English Recordings

Describe a recent news story that you have read or heard about
What is it about?
When and where did you read/hear about it?
What effect did it have on you?

Student: That’s a good question for me because I am fascinated by current affairs. The news story I would like to talk about is the Hudson Plane Crash. This event occurred in America a few years ago. Because of the internet and 24-hour rolling news I think I heard about this news story within minutes of it happening. A plane took off in New York but shortly after take-off there was a bird strike and both engines were taken out. The pilot then had to make an agonising decision – to try and return to the airport or to try and land the plane. The only possible place he could see to land the plane was on the Hudson River. I remember a previous occasion when a plane which had been hijacked by terrorists landed on water and all the people on board were killed. On this occasion, however, the pilot successfully landed the plane on the river. Miraculously all the people on board got off the plane uninjured. The pilot is an absolute hero. Before he got off the plane he walked up and down it to check that nobody was left on board. Before I heard about this story I was a nervous flyer, unfortunately this incident has not eased my nerves, in actual fact it has made my fear of flying worse. If I had been on the plane, I would have been terrified at the thought of losing my life and never seeing my family again. So as a result of this news story I doubt I will be flying again in the near future.

Examiner: We have been talking about a recent news story and now I would like to ask you some more general questions relating to this topic.

DESCRIBE how the internet has changed the way we get news

Student: The internet has radically changed the way we get news. In the past people used to read a daily or weekly newspaper so by the time they were reading the news it was already out of date. Nowadays we get news on the internet and it is instant. In addition, people can read or hear the news without the need to buy a newspaper so it has probably reduced the number of newspapers sold.

DESCRIBE what qualities a good journalist needs

Student: I imagine that a journalist needs to be ruthless. A lot of time they have to write stories about people who do not want their faces splashed across the front of the newspaper, therefore they have to be pushy to get people to talk about them. Additionally, it would be necessary to be able to work to deadlines, as the news has to be printed as soon as possible so there is not a lot of time to think about or plan the story.

ASSESS which is the most reliable medium for getting news (internet, TV, radio, newspapers)

Student: That’s a very difficult question because I imagine all of them have published stories which are not true. I would say the internet is the least reliable medium because anybody can put a story on the internet. The other three are all controlled more closely therefore, they are more reliable. I suppose it depends on the TV or radio station or programme as to whether it is reliable or not.

CONSIDER whether censorship of news by governments is ever justified

Student: This is a tricky question and although I am against censorship the majority of time, I think there may be cases where it is justified. For example, there have been a lot of suicides in a town in Wales in recent years and I feel that when one person does it and it is reported then other people copy what has happened. This is the same with murders. A lot of terrorist attacks are done because the terrorist groups want the publicity, if governments censored the information we are given, it might reduce the number of attacks in the future.

Describe something you own which is important to you
What is it?
How and when did you get it?
Why is it important to you?

Student: Without a doubt the thing that I own which is most important to me, besides my family, are my cats. Material possessions aren’t as important to me as people or animals so that is why I have chosen them. Nowadays people are very materialistic and competitive and there is competition to have the latest cars and gadgets. As much as I like such things if I had to I could live without them, but family and animals are extremely important to me. I used to have five cats at one time but now they have all died and I only have one left. I got him about three years ago. His name is Jose and he is a pedigree cat and was abandoned by her owner because the owner’s boyfriend thought he was ugly. I was horrified that people could dispose of something so easily. They got rid of him as though he was a piece of clothing that they didn’t want anymore. Pets are important to me because they have been there for me when I have been through difficult periods in my life. Some people might choose a piece of jewellery or an item of clothing which is important for them as it may have sentimental value and although I have such things for example a ring given to me by my parents it is not as important to me as my pets. To me the value of something is not how much it costs, but the pleasure you get from it and my cats give me infinite pleasure. Having said all that however, I am not convinced that you ever own a cat, I think the cat owns you. They are not like dogs who love you unconditionally, but I kind of like that arrogance in a cat.

Examiner: We have been talking about something you own and now I would like to ask you some more general questions relating to this topic.

EXPLAIN why some people try to get more and more possessions

Student: We live in a consumer driven society. People seem to value themselves according to what they own. A brand new car, the latest gadgets etc. are seen today as status symbols. Up until recently, people had a lot of disposable income and this was squandered on material goods. People are constantly trying to outdo each other so if you get a new iPod then your so-called friend has to get a more up-to-date one to better you. In the current credit crunch consumer spending has gone down and people are having to make do with things rather than replacing them all the time. Hopefully we will see a return to traditional values such as friendship and loyalty rather than material possessions being the most important things in our lives.

