© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

UNIT 1

CD 01

Interviewer: Good morning, listeners. Today

I’m talking to Joan Trent, a psychologist who

will tell us about people who can’t express

their feelings. Hello, Joan. Tell us why some

people find it difficult to show their emotions.
Joan Trent: Good morning. People bottle

up their emotions, as we call it, for different

reasons. They might be afraid, for example,

to show their anger to their boss, or they do

not want others to think they’re weak. Most

commonly, people hide their feelings in

certain situations because they’ve learnt to

do so and they think that it is, let’s say ‘normal’.

Some people, though, may bottle up their

feelings because they think that others will not

understand them anyway.
Interviewer: So, it isn’t always bad to hide

your feelings?
Joan Trent: Of course not. (laughs) The real

problem appears only when people control

their feelings for a long time, and then explode

on others, usually the ones they love most,

such as their family or close friends. In some

extreme cases, people might become more

and more depressed and turn to addictions,

such as some teenagers who become

addicted to the Internet, for example.
Interviewer: What advice can you give to

people, who find it difficult to show their

emotions?
Joan Trent: First and foremost, learn to be

assertive. Telling others openly yet politely how

you feel about something, will not make them

think worse of you. On the contrary, they’ll

learn to respect you. Learn to trust your family

or friends enough to share your problems with

them. And if you feel you can’t cope with the

problem on your own, don’t be shy to consult

a psychologist.
Interviewer: Thank you very much, Joan.

UNIT 2

CD 02

1
Do you feel it’s time to get a place of your

own? Before you decide to rent or buy your

dream home, remember to consider a few

important aspects first. Decide where you’d

like to live – in the city centre or a quiet village?

Be reasonable about the size of your home.

Most people like a lot of space, but make sure

you can afford the house of your choice. Take

time to visit at least a few houses or flats for

sale to get a good picture of what you like and

dislike.
2
I live with my parents in a nice detached house

on the western edge of the city, about 8 km

from the city centre. The house is great and

I’ve got a nice, spacious room of my own. The

only problem is that when I need to go to the

city centre, I have to ask my parents for a lift

or depend on the buses, which don’t run very

often. It’s OK during the warm months because

I can use my motorbike, but the winter’s really

bad.

UNIT TESTS. Poziom podstawowy

3
We’ve got a nice three-bedroomed flat, which

is in a very central location. We’ve recently

redecorated the place, so it looks great now. The

only problem is that we have to suffer because

of our noisy neighbours and so I sometimes

dream of leaving the place and never coming

back. Some of them have big dogs which keep

barking through half the night, while others

give noisy parties almost every weekend.
4
Do you think you’ve had enough of living in

a block of flats in the city centre? If you can’t

stand the noise of the traffic or your noisy

neighbours, take a look at our attractive offer

for affordable housing in the suburbs. The

brand-new terraced houses are conveniently

located in a quiet neighbourhood, which has

all the most important amenities. Why not visit

our office at 21 Park Avenue today? Our offer

won’t disappoint you!

UNIT 3

CD 03

1
Tim: How are you getting on with your

revision for the psychology exam next week?
Paul: Not very well. I haven’t been to all the

lectures this term and anyway, the rest of my

notes are in a terrible mess.
Tim: So are mine. The professor speaks

so fast in her lectures and I just can’t take

everything down. Now that I’m looking at my

notes, they don’t make much sense to me.

Luckily, I’ve borrowed some of the books she

recommended for the course, so why don’t we

have a look at them together?
Paul: Great! I’ll come round at about 6 pm.
2
At the moment I’m learning Italian on an

evening language course. The other students

in the group are really friendly and I enjoy

meeting them. The only thing I don’t like about

the course is that we never do things outside

the coursebook. It’s not that I think it’s boring

or has too much grammar, which I hate, but

I really wish we could do something just for

fun during the classes, like play a language

game or something.
3
It gives me great pleasure to see you all

gathered here on this beautiful morning. I am

sure that the summer holiday has given you

lots of motivation and energy to take up many

new challenges and opportunities. Our school

will be celebrating its hundredth anniversary in

a few months. I hope that you will work hard to

achieve the best results, in keeping with school

tradition. I am particularly glad to welcome the

new members of our school community …
4
Ah, Tony Peters. Well, I want to say that he’s

been doing much better in my class this term

and I’ve heard positive opinions about his

progress and behaviour from one or two other

teachers as well. Let me see. Yes, his English

grades are also satisfactory, but he still needs

to work more on science subjects because his

progress here is well below our expectations.
5
When I  think back on my college years,

