, if we could discuss something else before we end, I’d like to suggest we stop

trying to recycle everything and go back to collecting rubbish the way we did before.’

M2 ‘Why on earth would you want us to do that?’

F ‘There’s uncollected rubbish everywhere – the place is a real mess, since we asked the

children to sort out their rubbish and put it in different bins.’

M2 ‘I agree there’s a problem, but if we as professionals can’t educate the

children, then who will? I assume you do believe in saving the planet.’

F ‘Of course I do. And I recycle everything at home. But here we’re risking unhygienic

surroundings.’

M2 ‘So perhaps we could try to improve the current system, rather than abandon

it totally?’

F ‘If you really think that’s viable, I suppose I’d consider it…yes…’

M1 ‘Now look at the questions for Conversation 3. Conversation 3’

M2 ‘Ah – this is the life! Sun, sand and sea. What more could anyone want?’

F ‘Well... perhaps a little breeze might be nice.’

M2 ‘Seriously? I think this is ideal – doesn’t the heat suit you?’

F ‘Yes, well, no, well I mean, it is lovely to be warm, but you can have too much of a good

thing, and I think this may be a few degrees above what’s comfortable for me.’

M2 ‘Why not ask that nice waiter for some more ice with that, then. That’d help.’F ‘Mmm – OK. I will. Though I’m not sure it’ll work. A nice cold shower might be better.’

M2 ‘Brrr – sounds horrendous. You can have one when we get back to the hotel,

of course, but I thought we could pop down for a dip later on– that’d be

better.’

F ‘Mmm – that might be good, though in this heat it’ll be more like taking a warm bath.’

M1 ‘That is the end of Part 2.’


214

Notes



Listening Part 325

Male voice 1 ‘Part 3. Part 3. Listen to the talk, and complete the notes. Write

short answers (1–5 words). First, look at the notes. The first one is done for

you. You will hear the talk once only.’

Male voice 2 ‘Big Ben is really the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the Palace of

Westminster in London, although it’s often used to refer to the clock tower too. The

sixty-one metres at the bottom of the Clock Tower are of brickwork with a sand

coloured limestone cladding. The rest of the tower is a framed spire of cast iron. Its

foundations are on a fifteen-metre square raft, made of concrete three-metres thick,

going down four metres below ground level. And the four clock faces are fifty-five

metres above ground.

Despite being one of the world's most famous tourist attractions, the interior of thetower is not open to the general public for security reasons, although from time to

time press and other VIPs are granted access. However, the tower has no elevator,

so people going in have to climb the three hundred and thirty four limestone steps to

the top.

In actual fact, the tower leans slightly to the north-west because of changes in ground

conditions since it was built. More recently, tunnelling for the Jubilee underground line

extension has had its effect. As a result of thermal conditions it also oscillates annually

by a few millimetres east and west.

Big Ben is the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. It’s also the third-tallest

free-standing clock tower. It celebrated recently its one hundred and fiftieth

anniversary in May two thousand and nine. There were some special commemorative

events. The clock faces are large enough to have once made the Clock Tower the

largest four-faced clock in the world, but now the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower in

Milwaukee, USA, holds that distinction. But the builders of the Allen-Bradley Clock

Tower didn’t add chimes to the clock, so the Great Clock of Westminster still holds the

title of the ‘world's largest four-faced chiming clock’.

The clock is famously reliable. The idiomatic expression of ‘to put a penny on’, meaning

to slow down, originated from the method of fine-tuning the clock's pendulum. On top

of the pendulum is a small stack of old penny coins; used to adjust the time of the

clock. Adding or subtracting coins has the effect of minutely altering the position of the

pendulum's centre of mass, and hence the rate at which the pendulum swings. Adding

or removing a penny changes the clock's speed by just nought point four seconds per

day. During World War Two, the Palace of Westminster was hit by bombs. On the tenth

of May nineteen forty-one, a bomb damaged two of the clock faces and sections of the

tower's roof, as well as destroying the House of Commons chamber. Architect Sir GilesGilbert Scott designed a new five-floor block. Two floors are occupied by the current

chamber which was used for the first time on the twenty-sixth of October nineteen fifty.

Despite the heavy bombing the clock continued to run accurately and chimed

throughout the war.’

M1 ‘That is the end of Part 3.’

More informationSample exam paper tapescripts

Notes



Listening Part 426

Male voice 1 ‘Part 4. Part 4. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

Put a circle round the letter of the correct answer. First, look at the questions.

The first one is done for you. You will hear the conversation twice.’

Female voice ‘Mmm – that was fun, wasn’t it?’

Male voice 2 ‘Well, fun… yes, I suppose so. I have to admit that I did enjoy

myself, but I wouldn’t actually say it was good, Sue, would you?’

F ‘Ah – well, that depends on your definition of ‘good’, Tony. I had a good time, and,

judging by the foot tapping all the way through and the applause at the end, so did

everybody else, so surely that’s a reasonable measure of success.’

M2 ‘Well, on that basis, yes. But some people are very easily pleased, or just get

carried away by the general atmosphere. That doesn’t mean that merits

praise though, does it?’

F ‘Oh Tony! You’re so serious! We’re not talking about a Shakespearean play or a

Wagnerian opera here.’

M2 ‘No, no I know that... but just because it’s popular entertainment doesn’t

mean it’s ok for it to be tacky!’

F ‘Tacky?! What are you on about?’

M2 ‘Well, those costumes, for a start – I mean all that lycra – it was gross!’

F ‘Yes, it was, but that’s what people wore in the seventies. You might not like it but it

wouldn’t be true to life to choose modern costumes that we think are chic and

sophisticated, now would it?’

M2 ‘Oh – I know what you’re saying, but my point is that pure seventies tackiness might

make for a reasonable evening’s entertainment, but whoever put this stuff together

could’ve done a far better job and produced something really worthwhile, not justcobbled together songs and dances and a soppy romantic plot.’

F ‘A what? You’re unbelievable! You are so, so cynical. It was fine! There’s nothing wrong

with a bit of love interest!’

M2 ‘Now that’s not what I meant. You know full well I like a good romance as

much as anyone – but this just wasn’t very good. I couldn’t really believe in it,

there was no beginning and end, just filling gaps between songs.’

F ‘OK, well that’s different. Yes, I’ll grant you that. But I’m looking at this as pure

entertainment, which I reckon it does a pretty well at, and I love the music, so I couldn’t

care less how it’s stitched together… you seem to want a literary masterpiece.’

M2 ‘Well, not quite that – but I did expect something more like a play than a

concert, if you like. Then it would have appealed to me more. I want something

to challenge me when I go out, something to make me think, enrich my life…’

F ‘Well, I know you generally prefer straight theatre to popular music, so I can see whereyou’re coming from, but I’m not so concerned if it’s not a perfect production.’

M2 ‘So you agree it was thrown together a bit carelessly, then?’

F ‘Well…OK…But I think the show’s a success because it doesn’t try to be anything

other than popular entertainment. Part of its success is probably the fact that the

producers have the confidence to recognise this and don’t take it too seriously.’

M2 ‘So you are of the same mind as me, really, then?’


216

Notes

Pitman Teachers Book 4 Part 4

Documents

Transcript of Pitman Teachers Book 4 Part 4