CAE (Advanced Exam) Listening Test 1
1 A  2 C  3 A  4 C  5 C  6 B

Extract One
You hear two people talking about their work as website designers.
Now look at questions 1 and 2.
M: As a kid, I was always messing around on computers, so ended up doing a degree in computer science. Though strictly speaking it isn’t necessary for this job, it did mean I could walk straight into it. What companies want is people who can come up with ideas. I get a buzz from that side of it, even when it’s hard. It’s a fluid working environment, so hours aren’t fixed and can be long in relation to the salary. I generally like to work on my own, but a web designer can’t produce stuff in a vacuum, because by its very nature it’s a collaborative effort.
F: I didn’t go the university route but worked part-time with different companies and made loads of contacts who’ve come in handy – got my foot in the door so to speak – then I got a full-time job offer that got me on the ladder. It wasn’t easy, and considering what you put in the job’s not the big earner that people assume it is – at least not at the beginning! I supplement it by writing reviews of other people’s sites, but I enjoy the flexibility. I like working with other people, and that’s key.

Extract Two
You hear two cyclists talking about their sport.
Now look at questions 3 and 4.

F: How long have you been cycling then?
M: I started road cycling when I was six, and got hooked immediately. I’d practise sprinting between two streetlights over and over. I’ve always been competitive, and I work harder than anyone else. If I don’t win I need to know why. I copy the person who beat me. I won’t stop till I’m better than them. The stiff competition in the cycling world is what drives me. You’ve been to the velodrome, haven’t you?
F: Yeah. The track itself is amazing – such a steep angle and the bikes have no brakes. If you stop pedalling it stops! Although I’m not such an experienced cyclist as you, I jumped at the chance to try it and, wow! From the position of the start line that steep slope looks like a mountain! I was told the faster you go the safer you are, so I pedalled like mad, and managed one lap. I kept going and started to enjoy it; so much so I forgot to pedal, and immediately fell off!
M: So you’ll go be going back?
F: You try stopping me!

Extract Three
You hear a man called Roy talking about bees on a phone-in programme.
Now look at questions 5 and 6.

Int: So, Roy, what do you want to talk about on the programme today?
Roy: I want to talk about bees. Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, they’re friendly creatures and they’re declining in numbers. For what it's worth, my own experience is much like that of other callers who’ve reported near normal numbers of bumble bees but virtually no honey bees. I think there’s a distinct lack of wasps, too. I'm at a loss to know why, though I’ve read interesting articles about the domestication of bees and poor practices of modern beekeepers, but it seems clear that we can’t discount what others see as the number one culprit – the overuse of chemicals by gardeners.
Int: So what do you suggest gardeners do, Roy?
Roy: Well, the best thing anyone lucky enough to have a garden can do is provide a ‘bee friendly’ area. And the good news is bees prefer ‘lazy’ gardeners, which I suspect is most of us. A wild garden providing a natural habitat is the way forward. Choose what you plant carefully. It doesn’t have to be hard work but it could make a big difference! And buy your honey from local suppliers you know and trust.