INTERNATIONAL GCSE

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Listening Paper Transcript

Wednesday 24 May 2023 07:00 GMT Time allowed: 45 minutes

(including 5 minutes’ reading time before the test)

FOR INVIGILATOR’S USE ONLY

The pauses are pre-recorded for this test.

Instructions
This is what you should do for each item.
• After the question number is announced, there will be a pause to allow you to read the instructions
and questions.
• Listen carefully to the recording and read the questions again.
• Listen to the recording again and then answer the questions.
• When the next question is about to start you will hear a bleep.
• You may write at any time during the test.
• Answer the questions in English.
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of this book. Write the
question number against your answer(s).
• Write neatly and put down all the information you are asked to give.
• You must not ask questions or interrupt during the test.
• You now have 5 minutes to read through the question paper. You may make notes during this
time. You may open your answer book now.
• The test starts now.

Once the recording has started, the Invigilator must not pause it at
any time as all pauses, including the 5 minutes’ reading time, are
pre-recorded.

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Questions and answers in English.

Task 1

1 F1 Do you want to meet this weekend? We can go to the new shopping centre and
have a coffee. I’m visiting some friends on Saturday afternoon, and I have a football
match on Sunday morning, but we could go on Sunday afternoon.

2 M1 Today, we’ll continue studying the environment. Last lesson, we talked about ideas
for recycling paper and using less water. This lesson, we will discuss five ways of
using less plastic. At the end of the topic, you will do a 20-minute presentation and a
90-minute exam.

3 F2 The new school clubs are now open for registration. Cooking club will be on
Wednesday afternoons with Miss Lopez. Mrs Khan will be taking table tennis club in
the gym on Wednesday lunch times. The drama club will be on Monday afternoons
with Mr Brown.

4 M2 It was my high school graduation on Saturday. I had three tickets, so my parents

and sister came. My cousin wanted to come too, but I didn’t have enough tickets.
The graduation was in the town hall, and then we went to a hotel to have a meal.

Task 2

5 F1 I can’t wait for the summer holidays. I’m going travelling. I wanted to go with my
parents but they’re working so I’m going with my brother. What are your plans,
Rashid?
M2 That sounds amazing, Karla! I’m working all summer. I’ve got a job in a coffee shop
near my house.

6 F1 It’s a good idea to work, Rashid. You’ll earn money. Because you’re working, you
won’t spend as much money! It’s also good experience.
M2 That’s true. But I’ll be too busy to see my friends. I won’t be able to have a break or
go on holiday with my family.

7 M2 Do you have any plans for your trip?

F1 Yes, lots. We’re going to stay with our cousins for a week. We want to eat the local
food. We’re also going to try surfing. I’m very excited, I’ve never done it before.

8 F1 We should do something together at the end of the summer. I’m going to a music
festival. Would you like to come?
M2 Great idea. We could also visit our friends in the city. We could buy books for
university while we’re there.

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Task 3

9 F2 I’ve been on a lot of amazing adventure holidays in the last few years. My most
recent trip was to Ghana. I spent two weeks walking through a rainforest with
friends. After that, we spent three nights relaxing at the beach.

10 F2 Because we were camping, we had to take a lot of equipment with us. It was very
hot, but we were glad we wore long-sleeved tops to protect us from insects. As we
were walking so much, thick socks were essential to protect our feet. We also
needed to take a strong bag, a good map and a large water bottle each.

11 F2 We had some amazing experiences. Every morning, we went to the river to wash
before breakfast. This meant we were clean, ready for a day’s walking. There was
so much wildlife – we saw parrots every day. On our last day, we were lucky to see
monkeys, though they were very far away. The best part of the trip was when we
climbed a hill to watch the sunset over the trees. It was fantastic.

12 F2 I’ve already got lots of plans for future trips. There are so many places I want to visit,
such as Egypt and Mexico. I have two trips already organised. Next summer, I’m
going to Vietnam with my sister. We’re going to go camping in a cave. And in
December, my best friend and I are going to Turkey for 10 days. We’re going on a
motorbike holiday. I’m so excited. I’ve never done anything like that before.

Task 4

13 M2 This afternoon, we’re talking to Karim, who has a very unusual job. He works as a
tea taster. Karim, please start by telling us a bit about yourself.
M1 Thanks, Orlando. I’m very lucky to have spent the past five years working in such an
unusual and interesting job. I’m only 26 years old and I’ve already been able to visit
nearly 20 different countries with my job.

14 M2 Can you tell us something about how you became a tea taster?
M1 Well, I never planned to make a career out of tasting tea! I left university with a
degree in History. I didn’t have a job and I didn’t really know what work I wanted to
do. I was looking for jobs online and I saw this job advertised. I thought it looked
interesting and different, so I applied. I got the job, and here I am!

15 M2 What kind of skills and qualifications do you need to be a successful tea taster?
M1 First of all, you need to have a university degree. You also need to be good with
numbers because you will be buying a lot of tea. You need to enjoy working with
people. It’s important to be well-organised because you can be very busy
sometimes. And most importantly, you have to love tea!

16 M2 Thanks, Karim. Can you finish by explaining why you enjoy your job?
M1 Of course. There are a lot of reasons why I love my job. First of all, I’m able to travel
and see other cultures, which is a fantastic opportunity. I’ve already learnt so much
about the tea business. I also love the fact that every day is different. And people
are always interested in my job when I tell them what I do.

Turn over ►

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Task 5

17 F3 I started university a year ago and I understand what it feels like. Starting university
is a huge life change and it’s one of the most exciting experiences of your life.
However, it can also be difficult for some people, and they may feel worried and
unsure of themselves. I hope my presentation can help make going to university a
bit easier for you.

18 F3 Joining a club is a great way to get to know people. You’ll be surprised to learn how
many different and unusual clubs there are at university, such as skydiving or drama.
A great way to meet friends is to try something out of your comfort zone. By
challenging yourself in this way, you will have a shared experience with people who
can become friends.

19 F3 There are plenty of other things you can do to make friends. Before you start
university, it’s a good idea to join online student groups on social media. You’ll be
able to learn about the people you’re going to be studying with. When you arrive,
there will be a lot of information about different teams and clubs available at the
university. This is a great way to meet people who have similar interests to you, and
you should join a team or club as soon as possible. Later on, you can join activities
in your department like parties or trips.

20 F3 You shouldn’t get too upset if you find it hard to make friends at first. Remember
everyone is in the same boat. It’s important to understand that everyone else is new
and they are all going through the same thing as you are. They are also feeling
nervous about starting university and worried about making friends. Most people will
appreciate a chat or a cup of coffee with someone.

21 F3 Finally, you also need to make friends with the people you’re going to be studying
with. It’s very important to have a good relationship with them, because you’ll be
spending a lot of time together. There are different ways you can do this. You don’t
need to have a big party and invite all your classmates. Just be friendly and
approachable. After you finish a lesson, why not invite some of your classmates for
a coffee? If they say no, it doesn’t matter. But if they say yes, you might make
new friends.

END OF SOURCES

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