INTO FOCUS B2

AUDIOSCRIPTS

TRACK 007
Unit 1 Grammar – Exercise 2

Man: What are you reading?

Woman: Oh this? It’s a book about people who become successful because they do what they
love doing.
Man: Oh, that sounds good. What sort of thing?
Woman: Well, I’m just reading about a famous ballet dancer called Gillian Lynne. When she was
a little girl her teachers at school complained that she didn’t pay attention and was
always fidgeting and disturbing her classmates. So her mother arranged for her to see
a psychologist to find out what her problem was.
Man: Oh right.
Woman: Anyway, the psychologist talked to the girl’s mother, and then he put some music on
the radio and left Gillian on her own in his office. He told the mother to watch Gillian
through a window and as soon as they left the room, the little girl got up and started
dancing.
Man: Ah – that’s so clever!
Woman: I know – the psychologist realised that Gillian didn’t have a problem, she just had a gift
for dancing.
Man: So what did the mother do?
Woman: She sent her daughter to a dance school and Gillian ended up being a famous ballet
dancer and choreographer.
Man: Wow, that’s a great story.

TRACK 009
Unit 1 Listening – Exercises 4 and 6

1 My earliest memory? I have a vague memory of the Christmas before I was three, but I have
very vivid memories of my third birthday party, and I can remember other events very clearly
from when I was three years old. Some people say I must have confused a memory with
photos I’ve seen of the same events. But I've asked my mum about it and she agrees that my
memories are accurate. For some of them, there’s no photographic evidence or anything that
could have jogged my memory, so I believe they’re real.

1
 INTO FOCUS B2

2 Most people in my family have rubbish memories, but my grandfather’s amazing. He’s not like
other old people who are losing their memory and get confused – he’s really switched on. He
remembers dates and names and places. He can even recall in detail events that happened
fifty years ago – and he’s seventy-seven! I’m sixteen and I can’t remember what I did
yesterday! I wish I had his memory – it would help me a lot in my exams. I asked him how he
manages to remember things so well, and he says it’s because he drinks green tea! I think it’s
because he reads a lot and stays active. He walks every day – he’s much fitter than I am.
3 I’ve read that a lot of innocent people get convicted of crimes they didn’t commit because a
witness has identified them wrongly. That’s terrible. Apparently, it’s hard for most people to
remember someone’s face correctly, especially if you only see them for a few brief moments.
I think I’d be really good at recognising criminals and I’m sure I wouldn’t choose the wrong
person in an identity parade because I never forget a face. I only have to see someone once,
and I can remember them in detail. I just wish I had an equally good memory for names.
4 I saw a documentary last night about a boy who can’t forget anything about his past life. He
can tell you exactly what he was doing on a date and at a time in the past – and he can tell
you details like what he was wearing, what he ate, what the weather was like. So you can say
‘What did you do for your fifteenth birthday?’ and he can remember everything about it. He’s
the only one in his family with a memory like that. In fact, they said he has a very rare
condition – it has a name but I can’t remember it. I’ve got a memory like a sieve!

TRACK 011
Unit 1 Reading – Exercise 2

1 This is fiction. Brain size and intelligence are unrelated. It has more to do with the strength of
the neuron networks in your brain – the stronger they are the smarter you are.
2 This is fact, although some experts might say that it depends on how you define ‘a thought’.
Whatever the actual number, we humans clearly do a lot of thinking.
3 Correct. A brain doesn’t get used up like the data storage on your smartphone. Brain power is
enormous! You don’t have to worry about running out of space in your lifetime.
4 Fact. When you are awake, the 100 billion neurons in the brain make enough electricity to run
a light bulb. Crazy!
5 This is a complete myth. The way the brain works is extremely complicated, but most of it is
being used most of the time.

2
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 015
Unit 1 Grammar – Exercises 1 and 2

Part one
What do Barack Obama, Prince William, Paul McCartney, Diego Maradona and Bart Simpson have
in common? They’re all left-handed. In fact, ten percent of the world’s population is left-handed,
and I’m one of them. I have no idea why I use my left hand or what causes someone to be left-
handed but according to studies, it’s a combination of genes and the environment that make
someone use one hand rather than the other.
In left-handed people, the right hemisphere of the brain is dominant. This means left-handers tend
to be creative and visual thinkers. You would therefore expect to find more left-handers working
in music, the arts and media in general. Dominance of the right hemisphere also enables left-
handers to be better at 3D perception, so it’s no surprise that a high proportion of left-handers
decide to become architects.
Left-handers have good coordination too, which may explain why a greater number manage to
pass their driving test first time. There is also a high percentage of lefties in the world of sport.
Tennis champion Rafa Nadal is naturally right-handed but he has chosen to play tennis with his left
hand. He keeps winning so it’s a decision that seems to have worked out well for him.

TRACK 017
Unit 1 Speaking – Exercises 3 and 4

This is a photo of a teenage girl driving a car. It’s hard to be sure whether she’s having a driving
lesson or taking her driving test. The middle-aged man sitting in the passenger seat to her left has
got some official looking papers and a pen, so the chances are he’s an examiner rather than an
instructor. Based on his body language, I’d say they might be about to crash! Clearly, something is
wrong. It looks as if he’s absolutely terrified. He’s covering his face and hiding behind his papers.
He could have just seen a car pull out in front of them or, even worse, a pedestrian step out into
the road. The girl doesn’t appear to be as scared as him, so maybe she hasn’t noticed the problem
yet. Hopefully, she’ll be able to stop in time. Judging by the examiner’s reaction, I don’t think she’s
going to pass her driving test this time!

TRACK 018
Unit 1 Speaking – Exercises 6 and 7

Personally, I think it’s absolutely vital. Actually, I’m having lessons at the moment and I intend to
take my test next year. My family and I live on the outskirts of the city and it takes me ages to get
to the centre on the bus for school, or to meet my friends. Driving into the city would be so much
more convenient, so for this reason I feel it’s really important that I learn.
3
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 019
Unit 1 Revision – Exercise 8

1 I was beginning to fall behind in Biology class, so I decided to go along to the local Science
centre where they were advertising some free workshops. I’m really interested in Science but
the lessons in school are pretty dull and the teacher doesn’t seem very motivated, but
dropping out’s not an option. At the centre though things are very different, much more
hands-on, and the instructor is really supportive. He actually voted my last project as the best
in the group which makes me want to work even harder. And, the funny thing is, my marks at
school have actually started to improve as a result.

2 I’m really into science fiction and was curious about what a course on creative writing would
involve. One thing I didn’t expect was that the course would be so demanding and I’ve already
fallen behind a little. I’m not sure what the tutor will say if I don’t catch up on the work that’s
due. I mean, it’s free and we’re all there voluntarily – even the tutor I believe – so I doubt I’ll
be asked to quit the course. I’ve never been the most hard-working person and the other
students in class strike me as being rather studious so I know I can’t put off doing the work
indefinitely.

3 I’ve always wanted to do a Drama class so when the opportunity came up to do one nearby I
jumped at the chance. The tutor’s great and the other students on the course all seem very
self-motivated, which I guess is important on a free course such as this, otherwise you just
wouldn’t go, right? I plan to go on and study Drama at university and I dream of one day
making a living out of being on stage. Naturally, I’m keen to soak up as much knowledge as I
can in the hope that this will help me improve my acting skills.

4 My high school grades in Art are fine but I just wanted to try some new approaches and was
looking for inspiration. I was a little worried initially as I’ve never been a very sociable person
but everybody at the art club struck me as being really open. The tutor came across as being
very hard-working and focused – which I wasn’t expecting as you hear about these volunteer
teachers being a bit unmotivated. The next assignment, painting or sketching something
about our earliest memory, is rather challenging but I’ve got lots of ideas and I’m feeling really
creative again!

TRACK 023
Unit 2 Listening – Exercises 2 and 3

Presenter: Welcome to Saturday Science. We are very fortunate to have with us in the
studio today Ruby Niverton, who is a neuroscientist. Ruby, recently you’ve been
involved in a study of the brain and, in particular, which part of the brain is
used for different emotions.

4
 INTO FOCUS B2

Neuroscientist: Yes, that’s right. We have collected a lot of data about the changes in the brain
that are caused by strong feelings.
Presenter: Now, we associate love with the heart – but you would say that love is a
chemical reaction, wouldn’t you?
Neuroscientist: Ha ha, yes I probably would. In fact, love is a powerful neurological condition.
When you fall for someone, it’s similar to hunger or thirst, but more
permanent.
Presenter: That’s not a very romantic image.
Neuroscientist: Well, no, but it’s fascinating. In fact, romantic love has all the characteristics of
addiction. At the beginning you’re just attracted to somebody. Then you start
going out with them and before you know it, you’ve fallen in love. You focus on
the person, you obsessively think about them and you will take enormous risks
to win this person that you’re obsessed with. Also, like an addict, you need to
see them more and more.
Presenter: I see. So your study has found evidence for those feelings in the brain. Can you
tell us a little bit about how you did that?
Neuroscientist: Well, we searched for people to put in a brain scanner – we wanted people
who were madly in love. We wanted people who couldn’t stop thinking about
their sweetheart. Then we put them into the brain scanner and showed
photographs of their sweetheart and photographs of people they didn’t know.
Then we could compare the activity in the brain.
Presenter: And did you find what you were looking for?
Neuroscientist: Oh yes. First, there’s an area deep in the centre of the brain – it’s a primitive
part of the brain which developed sixty-five million years ago. It’s at the base of
the brain, which is associated with wanting and motivation. The more
passionate the love, the more activity there was in that area. We also found
activity in a second area of the brain that becomes active when people eat
chocolate! Chocolate can be addictive, just like romantic love!
Presenter: And what happens when someone is rejected? Does the activity in those areas
of the brain stop?
Neuroscientist: Unfortunately for the broken-hearted, no. The obsession can get worse when
you’re rejected. We put people into the brain scanner just after their partner
had split up with them, and we found that there was as much activity, or even
more, than when they were in love.
Presenter: Can I ask you a personal question?
Neuroscientist: Ha ha, you can ask!
Presenter: All this science and looking at brains – has it put you off romantic love? I mean,
can you fall in love or do you just keep thinking about what it’s doing to your
brain?
Neuroscientist: Oh no, not at all. Love is more powerful than that. I might try to resist, but it
wouldn’t work!

5
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 028
Unit 2 Speaking – Exercises 4 and 5

OK, a memorable day out. Hmm, let’s see. Right, so I’m going to tell you about a great day out I
had at the local lake. This took place about a month ago, on a Saturday, and I had been working
really hard studying after school in the evenings and at weekends. I hadn’t been out for weeks and
I felt like I really needed a break. So I called my friend, Lisa and we decided we would take a picnic
and go to the lake not far from our village. The weather wasn’t great, but we went anyway and as
soon as we got there, the sun came out. Initially, we were the only people there, but it’s a popular
spot and, as expected, other people soon started arriving. As we were sitting there on our blanket,
another group of teenagers came and sat down right next to us. They were really friendly and we
chatted for a bit, then someone got a bat and ball out. All of a sudden, the weather changed and
out of the blue, it started pouring with rain. We were going to go and then someone said we might
as well go for a swim as we were wet anyway. Swimming in the rain was fantastic and fortunately,
after it stopped raining, the sun came out again and we ended up staying all afternoon.
Eventually, the evening came and it started to get cold so we headed home. Without a doubt it
was one of the best days I’ve had in ages and a welcome break from studying. We’re planning to
meet our new friends again as soon as we’ve finished our exams. Funnily enough, the best days
are often the ones you don’t really plan.

