LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT

UNIT 1
Audio 1
Host: Welcome to ShopSense, the podcast designed to help you shop better, shop smarter,
and save money. In this episode, we’re going to focus on how stores use psychology to
influence the behavior of consumers. To help us do that, I’ve invited an expert in this
field to join me. Hi, Stella!

Guest: Hi! It’s great to be here.

Host: Great to have you! So, first, could you explain what it means when we say stores “use
psychology”?

Guest: Sure. Basically, stores want shoppers to spend as much as possible, right? And there
are some things they can do—often by appealing to our senses—which encourage that.

One example is the use of colors. Studies show that red, for instance, makes people
feel excited and can give them energy. When shoppers feel this way, they are more
likely to make a purchase.

Host: Is that why stores often use red in their giant “SALE” signs?

Guest: Yes, that’s right. And in some other product displays, too.

Other colors influence shoppers in different ways. Yellow and orange, for instance, are
warm colors that make us feel positive and happy. And if we feel that way, we’re likely
to spend more time walking around the store looking at things. And the more time we
spend in the store, the more likely we are to buy something.

People tend to associate green with being healthy and with having a lot of money. So
stores might have green signs, displays, or logos to suggest that their products are good
for shoppers’ health or that they sell luxury goods.

Host: Green’s connected to the environment, too, isn’t it?

Guest: Yes, companies can use green to make consumers feel that the company is
environmentally friendly. That’s important these days when so many people are
concerned about the planet.

Host: OK. Anything else?

Guest: Well, music can influence behavior, too. It’s been shown that there’s a direct link
between music and consumer behavior. And as with color, different kinds of music can
have different impacts. Slower music makes customers feel more comfortable, which

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increases their “dwell time.” That’s an expression people in the retail industry use to
describe how much time shoppers spend in the store. And as I mentioned, generally
speaking, the longer customers stay in the store, the more likely it is that they’ll buy
something. And, importantly, the more money they’ll usually spend.

Host: Does faster music have the opposite effect? Does it make shoppers move around the
store quicker?

Guest: Yes, it does. But that can also be good for sales. You see, it makes people feel they have
to shop fast. And when they feel that way, they’re less likely to ask themselves, “Do I
really need this?” Stores don’t want consumers to ask themselves this question
because they might decide that actually no, they don’t really need it!

Host: Now you and I were talking earlier, and you mentioned a few other ways that stores
can affect what shoppers do. Things like appealing to our senses of touch and taste by
giving away free samples. Or baking bread or cookies to make a store smell like a warm
and welcoming place. Given that stores do all of these things, should we, as consumers,
be concerned?

Guest: Well, yes and no. These things stores do certainly can affect consumers who are not
aware of them. But what if we are aware of them? In that case, we can recognize what
stores are trying to do and not react in the way the stores want.

Host: Thanks for those fascinating insights, Stella.

Audio 2
Guest: Sure. Basically, stores want shoppers to spend as much as possible, right? And there
are some things they can do—often by appealing to our senses—which encourage that.

One example is the use of colors. Studies show that red, for instance, makes people
feel excited and can give them energy. When shoppers feel this way, they are more
likely to make a purchase.

Host: Is that why stores often use red in their giant “SALE” signs?

Guest: Yes, that’s right. And in some other product displays, too.

Other colors influence shoppers in different ways. Yellow and orange, for instance, are
warm colors that make us feel positive and happy. And if we feel that way, we’re likely
to spend more time walking around the store looking at things. And the more time we
spend in the store, the more likely we are to buy something.

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People tend to associate green with being healthy and with having a lot of money. So
stores might have green signs, displays, or logos to suggest that their products are good
for shoppers’ health or that they sell luxury goods.

Host: Green’s connected to the environment, too, isn’t it?

Guest: Yes, companies can use green to make consumers feel that the company is
environmentally friendly. That’s important these days when so many people are
concerned about the planet.

Audio 3
Guest: Slower music makes customers feel more comfortable, which increases their “dwell
time.” That’s an expression people in the retail industry use to describe how much time
shoppers spend in the store.

Audio 4
Host: Welcome to ShopSense, the podcast designed to help you shop better, shop
smarter, and save money. In this episode, we’re going to focus on how stores use
psychology to influence the behavior of consumers.

Audio 5
decide

Audio 6
cheaper

Audio 7
conclusion

Audio 8
musical

Audio 9
psychology

Audio 10
electronic

UNIT 1 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
Man: What are you listening to, Katja?

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Woman: It’s a podcast about shopping. This episode’s about how stores use psychology
to influence our behavior when we’re shopping.
Man: Stores do that? How?
Woman: I haven’t finished the episode, but the speaker was just talking about how
different colors can affect how much we buy. Like red, for example, makes us
feel energy and excitement. And those feelings make us more willing to spend
money.
Man: Really? I don’t like the idea that stores can affect us in that way.
Woman: Yeah, I agree. It’s kind of an uncomfortable feeling, right?

Audio 12
react

Audio 13
present

Audio 14
democracy

Audio 15
situation

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UNIT 2
Audio 1
Teacher: OK, let’s continue our discussion of the nature-nurture debate. Turn to the person
next to you and discuss this question: Are genetics or environment more important
for successful entrepreneurs? In other words, are successful people born or made?
Daniel: So what do you think, Mel? Nature or nurture?
Mel: For me, they’re both necessary, but how much each one affects success is different
for different people.
Daniel: Are you saying that for some people, success comes mainly because of the traits
they get from their DNA? But for others, it’s mostly due to their personal
circumstances?
Mel: Yeah, exactly. Though for some people, nature and nurture can be equally
important—more or less—in terms of being successful.
Daniel: Hmm. You might be right …
Mel: You don’t sound convinced, Daniel.
Daniel: It’s just that one of my cousins started a business a few years ago. Her business is
doing great, so she’s definitely successful. I’ve known her since I was a kid, and, well,
she’s pretty much a born entrepreneur.
Mel: Oh yeah?
Daniel: Yeah, she’s super creative, hard-working, and focused. She has exceptional people
skills, too. She’s one of those people who are called “a born leader,” you know?
Growing up, though, she didn’t have many advantages. I mean, her family wasn’t
rich at all, and she didn’t go to a good school. I remember once she told me that she
didn’t even know any entrepreneurs until she was 22 or 23. So for my cousin, I think
genetics were way more important than circumstances. And I guess I feel that’s
probably true for most people.
Mel: But couldn’t her environment have helped her?
Daniel: What do you mean? I just said she didn’t have any personal advantages growing up.
Mel: Right, but maybe not having advantages pushed her to work harder and be more
successful? I’ve read a lot of case studies of successful people. Many of them
experienced difficulties. Having to adapt and overcome these personal challenges
helped them be successful.
Daniel: I hadn’t really thought about that, but I guess you’re right. In fact, now that I think
about it, my cousin often says that growing up poor made her determined to
succeed. So yeah, you’ve kind of convinced me. I guess both nature and nurture are
important.
I’m not sure that was true 50 or 100 years ago, though. In those days, I imagine that
nurture was more important than nature. I mean, would my cousin have become a
successful entrepreneur 50 years ago? I doubt it.
Mel: Why do you say that?
Daniel: In those days, women had fewer opportunities than now. So although she would
have been born with those same useful traits in her DNA, it would have been harder
for her to be successful because society would have rejected her efforts.