ASSESS whether it is a good or a bad thing to be rich

Student: Personally, I think it is a good thing to be rich because it opens up more opportunities. If you have loads of money, it is possible to travel all over the world and experience different cultures. There may be some downsides such as getting begging letters from people who want you to give them money, however I feel it is a small price to pay. If I had a choice of being rich or poor then obviously I am going to choose to be rich, I cannot understand why anyone would choose to be poor. People seem to think that rich means being unhappy, but if you asked a lot of poor people if they would like to be rich I cannot imagine they would say oh no thank you I am perfectly happy as I am.

CONSIDER whether our society is getting more materialistic

Student: Society has become infinitely more materialistic in recent years. My parents’ generation had to save up for things whereas today anything can be bought on credit. People have become so competitive and you are judged by what car you drive, what brand of jeans you are wearing etc. Because of the credit crunch there is a possibility that people may become less materialistic because there is not as much disposable income to buy luxury items as there was in the past. When my parents were young going out for meals and buying loads of electrical goods for entertainment reasons was unheard of, but now it is the norm.

CONSIDER whether advertising gives people important information or makes them buy things they don’t need

Student: During the advert breaks our televisions are full of adverts for things we don’t need and moreover things most people cannot afford. Even if you think you are not taking any notice of the adverts, the next time you are in the supermarket, you will find yourself filling your trolley with things that you hadn’t planned to buy. Occasionally there might be an advertisement which gives you essential information about health or finance, however, for the main part adverts are there to make us part with our money. Furthermore, advertisers use techniques to get you to buy things you don’t need such as using celebrities to endorse products or making claims that the product will change your life so you feel that you must have it. I have to admit that I have bought things in the past just because of advertisers’ claims and I have used the product once and then never used it again.

How Doody and Fu Became Friends

Fu is a pilot. He flies to Edinburgh, Scotland.
As soon as he arrives, Fu goes to H&M store to buy a new skirt. At a changing room he meets Doody. Doody likes this skirt very much. He has been dreaming about this skirt for an hour. And this skirt is the last one in this size. Doody begs Fu to give the skirt to him. But Fu really likes this skirt too. He doesn’t want to give it to a stranger.
Doody and Fu start to fight. They fight fiercely and tear the skirt in half. First they are shocked but in a few seconds they start to laugh just like crazy.
They go to the cafe for some milk, have a nice conversation and become good friends.
And the both keep half of a skirt at their homes as a memory of the day they became friends.

Her name is Ellie Roebuck.
She is a football player.
She plays for England and Manchester City.
She is a goalkeeper.
To be the best, she must work out every day.
She thinks a good player must respect the referee and be fair play.

AXIS 1: IDENTITIES AND EXCHANGES

1. GLOBALISATION
to be a citizen of the world
global: international
to benefit from
growth
interdependence
opportunity
to broaden: to widen

2. INDIVIDUALITY
unique
local
to preserve one’s heritage
a profile
roots
to customise
to stand out

3. DIVERSITY
social identity
ethnicity
inclusion
multiculturalism
to assimilate
to clash
to fit in
to conform
to blend into: to mix with
ties: bonds

4. EXCHANGE
to build a network
home country
host country
border
friendship
immigration
mobility
peer

AXIS 2: PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SPACES

1. PUBLIC SPHERE
mass production
political action
social space
shared space
work space
college
media
relationship
common ground

2. PRIVATE SPHERE
domestic
an enclosed area
gender politics
a breadwinner
houselhold
isolation
privacy
property
intrusive
confidential
to infringe on

3. SOCIETY
modern
old-fashioned
social revolution
beliefs
lifestyle
prejudice/bias
stereotypes
to blossom
to conceal VS to reveal

4. CHANGE
to free oneself from
a leap forward
thought-provoking
emancipation
evolution
novelty
suffrage
to express
to foster changes
to improve

AXIS 3: ART AND POWER

1. ART
creation
interpretation:perception
to depict:to portray
culture
a portrait
a work-of-art
to capture
to symbolise

2. POWER
authority
empowerment
censorship
pressure
propaganda
to conquer
to govern
legitimacy

3. PROTEST
a controversy
controversial
critical of VS supportive
to protest (v), a protest (n.)
a criticism
disobedience
transgression
to denounce
to raise awareness
to question:to challenge