TRACK 030
Unit 2 Language in Focus – Exercise 5

Dave: Hi Lisa.
Lisa: Hi Dave. Have you got a minute?
Dave: Sure.
Lisa: I want to ask you about your friend Martin – he’s applied for my spare room.
Dave: Oh yes, we study together but he’s just a casual acquaintance rather than a close friend.
Lisa: OK. What’s he like?
Dave: Um, I’d say he’s a bit of a free spirit – he’s very independent and sure of himself. But he’s
good company on a night out, very popular.
Lisa: You mean he’s loud?
Dave: No, not at all. He’s supremely confident and highly intelligent. He was top of our course
last year.
Lisa: Wow. Does he have a lot of friends?
Dave: Yes, as I said, he’s popular and really kind. Last year there was a girl in our year who was
deeply depressed and he helped her a lot.
Lisa: Oh, he sounds like a nice guy. Anything else you can tell me?
Dave: No, I’d say he’s perfectly normal. Oh and he plays the trumpet really well!

6
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 031
Unit 2 Revision – Exercise 7

Presenter: Good afternoon and welcome to today’s show. Continuing our theme on family,
today I’m talking to Adam Martins, a psychologist, expert on twins and a twin
himself. Welcome to the studio.
Adam: Good afternoon.
Presenter: Let’s kick off by asking the question which I’m sure all the people at home are most
keen to know. There’s a common belief that twins share some sort of unexplained
mental or spiritual connection. It’s an intriguing idea, but is there any truth behind it?
Adam: Well, there have been many reported cases which suggest that twins – especially
identical twins – share some kind of psychic connection, can feel each other’s pain or
sense when the other twin is in danger, for example. There are stories of twins who
gave birth to baby daughters on the same day, at the exact same time, and even
twins who were separated at birth but reunited decades later to find that they both
married spouses with the same first and surnames. Psychic powers have never been
scientifically proven to exist, and psychic twins are no exception. However, as we
move away from science toward anecdotal evidence, we find many intriguing
parallels in the lives of twins.
Presenter: You’re a fraternal twin. Have you personally experienced something like this? If so,
what happened and what was the reaction?
Adam: I can recall quite vividly when my sister and I were fifteen, our teacher asked us to
draw a picture of a scene from a book. Although we were sitting on opposite sides of
the room, we had somehow managed to draw very similar images. The teacher was
so taken aback she had to get the teacher from next door and tell her what had
happened.
Presenter: Incredible. And is it difficult being a twin?
Adam: In many ways it’s no harder than being a regular sibling or an only child but a number
of twins do report a higher degree of competitiveness – a greater need to be the
centre of attention. Twins that were dressed alike when younger or were encouraged
to do similar things often feel the need to over-accentuate their differences in order
to maintain a sense of themselves as individuals – which is by far the most common
problem reported by twins. Unfortunately, such competition between twins often
starts early with the major source of competition being for parental attention. Later
in life, however, twins tend to develop different interests in order to avoid such
competitive situations which can create friction between them.
Presenter: How does a twin go about establishing a greater sense of self?
Adam: Some twins will often make concerted efforts to study different subjects, go to
different universities, or study or work in different countries. Emotionally it’s not
easy. But we can’t escape our genes, and most research suggests that it is our DNA
which is responsible for our psychological characteristics rather than the physical

7
 INTO FOCUS B2

environment in which we find ourselves. Which brings us back to why many twins,
even those that have been separated at birth, somehow find themselves attracted to
similar professions, becoming obsessed by similar hobbies or simply find it impossible
to be different from their brother or sister.
Presenter: It’s fascinating stuff but I’m afraid we have to leave it there. Thank you for coming in
today Adam. Tomorrow’s topic in our series on the family looks at ways of coping
with the generation gap …

TRACK 033
Unit 1 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 4

Vlogger: Hello everyone and welcome back to my vlog. Now the other day I bumped into an old
school friend and it brought back so many memories. Horrible school lunches,
countless missed school buses, and most importantly, just hours and hours spent
purely on having fun, listening to music, gossiping and just hanging out doing nothing
special together.
So today I’m going to be asking people about their teenage years and how their lives
have changed since then.
What was your daily routine when you were younger and how does it compare to
now?
Hannah: So when I was a teenager I was at school – high school obviously. So I would get up in
the morning, have some breakfast. I’d walk to my friend’s house, and then we’d walk
to school. We’d have school obviously from 9 to 3 and then I’d walk home. And then
yeah, just chill at home in the evenings. That was Monday to Friday. And then my
routine on the weekend would be to see my friends in the city, catch up. And my
routine now is I guess quite similar. I’m based in Sydney. I will go to work for 8.30,
again have some breakfast, do my work, go … um have lunch, go for a little workout or
a run, come home, do some yoga in the evening, and the same again, catching up with
friends on weekends.
Aaron: Well, when I was a teenager I would wake up very early, I would make myself
breakfast, I would get ready I would take the bus to school. Now since I’m living in
France I wake up a little bit later um I still actually do not eat breakfast any more, and I
go to school around 12. That’s about my daily routine until about 5 o’clock and come
home, relax, possibly read a book, just kinda leisure activities.
Natasha: My daily routine is quite drastically different actually um so when I was a kid I’d get up
at about six o’clock and ‘cos I trained as a dancer I would get up and do my stretches in
the morning. Then I would go off to school in London, have a full day of school, get on
a train back home, go to dance classes until about nine o’clock at night and then I’d go
to bed so it was quite intense. Then today – I’ll just tell you my day today – I got up at

8
 INTO FOCUS B2

about 11.30 – I had a lie-in – met a friend and I’m going to go to work at 5 o’clock. So,
it’s quite relaxing in comparison.
Nobuse: I used to go to school and after school I’d hang out with my friends, get some chicken
and chips. get home before 5. And then I used to do some homework, which was every
day from 6 to 7 and go to sleep and start again. Nowadays, I just … I’m self-employed
so now I just work through my own routine and whatever call sheet or time I get and, if
not that I just go to the gym, work out, have some green tea, some daily exercises and
stuff like that.
Harriet: When I was younger I used to go to school so my routine used to be much more
structured – so getting up early, lessons, homework, dinner, things like that. Whereas
now I don’t have a routine as much as I used to.
Vlogger: What did you use to do when you were younger that you miss doing now?
Hannah: I miss athletics. I used to be part of an athletics club which um sadly I gave up. So that
would be nice to get back into.
Aaron: When I was a teenager I used to drive around a lot. There wasn’t much to do where I
lived – I lived in the countryside. So we would drive around a lot and listen to music,
there was a lot of freedom so we got to listen to loud music, discover a lot of things,
drive in the countryside, so yeah I miss doing that.
Natasha: When I was younger, I used to see my friends a lot more because we used to dance
together. So I’d see them every single day. And now I very rarely see them. ‘Cos of life
… Life gets in the way.
Nobuse: I used to hang out with my friends and play football every day after school. But now
because of age and work and life it’s just now… just doesn’t happen anymore. I guess
that’s what I miss doing.
Harriet: It’s going to sound strange, but I actually miss doing homework and having an
organised structure. Because at least when I was being made to do things, I actually
got things done. Whereas now I’m just sort of very lazy.
Vlogger: So how about you guys? How was your life different when you were younger? And
what do you miss about it?

TRACK 034
Unit 2 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 5

Vlogger: Hello everyone and welcome back to my vlog. Now, it’s my first month of living on my
own after moving out of my family home and it’s been great. No one cares about how
long I spend in the bathroom or how much mess I make. But it has made me realise
how important my family is to me and how much of an impact they’ve had on my life.
So today I’m going to be asking people about their families, and what they’ve learnt
from them.
Could you tell me about a family member or a friend you look up to?

9
 INTO FOCUS B2

Lilee: I really look up to my mum because she’s very independent and she was quite young
when she had me but she moved out of home and she handled everything really well
and she brought me up all on her own and I feel like I’ve turned out okay. So it really
inspires me to be mature and responsible and make good decisions.
Hassan: I look up to my cousin who is a successful painter because he’s following his dreams,
and that inspires me to follow mine as well.
Hannah: My sister who’s with me here today. She is my role model. She’s very kind-hearted and
honest and I she’s taught me a lot in life.
Aaron: I look up to my great-grandmother. She was the first woman pilot in West Virginia. She
also was the first one to leave West Virginia out of the family and so it was her first
time exploring the world and that was a really big deal but she became secretary to
two presidents and she had a very, very beneficial career for her. So yeah, today she
retires in Florida and lives a very happy life on a river and very educated – has two
doctorates so, very intelligent, very … very … all around excellent woman.
Shaelyn: I look up to my older brother who pursued football when he was younger. He moved
from Canada to the UK and I’m doing the same now, pursuing acting in the UK and I
can always phone him back home and he’s always able to encourage me to keep going.
Vlogger: What have you learnt from a friend or family member that has helped you later in life?
Lilee: My grandma is probably one person that’s really had an impact on me. She was a
politician through the 70s and 80s when many women weren’t in powerful positions
and she always told me to stand up for what I believe in and to be who I want to be
and not worry about what anyone else thought about it.
Hassan: I’ve learnt how to do laundry from my aunt which has helped me a lot since I’ve moved
out from home and now I live on my own.
Hannah: I would say my current roommate who I met almost two years ago. So, she’s like a new
friend I’d say. She’s very good at being communicative and showing emotions, which I
think is a very good and important factor in life. That’s what I’ve learnt from her.
Aaron: My friend Alex told me that small leaks sink big ships. So, what that basically means is
guard well against the little things and don’t let them, don’t let them sink you or your
or your voyage or wherever you’re going. And the same can be applied to finances as
well. You know, buying small things here and there adds up very quick.
Shaelyn: My grandfather taught me how to be independent which has helped me since moving
to the UK from Canada, to feel like I can stand on my own two feet and to feel like I can
do anything even if I’m far away from my family.
Vlogger: Is there anyone you look up to? What have you learnt from them? Let me know in the
comments.

10
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 036
Unit 3 Vocabulary – Exercise 4

Presenter: Today on City Life we’re discussing the pros and cons of banning cars in city centres.
What do you think? Call on 02099777999. We’d like to hear your views. OK, our first
caller is Ryan from Dublin in Ireland. Go ahead, Ryan.
Ryan: I live in the centre of Dublin but I work in another city. Cars are banned from my
street and so I can’t park at home. This means that my daily commute is more
difficult but it’s worth the sacrifice – I used to hear the constant noise of car engines
and honking of horns from my top floor apartment overlooking one of the main
streets, but now I love the peace and quiet.
Presenter: Thank you, Ryan. Next up is Jack from London.
Jack: I agree with banning cars – it’s definitely the right way to go. London is so polluted.
They’re talking about banning diesel cars by 2020. I think they should ban all cars. So
long as there’s a reliable network of buses and public transport, who needs cars!
Presenter: Thank you, Jack. Yes, public transport is important. Let’s see what Sarah has to say.
Sarah: I agree with banning cars in the city centre because it’s safer for cyclists. But my
problem is that I live in the suburbs, and my neighbourhood doesn’t have cycle lanes
so it’s not a safe environment for young people to get around by bicycle. Urban
planners should ask themselves, would you let your child cycle here?
Presenter: Good point, Sarah. Councils have been focusing on the city centre and forgetting
about the suburbs. What do you think Julia from Bath?
Julia: I don’t think it’s a good idea to ban cars everywhere. It’s easy to build cycle lanes in
cities where there are wide avenues but my home town of Bath is very picturesque
and tourists flock here to visit the historic centre. The problem is that these ancient
cobbled streets are too narrow for cycle lanes. We can never be a bike-friendly town.
And I don’t mind. I like my car.
Presenter: Ah yes, the cobbled streets of Bath. Lovely. Well that’s all we have time for now.
Thanks to our listeners …

TRACK 040
Unit 3 Listening – Exercises 3 and 4

1
Welcome to the Lifestyle Programme. Let’s start with the shocking results of a recent survey:
thirty-five percent of British people do not know any of their neighbours. Well, it’s not a problem
for residents of Springhill co-housing project in the southwest of England. Springhill is a new
housing development of thirty-five homes in a typical residential area. Residents have their own
self-contained flats or houses and gardens but share a common house for communal meals. The
co-housing idea comes from Denmark where it is well-established, and according to the latest
11
 INTO FOCUS B2

government housing figures, tens of thousands of Danish people live in this way. There is growing
interest around the world in the model as a provider of affordable, sustainable social housing.
Building materials are natural or recycled. Springhill is not only sustainable in building terms, but in
human terms too, encouraging the daily social contact that we know is key to health and
happiness. We’re sure there’ll be a hundred percent improvement in neighbourly relations at
Springhill. And now for a look at a different kind of …

2
Rick: Come on, we’re going to be late for school. What are you reading?
Tom: Oh, it’s one of Dad’s business magazines. Have you seen the plans for this Freedom ship?
Rick: No, what is it?
Tom: Well, it’s just a concept at the moment, but they’re planning to build a huge ship that
looks like a floating tower block with an airport on top.
Rick: That sounds a bit unstable if you ask me. Let’s have a look. Oh, that’s amazing. It looks like
a multi-storey car park! I wouldn’t like to be on it in bad weather. Are they really going to
build it?
Tom: Only if it can be profitable, so if you ask me, I’d be surprised. They need billions of dollars
to even start, so it may never happen. It says here that there are people with disposable
income who want to invest in the project and use it as their second home, but I shouldn’t
think many people would want to live on it. They want to make it nearly two kilometres
long – nearly two kilometres long! That doesn’t sound possible!
Rick: Where will it dock?
Tom: According to this article, no ports will be big enough for it to enter so it’ll just be sailing
around the world non-stop with 80,000 people on board.
Rick: Well, I won’t be one of them! Come on, it’s time to go.