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Mel: I get it. You’re saying the society we live in is part of our environment. So it can
create social circumstances that help or hurt somebody’s success.
Daniel: Right.
Mel: Hmm. It’s a good point, but even 50 or 100 years ago, society helped some people
become successful, right? I mean, women had fewer opportunities, it’s true, but
men had more. Which means that because of the society at that time, some men
would have become successful entrepreneurs even if their DNA didn’t help them.
That’s not a good thing, of course, but that’s the way it was, right?
Daniel: I guess.
Mel: So even in the past, nature and nurture were both important. It’s just that
sometimes nurture prevented skilled people from reaching the top rather than
helping them.

Audio 2
Mel: You don’t sound convinced, Daniel.
Daniel: It’s just that one of my cousins started a business a few years ago. Her business is
doing great, so she’s definitely successful. I’ve known her since I was a kid, and, well,
she’s pretty much a born entrepreneur.
Mel: Oh yeah?
Daniel: Yeah, she’s super creative, hard-working, and focused. She has exceptional people
skills, too. She’s one of those people who are called “a born leader,” you know?
Growing up, though, she didn’t have many advantages. I mean, her family wasn’t
rich at all, and she didn’t go to a good school. I remember once she told me that she
didn’t even know any entrepreneurs until she was 22 or 23. So for my cousin, I think
genetics were way more important than circumstances. And I guess I feel that’s
probably true for most people.

Audio 3
There are many theories and ideas about human personality, including the so-called “Big Five
personality framework”—often known as the OCEAN model. The idea that there are five main
personality traits was first suggested as early as 1958, but it did not become widely known until
the 1980s.

Audio 4
Are there really just five personality traits that all humans have? For me, that’s really difficult to
believe. I believe there are probably many traits that affect people’s personalities, and I think
psychologists should research the topic more.

Audio 5
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
I didn’t_hear what she said.

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Audio 6
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
Can you start_doing what I asked?

Audio 7
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
We need_more time and_more money.

Audio 8
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
I found_my friend easily.

Audio 9
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
Could you repeat_that, please?

Audio 10
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
They had_been staying at_the same hotel.

UNIT 2 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
Tonight’s lecture starts at 7:30 p.m. It’s going to be popular, so arrive early if you want a seat.
Our guest speaker will talk about some very important new research, and I believe you’ll find it
really interesting.

Audio 12
I’m going to discuss somebody who I believe did some very important work on human
personality. In fact, a lot of people—and I’m one of them—describe him as the “father” of
personality theory. I’m talking about Gordon Allport, an American psychologist who spent most
of his career working at Harvard University.

Audio 13
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
For our receptionist, we need_to hire somebody friendly and outgoing.

Audio 14
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
My mother said it’s not_good to judge people based on their appearance.

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Audio 15
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
Because I’m introverted, usually I would_rather stay home than go out.

Audio 16
[Do NOT pronounce the -t or -d before the underscore.]
In general, my brother’s very patient and happy to wait_for things.

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UNIT 3
Audio 1
Lecturer: Toronto is not just Canada’s largest city. It’s also one of the most multicultural places
in the world. How multicultural is it? According to data from the Canadian
government, almost 50 percent of people in the city were born in another country.
And you can hear more than 200 languages on its streets.

Toronto’s neighborhoods help to illustrate how diverse the city is. Their names tell
where people who live in those areas were originally from. Examples include
Chinatown, Greektown, Koreatown, Little India, Little Italy, Little Poland, and
Portugal Village. There are many other neighborhoods, too, including areas where
people from a mix of cultures live peacefully together.

So how did Toronto become such a diverse city? Why did so many citizens of other
countries choose to settle there? Well, it was a combination of push and pull factors.

One of the main periods of migration to Toronto started in the 1840s and lasted for
about 120 years. During this period, the world saw many changes: some positive,
some negative. Some of these negatives became push factors. To give one example,
in the 1840s in Ireland, a disease began to affect potatoes, people’s main food. The
situation became so bad that agriculture basically failed. Because there was so little
food, a lot of Irish people moved to Canada, especially Toronto.

Other push factors included wars, which were common during this time. Not
surprisingly, they made people want to move somewhere safer. And in many
countries, people could not find good jobs that paid well. They wanted to move to a
place with better opportunities where they would not be so poor. These two push
factors—conflicts and poverty—were important reasons why people moved to
Toronto from places like China, Italy, and Greece.

OK, so let’s move on to the pull factors now. What things made Canada in general,
and Toronto in particular, seem attractive? One big thing was that people felt they
would have a better standard of living. They knew they would face challenges in
their new home—moving halfway around the world is not easy—but Canada offered
the potential for a better life.

Another pull factor was Canada’s size. As one of the largest countries in the world,
there’s plenty of space for growth. And the government invested a lot during this
period, so there were a lot of job opportunities for people who were willing to work
hard.

Maybe Toronto’s diverse neighborhoods were also a pull factor. Why? Say you’re
from Poland. You love your country, but you want to move somewhere with better

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job opportunities. Where should you go? You do some research and learn Toronto
has a Polish neighborhood. This means that in Toronto, you’ll still have connections
with your old life. For instance, you’ll hear the Polish language on the streets, be
able to buy Polish foods in the stores, and perhaps even get a job with a Polish
company. That’s more attractive—more of a pull factor—than moving somewhere
with fewer connections to your original country.

The historical period of migration is over, but Toronto remains a popular place for
immigrants to settle. And many of today’s push and pull factors are similar to those
from the past: conflict, poverty, and even natural disasters push people from their
homes, and economic opportunities pull them toward Toronto.

Audio 2
Lecturer: One of the main periods of migration to Toronto started in the 1840s and lasted for
about 120 years. During this period, the world saw many changes: some positive,
some negative. Some of these negatives became push factors. To give one example,
in the 1840s in Ireland, a disease began to affect potatoes, people’s main food. The
situation became so bad that agriculture basically failed. Because there was so little
food, a lot of Irish people moved to Canada, especially Toronto.

Other push factors included wars, which were common during this time. Not
surprisingly, they made people want to move somewhere safer. And in many
countries, people could not find good jobs that paid well. They wanted to move to a
place with better opportunities where they would not be so poor. These two push
factors—conflicts and poverty—were important reasons why people moved to
Toronto from places like China, Italy, and Greece.

Audio 3
OK, so let’s move on to another topic. Next, I want to talk about some reasons why this area has
seen so much growth recently.

Audio 4
I hope my explanation of push factors makes sense, but let me give you a couple of examples to
be sure. Diseases are one push factor. Wars are another. As I’m sure you can imagine, a lot of
people want to leave places where disease or conflict is common.

Audio 5
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
She had_a nice time.

Audio 6
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]

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It was_so hot yesterday.

Audio 7
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
There was no_other way.

Audio 8
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
It will be sent_tomorrow.

Audio 9
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
Don’t be late; be_early!

Audio 10
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
He’s_in the next room!

UNIT 3 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
OK, so it looks as if almost everyone’s here, and we’ve got a lot to get through today, so let’s get
started, OK? We’re going to be discussing immigrants’ positive effects on industry. But before
we move on to today’s topic, let’s quickly summarize what we covered last week. As we said in
the last class, many factors can lead to human migration.

Audio 12
There are several key theories that we need to discuss next. First, … oh, actually, I see that we’re
almost out of time, so I guess that brings us to the end of today’s lecture. I guess we’ll have to
cover the key theories I just mentioned in our next session.

Audio 13
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
Have_a good_day tomorrow.

Audio 14
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
I know her_address_in London.

Audio 15
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]

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They moved_away_in 2023.

Audio 16
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
Will_it_ever stop raining?

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UNIT 4
Audio 1
Today we’re going to talk about rocks. Scientists believe there are around 5000 different kinds of
rock on Earth. That’s a big number, but perhaps surprisingly, all 5000 can be categorized as one
of three basic types. Let’s discuss each type in turn.

