NOCN ESOL International Listening
Level B2 Independent User LIVE May 2015
Examination Recordings
ESOL International
English Listening Examination
Level B2 Independent User
Texts to be used with the examination
The texts are to be recorded and sent to the centre on a disk prior to the
examination.
Instructions are written in underlined italics and should not be recorded.
The recording must be played to learners in full from start to finish.
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Examination Recordings
This is the NOCN ESOL International Independent User Level B2 Listening examination.
Please check that your name and other details are on your mark sheet.
The invigilator will have explained how to fill in the mark sheet.
Do not write on your examination paper.
The Listening examination will now begin.
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Examination Recordings
Part 1
You will hear 10 sentences. Read the replies on your examination paper. You have two
minutes to read the replies on your examination paper.
Pause for two minutes.
Listen to the sentences. You will hear the sentences in full twice. Choose the best reply for the
situation. You will then have two minutes to check your answers.
Record the sentences (three seconds between each sentence).
1. Is it very cold outside?
2. I have finally got my visa to travel overseas.
3. Can we see if we can get there by bus?
4. What colour do you think you will have?
5. What time is your friend arriving?
6. I really enjoyed my weekend away.
7. I am not sure when I should apply for college.
8. Shall we go to London next week?
9. I need to buy a new coat.
10. I feel much better today.
Pause for five seconds after the first reading.
Now listen to the sentences again.
Record the sentences again.
Now check your answers. You have two minutes to check your answers.
Pause for two minutes after the second reading.
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Part 2 – Conversations
You will hear two conversations. Read the questions and answers on your examination paper
for both conversations. You have two minutes to read them.
Pause for two minutes.
Listen to Conversation 1. You will hear the conversation twice. Answer the questions. Then
you have two minutes to check the answers.
Record the conversation.
Amy - Today I am going to tell you how to make a chocolate cake.
Fiona - So what should we do first Amy?
Amy-The first step is to weigh the ingredients carefully. This is important when making a cake
because if you do not weigh everything carefully your cake will not bake well and could be very
flat and very heavy.
Fiona - That is great advice Amy. And what do we do next?
Amy - Then sift the flour and the cocoa powder and put the sifted flour and cocoa powder
together in a large bowl. Next add the baking powder. Instead of just dumping it in, pinch the
baking powder between your fingers. This removes any lumps and ensure smoother batter.
Now, mix all of these ingredients together. When measuring liquid ingredients, always use a
glass measuring cup. This means you can make sure you have exactly the right amount. Add
the vanilla, milk, oil, and eggs to the dry ingredients.
Fiona - A busy part of the cake making process then? How should we mix the ingredients?
Amy-The best way to mix together the cake batter is with an electric hand mixer. If you do not
have one, you can use a whisk instead but don’t use a fork, as it will not mix it enough. Beat the
cake batter until all of the lumps are gone and it is completely smooth. Now, put the mix in a
greased cake tin.
Fiona - And I guess the next stage is the cooking?
Amy - Yes, put the cake in the oven and bake it until you can stick in a fork and it comes out
clean. The baking time will vary, depending on the size of the cake tin. Start checking on the
cake after about 25 minutes. Let the cake cool before removing it from the cake tin and if you
want a layer cake, slice it in two using a long bread knife.
Fiona - And next comes the tasting! Thank you so much Amy.
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Examination Recordings
Pause for five seconds after the first reading.
Now listen to the conversation again.
Record the conversation again.
Now check your answers. You have two minutes to check your answers.
Pause for two minutes after the second reading.
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Part 2 – Conversations
Listen to Conversation 2. You will hear the conversation twice. Answer the questions. Then
you have two minutes to check the answers.
Record the conversation.
Laura - Hello Heidi, have you come to talk about how you would like your hair to be on your
wedding day?
Heidi - Yes, I have. I am really not sure how I want it. So I am looking for advice?
L - How many weeks do we have until you get married?
H - Six weeks, it has come round so quickly. It seemed ages away when we first decided on the
date; it was 18 months. The first six months went slowly.
L- OK, so it will grow a tiny bit more before then. It does not need a cut now does it? But what
about colour?
H - No, the cut is fine and it needs length for how I think I want it to look. But the colour. Oh
dear! I stupidly went to the salon in the high street. They had an offer on and I am saving for the
wedding, so I went there. They were terrible. The colour, as you can see, is horrible and faded
only days after it was done. And it was not cheap either.