3
Today I’m reporting from The House and Home show and I’m going to start with a question –
where will you be living twenty years from now? Well, that’s pretty obvious. You’ll be living in a
fully connected smart home! Smart homes and smart technology have now become reality, not
the future. How do they benefit our lives? OK, a smart home can be rewired so household
appliances such as fridges, light fixtures, security systems and thermostats can be controlled by
the homeowner using a mobile device. One benefit is that the smart home can save energy costs –
even when you’re not at home. With the tap of a finger on your mobile phone, you can switch off
lights, close windows and control the heating. With the smart home you gain more hours in the
day – when you’re running low on milk, your fridge can order more and it can be programmed to
manage all your shopping. The fridge will even advise on recipes based on what you’ve got in
stock. Domestic chores just got a lot easier! In the future such homes will be available for
everybody!

12
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 053
Unit 4 Grammar – Exercises 1 and 2

Laura: Mum! Guess what – Jamie got tickets for us to see Beyoncé tonight. It was sold out but
he got them online.
Mum: You know it’s risky buying tickets online, don’t you?
Laura: Is it? The guy’s meeting us outside the concert with the tickets.
Mum: OK, but just be careful, won’t you? Don’t give him any money until you see the tickets.
Laura: Don’t worry! It’ll be fine. Right, Jamie’s picking me up in five minutes.
Mum: Jamie? But he hasn’t passed his driving test, has he?
Laura: Yes Mum, he passed it weeks ago.
Mum: Oh right … Wait a minute. You’re not wearing my earrings, are you?
Laura: Oh, er … yes, I am. I forgot to ask you. Sorry.
Mum: You know they’re worth a lot of money, don’t you?
Laura: Are they? But you never wear them, do you?
Mum: Look, it’s fine but just don’t lose them, will you? It’s so easy to lose things at concerts.
Laura: Stop worrying about everything Mum. I’m always careful when I borrow your things,
aren’t I?

TRACK 056
Unit 4 Listening – Exercises 2 and 3

Interviewer: Welcome to the Shopping Programme. In this episode we’re looking at the growing
market in the UK for second-hand goods and the different places where you can buy
and sell these pre-owned items. To get us started, we have a guest in the studio.
Hello and welcome Martin Richards. Martin, you sell second-hand goods on the
market, don’t you? Can you tell us where you get them from?
Martin: Yes. Hello. Basically, I buy and sell the contents of luggage that is lost at airports and
unclaimed by their owners.
Interviewer: There are thousands of bags and suitcases that go missing at airports, aren’t there?
Martin: Yes, absolutely. Twenty-six million checked bags go missing from international
flights around the world every year. Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the
world with nearly 200,000 people passing through the airport each day.
Unsurprisingly, 45,000 bags go missing every month.
Interviewer: Amazing! So how do you get hold of this unclaimed lost luggage and what do you do
with it?
Martin: Well, I certainly don’t get them from the owners! I go to an auction house in London
– they buy the lost property from Heathrow Airport, and sell it weekly to individuals
like me. Then I have a stall on a market where I sell the clothes that come out of the
lost suitcases.
13
 INTO FOCUS B2

Interviewer: So how much do you pay, and what kind of things do you get?
Martin: Well, there’s an element of chance when you buy a suitcase as you can’t look inside
before you bid for it. The better the suitcase, the more likely you are to find
designer clothes. But you could be very unlucky with a high-quality bag and just find
dirty socks – that’s the chance you take. Luckily, the auctioneers open the bags and
throw away anything horrible like food that’s gone off or wet stuff that’s gone
mouldy. When you buy suitcases, you just get clothes. They take out electrical
goods and shoes and they sell those in separate lots.
Interviewer: If we could just go back to what you were saying before, it’s really surprising how
many bags get lost! Have you any idea how this happens?
Martin: Apparently, the most common cause of lost luggage is when people check in their
bags either too far in advance, or at the very last minute. Things can also get lost if
passengers transfer to other flights. But you wouldn’t believe what the most
commonly lost thing is – children’s buggies! That’s what I find most shocking – I just
don’t understand how people can leave the airport carrying the child and not
remember the buggy!
Interviewer: One last question Martin. Do you feel a bit strange handling people’s personal
belongings?
Martin: Um. That’s a good question. The easy answer is no – I try to think about it as a job.
But if I’m honest, I do often wonder who these people are, where they’re from and
where they were going. Once I found a wedding dress in one of the suitcases – I just
hope they lost it on the way home.
Interviewer: Absolutely. I’m sure those suitcases could tell a few stories. Thank you, Martin.
Now …

TRACK 058
Unit 4 Reading – Exercise 3

Weirdest things sold at auction

A man thought that a jar contained a ghost and he was frightened of it, so he put it up for auction
on eBay. After numerous bids, the jar sold for just around $55,000 but the buyer never paid for
the item in the end.

In 2000 a man from North Carolina discovered the meaning of life and decided to sell it on eBay.
Curiously, it was worth only $3.26.

A 10-year-old girl from England tried to sell her grandmother on eBay, describing the relative as
‘annoying’ but ‘cuddly’. The Auction site had to take down the offer as it appeared to be
promoting human trafficking.

14
 INTO FOCUS B2

The toast was sold for $1,025 when Justin Timberlake left it behind after an interview with a New
York radio station. The leftover breakfast was put up for sale by a DJ and a 19-year-old fan placed
the winning bid.

An Australian thought it was funny to put New Zealand up for sale on eBay. After six thousand hits
and 22 bids, the price quickly climbed to A$3,000, until eBay managers pulled the auction from the
website.

No royal tea leaves have ever come up at auction, but a piece of The Queen’s wedding cake from
her marriage in 1947 fetched £500 at auction when it was put up for sale by a woman whose
father attended the royal wedding.

TRACK 062
Unit 4 Grammar – Exercises 1 and 2

James: It’s Bella’s birthday tomorrow and I haven’t got a present yet. Can you give me some
ideas? Clothes?
Ellie: You definitely shouldn’t buy clothes unless you know the correct size. If you get too
small she’ll think she’s fat, and if you get too big she’ll think you think she’s fat.
James: Oh, right, not clothes. How about jewellery? A nice ring?
Ellie: A ring? You need to be careful not to give the wrong message – a ring has a special
meaning.
James: Hm. A bracelet?
Ellie: Yes, with a bracelet you needn’t worry about giving the wrong message. But it must be
something really nice. Something she’ll be proud to wear. How much do you want to
spend?
James: I don’t know – no more than twenty euros.
Ellie: Right – you ought to forget jewellery. What’s she into?
James: Music. I could get concert tickets.
Ellie: That’s good – but you ought to avoid buying them for too far ahead. You may split up
and then it would be a waste of money.
James: Oh yeah. I know – perfume!
Ellie: Do you know what she likes?
James: No.
Ellie: Well you ought to!
James: I could get her the same as mum wears.
Ellie: No! You mustn’t do that! That’s a really bad idea! Mums and teenagers don’t wear the
same perfume.
James: Why? Mum’s perfume’s nice. Oh dear this is more difficult than I thought. I wish I had
more time. Should I get a voucher or is that boring?

15
 INTO FOCUS B2

Ellie: It’s boring. You’d better ask her friends for some ideas before the shops shut. They’ll
know exactly what she likes. Hurry …

TRACK 064
Unit 4 Grammar – Exercise 8

A
A: You look tired today.
B: I am. I didn’t have a very good evening yesterday.
A: What happened?
B: I went to the cinema with my brother. The ticket cost a lot and the film was terrible and very
long. So it was an expensive evening and we went to bed late.

B
A: Have you seen Katy’s new haircut?
B: No, what’s it like?
A: I don’t think it suits her. I told her it made her nose look big. She was upset.

C
A: That new girl came to my brother’s birthday party last week.
B: Oh, what’s she like?
A: I’m not sure if she’s shy or rude, but she didn’t speak to anyone and she left really early.

TRACK 065
Unit 4 Watching and Speaking – Exercises 2 and 3

Oscar: What a week! I’m exhausted. I’m glad it’s Saturday.

Emma: Well, don’t relax too much; we need to do some food shopping. We don’t even have
coffee.
Oscar: Don’t we? Well, you could’ve said something earlier. How am I supposed to function
without coffee?
Emma: Er … well, you should’ve noticed yourself if it’s so important to you. Anyway, there’s a
food market on West Street today. I say we get there early.
Oscar: What, you mean leave the flat?
Emma: Well, how else do you suggest we do the shopping, Oscar?
Oscar: Er … online? I really can’t be bothered to go out, Emma. Going to the market is time
consuming and takes effort, but shopping online is quick and convenient. Click, click,
click and it’s done. Miraculous! It’s the only way of shopping that allows you to stay on
the sofa … and therefore, it’s clearly the best choice. Another reason is that, instead of

16
 INTO FOCUS B2

carrying heavy bags half-way across town, someone will deliver everything to the door.
What could be easier?
Emma: You are so lazy, Oscar! OK, when you compare the two, shopping online might require
less effort, but I wouldn’t choose it because you can’t actually pick the fresh food
yourself, can you? If you order online, they can send you all the old stuff. That’s why I’d
opt for the market. On top of that, it is actually good to leave the house and interact
with other real people sometimes, you know?
Oscar: Hmmm?
Emma: I mean, I prefer going to the market simply because it’s a colourful and lively place to
spend some time. Also, shopping online isn’t the best choice if you consider the
environment – all those delivery trucks speeding round the city. Plus, don’t forget it’s
much more likely that the food at the market is locally grown and it’s definitely the
cheaper option.
Oscar: OK, OK! I get the message. How about you go to the market and I stay here?
Emma: That’s fine, Oscar. You can clean the kitchen and the bathroom while I do the shopping.
Oscar: On second thoughts, I’ll come with you and help carry the bags.
Emma: Oh, my hero!

TRACK 066
Unit 4 Revision – Exercise 7

Presenter: I’m here in the studio with Anne Knight – a mystery shopper. It’s very much a niche
job and one that’s full of secrecy. Can you tell me a little about your job and what it
actually entails?
Anne: Sure. Basically I’m assigned a number of different stores, in different locations and
cities and asked to buy a certain something from a specific department or from a new
product range. It could be in a chain of supermarkets, for example, a fast food
restaurant or a large department store. I take extensive notes on the appearance and
cleanliness of the store, the progression of the queue and the quality of customer
service. I then have to write up detailed reports on the overall shopping experience.
It’s not as glamorous as most people think.
Presenter: Companies are spending millions each year, there’s an increasing need for mystery
shoppers and salaries can be impressive I hear. Do your clients get good value for
money?
Anne: I believe so. Retailers are becoming increasingly aware of the competition from
online stores and profits are being threatened. They are responding to the fact that
shoppers who are actually prepared to set foot inside a store need to be offered a
higher quality of service – a more unique and enjoyable shopping experience than
they get online. Attracting new customers is desirable through improved customer
service but central to the idea is keeping regular visitors coming back.