We think of rocks as being cold and solid. But actually, some rocks start as very hot liquid. That’s
because they form from magma. Magma is the name for underground rock that’s so hot it
melts into a liquid. That might sound strange, but it’s just like ice melting into water on a hot
day.

Usually magma stays underground, but sometimes it comes to the surface of the Earth. The
most familiar example of this happening is when a volcano erupts. When magma reaches the
surface, our name for it changes. Instead of magma, we now call it lava. When lava reaches
Earth’s surface, it cools and becomes a solid rock.

Rocks that form in this way are called igneous. That name comes from the ancient Greek word
for fire, which makes sense because igneous rocks form from very hot rock.

We also think of rocks as being strong and hard to damage. That’s not always true, though. In
fact, many common rocks are actually pretty soft and easy to break. These rocks are formed
from tiny grains, or pieces, of other rocks or minerals. The size of each grain is like a single bit of
sand or salt. These grains form as a result of the erosion of bigger rocks.

Most commonly, this process happens under water. Tiny grains fall to the bottom of a lake or
ocean. Over time, billions of grains fall and form layers under the water. Because there are so
many of them, each layer is heavy and pushes on the layers below. The pressure causes the
grains in these lower levels to stick together. Imagine holding a handful of cooked rice. If you
close your hand, the pressure will make the rice into a small, firm ball. It’s the same idea.

After millions of years of pressure, the bottom layers become solid rock. The oldest layers are at
the bottom, and the newer layers are on top. There may also be animal and plant fossils in the
rock which were preserved as the rock formed.

Rocks that form in this way are called sedimentary. The name comes from a Latin word meaning
to sit or settle. This makes sense because, as I’ve just said, sedimentary rocks form when tiny
grains settle on top of each other.

Finally, we think of rocks as being permanent, or unchanging. Under certain circumstances,

though, rocks can change. When this happens, the third type of rock forms.

To understand this process, let’s discuss an example. First imagine that a layer of limestone—
that’s a kind of sedimentary rock—has formed at the bottom of a sea. Now imagine that over

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millions of years, Earth changes. Some changes are slow: The sea dries up over thousands of
years, for example. Other changes are dramatic: Earthquakes happen and volcanoes erupt.

After all of this, the limestone ends up deep underground. It’s hot there and many layers of rock
are pushing down on the limestone from above. Over time, the heat and the pressure change
the limestone. The tiny grains of minerals get squeezed tighter. The rock becomes smoother. If
this continues, eventually the rock will no longer be limestone. It will become marble, the
smooth, white rock that many famous statues are made of.

That example explained how limestone changes into marble, but igneous rocks and other
sedimentary rocks can also be changed. The name for rocks that have been changed is
metamorphic. That name’s from Ancient Greek and means a change in form, which makes
sense, right?

Audio 2
We also think of rocks as being strong and hard to damage. That’s not always true, though. In
fact, many common rocks are actually pretty soft and easy to break. These rocks are formed
from tiny grains, or pieces, of other rocks or minerals. The size of each grain is like a single bit of
sand or salt. These grains form as a result of the erosion of bigger rocks.

Most commonly, this process happens under water. Tiny grains fall to the bottom of a lake or
ocean. Over time, billions of grains fall and form layers under the water. Because there are so
many of them, each layer is heavy and pushes on the layers below. The pressure causes the
grains in these lower levels to stick together. Imagine holding a handful of cooked rice. If you
close your hand, the pressure will make the rice into a small, firm ball. It’s the same idea.

After millions of years of pressure, the bottom layers become solid rock. The oldest layers are at
the bottom, and the newer layers are on top. There may also be animal and plant fossils in the
rock which were preserved as the rock formed.

Rocks that form in this way are called sedimentary. The name comes from a Latin word meaning
to sit or settle. This makes sense because, as I’ve just said, sedimentary rocks form when tiny
grains settle on top of each other.

Audio 3
We think of rocks as being cold and solid. But actually, some rocks start as very hot liquid. That’s
because they form from magma. Magma is the name for underground rock that’s so hot it
melts into a liquid.

Audio 4
Finally, we think of rocks as being permanent, or unchanging. Under certain circumstances,
though, rocks can change.

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Audio 5
[Stress the word in bold.]
They want to leave on their trip now.

Audio 6
[Stress the word in bold.]
It was so hot yesterday.

Audio 7
[Stress the word in bold.]
He’s not studying Earth science at college.

Audio 8
[Stress the word in bold.]
The geography book you want’s on my desk.

Audio 9
[Stress the word in bold.]
Sorry. What did you say about climate change?

Audio 10
[Stress the word in bold.]
It’s nine o’clock in Beijing right now.

UNIT 4 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
In some parts of the world, people are at risk— in other words, they’re in danger—because they
live in areas where natural disasters are frequent.

Audio 12
This might surprise you, but the National Earthquake Information Center says Earth experiences
more than 50 earthquakes a day. Luckily, most of them are harmless.

Audio 13
[Stress the word in bold.]
Do you know how earthquakes happen?

Audio 14
[Stress the word in bold.]
Do you know how earthquakes happen?

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Audio 15
[Stress the word in bold.]
Do you know how earthquakes happen?

Audio 16
[Stress the word in bold.]
Do you know how earthquakes happen?

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
UNIT 5
Audio 1
Host: My next guest is coder Zahra Osman who’s here to talk about how to succeed in
video games. Welcome!

Zahra: Thanks!

Host: Now, your game came out a week ago, right? How’s it doing?

Zahra: It’s currently number two on the App Store!

Host: Number two on the charts? Wow! That’s great! So how are you dealing with that
kind of overnight success?

Zahra: Um, I don’t want to sound negative or to criticize, but … Look, it’s true my game’s
doing well, but it’s frustrating to hear you say that happened overnight. Its success—
my success—is due to years of hard work and a lot of failures.

Host: Failures? Really?

Zahra: Sure! I’ve failed plenty of times. Each time was hard, but I recognize now that failing
strengthened both my skills and my desire to succeed as a game designer.

Host: So what’s the story of how you reached the top, then?

Zahra: My older brothers loved playing video games. I played too, sometimes, but from an
early age, I wanted to create games more than play them. So my parents signed me
up for coding classes after school. In most of my coding classes, boys dominated.
Sometimes—often—I was the only girl. That was difficult, but I just kept on working
as hard as I could, learning as much as I could.

When I went to college, I studied computer science. I took many specialized courses
in game design and was one of the best students. Despite this, when I started
looking for work, no video game company wanted to hire me, even for an entry-
level role.

I needed money, so I took a job in the finance industry doing basic coding. The job
paid well, but the work was sooooo boring! I was getting frustrated because I
wanted to be a game designer. So one day, I just quit my job and decided to make
games!

Host: Wow! That was a brave thing to do.

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Zahra: Brave? Stupid? Perhaps both! Anyway, I worked on a game idea for about 18
months. My savings were almost gone but the game wasn’t ready. I needed help to
finish it, so I found a partner. And, well, let’s just say that was a mistake.

Host: What happened?

Zahra: He took my code, made some changes to it, and sold the game to a big company. He
made a big profit. I got almost nothing.

Host: That’s terrible!

Zahra: Yeah. I tried to tell people, but he had a big reputation, and basically nobody
believed me. At that point, I was ready to quit game design. But feedback about the
game was really positive. So I decided to try one more time.

My next game took me a year to develop. And I took an alternative approach this
time and did everything myself rather than work with anyone. The feedback was
good, again, but the game didn’t sell a lot. Still, I made enough money to try
developing one more game.