4. FREEDOM
free speech
independent
civil rights
social justice
to be allowed to
to set an example
to convey: to pass on

AXIS 4: CITIZENSHIP AND VIRTUAL WORLDS

1. CITIZENSHIP
free speech
individual
to be committed
commitment
private sphere
private life
privacy
to give voice to

2. POWER
the access to knowledge
to empower
legitimate
a hacker
a whistleblower
to influence
leadership
the media
a threat

3. VIRTUAL WORLDS
digital
online publication
Artificial Intelligence (A.I)
digital footprints
identity theft
(personal) data
to be connected
to go viral

4. HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
to share information
social interactions
to interact with
collaboration
communication
to bond: to link
to exchange
to mislead: to confuse

AXIS 5: FICTIONS AND REALITIES

1. FICTIONS
social representation
aesthetics
ethics
History
politics
to lie VS to tell the truth
to show: to display
fiction VS non-fiction
fictitious: imaginary
dream-like:unreal

2. REALITIES
close to reality VS far from reality
science-fiction
sci-fi
disconnected
dystopia VS utopia
myths and legends
story
faithful VS unfaithful
facts

3. CULTURES
common heritage
the building of a collective identity
nation
civilisation
tradition: custom
a symbol

4. MODERNITY
an icon, iconic
visionary
new values
to evolve
to influence
to reconstruct
to blur the frontier between

"WELL, then, I'll tell you," said Maksim Maksimych. "About six versts from the fortress there lived a certain 'friendly' prince. His son, a brat of about fifteen, was accustomed to ride over to visit us. Not a day passed but he would come, now for one thing, now for another. And, indeed, Grigori Aleksandrovich and I spoiled him. What a dare-devil the boy was! Up to anything, picking up a cap at full gallop, or bringing things down with his gun! He had one bad quality; he was terribly greedy for money. Once, for the fun of the thing, Grigori Aleksandrovich promised to give him a ducat if he would steal the best he-goat from his father's herd for him; and, what do you think? The very next night he came lugging it in by the horns! At times we used to take it into our heads to tease him, and then his eyes would become bloodshot and his hand would fly to his dagger immediately.
"'You'll be losing your life if you are not careful, Azamat,' I would say to him. 'That hot head of yours will get you into trouble.'
"On one occasion, the old prince himself came to invite us to the wedding of his eldest daughter; and, as we were guest-friends with him, it was impossible to decline, Tartar though he was. We set off. In the village we were met by a number of dogs, all barking loudly. The women, when they saw us coming, hid themselves, but those whose faces we were able to get a view of were far from being beauties.
"'I had a much better opinion of the Circassian women,' remarked Grigori Aleksandrovich.
"'Wait a bit!' I answered, with a smile; I had my own views on the subject.
"A number of people had already gathered at the prince's hut. It is the custom of the Asiatics, you know, to invite all and sundry to a wedding. We were received with every mark of honour and conducted to the guest-chamber. All the same, I did not forget quietly to mark where our horses were put, in case anything unforeseen should happen."
"How are weddings celebrated amongst them?" I asked the staff-captain.
"Oh, in the usual way. First of all, the Mullah reads them something out of the Koran; then gifts are bestowed upon the young couple and all their relations; the next thing is eating and drinking of buza, then the dance on horseback; and there is always some ragamuffin, bedaubed with grease, bestriding a wretched, lame jade, and grimacing, buffooning, and making the worshipful company laugh. Finally, when darkness falls, they proceed to hold what we should call a ball in the guest-chamber. A poor, old greybeard strums on a three-stringed instrument—I forget what they call it, but anyhow, it is something in the nature of our balalaika.[8] The girls and young children set themselves in two ranks, one opposite the other, and clap their hands and sing. Then a girl and a man come out into the centre and begin to chant verses to each other—whatever comes into their heads—and the rest join in as a chorus. Pechorin and I sat in the place of honour. All at once up came our host's youngest daughter, a girl of about sixteen, and chanted to Pechorin—how shall I put it?—something in the nature of a compliment."...
"What was it she sang—do you remember?"
"It went like this, I fancy: 'Handsome, they say, are our young horsemen, and the tunics they wear are garnished with silver; but handsomer still is the young Russian officer, and the lace on his tunic is wrought of gold. Like a poplar amongst them he stands, but in gardens of ours such trees will grow not nor bloom!'
"Pechorin rose, bowed to her, put his hand to his forehead and heart, and asked me to answer her. I know their language well, and I translated his reply.
"When she had left us I whispered to Grigori Aleksandrovich:
"'Well, now, what do you think of her?'
"'Charming!' he replied. 'What is her name?'
"'Her name is Bela,' I answered.