17
 INTO FOCUS B2

Presenter: Does it work?

Anne: Oh definitely. Once the report has been produced clients might respond, for example,
by employing more cashiers to work the tills, which results in queues moving faster.
Or maybe shop floors are cleaner or reorganised to make them more shopper-
friendly. In particular though, a few of the places I’ve visited have won awards for the
good quality of service to their customers. I’m totally convinced that it is a result of
my efforts and that what I’m doing benefits everyone who goes shopping – and that’s
most satisfying.
Presenter: What else do you like about being a mystery shopper?
Anne: Occasionally, we get an exclusive assignment such as checking out a five-star
restaurant, or doing a report on a store that’s on a cruise ship. Companies really have
to spend vast sums for such a service and the pay is very good so understandably
such jobs are quite rare – but it does add to the whole unpredictability of the work
which is nice.
Presenter: In many ways the perfect job.
Anne: Believe it or not, it’s actually quite hard to enjoy a meal which costs a fortune in a
plush restaurant because you can’t sit there and take notes like you can in a store.
Remembering lots of tiny details about the meal, the overall quality of the service
and the food being served, as well as the much more personal interaction with the
waiting staff – all of that can actually distract from the whole experience. And then
having to go home or back to the hotel late at night to write reports on everything
while it’s still fresh. You really do need to remain focused and detail oriented. Hardly
the perfect way to spend an evening.
Presenter: So, it’s not all just about free meals, is it? Thank you, Anne. Stay tuned because next
up Michael Bridges will be talking to …

TRACK 067
Unit 3 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 5

Vlogger: Hi everybody. Welcome back to my vlog. Now I’ve found my old diary from ten years
ago and it’s so funny to read my ideas on what I thought the future might hold for me.
I’m definitely not the person I imagined myself to be back then, though some dreams
haven’t changed. I always saw myself in the Australian outback working from home
rather than being stuck in London’s traffic jams. But hey, it might still happen! So, I’m
curious about other people’s dreams. It’s time to ask some questions.
Where do you think you’ll be living five years from now?
Natasha: My mum owns a house in Walton-on-Thames that I plan on buying off her so probably
I will be living in Walton-on-Thames in her house in five years’ time.

18
 INTO FOCUS B2

Nobuse: I’ll probably be living in London with my family but I would like to be living in Monaco
because it’s another city another country it’s nice with hot weather and it’s just a
different environment compared to London.
Kat: Probably I’ll be living in Vienna and hopefully I’ll still be working freelance with projects
abroad every couple of months so I can keep travelling.
Nick: In five years’ time I would quite like to be living in a house with myself not with
housemates, preferably with a studio so I can record my music and my guitars in there
and a nice big living room.
Hannah: I will be living in Sydney, New South Wales in Australia because it’s a lovely part of the
world, lots of beaches and outdoor life.
Lucy: In five years’ time I hope to be living in East London. It’s one of my favourite places. It’s
where I work so it’d be a lot easier. I wouldn’t have to get up as early.
Lilee: Actually, I have no idea. I’ve only just arrived here in London and loving it so far. But if
it turns out that after a couple of years I don’t really love the cold any more I might
head home where it’s much warmer or I might try somewhere in Europe. I’ve really got
no idea.
Vlogger: What life goals will you have achieved by the time you turn fifty?
Natasha: I would like to think that I will have played a leading lady in the West End. I would like
to have been in a TV series or two. And maybe some voice work, voice reels and
language tapes.
Nobuse: I will have had my own film production agency. I’ll have travelled round the world
doing what I love which is acting and modelling, I’ll have started to raise my own family
as well and I will have my own property and businesses as well.
Kat: Hopefully by the time I’m fifty I will have published a book or been an established artist
or at least published a movie and gone further in my career. Or just be happy – I guess
that’s a good goal as well.
Nick: By the time I’m fifty, in my life I will achieve at least one top ten album, a tour of the
world, and to get my band Lofthouse just anywhere and everywhere I can.
Hannah: I will have completed my yoga teacher training in India and I will have my own studio
so I’ll be teaching yoga.
Vlogger: So, what about you guys? Where would you like to live in the future and what are your
most important life plans? Let me know in the comments.

TRACK 068
Unit 4 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 5

Vlogger: Hi everyone. Me again. So I’m off to a bad start today. I’m running late – typical me.
And I left my wallet in my other bag and I didn’t realise until I went to buy a ticket.
Luckily, a kind stranger lent me some money when I found out I’d left my phone at
home, too. So, I want to know about your experiences with money. Do you carry cash

19
 INTO FOCUS B2

or have you switched to a completely cash-free method? Do you usually pay with cash
or card? What sort of things are you likely to pay for with cash?
Sam: I usually pay with card but I’d mostly rather be paying with cash, I just find a hard time
getting my hands on it. Usually it’s hard to go to the ATM, make sure I always have it
on me, make sure I have a sufficient amount. But if I am paying with cash it’s usually
for something like the dry cleaners where it’s usually cash only or picking up small
items at the grocery store, small loaves, pieces of gum, packs of gum.
Kat: I tend to pay with cash because I keep track of my money better that way and I use
cash for all the small things like food, groceries, just every day necessities.
Lilee: I generally pay with my card because it’s so much easier and quicker but I like to get
my nails done, and my nail lady only takes cash so that’s when I usually pay with cash.
Shaelyn: Actually, I’m most likely to pay for everything with cash because I’m an old-fashioned
girl and it helps me to manage my spending with cash because I can see exactly how
much I have left. Whereas with a card, all you have to do is tap and it’s easy to
overspend.
Lucy: I normally pay with card because it’s a lot easier and quicker which isn’t always the
best thing but if I were to pay for something with cash, the only thing that I can really
think that I use cash for now would be leaving a tip in a restaurant.
Vlogger: What ways of paying are likely to become popular in the future?
Sam: I would say probably contactless using a cellular device just because it’s the most
convenient – people always have their phones on them and usually having, like, a
back-up maybe a contactless card if your phone dies. I can’t really see it progressing
too much further from that as of right now unless technology advances significantly.
Kat: I think in the future we’ll be more likely to move towards a digital currency whether
that is a representation for our current currency or some other value system but I
personally hope that we will stick to cash.
Lilee: I think phone-pay will become really popular because it will be easy for people to leave
the house and not have to take a bag or a wallet. All they need is their phone and they
can tap away.
Shaelyn: I think e-wallets are more likely to become popular in the future because foreign travel
is becoming more popular and it saves people the hassle of having to go for currency
exchange and having to carry around loads of cash and all kinds of different cards. So it
might be safer for people to travel around as well.
Lucy: I pay for a lot of things on my phone, with the contactless on my phone. So I feel like
maybe if they input that in other devices as well, that might become more popular,
too.
Vlogger: So how do you guys pay for things? And how do you think you’ll pay for things in the
future? Let me know in the comments.

20
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 074
Unit 5 Listening – Exercises 2 and 3

Presenter: In today’s programme we’re taking a look into the future of work. With us in the
studio we have a specialist in future trends in the workplace – Dr Atkins. Dr Atkins,
what do you think the world of work will look like ten years from now?
Dr Atkins: Well, it certainly won’t look the same as now. Technology now enables us to work
anywhere and so there’s been a steady rise in people working from home and a sharp
drop in the number of people commuting to work.
Presenter: As technology takes over tasks that people used to do, what kind of skills will be
useful for people in the future?
Dr Atkins: People will have to focus on the kind of skills that can’t be done by a machine or a
robot such as leadership and management jobs or caring for other humans.
Presenter: So you don’t think that dentists and teachers should worry about their jobs just yet.
Dr Atkins: No, definitely not. The need for jobs in the medical and teaching professions will
remain constant. Many of the traditional jobs will still be necessary ten or twenty
years from now – we’ll always need lawyers, politicians, firefighters and so on. And
we mustn’t forget the creative industries: we’ll always need artists, writers and
actors. I also think there will be a marked increase in jobs connected with alternative
energy.
Presenter: What sort of jobs would they be?
Dr Atkins: Well things like solar panel engineers or wind turbine technicians.
Presenter: Right, I see. So which jobs do you think are at risk in the future?
Dr Atkins: Um, I think there will be a gradual decline in jobs in retail – shop assistants aren’t
required in the days of online shopping. Any office jobs and factory jobs that can be
done by computers and robots will disappear.
Presenter: Finally, can you name any job titles that don’t exist now and will in the future?
Dr Atkins: I think we’ll see jobs like body-part maker, robot mechanic and space tourist guide.
But I could be completely wrong!

TRACK 076
Unit 5 Listening – Exercises 6 and 7

Presenter: Welcome back to our programme exploring the future of work. We asked four people
their thoughts on their careers and where they saw them in the future. Our first
speaker is Julie Robinson, a lawyer.
Julie: A career in law is stable because laws don’t tend to change fast. It’s challenging and
potentially well-paid if you get a high-powered job in a top law firm. However, I
believe there’s been a sharp drop in law graduates recently because it’s so expensive
to study law at university for six years. Some law firms are offering apprenticeships so
21
 INTO FOCUS B2

that trainees can start work and earn a salary while they’re training. Technology has
had an effect on our profession – some of the jobs that lawyers used to do can now
be done online. Fortunately, these tend to be tedious tasks that nobody liked doing.
On the whole, being a lawyer can be an extremely rewarding and lucrative career.
Presenter: Our second speaker is Geoffrey Smith, a dentist.
Geoffrey: My dental practice is always busy, and I can’t see that changing in the future. As far
as clients are concerned, I’ve noticed a marked increase in elderly patients who want
to keep their teeth in good condition. Technology has changed the way I work and
will probably continue to make my job easier. There have been great advances in the
medication we use to manage pain, so my patients can relax a bit more. I know
people hate coming to see me! I don’t blame them, but I don’t think they’d be any
happier if I was replaced by a robot.
Presenter: Our third speaker is Angie Walters, a shop assistant.
Angie: The supermarket where I work is always busy, so it’s hard to believe my job is going
to disappear. If you ask me, people want to see what they’re buying – I do! But the
experts say that there will be a gradual decline in supermarket sales, and so my job
isn’t secure. I’d hate to lose my job because I think I’ve got great interpersonal skills
and I’m quite good at handling difficult customers. Some people think my job’s
monotonous, but I find this human contact with the customers very fulfilling. If we
close down, I worry that some of my elderly customers will never go out and see
anyone. That’s not progress, is it?
Presenter: Finally, our fourth speaker is Mark Pomroy, a wind turbine technician.
Mark: I’m working in the alternative energy industry. To work with wind turbines, you need
to do a two-year course in applied sciences and this will teach you the basic
technology. The skills you need are to be good with your hands, and it helps to have
some experience in mechanics. In my free time I enjoy taking car engines apart and
putting them back together, so that helps. After studying the basics, I did an
apprenticeship with a company and learnt on the job. My job’s demanding, but I
think it will be an important career in the near future.
Presenter: Well, thank you to our four speakers. It’s interesting to hear …

TRACK 080
Unit 5 Watching and Speaking – Exercises 2 and 3

Friends Hannah and Daniel are working in Daniel’s dad’s bike shop during the summer holidays.
Today they are responsible for opening the shop.

Daniel: Right, here we are. Have you got the keys?

Hannah: Yep.
Daniel: Thanks … OK … er …
Hannah: What’s the matter?
22
 INTO FOCUS B2

Daniel: I’ve no idea. I can’t seem to open it.