So I worked for three years on this game. I called it “Last Game” while I was
developing it, because I was going to give up if it wasn’t successful. Anyway, I did
everything. I coded it. I created the graphics. I recorded the sound. I even promoted
it. Luckily, as I said, the game’s doing very well.

Host: Wow! I can see why you say you weren’t an overnight success.

Zahra: To be honest, I don’t think anybody is ever an overnight success. Anyone who’s
reached the top will have a story like mine. They’ll have failed many times but will
have worked hard and kept trying to succeed.

Host: You know, I think you’re probably right.

Audio 2
Host: So what’s the story of how you reached the top, then?

Zahra: My older brothers loved playing video games. I played too, sometimes, but from an
early age, I wanted to create games more than play them. So my parents signed me
up for coding classes after school. In most of my coding classes, boys dominated.
Sometimes—often—I was the only girl. That was difficult, but I just kept on working
as hard as I could, learning as much as I could.

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When I went to college, I studied computer science. I took many specialized courses
in game design and was one of the best students. Despite this, when I started
looking for work, no video game company wanted to hire me, even for an entry-
level role.

I needed money, so I took a job in the finance industry doing basic coding. The job
paid well, but the work was sooooo boring! I was getting frustrated because I
wanted to be a game designer. So one day, I just quit my job and decided to make
games!

Audio 3
As a general rule, successful people have very good soft skills. What I mean by that is they have
skills that help them be effective when interacting with others. For example, being good at
communicating is a key soft skill.

Audio 4
Good managers often avoid giving criticism that is too negative. Instead, they criticize
constructively. In other words, they give advice about how the other person can do something
better rather than just focusing on what the other person did wrong.

Audio 5
It’s his turn first.

Audio 6
Are you going to work?

Audio 7
I gave it to her on Thursday.

Audio 8
He’ll be here until late tonight.

Audio 9
Have you heard that I hurt my head?

Audio 10
We need to learn more useful skills.

UNIT 5 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
There’s a lot of interest these days in becoming a digital nomad. If that term isn’t familiar to you,
let me explain. A digital nomad is someone whose job allows them to work anywhere in the

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world as long as they have access to the Internet.

Audio 12
One mistake I sometimes see from people looking for work after college is that they apply for
high-level positions. By that, I mean they apply for jobs that require a lot of experience and skills
rather than trying to get an entry-level position that’s more suitable for them.

Audio 13
A: Why is Deanna having a party?
B: It’s her birthday.

Audio 14
A: When did you start learning Spanish?
B: When I was in first grade.

Audio 15
A: I heard you’re leaving on Friday.
B: Actually, I’m leaving on Thursday now.

Audio 16
A: You just got back from work. Where are you going now?
B: Just to the library to return some books. I won’t be long.

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UNITS 1–5
Audio 1
Hello, and welcome. Today I want to talk about a way you can become more successful at work.
It’s a simple idea that can have a big impact. And the best part is that you don’t need to learn
anything to get the benefit. You just need to modify how you think about things. It’s called
having a beginner’s mindset.

To help you understand what this means, I’d like to tell you a story about a man named
Socrates. He was from ancient Greece, and he lived and died around 2500 years ago. Now
Socrates had a reputation for being clever. Very clever. So clever, in fact, that people said he was
the smartest person in the city. Socrates thought this couldn’t be true. He ignored it for a while,
but eventually, he decided to find all the people who were smarter. He met as many smart
people as he could and questioned them. After a while he returned, and when he did, his
friends asked, “You’ve met many clever people, Socrates. Tell us, who’s the smartest person?”
Socrates had to tell his friends that probably he was the smartest after all because he was the
only person who recognized how much he didn’t know.

This idea—being willing to admit that you don’t know things—is basically what it means to have
a beginner’s mindset. People with this mindset know there are many things they don’t know, so
they are open to new ideas, new knowledge, and new skills. They want to learn, and to do that,
they study, learn new things, ask questions, and listen to the answers. Above all, they are happy
to admit when they don’t know something because they see themselves as beginners who are
not supposed to know everything.

A beginner’s mindset can benefit workers in several ways. For one thing, workers with this
mindset are often good at solving problems. Because they know they don’t have all the
answers, they ask questions that people with a different mindset might not ask. And they often
do research to find out more. They’re often good at coming up with effective solutions to
problems as a result. Another benefit is that people with a beginner’s mindset are often
creative. This is because they try to understand things from different points of view, which can
lead to more creative thinking.

In my view, developing a beginner’s mindset is especially helpful for older workers. After years
of working, some people find it hard to change, so they tend to do things in the same way every
time. The world is always changing, though, and thinking and acting in the same way can be a
problem if the situation has changed. Older workers with a beginner’s mindset don’t have this
issue.

Now maybe you’re thinking, “Having a beginner’s mindset sounds good, but I don’t have one, so
this idea doesn’t help me.” Well, I’m pleased to say that you’re wrong. Having a beginner’s
mindset is not a trait you’re born with. It’s not in your DNA, in other words, like having brown
eyes or red hair. Anybody can learn to have a beginner’s mindset, and so anybody can benefit
from it.

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Perhaps your final question is this: Does it really work? Can developing a beginner’s mindset
really help you achieve success? Let’s end where we started and talk about Socrates. Even
though he died more than 2400 years ago, his name is still known all over the world. I think
that’s pretty clear proof that he reached the top. And for me, his beginner’s mindset is one of
the reasons why.

Audio 2
A beginner’s mindset can benefit workers in several ways. For one thing, workers with this
mindset are often good at solving problems. Because they know they don’t have all the
answers, they ask questions that people with a different mindset might not ask. And they often
do research to find out more. They’re often good at coming up with effective solutions to
problems as a result. Another benefit is that people with a beginner’s mindset are often
creative. This is because they try to understand things from different points of view, which can
lead to more creative thinking.

In my view, developing a beginner’s mindset is especially helpful for older workers. After years
of working, some people find it hard to change, so they tend to do things in the same way every
time. The world is always changing, though, and thinking and acting in the same way can be a
problem if the situation has changed. Older workers with a beginner’s mindset don’t have this
issue.

Now maybe you’re thinking, “Having a beginner’s mindset sounds good, but I don’t have one, so
this idea doesn’t help me.” Well, I’m pleased to say that you’re wrong. Having a beginner’s
mindset is not a trait you’re born with. It’s not in your DNA, in other words, like having brown
eyes or red hair. Anybody can learn to have a beginner’s mindset, and so anybody can benefit
from it.

Perhaps your final question is this: Does it really work? Can developing a beginner’s mindset
really help you achieve success? Let’s end where we started and talk about Socrates. Even
though he died more than 2400 years ago, his name is still known all over the world. I think
that’s pretty clear proof that he reached the top. And for me, his beginner’s mindset is one of
the reasons why.

Audio 3
In my view, developing a beginner’s mindset is especially helpful for older workers.

Audio 4
He was from ancient Greece, and he lived and died around 2500 years ago.

Audio 5
Is this her work? It’s very good!

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Audio 6
Let’s meet up on Thursday, OK?

Audio 7
I heard some loud birds early this morning.

Audio 8
[Stress the syllable in bold.]
psychology

Audio 9
[Stress the syllable in bold.]
situation

Audio 10
[Stress the syllable in bold.]
musically

UNITS 1–5 – ADDITIONAL

Audio 11
Socrates lived and died in the ancient Greek city of Athens around 2500 years ago. Today he’s
still famous as a philosopher, which is somebody who asks “What does life mean?” When he
was alive, however, Socrates was mainly renowned as a teacher because of the big impact he
had on the minds of some important and influential people.

Audio 12
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
They live in a big city.

Audio 13
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
We are going for a drive.

