Day 3

Fill the blank spaces while listening to the recorder.

Audio 7: Tour of London.

Tour guide: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this _______ _____ of London by bus.
My name’s Greg and I’m ______ ______ this afternoon on our tour of London. As you can see, we’re on
an ______ ______ ________, so you can see all the attractions from your seat and you don’t need to walk
anywhere. And please don’t worry about the rain, I’m sure it’ll stop soon. A-a-and please ask any
questions at any time.
Tourist 1: I have __ ____________.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist 1: Do you have extra __________ ? I mean if it ________ a lot.
Tour guide: Err, no, we don’t have any extra umbrellas, but don’t worry, I’m sure the rain will ______
soon. Right, OK, so where are we going on our ________ tour? Well, the tour takes __ hours and we are
going to visit all the ______ _______. First we’ll see Madame Tussauds, the museum with _____ _______
of famous people and celebrities, then we’ll drive along the most famous shopping street in the world,
Oxford Street. After that we’ll see the famous ______ Big Ben and The Houses of _________. As we drive
along the river you’ll see the popular _________, the London Eye, from which you can see the whole city
on a ________ _____. Then we’ll see Tower Bridge and the famous Tower of London before _________ at
Buckingham Palace, just in time for a ____ ___ ______ with the Queen.
Tourist 2: Is that included in the tour? A cup of tea with the Queen?
Tour guide: Err, well, no not exactly, but there’s a ______ ______ near the palace where you can get a
cup of tea.
(Sound of a storm right overhead, loud thunder and very heavy downpour)
Tourist 1: I have another question.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist 1: Can we have our money back? We’re getting off the bus.
Tour guide: Err, well, you see... Quick! Run! Everyone off the bus! ...
Fill the blank spaces while listening to the recorder.

Audio 8: Difficult situations.

A
Boy: Mum?
Mother: Yes?
Boy: You know that _________ _________ I had last week?
Mother: The one you didn’t _________ for?
Boy: I did revise for it. I was working on it all weekend. Don’t you remember?
Mother: Oh, yes, I remember. Apart from _______ _______ until four in the morning, you mean?
Boy: Well, I have to relax a little, even if I’m revising. Anyway, I didn’t pass it.
Mother: You _______ it! But wasn’t that an important one?
Boy: Yeah, I’m really sorry.
Mother: I’m really sorry too. What does that mean?
Boy: Well, I’ll probably have to retake the whole course.
Mother: Oh, Ryan! It’s a really _______ ________. I’m not sure we can _______ for you to take it again.
Things are difficult enough as it is.
Boy: I know, Mum. I’m sorry. I’ll talk to the teacher again and see if I can retake it.

B
Girl 1: Hi, Megan. ____ ___ _______?
Girl 2: Not feeling too good, actually.
Girl 1: Oh? Why’s that?
Girl 2: Well, something ________ happened this morning … (voice trembling)
Girl 1: What? Sorry, take your time, and tell me when you’re ready.
Girl 2: Well, I was playing with Bonzo in the ______ with a ball, and the ball went over the _____ into the
road, and …
Girl 1: Yes?
Girl 2: And Bonzo jumped over the hedge after it and he got hit by a car.
Girl 1: Oh, no! And is he … ?
Girl 2: Yes. We _______ him to the vet’s __________ , but there was nothing she could do.
Girl 1: Oh, poor Bonzo. And poor you. I know how much he ________ to you.
Girl 2: We’d had him since he was a ______ ________. He was like one of the family.
Girl 1: I’m really sorry. At least he had a happy life.
Girl 2: His life was too ______ !
Girl 1: Well, yes, OK. I’m sorry, that was a really insensitive thing to say. I’ll come round and see you later,
OK?

C
Boy: Hi, Dad.
Father: Hi, how’s it going?
Boy: Did you have a ______ _____ at work?
Father: Same as usual, really. What about you? Good day at school?
Boy: Yeah, ______ good. Except for one little thing …
Father: Why do I have a sinking feeling in my _________ ?
Boy: Do you remember you ______ me your phone?
Father: Yes?
Boy: Well, I was standing just outside school, texting Jack, and somebody ran past and ______ it.
Father: You let someone steal my phone?
Boy: I didn’t let them.
Father: No, I _________ not. But did you know that that might happen? Is that a _____________ spot?
Boy: Well, I had heard of that happening, but I’d ________. Anyway, I didn’t think it would happen to me.
Father: No, OK. Did you see who it was?
Boy: No. It was someone in a blue ________, and there are loads of people who wear those. But there’s
a CCTV camera on the ___________. It might have got a shot of the thief’s face.
Father: You reported it then?
Boy: Well, not yet, but I will tomorrow.
Father: All right. Don’t ________ to report it tomorrow. I’ll have a look at the _________ and see if it’s
covered.
Audio 9: High-achieving teenagers

Listening skills practice: High-achieving teenagers – exercises

1. Check your understanding: multiple choice
Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the best option to complete these sentences.

Many famous and successful teenagers have used new technology / worked from an early age
1.
/ been inspired by YouTube videos .

Justin Bieber started off singing with R&B star Usher / sending videos to talent scouts / posting
2.
videos on YouTube .

Some people say Justin Bieber is the most influential person in the world because he has had
3. so many number one songs / he has so many followers on Twitter / he is friends with Barack
Obama .

A negative consequence of fame for Justin Bieber is he has very little privacy / people get
4.
bored of hearing about him / people criticise his appearance .

Tavi Gevinson started a fashion blog when she was 11 years old / when she was in 11th grade
5.
in high school / in 2011 .

6. “Rookie” means a beginner / a fan / someone who is bad at something .

Style Rookie allowed readers to post pictures of themselves / soon had a lot of readers / was
7.
noticed by Karl Lagerfeld .

When some people didn't believe her age, Tavi was sad and angry at first / decided to attack
8.
them in return / completely ignored them and continued working .

Tavi employs only teenagers / writers and photographers of all ages / a very small group of
9.
people .

Louise thinks it’s difficult for Tavi to have a normal life / there’s more pressure when you are a
10.
writer / there’s more pressure when you are a performer .

2. Check your understanding: gap fill

Do this exercise while you listen. Write the numbers to complete the gaps.

1. Justin Bieber started off posting videos on YouTube at the age of _______________ .

2. Justin Bieber has over _______________ followers on Twitter.

3. Tavi Gevinson started Style Rookie when she was only _______________ years old.

4. Tavi’s blog soon built up a huge following of up to _______________ reader per day.

One magazine upset Tavi by printing an article saying the writer didn’t believe Tavi was only
5.
_______________ .

6. Tavi started Rookie Magazine in _______________ .

7. Less than a week after it started Rookie Magazine had _______________ followers.

8. Tavi employs about _______________ writers and photographers.