Hannah: What do you mean? Just put the key in and turn it.
Daniel: Yes, thank you, Einstein. Every time I try to turn it, it gets stuck.
Hannah: Well, what’s up with it?
Daniel: How should I know? Perhaps there’s something wrong with the lock.
Hannah: Well, have you tried turning it the other way?
Daniel: The other way? I doubt that’ll work, but let’s see.
Hannah: And?
Daniel: No, that doesn’t make any difference. Now what?
Hannah: Let me try.
Daniel: OK … Careful. Not too hard, it’ll …
Hannah: Whoops! It’s broken off in the lock.
Daniel: Hannah! Why on earth did you do that?
Hannah: I didn’t do it on purpose.
Daniel: What are we supposed to do now?
Hannah: Calm down. I think I might have left the toilet window open round the back. Perhaps if I
climb through, I’ll be able to open the door from the inside. At least then we can open
the shop on time. We’ll work out what to do about the lock later.

At the back of the shop.

Hannah: Yes! It’s open. Problem solved. Help me up.

Daniel: OK, be careful. I’m not sure this is a good idea. It looks a bit small. Are you sure you’ll fit?
Hannah: Are you saying I’m fat?
Daniel: What?
Hannah: I’m joking, Daniel. OK, one … two … three … oooof … ah … ouch! Oh, I can’t get my leg
through.
Daniel: Are you OK?
Hannah: No! I can’t move.
Daniel: OK, this isn’t going to work. Come back out.
Hannah: OK … ah … ooof … ouch! Daniel, I can’t …
Daniel: What are you doing?
Hannah: I’m stuck! What am I going to do now?
Daniel: Well, you should have thought about that earlier. Oh no! That’s it. My Dad is going to kill
us.

TRACK 087
Unit 6 Listening – Exercise 2

Reports are coming in from London of a new mural by enigmatic street artist, Banksy. Banksy’s
real identity is unknown. Some people believe his real name is Robert Banks while others say that

23
 INTO FOCUS B2

he’s Robin Gunningham who was born in Bristol in 1973. Banksy has never confirmed or denied
any of these reports and his identity remains a mystery even though his art is recognised
worldwide. There is an unconfirmed rumour that he trained to be a butcher before becoming a
street artist. His graffiti art became famous in the 1990s in Bristol and London, but he chose to
remain anonymous at first to avoid being arrested for acts of vandalism. So far he has managed to
protect his true identity and has remained out of reach of the authorities. When a new ‘Banksy’
appears in the street, he posts it on his website. This is how he authenticates his street art and
confirms to the public that it is genuine and not a fake. His artworks can fetch hundreds of
thousands of pounds at auction. It is unclear how much of this money goes to Banksy himself,
though people say he is worth 20 million dollars.

TRACK 088
Unit 6 Listening – Exercises 4 and 5

Alice: What are you doing?

Robert: I’m trying to find some information on the Internet for my art project. I’ve got to do an
essay about artists who raise ethical issues through their work.
Alice: Ooh, that sounds interesting. I did a similar module on my degree. You should write
about street artists like Banksy who make statements about society through graffiti.
Robert: I don’t know much about him. Do you?
Alice: Quite a bit, yeah. I used to think he was American because he’s done a lot of work in
New York, but it turns out that he’s actually English. He’s been doing street art for
twenty-five years but I’ve no idea how old he was when he started. Actually it’s amazing
how he’s managed to stay so enigmatic but apparently his friends are really loyal and
committed to helping him remain anonymous. I don’t know much about his background
– nobody does – but I can tell you about his murals and his painting techniques if you
like.
Robert: Yes, that would be good.
Alice: OK, he started off painting onto walls and then later he started using stencils and spray
cans to speed up the painting process. When you want your identity to remain a secret
you don’t want to hang around the streets too long doing something illegal! I mean, he
is committing an offence.
Robert: Yeah, I suppose he is. Right, let me just finish writing that down. OK, so what’s he trying
to achieve with all this – what does he believe in?
Alice: Well, he’s quite political – he calls himself an activist and he’s against authority in
general. He has strong beliefs about people and the way we live our lives.
Robert: So which issues is he most interested in?
Alice: He’s anti-war so some of his murals show soldiers holding flowers instead of guns to
raise awareness of the stupidity of war. Look, I’ll show you on this website about him.
Robert: Ah, right. I like the one of the protestor who’s about to throw a bouquet of flowers.

24
 INTO FOCUS B2

Alice: Yes, that’s a good one and it’s quite obvious what it’s about – it stands for peaceful
protest. Banksy also does a lot of paintings of children and animals. His most popular
image is a girl with a red heart-shaped balloon.
Robert: Oh yes, I love that one. But it’s a bit sad – the balloon is floating away from the little girl.
I’m not sure what the underlying message is, but his art really makes you think, doesn’t
it?
Alice: Yes, that’s right. The meaning isn’t always obvious but I know he’s a strong believer in
fairness and equality – that’s why he’s a good subject for your essay. This one has a clear
message – he often uses his art to make statements about the treatment of animals.
Robert: It’s so clever – you think the tiger is escaping from a cage but then you realise it’s a bar-
code. What does that mean?
Alice: I’m not sure, but as I said, it makes you think. That’s his aim.

TRACK 093
Unit 6 Speaking – Exercises 3 and 4

1
I firmly believe they do. During the 1980s, due to pressure from anti-fur campaigners, the number
of fashion designers using fur fell sharply. Sadly, fur seems to be fashionable again these days so I
would say that campaigns and protests are more important than ever. Obviously, protesting is a
good way to promote awareness, but I think it is important to make your point peacefully. The
anti-fur movement has received criticism in the past for using violent or illegal protests and I also
believe these do more harm than good. It could be argued that some of the more shocking images
used in protests actually prevent some people from engaging with the movement. Frankly, I find
some of the pictures extremely difficult to look at.

2
Well, one obvious advantage is their ability to deliver a message to huge groups of people. Clearly,
a lot of the general public are interested in the lives and opinions of public figures and celebrities.
When a celebrity supports the anti-fur movement, lots of people take notice. Regrettably, the
opposite is also true. When celebrities are seen wearing fur products, it sends the message that
fur is glamorous and desirable. If you ask me, there is nothing glamorous or desirable about killing
animals for the sake of fashion.

3
I think I’d emphasise just how many animals have died to make their coat, or hat or whatever it is
they are wearing. Often, people don’t realise that to make a single coat from fox fur, for example,
fifteen to twenty animals have to be killed. I’d like them to think about these poor creatures every
time they put on their ‘beautiful’ coat. Can they really justify that much killing, just so they can
wear fur? In my opinion, fur is beautiful, but only when it’s on the animals to which it belongs. For
those who really can’t do without the ‘fur look’, there are synthetic products that look exactly the

25
 INTO FOCUS B2

same as the real thing. Some protesters feel that even synthetic fur is wrong as it encourages the
fashion to continue, but I don’t feel particularly strongly about that.

TRACK 094
Unit 5 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 5

Vlogger: Hey everybody, I’m back. So my friend just called up to complain about a job interview
she had the other day. She was really upset and nervous the whole time, mainly
because of the questions the interviewer had asked her. He wanted to know why she
wasn’t studying, why she’d changed jobs so frequently and what she planned to do in
the next five years. So, I want to know about other people’s experiences. What
questions they were asked and what they said.
Have you ever been to a job interview? What sort of questions did they ask you? What
did you reply?
Hannah: Yes, I’ve been to many job interviews. They asked why I wanted the job and I gave an
answer of why I wanted to be in that certain industry. Another example would be what
are my strengths and weaknesses and I would give them answers like I’m a good team
player …
Sam: When I was in High School, I applied for a job at a local camping store in my
neighbourhood. They asked me mostly questions related to my interest in camping, my
interests in the store and what I thought I could bring to the table. Mostly I told them, it
was my first job, so I told them that I was willing to work, like, as hard as I possibly could
and that’s what, like, I could really bring to the table. I told them I’d been going to the
store since I was very little and I had a huge passion for camping and hiking.
Kat: Yes, I have been for a job interview and when I went they asked me whether I was
willing to move for the job, whether I was willing to work on the weekends, whether I
was willing to work overtime and also they asked me some strange questions … whether
… like what my favourite food was and whether I was willing to walk up the stairs every
day because their elevator was broken. I agreed with most things because I wanted the
job.
Shaelyn: Yes, I did have a job interview recently. The first question they asked me was how I
would be able to help customers and I said that I would always be there with a smile and
I would always be able to answer questions. The second question that they asked me
was why I was the right fit for the job and I said that I was very hard-working and
responsible. And the third question that they asked me was why I wanted to work for
their company and I said that I wanted to work for them because they were ecologically
friendly and consciously trying to make a difference in the world.
Harriet: I’ve been for a couple of job interviews. My most recent one was for a job in a café,
where they were asking me about my previous experience working in foods, and with
people, and things like that. Just to make sure that I was comfortable with the job and

26
 INTO FOCUS B2

I’d had previous experience. So, I was just sort of telling them the things I did in my
previous job like how I served the food and the things that I’d learnt through that to get
the job.
Lilee: Yes, I have been for a few job interviews. My most recent one was as a nanny back in
Australia and what did they ask me? The parents of the children is who I met with and
they asked about my experience with kids and about my ability to drive and if I had a car
so I could help take their kids to and from school and that kind of thing. And I answered
by saying that I’d got lots of experience with kids from my big family and teaching at
dance studios and I have a car and I have my license so I just answered all their
questions.
Vlogger: What about you guys? Do you have any job interview experiences? Will you share?

TRACK 095
Unit 6 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 5

Vlogger: Hi everyone. I’m a bit over-tired today. I had a movie-marathon with my best friends
last night. We each had to pick one film. Can you guess what film I picked? That’s right,
I picked The Time Machine. I don’t know why, but time travel just fascinates me. I
always picture myself going back in time and meeting my hero Marylin Monroe. So, I
want to know about everyone else’s experiences. Are they as excited about time travel
as I am?
Imagine you could travel back in time. Which decade, century or era would you visit?
Nick: I would like to go back to the late 30s, early 40s. I come from a small town in the North
East that used to have a lot of airfields, so I would have quite liked to see, you know,
Spitfires and Lancasters fly over and land on these airfields in my home town.
Kat: If I could travel back in time, I would travel back to the early 60s because I would really
like to see the age at which my grandmother was in her 20s and I’d really like to see
how she dealt with similar problems that I’m dealing with right now.
Sam: I would probably go to, like, ancient Babylon or ancient Egypt. I just really like the
desert setting. Kind of like, the Nile river, very fertile, with the desert in the
background.
Hassan: I’d visit the Middle Ages to see how people lived without technology. Because we live
in a time where we depend heavily on technology and the internet.
Luke: I think um probably the kind of Dickensian period actually. In England. I think Charles
Dickens and the picture he’s painted in his, his novels. Paints a very, kind of, interesting
experience, kind of, the kind of differences between wealth and poverty and, the kind
of, the very different circumstances in which people lived would be great to
experience. In my head, kind of, England from the past at that time was pretty tough.
Lots of, kind of dark, twisty, narrow buildings pathways, in cities …

27
 INTO FOCUS B2

Ellie: I like the sound of the 80s because of the music, and, yeah, the 80s I think are a good
decade for music so that’s probably what I would choose.
Vlogger: Suppose you could meet any famous, person dead or alive. Who would you like to
meet?
Nick: If I could meet anyone famous it would be my guitar hero Mark Tremonti I would love
to ask him about how he started his career and what his path was through his music.
Kat: If I could meet any famous person dead or alive, I would like to meet Salvador Dali,
because I really appreciate his art … and I think it’s incredible what he did in terms of
changing modern art and I find it fascinating that he was always of the opinion that
you could only do that once you have covered your basics and I think that’s a good
approach to everything in life.
Sam: I would probably meet Frank Sinatra, just because I’m a huge fan of his music and the
1950s and 1940s culture in America in general. I’d probably ask him about his days
with the rat pack, the music … everything about 1950s culture really.
Hassan: I’d like to meet Rafael Nadal. He’s a really famous tennis player. I do play tennis
sometimes and he inspires me a lot actually … I’m a huge fan of his.
Luke: Out of the many, many people I think I’d go for Winston Churchill. He had a particularly
interesting period during the Second World War, in which he led the United Kingdom
to victory over Germany … the United Kingdom and Europe, so I think to get inside his
head and to ask him questions about that period would be absolutely fascinating. The
challenges that he undertook and faced and also, you know, there’s other stuff in the
past that he’s done, I think, I’d like to challenge him on as well.
Ellie: I think I’d meet the Jazz musician, Duke Ellington. Because I really look up to him. I
think his story and like, life, was really interesting. I’d want to know more about that –
how he got to where he did and yeah I think he’s really interesting.
Vlogger: How about you guys? What would be your dream destination and who would you like
to meet? Let me know in the comments.