Audio 14
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
He decided to open the window.

Audio 15
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
She is just ten years old.

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UNIT 6
Audio 1
Professor: Right, I asked you all to prepare a short presentation for today’s class about a design
trend or idea. Who’s willing to go first?

Student 1: I don’t mind starting things off.

OK, so the design concept I want to present is something called biomimicry. This
involves using ideas from nature to design things that can solve problems that
humans are facing. Nature has had billions of years to come up with solutions for
problems, and the idea behind biomimicry is that we can learn from some of those
solutions. Often, these natural ideas are better than designs that people came up
with. For example, they need less energy to work or fewer materials to make.

There are different kinds of biomimicry in design. Most often, designers try to copy
how something in nature looks and works. Its form and function, in other words.
Sometimes, though, they might try to copy a natural process.

The biomimicry design process typically has several stages. Of course, not every
designer will follow all the stages. And often, some stages will need to be repeated.
Like with any kind of design, the designer must first define or recognize a problem
that needs to be solved or an objective they want to achieve. After that, the
designer needs to do some research to find out if any animal or plant has already
found a solution. Once a natural solution has been found, the designer should then
think about how to turn that idea into a working design. Finally, the design needs to
be tested and adjustments made—often again and again—until it’s working as
intended.

OK, let me give you an example of a product that illustrates biomimicry. It’s
something called Ornilux® Bird Protection Glass and it uses an idea from nature to
solve a problem that we humans have created.

Experts believe that hundreds of millions of birds die every year from crashing into
closed windows, especially the windows of tall buildings. It might seem strange that
birds would do this. I mean, buildings are pretty big objects, and you would think
birds would see them. The problem is that some buildings have windows on all
sides. Birds that are flying can see all the way through these buildings, and so they
think there’s nothing in their way and fly—BANG!—straight into a closed window. In
other cases, birds might see a reflection of the sky or trees in the windows of a
building. Again, this makes them think there’s nothing in their way.

Designers who work at a glass company in Germany knew about this problem. They
learned that certain spiders make webs that reflect a kind of light that birds can

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see—called ultraviolet, or UV, light. The designers at the glass company found a way
to add a special layer on glass. This layer reflects UV light—so birds see it and think
there’s something—like a spider’s web—to avoid. Because people can’t see UV light,
though, the windows look like regular glass to us.

So, that’s how biomimicry works in design. Any questions?

Student 2: Yeah, a couple of questions here. First, how good is the glass? I mean, does it really
save birds? And second, is it practical for all buildings to use this glass, or would that
be too expensive?

Student 1: In terms of how effective the glass is, the company did some tests. These showed
that about two-thirds of birds avoided windows with glass that had the special UV
layer. And in terms of the cost, the glass is kind of expensive.

Professor: No other questions? OK, then. Thanks. Good work.

Audio 2
Student 1: OK, let me give you an example of a product that illustrates biomimicry. It’s
something called Ornilux® Bird Protection Glass and it uses an idea from nature to
solve a problem that we humans have created.

Experts believe that hundreds of millions of birds die every year from hitting glass in
windows , especially the windows of tall buildings. It might seem strange that birds
would do this. I mean, buildings are pretty big objects, and you would think birds
would see them. The problem is that some buildings have windows on all sides.
Birds that are flying can see all the way through these buildings, and so they think
there’s nothing in their way and fly—BANG!—straight into a closed window. In other
cases, birds might see a reflection of the sky or trees in the windows of a building.
Again, this makes them think there’s nothing in their way.

Designers who work at a glass company in Germany knew about this problem. They
learned that certain spiders make webs that reflect a kind of light that birds can
see—called ultraviolet, or UV, light. The designers at the glass company found a way
to add a special layer on glass. This layer reflects UV light—so birds see it and think
there’s something—like a spider’s web—to avoid. Because people can’t see UV light,
though, the windows look like regular glass to us.

Audio 3
Student 1: The biomimicry design process typically has several stages. Of course, not every
designer will follow all the stages. And often, some stages will need to be repeated.
Like with any kind of design, the designer must first define or recognize a problem
that needs to be solved or an objective they want to achieve. After that, the

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designer needs to do some research to find out if any animal or plant has already
found a solution. Once a natural solution has been found, the designer should then
think about how to turn that idea into a working design. Finally, the design needs to
be tested and adjustments made—often again and again—until it’s working as
intended.

Audio 4
The students really helped us.

Audio 5
This is his sixth attempt.

Audio 6
What are your biggest strengths?

Audio 7
She thinks about the tasks in a creative way.

Audio 8
I arranged for a meeting but my teacher changed the time.

Audio 9
Spread the substance with your hands.

UNIT 6 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 10
So, AI tools are becoming more and more common, right? And a lot of you are probably
interested in using them, but perhaps you’re a bit nervous because you’re not sure how to do it.
Don’t worry! The steps you need to follow are pretty simple. First, decide what information you
want the AI to produce for you. Do you want a short paragraph of text, for example? Or do you
want some design ideas? After that, decide how you’re going to ask for what you want. AI tools
can’t really think, so if you don’t ask clearly, you probably won’t get what you want. Then, add
your question to the AI tool. That might be a website or a smartphone app. Next, look at the
output. If it’s what you wanted, great! If not, go back a couple of steps. Think again about how
to ask for what you want. Finally, you’ll probably want to make sure that the AI has given you
accurate information, so research and check it.

Audio 11
A: Did you finish the project on time?
B: Yeah. Toni helped me, so it was easy.

Audio 12
A: We’ve got snacks outside if you’re hungry.

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B: I haven’t had anything since breakfast, so that sounds great!

Audio 13
A: Have you changed your hair? You look different.
B: Nope. My hair looks the same as usual.

Audio 14
A: We’re never going to get these projects done!
B: Don’t worry. I’ve asked a couple of other people to help.

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UNIT 7
Audio 1
Thanks for coming out this evening, everyone. My talk is called “Rethinking Recycling.”

We all know what recycling is, don’t we? To recycle something, such as this plastic bottle I’m
holding in my hand, we put it in a special recycling bin or leave it outside our house on recycling
day. The bottle then gets taken to a recycling center and turned into something else. Another
plastic bottle, or perhaps a toy.

So far, so good. The thing is, a lot of people—myself included—think the world is facing a crisis
right now. Why? Well, there’s too much waste and too much pollution. And most of that waste
and pollution comes from us, from our actions. Putting things in a recycling bin or leaving them
outside our house is good, but it’s not enough. That’s especially true given that studies show
only one-third of our waste actually gets recycled. And in terms of plastic, it’s even worse:
maybe just six percent of that gets recycled.

Now, I hope you’re not feeling discouraged or pessimistic because there are several actions you
can take to make a difference by producing less waste. Let me explain.

First, instead of putting things in the recycling, ask yourself if you can repurpose them. That
means finding new ways to use old things. Sometimes we can do this without changing the
thing. For example, if you order something online, you could repurpose the delivery box to store
documents. Or sometimes we can repurpose something by changing it in some way. Let’s say
you have an old pair of jeans with holes. You could cut off the parts with holes and make
yourself a pair of shorts.

If we repurpose something in a way that makes it less valuable than the original, we call it
“downcycling.” For example, maybe you want to clean your bathroom, so you cut up an old t-
shirt. Cleaning rags are worth less than a t-shirt, so that would be downcycling. In contrast, if we
repurpose something so it’s more valuable or useful than the original, that’s “upcycling.” An
example of upcycling might be turning old boxes or food cans into musical instruments. That
sounds ambitious, I know, but search online for examples. You’ll be amazed!