L - So you need the colour adding to?
H - Yes please. But matching the colours might be difficult? I am not sure if they use the same
brands as you do?
L - It will be fine. I will get the colour chart now. What about Joe, what is he doing with his hair?
I cut it regularly for him.
H - Joe is going to have it as he does normally. He never really bothers with specific styles. And
never with colour!
L- OK, let me get the charts. Would you like a tea or coffee? Or a fruit tea?
H - Yes please, a fruit tea. What flavours do you have?
L - Raspberry, blackcurrant, strawberry but no lemon left I’m afraid.
H - Strawberry please, that sounds nice.
L - I won’t be a minute. Sally, please can you make Heidi a strawberry fruit tea?
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Examination Recordings
Pause for five seconds after the first reading.
Now listen to the conversation again.
Record the conversation again.
Now check your answers. You have two minutes to check your answers.
Pause for two minutes after the second reading.
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Part 3 – Broadcasts
You will hear two broadcasts. Read the questions and answers on your examination paper for
both broadcasts. You have two minutes to read them.
Pause for two minutes.
Listen to Broadcast 1. You will hear the broadcast twice. Answer the questions. Then you
have two minutes to check the answers.
Record the broadcast.
The London Underground
There are great changes taking place on the Underground. The first part of the London Underground
was the Metropolitan Railway, opened between Paddington and Farringdon serving six stations, was
opened in 1863. Since then the Underground network, also known as the Tube, has grown to 270
stations and 11 lines covering London’s suburbs, and beyond.
It wasn't until 1968 that the first new line across central London for more than 60 years, the Victoria line,
opened, followed in 1979 by the Jubilee line. In 1999 the Jubilee line was extended to London's
Docklands, supporting regeneration and the growth of the Canary Wharf business district.
In 2003, Transport for London took ownership of the London Underground. For the past decade they
have been implementing a comprehensive Tube Improvement Plan. This has involved refurbishing
stations, upgrading lines to provide faster, more frequent and more reliable services, installing step free
access at many locations, and entirely rebuilding some central London stations that have become too
small to deal with the number of people passing through every day.
The Tube Improvement Plan has many years still to run, but the extra services and journeys it has
provided are greatly needed. For example in 2013/14 1.265 billion journeys were made, almost two and
a half times the 0.498 billion journeys made in 1982.
[Link]
underground
Pause for five seconds after the first reading.
Now listen to the broadcast again.
Record the broadcast again.
Now check your answers. You have two minutes to check your answers.
Pause for two minutes after the second reading.
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Part 3 – Broadcasts
Listen to Broadcast 2. You will hear the broadcast twice. Answer the questions. Then you
have two minutes to check the answers.
Record the broadcast.
Solar eclipse
In March 2015 millions of people in the UK and northern Europe saw the best solar eclipse for
many years. A huge band of the Earth's surface was plunged into darkness as the Moon came
between us and the Sun.
People keen to catch a glimpse of the rare occurrence were advised not to look directly at it.
Looking directly at the Sun can cause serious harm, and skywatchers were given advice about
the many safe ways they can watch an eclipse safely and in comfort.
In all parts of the UK, the eclipse reached at least 83%, with the darkness peaking at about
09:35 GMT. The precise timing and degree of the eclipse varied with location.
For the Shetland Islands, the eclipse was at its height at 09:43 GMT and was very near total,
with 97% of the Sun's disc obscured by the Moon.
For those caught under cloudy skies, the internet was a good option to see the eclipse. Scientific
agencies had planes and even satellites gathering video to relay on the web and on television.
Next year there will be total solar eclipse but this will be on the 9th March, and will cross
Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and extend out over the Pacific. The UK will not experience a solar
eclipse on this scale again until 2026.
[Link]
Pause for five seconds after the first reading.
Now listen to the broadcast again.
Record the broadcast again.
Now check your answers. You have two minutes to check your answers.
Pause for two minutes after the second reading.
That is the end of the Listening examination. Please check your mark sheet is completed
correctly. Put your pens down.
End of Examination
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Examination Recordings
NOCN
The Quadrant
Parkway Business Centre
99 Parkway Avenue
Sheffield
S9 4WG
UK
E-mail: nocn@[Link]
Tel: +44 (0) 114 2270500
Fax: +44 (0) 114 2270501
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