TRACK 097
Unit 7 Vocabulary – Exercises 5 and 6

Presenter: Welcome to the Amazing Minds podcast. Our guest this week is Dr James Maggs,
professor of computer science at Risinghurst University. Thank you for joining us Dr
Maggs. Can you begin by telling us who you’re going to talk about today?
Dr Maggs: Well, before I tell you, let me ask you something – when do you think the first
computer programme was written?
Presenter: Um, that would be the mid-20th century? Alan Turing?
Dr Maggs: Aha, you need to go back another 100 years to a woman that Alan Turing was
inspired by. Her name is Ada Lovelace and she was a brilliant mathematician and a
computer visionary.

28
 INTO FOCUS B2

Presenter: Was she the woman who worked with Charles Babbage?
Dr Maggs: That’s right. She collaborated with Charles Babbage on a prototype for the first
computer. At that time, it was known as the Analytical Engine. Charles Babbage is
referred to as the father of the computer, but Lovelace is now credited with coming
up with the first ‘algorithm’.
Presenter: How interesting. So Ada Lovelace was 100 years ahead of her time.
Dr Maggs: Absolutely. She saw the true potential of their invention and was the first to
recognise that the machine was capable of doing anything, provided it was
programmed correctly.
Presenter: So Dr Maggs, considering that women didn’t always have access to education in the
19th century, how did Ada Lovelace discover that she had an aptitude for this kind of
work?
Dr Maggs: Her father was Lord Byron, the Romantic poet. He left her mother soon after Ada
was born, and Ada’s mother was afraid she would follow the same literary path as
her father. So she arranged for the best teachers to give her lessons in science and
mathematics.
Presenter: It worked.
Dr Maggs: It did. And she’s one of the few women who’ve won the respect of her fellow
computer scientists for her contribution to science and technology. In fact, in 1980
the United States Department of Defence named a computer language after her.
Presenter: Quite right. Thank you very much, Dr Maggs.
Dr Maggs: You’re very welcome.

TRACK 101
Unit 7 Listening – Exercises 2 and 3

1
Shop assistant: Good afternoon. Can I help you?
Julie: Oh yes, I’m looking for a new laptop. I’ve got a budget of £400. Do you have
anything in that price range?
Shop assistant: Well, you won’t be looking at a top-of-the-range model for that amount, but I’m
happy to come up with a few options. Let’s start here. This one’s a basic laptop
with 4 GB of RAM and a terabyte of storage.
Julie: That sounds good.
Shop assistant: Well, compared with how computers used to be, it’s not bad. If you just want to
stick to word processing and social networking, it’s a waste of money buying a
more powerful computer. But if you want to go in for gaming and download films
and music, you can get a computer with 8 GB of RAM and an SSD hard drive for
£450, that’s just £50 more.
Julie: I do want to download films and music, but do I really need 8 GB of RAM?

29
 INTO FOCUS B2

Shop assistant: Well, you need to think about the future. If you want to edit photos and videos,
it’s well worth spending a bit more. For just £50 you get double the RAM and SSD
storage.
Julie: Hm, I’m not sure. I need to think it over.
Shop assistant: Of course. If it helps you to make a decision, I’ll throw in a laptop bag with the
more expensive model.

2
Sat-nav: At the roundabout take the third exit. Take the exit.
Luke: Are you sure this is right?
Kate: Well the sat-nav seems to think it is. Why?
Luke: I thought we should be on the motorway by now. I’m gonna go towards the motorway.
Sat-nav: Turn around where possible.
Kate: The sat-nav didn’t like that! I don’t know why you insist on going on the motorway
when the sat-nav was taking us another route?
Sat-nav: Exit ahead.
Kate: Now it’s trying to make us leave the motorway. I really don’t think we should be on the
motorway at all.
Luke: Have we got a map anywhere?
Kate: Why would we need a map? I think we should do what the sat-nav tells us to do.
Sat-nav: After 200 metres take the exit.
Luke: But I think it’s wrong. Why don’t we stop at the next service station and have a look at
a map. Then we can figure out where to go.
Kate: OK but I don’t know why you bother to have the sat-nav on if you don’t think it works.
Luke: It was you who talked me into using it! I hate sat-navs – they just wind me up.
Kate: You just don’t like being told what to do.
Luke: Sorry?
Kate: Nothing.
Sat-nav: Turn around where possible.

3
A report into street crime in the UK has revealed that moped robbery is on the rise. The number of
offences has risen 30 times in five years. Offenders targeting phones and handbags, take
advantage of people who are distracted by their phones. Many of the moped robberies are
concentrated around train and tube stations where commuters and tourists often check their
phones or look up directions.
Since these figures were brought out, people have been urged by the government not to use
phones in the street, but to go into a shop or café when they need to check something on a
phone. The Metropolitan Police say that they are bringing in new security measures to help tackle
the problem.

30
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 109
Unit 7 Watching and Speaking – Exercises 3 and 4

Mia: Whoa! What’s this? It looks a bit scary.

Lucas: I’m not sure, to be honest.
Sam: Hi and welcome to ‘Mind-blowing Machines’. I’m Sam and I’m an ‘Explainer’ here at the
exhibition. Would you like to know a little bit more about this incredible machine?
Mia: Er … sure. What is it?
Sam: It’s actually a fully-automated remote surgical unit.
Lucas: Er … I’m afraid you’ve lost me there. It’s a what?
Sam: Well basically, it’s a kind of robotic surgeon that can be controlled from anywhere in the
world.
Lucas: A robotic surgeon? Sounds like something from a nightmare! You’d never get me
anywhere near that thing.
Sam: Ha, yes. Quite a few people say that, but it’s perfectly safe. It’s operated by a real human
surgeon, of course. The two robotic arms here are actually steadier and provide a greater
range of movement than the human hand. The machine makes it possible to provide
expert surgical services to patients all around the world without the need to travel.
Mia: Are you saying that the surgeon doesn’t actually have to be in the place where the
operation takes place?
Sam: Yes, precisely. Using an ultra-fast telecommunications system, the machine would allow a
surgeon here in London, for example, to perform an operation on a patient in Australia or
Africa, or anywhere in the world, in fact.
Mia: That’s amazing.
Sam: Mind-blowing, huh?

TRACK 111
Unit 7 Revision – Exercise 7

1
The entertainment industry is set to launch a new scheme in an effort to combat the high levels of
Internet piracy. The project, backed by UK Internet service providers, will see people suspected of
downloading illegal content alerted via ‘educational’ letters informing them of where they can
download the same content through more official channels. Reports suggest that one in five
British people engage in some form of copyright infringement, but many believe that the new
measures are not severe enough to curb the growing number of Internet users downloading
illegally.

31
 INTO FOCUS B2

2
Woman: What are you doing? I thought you were doing the washing up.
Man: Later. I just thought I’d get half an hour in before we go out?
Woman: Seriously? So I have to do the washing up again? You play that silly computer game for
hours every day. You’d be better off studying for your driving exam next month. Don’t
come crying to me if you fail.
Man: Oh, it’s just a little harmless fun and it helps me to relax.
Woman: Relax!? That’s a joke. You get so wound up that you’re miserable for ages afterwards.
And with your high blood pressure …
Man: Oh, come on. Don’t exaggerate.
Woman: Look at last Wednesday when Anne and Bob came over? You could hardly be bothered
to talk to them because you’d lost on that game.

3
Boy: I don’t know why I let myself get talked into buying this smartphone.
Girl: What’s the problem? It’s supposed to be a good phone. It has some pre-installed
applications – you can see a complete list here. Just keep playing around with it.
Boy: But nothing seems to work. To connect to the Internet, you should go to settings and press
connect. At least that's what you’d expect. But look, there’s no connect option.
Girl: That’s weird. It should be simple enough. Is the wi-fi option on?
Boy: It’s hard to tell. When I try to check, the thing just reboots. Nothing does what it’s
supposed to do. I’ll have to take it back to the shop.

TRACK 112
Unit 8 Vocabulary – Exercises 4 and 5

A plastics factory is the breeding ground for the familiar species, the plastic bottle. It hatches here
in safety before being filled with water and going out into the big wide world. We first encounter
our plastic bottle in its natural habitat, the supermarket.
Once the water has been consumed, the bottle is discarded and released into the wild. It
encounters many predators on its journey to its final destination, a garbage patch the size of Texas
in the heart of the Pacific Ocean.
As the bottle fights its way through the city, the eco-warrior is one of its most dangerous enemies
and may one day be responsible for its extinction. Eco-warriors reject single-use plastics, claiming
that plastic contamination is doing irreparable damage to the environment. After a narrow escape
our plastic bottle continues to make its way through the leafy neighbourhoods of the city.
You’d think our plastic bottle would be safe in the local park but no – the litter-collecting park
warden hunts the bottle and tries to catch it with his weapon. Our plastic bottle knows that the
park warden will not stop until it’s in captivity. Another dangerous enemy often encountered in
the park is the child. They love to play with their prey, kicking it around the playground.

32
 INTO FOCUS B2

But our brave bottle is still on the loose, continuing its miraculous migration through built-up
areas, down city streets and out into the orchards and meadows of the open countryside. The
farmer is the next threat to the survival of our plastic bottle. Many of the species end up attached
to a pole to scare off birds that come and eat the seeds on a freshly ploughed field, or stuck
forever in a ditch. But not our bottle – it continues its journey.
In areas of natural beauty, the plastic bottle feels unwelcome. Fortunately, a gust of wind picks it
up and drops it in a stream where the bottle floats on the surface. The stream flows out of the
foothills and into the plain where it becomes a river. The river currents move it ever closer to the
open sea where it will be reunited with millions of its own species who have, like our bottle, been
set free to roam the Californian landscape. The sea is close now – it can feel it.
The bottle will now continue its journey across the ocean to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which
has a thriving population of millions of tons of plastic waste. Our bottle will never disappear
completely because it isn’t biodegradable but will live alongside other plastic waste before
breaking into tiny pieces, entering marine life’s food chain and completing the cycle of life.

TRACK 116
Unit 8 Grammar – Exercises 2 and 3

Ben: Mum, where are we going on holiday this year? I wish we could go back to that campsite
we went to last year.
Ellie: And the year before, and the year before that, and the year …
Dad: OK Ellie we get the message!
Ellie: Well, it’s boring to go to the same place every year. If only we could go somewhere
exciting for a change.
Mum: Like where?
Ellie: I don’t know – I just wish we could do something different, have an adventure.
Dad: Yes, I agree. I think it’s time we did something cultural. I’ve had enough of lounging on
sunbeds – let’s go somewhere where we can learn something about the culture.
Mum: Well, I don’t see what’s wrong with sunbeds myself. I wish you all realised how much I
look forward to doing nothing for two weeks! I’ve got a stressful job and I look after you
lot too.
Dad: Look, we can do both – we can go somewhere where you can lie in the sun and we can go
and explore the museums and churches …
Ellie: Dad, that wasn’t what I meant. I want to have an experience. If only we could go on safari
or go trekking in the Himalayas or sail across the ocean.
Mum: Ha, sail across the ocean? Can I remind you that we haven’t won the lottery recently!
Ben: Hm, I’d rather we went to the campsite we went to last year.
Ellie: But Ben, we don’t do anything there – we just go to the beach every day.
Mum: Fine by me.