What if there’s something you don’t need, but you can’t recycle or repurpose it? Well, even if
you don’t need it, chances are that somebody will find it useful. So sell it. Or trade it. Or give it
away. If you search online, you’ll find websites that make it easy to freecycle things. Freecycling
is exactly what it sounds like—recycling something by giving it away to someone who can make
use of it.

Recycling, downcycling, upcycling, and freecycling are all easy to do. But there’s one more thing
you can do that’s even easier, because all you have to do is think! It’s called precycling, and it
means thinking about recycling before you buy or get something. Let’s say you need a new pair
of shoes. If you choose to buy a pair that’s made from materials that are easy to recycle, that’s

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precycling. Or maybe you choose to buy products that don’t have a lot of packaging that must
be recycled. That’s also precycling. Or perhaps you choose something because you know you
can downcycle it, upcycle it, or freecycle it later. That’s precycling, too.

So, thank you. I hope you’re feeling at least a little optimistic now and that I’ve been able to
achieve my goal and inspire you to rethink recycling.

Audio 2
Now, I hope you’re not feeling discouraged or pessimistic because there are several actions you
can take to make a difference by producing less waste. Let me explain.

First, instead of putting things in the recycling, ask yourself if you can repurpose them. That
means finding new ways to use old things. Sometimes we can do this without changing the
thing. For example, if you order something online, you could repurpose the delivery box to store
documents. Or sometimes we can repurpose something by changing it in some way. Let’s say
you have an old pair of jeans with holes. You could cut off the parts with holes and make
yourself a pair of shorts.

If we repurpose something in a way that makes it less valuable than the original, we call it
“downcycling.” For example, maybe you want to clean your bathroom, so you cut up an old t-
shirt. Cleaning rags are worth less than a t-shirt, so that would be downcycling. In contrast, if we
repurpose something so it’s more valuable or useful than the original, that’s “upcycling.” An
example of upcycling might be turning old boxes or food cans into musical instruments. That
sounds ambitious, I know, but search online for examples. You’ll be amazed!

Audio 3
So, thank you. I hope you’re feeling at least a little optimistic now and that I’ve been able to
achieve my goal and inspire you to rethink recycling.

Audio 4
It’s my bag.

Audio 5
It’s a beach.

Audio 6
She’s a dean.

Audio 7
I’ll get a cap.

Audio 8
Let’s just try it.

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Audio 9
What a big coat!

UNIT 7 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 10
Every time we turn on the news, there’s another story about the climate crisis. Or news that
there’s plastic in the environment—in our water, our soil, even our bodies. It’s easy to get
depressed by this, I know. But my goal is not to depress or discourage you. In fact, my purpose is
the exact opposite.

Audio 11
Pace. Bark.

Audio 12
Ten. Fright.

Audio 13
Glass. Game.

Audio 14
Time. Symbol.

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
UNIT 8
Audio 1
Hello. Finn here with another podcast filled with common sense health advice. The usual point
before I start: I’m not a medical professional. If you plan to follow any of my advice, consult your
doctor first, OK?

Now, we all know that working out and eating right are good for our bodies. In today’s episode, I
want to look at whether exercise and food can also be good for our brains.

The idea that exercise could be good for our brains makes sense. You know, there’s even a Latin
expression from about 2000 years ago that’s pretty widely known: mens sana in corpore sano. It
means that if your body’s healthy, your mind’ll be healthy, too. So, it feels logical that exercise
benefits our brains, but what does the research say?

Well, it turns out that a lot of research suggests a healthy mind really does start with a healthy
body. An interesting study from the UK showed that at the age of 50, people who exercised
regularly did better in brain tests than people who exercised less often. In other words, healthy
activities like regular exercise can protect your brain from some of the effects of aging. And
apparently, if the exercise is more intense, the positive effect is stronger.

So, exercise is good for brain health. Is it also good for our mental health? Again, research
suggests the answer is yes. A great many studies have shown that working out can reduce the
effects of depression and other mental health conditions. You see, when we exercise, our brains
produce chemicals that boost our mood, which can provide relief from some of the symptoms
of mental health issues. Interestingly, there’s an even more positive effect on mental health
among people who exercise in nature. So it seems that if you want to work out, you should do it
outside for maximum benefit.

OK, so exercise can improve both our physical and mental health, but what about food? Can
what we eat and drink also do both? Basically, once again the answer’s yes. In terms of brain
health, certain foods and drinks have been shown to promote healthy brain function and
development.

Actually, you’ve probably heard of many of these foods already because it’s hard to spend any
time on the Internet without seeing links to sites that promise to tell you about “the 10 brain
superfoods you must eat every day!” You know the things I mean: certain kinds of fish, berries
and other kinds of fruit, nuts, green vegetables like spinach and broccoli, and drinks like tea and
coffee. All of those foods and drinks have been shown to keep your brain healthy. Some studies
also suggest that foods like these can protect your brain from the effects of aging. And it’s
probably not a coincidence that studies also show that these same foods and drinks can benefit
our mental health, as well.

Now I discovered one more thing about food that’s both kind of amazing and kind of surprising.

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Some of the very latest research shows that if we eat and drink certain foods, our stomachs
become healthier. Now that doesn’t sound important for our brains, does it? I mean, our
stomachs and brains aren’t connected, right? Well, actually, wrong. It seems that they are
connected and that if our stomachs are in good condition, our brains will be, too. Now this is
such an incredible topic that I’m going to spend a whole episode on it soon. In the meantime,
thanks for listening.

Audio 2
The idea that exercise could be good for our brains makes sense. You know, there’s even a Latin
expression from about 2000 years ago that’s pretty widely known: mens sana in corpore sano. It
means that if your body’s healthy, your mind’ll be healthy, too. So, it feels logical that exercise
benefits our brains, but what does the research say?

Well, it turns out that a lot of research suggests a healthy mind really does start with a healthy
body. An interesting study from the UK showed that at the age of 50, people who exercised
regularly did better in brain tests than people who exercised less often. In other words, healthy
activities like regular exercise can protect your brain from some of the effects of aging. And
apparently, if the exercise is more intense, the positive effect is stronger.

So, exercise is good for brain health. Is it also good for our mental health? Again, research
suggests the answer is yes. A great many studies have shown that working out can reduce the
effects of depression and other mental health conditions. You see, when we exercise, our brains
produce chemicals that boost our mood, which can provide relief from some of the symptoms
of mental health issues. Interestingly, there’s an even more positive effect on mental health
among people who exercise in nature. So it seems that if you want to work out, you should do it
outside for maximum benefit.

Audio 3
The idea that exercise could be good for our brains makes sense. You know, there’s even a Latin
expression from about 2000 years ago that’s pretty widely known: mens sana in corpore sano.

Audio 4
A great many studies have shown that working out can reduce the effects of depression and
other mental health conditions. You see, when we exercise, our brains produce chemicals that
boost our mood.

Audio 5
[Link the underscored words.]
That’s so expensive.

Audio 6
[Link the underscored words.]
Who approved it?

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Audio 7
[Link the underscored words.]
Why is it here?

Audio 8
[Link the underscored words.]
Why are you late?

Audio 9
[Link the underscored words.]
A tree over there

Audio 10
[Link the underscored words.]
Did you ask him?

UNIT 8 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
You’ve heard of the placebo effect, right? But how about the nocebo effect? Basically, that’s
when patients become sick because they expect either that a treatment won’t work or that it
will have negative effects. It sounds unlikely that people could make themselves sick just by
thinking they’ll get sick, but well, our brains can affect our bodies in surprising ways.

Audio 12
[Link the underscored words.]
We asked him.

Audio 13
[Link the underscored words.]
She’ll go out.