33
 INTO FOCUS B2

Dad: No, Ellie’s right. It’s time we went outside our comfort zone. We should have a family
adventure. I’ve always wanted to do white water rafting. Let’s go to France. It’ll be hot –
Mum can sunbathe and we can have an adventure.
Ellie: I’d rather go to the Himalayas.
Dad: We can go there when you become a millionaire! Here, let’s google white water rafting in
France.

TRACK 117
Unit 8 Grammar – Exercise 6

Dad: So what was the best part of the holiday for you?
Ellie: Definitely not the sunburn. If only I’d worn more sunscreen.
Dad: Hm, yes, you really suffered, didn’t you, Ellie?
Ben: Hahaha you were so red. But the best part for me was when you fell out of the raft. I wish I
hadn’t forgotten my camera. It would have been a great photo!
Ellie: I wish you’d fallen in too, Ben! Then you wouldn’t think it was so funny. The water was
freezing!
Mum: Ugh, it sounds awful. I’m so glad I stayed at the campsite – I just wish I’d known about the
mosquitoes. I was bitten to death. But it’s better than being frightened to death in the raft.
Dad: Yes, I must admit it was frightening, but we wanted to go outside our comfort zone, and we
certainly did.

TRACK 118
Unit 8 Listening – Exercises 2 and 3

Presenter: Welcome to Animal World, the series in which we examine animals’ behaviour in
their natural habitats. This week, we’re turning our attention to some of the
smartest animals on the planet. Here to deliver today’s three-minute lecture is
wildlife expert and animal rights campaigner Dr Roger Matthews. Thank you Dr
Matthews.
Dr Matthews: Thank you. When you think of intelligent animals, no doubt chimpanzees come to
mind. Chimpanzees share ninety-eight percent of the same genes as humans and
they resemble humans in many ways. They have complex emotions: they
embrace, they kiss and hug each other, and they laugh when they’re playing. They
experience adolescence and develop powerful mother and child bonds. They are
also similar to humans in that they attack and kill rival gangs of chimpanzees when
they want to extend their territory.
The notion of chimpanzees being aggressive is pretty shocking, but it’s even
harder to imagine dolphins being anything other than affectionate, playful and
34
 INTO FOCUS B2

intelligent. Dolphins are undoubtedly extremely intelligent. They have large brains
and a number of things in common with humans and chimpanzees. They are
highly social creatures and form stable communities. Also like humans, they are
totally dependent on their parents during childhood. But they’re also good at
defending themselves and can be quite competitive even aggressive, particularly
when they want to keep other males away from a female.
But I’d like to move nearer to home and consider farm animals. Which do you
think are the least intelligent: Cows maybe, or sheep? It’s true that sheep have a
reputation for being stupid because they mindlessly follow the crowd and frankly,
they don’t look very bright. However, scientific research shows that they’ve been
seriously undervalued. Sheep are actually surprisingly intelligent, with impressive
memory and recognition skills. The truth is that sheep are far smarter than we
think, which proves that appearances can be deceptive.
Look at owls – we call them ‘wise’, but it’s a common misconception. Owls are not
very clever at all. Then there are dogs and cats. Cats seem to have strong
personalities while some dogs can be rather silly. But in fact, dog’s brains have
been developing for centuries, while cats’ brains have remained unchanged since
they were first domesticated by the ancient Egyptians. This can be explained by
one simple fact - dogs are more social than cats, and the more social the animal,
the more developed the brain and therefore the smarter the animal.
If you think about it, dogs come when you call and are eager to please their
owner. They’re used as rescue dogs, police dogs, guide dogs. Cats, on the other
hand, are loners. Cat-lovers may be annoyed to hear that. They think that dogs are
people-pleasers who do tricks because they’ve been trained to come when you
call their name, or to fetch the ball. Cats, on the other hand, are too independent
to do tricks, they say, and they don’t need the approval of humans like dogs do.
The truth of the matter is that everyone thinks their own pet is the smartest. I’ve
got a goldfish and I’m sure he can tell the time.
Presenter: Hahaha, thank you very much Dr Matthews for your fascinating lecture. In future, I
won’t judge an animal on what it looks like. Next week we’re talking about
elephants. But until then, goodbye.

TRACK 124
Unit 8 Speaking – Exercises 3 and 4

Have you ever wondered what mysteries lie directly beneath your feet? Of course, there are your
socks and shoes, and the floor, then possibly a cellar then probably earth and rocks and then,
perhaps an underground lake, or perhaps, something altogether more unexpected; something
ancient and astonishingly beautiful.

35
 INTO FOCUS B2

In 2000, mineral miners from the town of Naica, in Northern Mexico made an astounding
discovery beneath the ground. What they found took the idea of ‘buried treasure’ to a whole new
level. During this presentation, I plan to tell you more about Cueva De Los Cristales, a truly
incredible natural wonder.
We are all familiar with underground caves from films and documentaries, even if we have never
actually been in one ourselves. You may be aware that caves can be very dangerous places but
also fascinating places. Most people don’t realise, however, just how stunning they can actually
be. When those Mexican miners drained the water from a system of underground caverns at the
beginning of the new millennium, their discovery proved that caves can be among the most awe-
inspiring environments on the planet.
Hiding and growing in the darkness for half a million years, the enormous crystals of Cueva De Los
Cristales or Giant Crystal Cave – now on the screen, are some of the biggest ever discovered. The
largest is twelve metres long, four metres in diameter and weighs fifty-five tons. Unfortunately,
you won’t be able to visit them any time soon as the caves are extremely hot. Temperatures of up
to fifty-eight degrees Celsius mean that, without proper protection, it is impossible to remain
underground there for more than ten minutes at a time. As you can see in this picture, scientists
exploring the caves in 2006 had to wear breathing equipment and specially designed suits to keep
them cool.
It is believed that there are more undiscovered caverns at Naica, but exploring them would mean
demolishing many of the crystals already uncovered. Instead, the plan is to finish doing research
then re-flood the caves with water and seal them up again.
OK, that’s all from me. Thank you for listening. I hope you found the presentation interesting. If
anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask now.

TRACK 126
Unit 7 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 4

Vlogger: Hi everybody. So, I have a confession to make. I am absolutely awful when it comes to
technology. I believe I can make a computer break down just by looking at it. But of
course, I could not live without it. So today I’m going to be asking for people’s views on
technology.
What kind of technology would you like to be developed in the future?
Lilee: I think that, while the electric cars have already been developed, I think if they became
more popular and easily accessible that would be really cool and really great for the
environment as well.
Luke: I think certainly my answer would be teleportation, like the one featured in Star Trek.
You know, where they beam you up and you dissolve into a million particles and just
appear somewhere else instantly. I think that looks a much easier way to travel than
flying … experiencing airports and the delays at airports and 24 hours to get to the
other side of the world.

36
 INTO FOCUS B2

Sam: Yes, mostly I’d like to see efficient solar batteries for solar energy systems just because
we have very efficient ways of capturing energy but not very efficient ways of storing it
and that could solve lots of world energy crisis problems.
Nick: I would quite like to see how things like guitar and piano evolve over the next maybe
10, 20 years and see how they go from being a physical to digital device and what kind
of sounds we can get from those.
Nobuse: Virtual reality education could be developed as it’ll be more engaging for the students.
They won’t have to travel out of their homes … and literally learn in their own homes,
in their own time as well. And it would just be more fun and more in tune with the
modern-day student.
Vlogger: What technology should be provided free for everyone?
Lilee: I think that everyone should have access to electricity in their houses so they have light
and heat because I think it is so important for you to be able to feel safe and
comfortable in your own house and those are two things that you really need for that.
Luke: Anything medical … I mean I think we’re very lucky – maybe too deep? – I think we’re
quite lucky in the UK because we have a free health service at the moment but
expensive technology to MRI scans, that sort of stuff, should be available free to
everyone I think, really … Yeah so people can be well.
Sam: I would probably have to say universal access to the internet just because there are so
many possibilities that come with the internet and so many, like, remote places in the
world that can get an education and learn new information and global updates in a
matter of seconds that they otherwise wouldn’t be connected to. So getting people
access to free internet cafés, or laptops that can connect to a cellular connection
would be huge in the development of the world.
Nick: I think things like tablets should be available to everyone because, you know, they
have so many uses to do with education and, you know, creativity, that, you know, we
should be inspiring the younger generation to have these and to unlock their passions.
Nobuse: Online education should be provided for everyone. Not only for those who have
money, but for those who don't have money. Put everyone on an equal playing field.
Vlogger: What about you guys? What technology would you like to see being invented? And
what technology should be provided for free? Let me know in the comments.

TRACK 127
Unit 8 Focus on Real-life English – Exercises 2, 3 and 4

Vlogger: Hi everybody. I’m back. So, my cousin has got an offer to work for an international
company because he speaks four languages fluently. It really makes me wish I hadn’t
given up Spanish so carelessly when I thought it was a waste of time. But we live and
learn and I may have to do something about that. So today I’m going to be asking

37
 INTO FOCUS B2

people about their past decisions and if they’re happy with their lives now.
Is there anything you wish you had or hadn’t done when you were younger?
Lilee: I actually really wish – it’s a bit of a crazy one – but I always wanted to do ice-skating
and now that I’m in a colder country ice-skating would come in handy but when I was
little I never really said anything about it and never got into it. I did dancing instead.
Hannah: When I was younger I wish I had learnt a language and stuck with it so I could speak a
different language now.
Nick: I wish I’d paid more attention in school. A lot of my friends now have much better jobs
than I do. I was a bit of a trouble-maker in school, so I wish that I’d have paid more
attention and just took that time to learn something new.
Shaelyn: I wish I hadn’t given up the theatre because I enjoyed it so much as a child. I loved
playing with other people and spending time learning scripts and reading plays. And I
wish I had continued so that I could enjoy it in my adult years as well.
Kat: I wish I had realised sooner what I wanted to do in life and I wish that I had been less
afraid to pursue it because of hardships.
Harriet: I wish I’d picked up a musical instrument earlier, because I really enjoy playing music
now but I think that if I’d have started when I was a child I’d be a lot better at it than I
am now.
Vlogger: How would you like your life to be different from what it is right now?
Lilee: I don’t think there is anything I’d change. I’m having so much fun travelling and
meeting people and I’ve got some great friends that I’ve made along the way with my
travels and I don’t think I would change anything of that … what I’m doing now to
make it better.
Hannah: I would like to have my friends from England living in Sydney so that everybody is
together.
Nick: To be honest, I wouldn’t change much. Maybe I’d have a better job that I enjoy a little
bit more but no, I’m very happy with what I have and the people that I have in my life.
Shaelyn: I wish I lived in a place that was warm all year round, because London does get very
cold in the winter. I wish I lived in, say, Mexico because it has the sea and the surf.
Kat: Honestly, I wouldn’t want it to be different because I think that all my mistakes and
choices I made, I made for a reason.
Harriet: I’m actually really happy with the way my life is now. I think … I’m currently doing …
I’m in my degree so a lot of things are currently changing so I’m a bit wary to say that I
would change anything. I’d just wait to see what happens, to be honest.
Vlogger: How about you guys? Do you have any regrets? Are you happy with your lives? Let me
know in the comments.