Audio 14
[Link the underscored words.]
Do it now.

Audio 15
[Link the underscored words.]
Let’s see it.

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UNIT 9
Audio 1
Professor: OK, so it’s time for your group presentations about an important archaeological
discovery. My list says Abbie and Maya are up first. Ready?

Abbie: Yes, we are. The weather was cold in January of 1942 in Suffolk, an area in the
eastern part of England. Near the town of Mildenhall, a 38-year-old man named
Gordon Butcher was working in a farmer’s field. Suddenly there was a noise.
Butcher’s farm equipment had hit something. He probably thought it was a large
rock or a piece of wood, but he was wrong. He had hit a large dish weighing almost
20 pounds, or about nine kilograms.

Butcher thought there might be more objects in the field, so he asked another
man—Sydney Ford—to help him look. Together, Butcher and Ford found around 30
objects, including plates, bowls, and cups. These objects came from the time when
Britain was under the control of the Roman civilization, so they were about sixteen
hundred years old. And they were very valuable—worth thousands of dollars—
because they were beautiful, artistic, and made of silver. We now call them the
Mildenhall Treasure.

Maya: The Mildenhall Treasure that Abbie just described is what archaeologists call a
hoard. That’s a collection of valuable objects that were buried or hidden, usually
under the ground. Hoards are important archaeological discoveries for several
reasons. First, they contain treasure, often including gold or silver coins, and the
discovery of buried treasure is always exciting! Often, the discovery of a hoard
makes national or even international news and can raise public curiosity about the
past.

A second important thing about hoards is that they’re usually discovered

accidentally by members of the public. The Mildenhall Treasure was discovered by
somebody doing some farming. Other hoards have been found by people walking
their dogs. In other words, the majority of hoards are discovered by regular people,
not specialists. In most cases, though, archaeologists do help to dig up and study the
hoard after it’s been found.

Abbie: Thanks, Maya. Now, probably the most important thing about hoards is what they
can teach us. The Mildenhall objects, for example, gave archaeologists valuable
knowledge about life in Roman times. Originally, experts thought society in Britain
during this era was not well developed. But the items from Mildenhall changed their
minds because they are beautiful, valuable, and represent some of the very best of
Roman art.

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And although we don’t know why the objects at Mildenhall were buried, we can
guess. People don’t hide valuable objects under the ground when everything is
going well. So, we can be pretty sure things were difficult at the time in the area
where the objects were buried. Perhaps there was fighting. Or perhaps some kind of
political change was happening.

Anyway, that’s our presentation. Any questions?

Student: It sounds like other hoards have been found, too. Is that right?

Maya: Yeah, other hoards have been discovered. But we only focused on Mildenhall for our
presentation, and I don’t remember any names.

Professor: Let’s see. There’s the Bactrian Gold found in Afghanistan. The Eberswalde Hoard
discovered in Germany. The Saddle Ridge Hoard found in California, and many more.

There’s actually a second place called Mildenhall in the UK. And amazingly, a huge
hoard of nearly 55,000 Roman coins was discovered there in the late 1970s.
Mildenhall isn’t a common placename. In fact, I believe there are only two places in
the whole world with that name. So, it’s definitely a coincidence that hoards were
discovered near both of them!

Anyway, any other questions anyone? No? OK, well thanks. That was well organized
and informative. Nice work!

Audio 2
Abbie: The weather was cold in January of 1942 in Suffolk, an area in the eastern part of
England. Near the town of Mildenhall, a 38-year-old man named Gordon Butcher
was working in a farmer’s field. Suddenly there was a noise. Butcher’s farm
equipment had hit something. He probably thought it was a large rock or a piece of
wood, but he was wrong. He had hit a large dish weighing almost 20 pounds, or
about nine kilograms.

Butcher thought there might be more objects in the field, so he asked another
man—Sydney Ford—to help him look. Together, Butcher and Ford found around 30
objects, including plates, bowls, and cups. These objects came from the time when
Britain was under the control of the Roman civilization, so they were about sixteen
hundred years old. And they were very valuable—worth thousands of dollars—
because they were beautiful, artistic, and made of silver. We now call them the
Mildenhall Treasure.

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Audio 3
Abbie: The Mildenhall objects, for example, gave archaeologists valuable knowledge about
life in Roman times. Originally, experts thought society in Britain during this era was
not well developed. But the items from Mildenhall changed their minds because
they are beautiful, valuable, and represent some of the very best of Roman art.

Audio 4
wish

Audio 5
jaws

Audio 6
rich

Audio 7
choose

Audio 8
joke

Audio 9
share

UNIT 9 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 10
The Cunetio, or Mildenhall Hoard, was discovered in 1978 in southern England. It included
55,000 coins in total. At the time, this was the largest hoard found in Britain. Now, 55,000 coins
is a lot, but most of them are low value, so the main value of the hoard is in what it tells us
about life in the Roman era.

Audio 11
cheat

Audio 12
edge

Audio 13
jeans

Audio 14
cash

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
UNIT 10
Audio 1
Man: What’s that you’re reading?

Woman: It’s an article about how music can affect our emotions. It’s for a paper I’m writing.

Man: It must be a short article.

Woman: Why do you say that?

Man: Well, it’s pretty obvious how music affects our emotions, isn’t it? I mean, upbeat
music makes us feel positive. And sad music has the opposite effect. I’m not sure
there’s much more to say.

Woman: Actually, it’s not quite as simple as that. Take listening to upbeat, happy music.
You’re right that it can make us feel positive, but interestingly, it can affect our stress
levels, too. So, if we’re feeling a lot of anxiety, listening to certain kinds of music can
lead to a reduction in that feeling. And if we dance or move while listening to music
that makes us feel good, apparently there’s an even stronger effect. It has to do with
the release of a brain chemical called dopamine, apparently.

Man: That’s interesting, but it just boosts our mood temporarily, right?

Woman: Well, maybe not. The article mentions that one study showed listening to positive
music for a couple of weeks could help people improve their overall mood and level
of happiness. A different study suggested that positive music could even help people
with depression or other mental health conditions.

And it’s also true that listening to sad music can make us feel down, but that can
actually end up being a positive thing, surprisingly. You see, sad music can actually
make you more unhappy at first. That’s the opposite of what you want, but that can
then lead to you feeling better. Music causes your brain to release a different
chemical—not dopamine this time—and that chemical can reduce negative feelings
when, say, a relationship ends or somebody close to you passes away.

Man: Huh. I’m not sure I understand how that works.

Woman: Apparently certain kinds of sad music give us comfort because we feel we’re not
alone and that somebody understands our feelings. It’s kind of like talking to a
friend who makes us feel better. At least, that’s how the article puts it.

Man: Like hot, humid summer weather makes you feel bad. And then a storm comes, and
the weather’s even worse, but after the storm, the weather often feels great?

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT

Woman: Yeah, that’s a good way to put it. Still, apparently sad music doesn’t have that
positive effect for everybody. Or, at least, not in every situation. Some people just
find that sad music makes them really sad.

Anyway, the article also says music can affect how our brains perceive time. When
we listen to music we enjoy, we may feel like something has taken less time than it
has really taken.

Man: Interesting. That’s not really related to emotions, though, is it?

Woman: Well, no, that’s true, but in some cases, music can help keep people calm. Like, for
example, in a waiting room, some people get frustrated if they have to wait a long
time. Listening to the right kind of music can make them feel like they’ve spent less
time waiting than they really have. And so they stay calm and don’t have such a
negative reaction.

Man: Does the article address music and studying? Some days I find it hard to get down to
work, and I’m wondering if listening to music could help me focus on my
assignments.

Woman: There’s nothing in the article about that—though I haven’t finished it yet—but just
search online for “study playlists” or “focus playlists.” I’m sure you’ll find something
that’ll help.

Man: Good idea. I’ll do that. And when you’ve finished that article, could I read it next?

Woman: Sure!

Audio 2
Man: It’s pretty obvious how music affects our emotions, isn’t it? I mean, upbeat music
makes us feel positive. And sad music has the opposite effect. I’m not sure there’s
much more to say.

Woman: Actually, it’s not quite as simple as that. Take listening to upbeat, happy music.
You’re right that it can make us feel positive, but interestingly, it can affect our stress
levels, too. So, if we’re feeling a lot of anxiety, listening to certain kinds of music can
lead to a reduction in that feeling. And if we dance or move while listening to music
that makes us feel good, apparently there’s an even stronger effect. It has to do with
the release of a brain chemical called dopamine, apparently.

Man: That’s interesting, but it just boosts our mood temporarily, right?

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
Woman: Well, maybe not. The article mentions that one study showed listening to positive
music for a couple of weeks could help people improve their overall mood and level
of happiness. A different study suggested that positive music could even help people
with depression or other mental health conditions.

Audio 3
Woman: So, if we’re feeling a lot of anxiety, listening to certain kinds of music can lead to a
reduction in that feeling.

Audio 4
Woman: music can affect how our brains perceive time. When we listen to music we enjoy,
we may feel like something has taken less time than it has really taken.

Audio 5
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
Did you say “of” or “off”?

Audio 6
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
Let’s go to the library.

Audio 7
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
That’s a really great idea.

Audio 8
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
I said Bob and Dan, not Bob or Dan.

Audio 9
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
Do you think they’ve seen us?

Audio 10
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
That’s the book I was telling you about.

UNIT 10 – ADDITIONAL
Audio 11
I much prefer cold weather to hot weather. Whenever it’s really hot, I feel tired and upset.

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
Audio 12
This article says spending time with friends can result in increases in happiness and reductions
in stress.

Audio 13
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
Wow! What was that loud noise?

Audio 14
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
No, I don’t want that one.

Audio 15
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
It’s nice, but what can we use it for?

Audio 16
[Use the strong form on any words in bold.]
To tell you the truth, I didn’t really like them.

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
UNITS 6–10
Audio 1
Hello, everyone. I’m Professor McGovern. Welcome to this course on planet-centric design. As
this is our first seminar, I’d like to spend the opening minutes explaining what this concept is,
what it isn’t, and why it’s such an important design philosophy. To do that, let’s first understand
some design basics.

In general, design involves finding practical solutions to problems. And modern design is often
what we call human-centric. That is, it solves our problems and makes our lives better. And
that’s great. After all, who doesn’t want their problems solved? Who doesn't want their life to
be better? The issue with human-centric design, though, is that all too often it solves our
problems in ways that create issues for the planet.

An example will help clarify, I think. Looking around this room, I can see that almost all of you
have a phone. And why not? Modern phones are incredible devices because their human-
centric design helps us solve the typical problems we have in our daily lives. They stop us feeling
lonely because we can communicate—by calling, texting, or emailing—with whomever we want
wherever we are and whenever we want. They stop us getting bored with games, music, books,
photos, and videos. They stop us getting lost with maps and directions. In short, they’re
amazing.

But are they amazing for the planet? Well, not so much. You see, phones are made with
valuable resources that often aren’t renewable. The manufacturing process creates pollution:
bad for the air, bad for the water, and bad for us. And what happens to our older phones when
we upgrade? They tend to get thrown away. Perhaps some of them are recycled, but only in
part. In other words, although phones are wonderful devices, they haven’t been designed in
ways that are good for the planet.

And that's why understanding planet-centric design is so crucial. You see, it encourages respect
for the natural world. It’s based on the idea that species, communities, and habitats are all
connected, and so anything that’s bad for the environment is bad for everyone and everything
in the environment. Planet-centric design is about caring for nature and understanding how our
actions affect it. It’s about making the planet a priority, in other words.

OK, now that we have an idea what planet-centric design is, let’s ask what a planet-centric
phone would be like. I’m not going to say too much, because designing a planet-centric phone
will actually be your first assignment. But broadly speaking, perhaps a planet-centric phone
would be modular? You want a new camera? Take out the old one, put in a new one. A better
screen? Take out the old one, put in a new one.

What else? They’ll be easily recycled. Every part. And perhaps they’ll have a universal size or
use universal cables. No more buying a different case or a new cable each time you get a phone
because the old one doesn’t fit anymore and has to be thrown away.

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT

Now a phone like this might not be quite as good as the phone you have now. It might have to
be smaller, or have less power, or not be able to take amazing photos at night. And that seems
wrong, because the objective of traditional approaches to design is often to make objects better
or to drive economic growth. But sadly, improving objects and driving growth aren’t always the
best things for the planet.

And as I’ve pointed out, if something isn’t good for the planet, ultimately, it’s not good for us,
either. And so for this reason, we could even say that planet-centric design is actually human-
centric design, too.

Audio 2
Looking around this room, I can see that almost all of you have a phone. And why not? Modern
phones are incredible devices because their human-centric design helps us solve the typical
problems we have in our daily lives. They stop us feeling lonely because we can communicate—
by calling, texting, or emailing—with whomever we want wherever we are and whenever we
want. They stop us getting bored with games, music, books, photos, and videos. They stop us
getting lost with maps and directions. In short, they’re amazing.

But are they amazing for the planet? Well, not so much. You see, phones are made with
valuable resources that often aren’t renewable. The manufacturing process creates pollution:
bad for the air, bad for the water, and bad for us. And what happens to our older phones when
we upgrade? They tend to get thrown away. Perhaps some of them are recycled, but only in
part. In other words, although phones are wonderful devices, they haven’t been designed in
ways that are good for the planet.

And that's why understanding planet-centric design is so crucial. You see, it encourages respect
for the natural world. It’s based on the idea that species, communities, and habitats are all
connected, and so anything that’s bad for the environment is bad for everyone and everything
in the environment. Planet-centric design is about caring for nature and understanding how our
actions affect it. It’s about making the planet a priority, in other words.

Audio 3
Hello, everyone. I’m Professor McGovern. Welcome to this course on planet-centric design. As
this is our first seminar, I’d like to spend the opening minutes explaining what this concept is,
what it isn’t, and why it’s such an important design philosophy.

Audio 4
Modern phones are incredible devices because their human-centric design helps us solve the
typical problems we have in our daily lives. They stop us feeling lonely because we can
communicate—by calling, texting, or emailing—with whomever we want wherever we are and
whenever we want.

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
Audio 5
simple

Audio 6
joker

Audio 7
coding

Audio 8
catching

Audio 9
classes

Audio 10
edges

UNITS 6–10 – ADDITIONAL

Audio 11
Geologists refer to the rock cycle, a process with several stages. Initially, rock undergoes
weathering, which means it gets broken down into small pieces by weather and other systems.
After that, the fragments of weathered rock get transported. Transportation can happen
through the action of water, ice, wind, or gravity. At some point, the rock fragments experience
deposition. That is, they are deposited at a new location. If enough small pieces of rock get
deposited at the same location, they can form new sedimentary rock. This fourth and final stage
is called lithification, which simply means rock formation.

Audio 12
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
She invited many people.

Audio 13
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
That was so interesting.

Audio 14
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]
Are you always late?

Audio 15
[Link the two words joined with an underscore.]

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LEVEL 3 ASSESSMENT AUDIO SCRIPT
We must try again.

© Cengage Learning, Inc. 45