38
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 129
Unit 1 Focus on Culture – Exercise 4

Interviewer: Is Cambridge really so special and if it is, what makes it so? Patrick Barkham is a
natural history writer for the Guardian and former feature writer. He has also
worked for The Times. He studied at Cambridge. Patrick, what are your first
memories of Cambridge?
Patrick: It was a dark and wet October morning when I arrived at what resembled a
multistorey carpark on a hill far beyond where the fine old stone buildings are.
Fitzwilliam College is one of the newer colleges in Cambridge. Unlike at most other
universities, undergraduates join one of 31 university colleges. Each is an institution
on a human scale, in ‘Fitz’s’ case with about 475 undergraduates. College was
where we ate, made friends and socialised; then we joined students from other
colleges at lectures and attended unique supervisions – almost one-to-one tuition –
with ‘fellows’ who were often based at other colleges.
Interviewer: How did you spend your free time? Any activities you want to tell us about?
Patrick: Once in a while, we’d go to Cindy’s, the club in town, which was called something
else in the real world. But most of our parties were confined to colleges. These were
called bops. Despite the language, a few, especially those run by King’s College
students (who had a reputation for being hipper-than-thou), were genuinely cool.
Most, however, were cocktail parties. Every student club and society held one.
Sometimes these were fancy-dress; toga parties were a favourite. Most were
formal. Girls wore evening dresses; boys were virtually compelled to buy a dinner
jacket. In old photos, it looks like we were living in the 1950s. Only the hairstyles
(terrible curtains for the boys) tell you it was the 1990s.
Interviewer: Have you ever been back to Cambridge?
Patrick: Cambridge insiders may claim much is different now, 13 years after I departed.
When I paid a rare return visit to the university earlier this year, however, I was
struck by how eerily unchanged it was. The buildings, of course, were the same. But
so were the students, and their conversations. And the fellows were every bit as
intellectual, tribal and faintly dismissive of the outside world as ever. Only one thing
was different. Cambridge always had the knack of making you feel, quite rightly,
very small. Except now, looked on from the outside world, it seemed to me that this
beautiful little city and the university that dominates it, was, for better and for
worse, a tiny golden bubble.

39
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 131
Unit 2 Focus on Literature – Exercises 5 and 6

Interviewer: Where does the character of Oskar come from? Were you at all like him? Are you
still?
Author: My parents have a photograph of me on their refrigerator. I’m about six years old,
asleep on the sofa, wearing a plaid blazer, a blue bowtie, and rings on each of my
ten fingers. Apparently, the look was indicative of my sense of fashion for about a
year. That photograph was one of my major sources of inspiration for Oskar. As for
how much I actually was like him, it’s hard to say. Like most children, I had a
number of collections. And I suppose my interests tended toward the esoteric, and
my style toward the precocious and annoying. I sent my share of fan letters,
suffered numerous failed attempts to kiss girls, and did work in the family jewelry
business for a summer … Am I still like that? Fortunately, or unfortunately, most of
Oskar has been civilized out of me.
Interviewer: What’s the significance of the title?
Author: I like titles that contribute to the meaning of the book, rather than describe the
book’s contents. Which is to say I’m not going to have a great answer to this
question, any more than I’d be able to describe the significance of Oskar. Oskar is
Oskar. The title is the title. But that’s a bit annoying. Maybe I could say that things in
the novel are loud and close. War is loud and close—for Oskar’s grandparents, who
survived the firebombing of Dresden, and for Oskar, who lost his father in the World
Trade Center attacks. The future is loud and close. Love is loud and close. And many
things are silent and far away. There are mute characters, and characters who can’t
hear. Characters who travel halfway around the world to be distant from those they
love, and characters who endlessly wander the city in an attempt to get home. And
then there are the things – like Oskar’s relationship with his father – that are
simultaneously loud and silent, and close and far away …

TRACK 133
Unit 3 Focus on Culture – Exercise 5

City leaders around the world are on the front line of innovation, working with people across the
spectrum to create more inclusive, economically strong cities. Mayors are working to overcome
challenges, grab opportunities, and make the future a brighter place. To forge a shared inclusive
path forward, it’s time to look local.
Let’s listen to some of the issues that matter to mayors and other city leaders in different parts of
the world.

40
 INTO FOCUS B2

1
‘We need to focus on new technologies, because the solutions we envision today may be obsolete
10 years from now.’ Cities are using data and technology to make themselves smarter and more
effective. We are committed to becoming smart cities, with classrooms, neighbourhoods and
businesses leveraging technology to become better connected and more productive.

2
‘We are focused on creating greater diversity and inclusiveness. We know our diversity is one of
our great strengths.’ Increasingly, cities see equal opportunities as a human right and inclusiveness
is a critical benchmark of a successful community. These are the values being fought for today.

3
‘We’re doing our part here at home to answer our moral obligation and build the clean energy
economy that is necessary to cool our planet.’ Mayors continue to be focused on the impact of
climate change and developing innovative policies for greater environmental and energy
sustainability.

4
‘The impact of a skills gap is particularly challenging for low-income communities – and especially
for our young adults.’ As growing bodies of research acknowledge the power of education and
youth programmes that encourage upward mobility, many politicians announce policies aimed at
closing the educational achievement gap between groups defined by socioeconomic status, race,
ethnicity, and gender.

5
From bike paths to sewer systems, there are many imporant issues for politicians around the
world. Our city leaders always stress the importance of active and safe transportation to the
vitality of their cities.

6
Mayors see the reduction in crime and keeping community members safe as one of the most
critical components of their jobs. Many local politicians have reported an increase in crime within
their cities over the last five years.

TRACK 135
Unit 4 Focus on Literature – Exercise 6

1 Pride and Prejudice focuses on the importance of social status when trying to find good
marriage matches. This issue must have been fresh on the young author’s mind when she
wrote the book. At age 20, she had a brief romance with a young man named Tom Lefroy. But
Austen wasn’t wealthy enough and Lefroy’s family separated the two lovebirds. Lefroy was
soon engaged to a woman with a large fortune. Austen wrote to her sister: ‘At length the day

41
 INTO FOCUS B2

is come on which I am to flirt my last with Tom Lefroy … My tears flow as I write this, at this
melancholy idea.’

2 In the novel, Mr Darcy is said to make 10,000 pounds a year. But how much money is that
today? Some years ago, The Telegraph calculated that adjusting for financial changes, a
decent estimate might be 12 million pounds, or 18.7 million U.S. dollars a year. It’s no wonder
Mrs Bennet was absolutely enthusiastic about Elizabeth’s engagement – ‘How rich and how
great you will be! What pin money, what jewels, what carriages you will have!’

3 Austen finished the book, then titled First Impressions, when she was 21 years old. In 1797,
her father sent it to a publisher, writing that he had ‘a Manuscript Novel comprised in three
Volumes.’ He asked how much it would cost him to publish the book and what the publisher
would pay for copyright. The manuscript was rejected. Fourteen years later, only after the
success of Sense and Sensibility, Austen revised the manuscript. It was finally published in
1813 when she was 37 years old.

4 The novel made Jane Austen very little money as she sold the copyright for Pride and
Prejudice to her publishers for 110 pounds, even though she said in a letter that she wanted
150 pounds. She chose this one-time payment. But it was a bad idea. The book was a
bestseller, and was on its third printing by 1817.

5 The £10 note featuring Jane Austen came into circulation in 2017 and includes the quote ‘I
declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!’. The choice of quote created much
controversy. It is not spoken by Austen, but by Caroline Bingley, a deceitful character from
Pride and Prejudice. Bingley dislikes books and is simply pretending to share Mr Darcy’s
interests in order to win his affection.

TRACK 137
Unit 5 Focus on Culture – Exercise 3

Although 21st century skills will still be in demand in 2030, the research leads to a far more
detailed understanding of which skills will be most relevant. The findings confirm the importance
of higher-order cognitive skills such as complex problem solving, originality, fluency of ideas and
active learning. In the US, there is particularly strong emphasis on interpersonal skills. These skills
include teaching, social perceptiveness, service orientation and persuasion. In the UK, skills related
to systems-oriented thinking (i.e., the ability to recognise, understand, and act on complex sets of
information) feature prominently.

Knowledge will also be required for the future. In U.S., knowledge and skills are fairly equally
represented in the top half of all features ranked according to predicted future demand. In the
U.K. results, the ranking leans more towards skills than knowledge, but not by a wide margin.

42
 INTO FOCUS B2

However, occupations and their required skills are not permanent. Jobs can be re-designed to pair
uniquely human skills with the technology. For example, we know that eventually robots will be
able to build bridges and diagnose diseases. But humans will retain the unique ability to engineer a
bridge and care for a sick child. How we balance those skills with technology will determine the
workforce of the future.

A key finding of the ‘Future of Skills’ report is that future employers will require individuals who
combine broad-based knowledge and specialised skills. Subjects like history, philosophy and
management studies as well as STEM knowledge and foreign languages, are strongly associated
with occupations that are likely to see a rise in the workforce.

TRACK 139
Unit 6 Focus on Literature – Exercise 5

Question 1
Well, I was looking for a one-man play and started to think of famous novels that I could adapt. It
struck me that Jekyll and Hyde was perfect because here was a story where the one person has
multiple personalities and that is exactly what you end up doing when you act on your own – you
play many parts.

Question 2
Not really. I added a few speeches and extended dialogue. I found that the story is timeless, which
is exactly what I was looking for – a story that would continue to appeal to old and new audiences.
There must be a lot of Jekyll and Hydes around today.

Question 3
Put it this way, the dark stuff is already there waiting to be released. He says that he has to
suppress his ambition and desires.

Question 4
I didn’t want to be reporting the whole time. I wanted the events to take place in real time as the
audience is watching so I had to change the tense a lot.

TRACK 141
Unit 7 Focus on Culture – Exercise 5

Presenter: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has alumni who have gone on to
become notable politicians, historians, and physicists. But many of its current
students have already done some pretty incredible things. Let’s meet Arfa Aijazi, an
impressive undergraduate student on MIT’s campus. Arfa Aijazi is majoring in

43
 INTO FOCUS B2

materials science and engineering. She is creating affordable innovations for

impoverished communities.
Interviewer: Arfa, how did your path to MIT start?
Arfa: It all started with a project (a yeastpowered fuel cell) I had developed for a high-
school science fair – That project led me to the Intel International Science and
Engineering Fair. I still remember how thrilled I was. The very fact that I could
model a natural phenomenon using things I found around the house was really
exciting to me. Or I still remember peering through a microscope in my father’s
pathology lab and trying on his much-toolarge lab coat. I felt at ease in my father’s
lab coat.
Interviewer: Tell us something about your research here at MIT?
Arfa: Since I first walked through the doors of the Institute, I have done research on
molecules in varying magnetic fields, materials for fuel-cell cathodes, and most
recently, bamboo as a structural material for stronger, sustainable, and affordable
housing.
Interviewer You told me you are very proud of your trip to Tanzania. What did you do over
there?
Arfa: In Tanzania I developed a hand-powered grain mill that could grind corn into flour, a
life-changing machine for the people of the village. I had seen the distance people
have to travel in order to have their flour milled, and how hard it is to crush the
corn by hand. With the group I worked with we visited a rural village, where we
were invited to join a weekly meeting to present our ideas to the villagers and their
chief. They were so excited that we were doing something that was meaningful to
their lives. It was really touching to see how interested they were in our work.
Interviewer: What about your plans for the future?
Arfa: Well I do hope to pursue a career where I can work to reduce the environmental
impact of buildings. I know about 40 percent of carbon emissions come from the
built environment. Buildings were designed for aesthetics and function and not
necessarily for minimising their environmental impact. It’s something that I don’t
think people really think about.
Interviewer: Energy, development, architecture, materials science: what a lot of different
interests …
Arfa: Yes, but if I have learned one thing from MIT, it’s that all these interests are not as
scattered as they seem. There are so many different things you can pursue, and
then eventually you realise that all these divisions are arbitrary. They all come
together in the end.

44
 INTO FOCUS B2

TRACK 146
Focus on CLIL and literacy – History/citizenship Exercise 7

A. After World War I, an international group developed the League of Nations to solve disputes
between countries. When World War II started, the initiative failed but highlighted the need
for a new, reformed organisation that could promote global peace.
B. The most recent country to be admitted to the UN was South Sudan in 2011.
C. The United Nations was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
D. There are three countries that are not members of the UN: Kosovo (not recognised by enough
UN members), Taiwan (place was taken by China in 1971) and Vatican City (religious reasons).
E. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are core partners
of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which has helped reduce polio cases by over 99%
since 1988.
F. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It is one of the organization’s
most significant milestones in the fight for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all people.
G. In September 2015, the UN set the 2030 Agenda, which outlines the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (also known as SDGs). These include eliminating poverty, fighting climate
change, gender equality and infrastructure design for the evolution of our cities. The
Sustainable Development Goals provide a common blueprint for countries to reach a world of
dignity for all by 2030.

45