I remember those times as one of the best

periods in my life. I studied a lot and did well

enough in exams, but I still found the time

to go out and make new friends. Some of

those friendships have lasted till today. I just

think it wasn’t a good idea to stop my higher

education after getting my BA, but the job

offer I got sounded so good.
6
A: So, Dave, how did it go?
B: I’m not sure. The first question wasn’t very

tough, so I was pleased to get it. But I was

so stressed that I didn’t answer it as fully as

possible. The second one wasn’t bad, either. And

again, now I’m sure I could have done better.
A: Well, at least it’s over and you don’t have to

worry about it anymore.
B: Yeah, I guess so, although I feel as if I want

to go back there and tell them I do know more

about the subject!

UNIT 4

CD 04

Interviewer: I’m talking to Mandy Hayes,

a 19-year-old who is taking part in an on-

the-job training programme with a local

newspaper. Mandy, could you tell us why you

decided to join this training course?
Mandy: After leaving school, I was accepted

into university, but then I found out about

this programme. I decided that it would be

much more exciting and useful than writing

hundreds of essays at university. So, when

I was offered a place on the training scheme,

I didn’t think twice about accepting it.
Interviewer: And how exactly were you

accepted onto this programme?
Mandy: It was advertised online by the

National Council for the Training of Journalists

and the candidates were asked to send

samples of different pieces of writing. Well,

I did and two weeks later I got a letter from

the NCTJ informing me that I’d been accepted.
Interviewer: You’ll be training with a local

newspaper, so what is the role of the NCTJ in

this?
Mandy: As far as I know, it was their idea to

choose several young people from all over the

country to train with professional journalists.

They’ll be regularly checking on our progress

and they will also provide most of the funding

for the programme.
Interviewer: You’ve already started your

training, so can you tell us what you’ve been

doing so far?
Mandy: I’ve only been on the programme for

a few weeks, but up to now I’ve mostly been

learning about the print and digital operations,

and I’ve also written some short news articles

for the newspaper website. As part of my

course, once a week, I also attend specialised

courses in journalism and media law at college.
Interview: Thank you Mandy, and good luck

with your training programme.

1

AUDIOSCRIPT

© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

UNIT 5

CD 05

1
I have good news for all those parents who

find it difficult to build good relationships

with their teenage children. A new publication,

written by Dr Myra Roberts, is a must-read for

all parents who feel they are losing touch with

their teenage sons or daughters. It is written

in a simple, clear style and does not include

difficult psychological language. It also gives

excellent tips on how to be on good terms

with teenagers.
2
My mum often complains that we do not

spend enough time together, except for the

summer holidays, and until recently I thought

she might be right. But last month I stayed for

a week at my friend’s house and was surprised

to see the family didn’t spend a single evening

chatting or just watching TV together. My

friend told me that they sometimes went out

to celebrate someone’s birthday but other

than that, they didn’t do things together.

I couldn’t understand that at all.
3
Hi, I’m calling to share my problem with the

other listeners. I feel that my relationship with

my mum has got worse recently. I mean,

she’s a great mother, very loving and caring.

Perhaps too much. She often wants to control

everything I do, wear, or say. When I’m ready to

go out, she often tells me to wear something

else. When I  go to a  party, she asks me

a hundred times what time I’m going to be

back home. If my dad weren’t more tolerant,

I would probably never get a chance to go to

any parties.
4
I often talk to parents who complain that they

have lots of arguments with their teenage

daughters or sons. However, it often turns

out that the arguments are partly the parents’

fault. They just want their children to behave

exactly the way the parents would like them

to. So, I really recommend that all our listeners

who may have this kind of problem try and

respect their teenage children’s opinions,

even if they do not agree with them. Finding

a compromise is not that hard if you’re ready to

accept the other person’s point of view.

UNIT 6

CD 06

1
For the last few months I’ve been working as

an assistant chef in a busy restaurant in the city

centre. I really enjoy the job, although it’s not

easy. The restaurant kitchen is hot and noisy –

everybody seems to be shouting at the same

time. I don’t really mind it, though. The only

disadvantage of the job is that I have to work

till late at night and also at weekends, which

means that I have practically no social life at

the moment.
2
I  certainly don’t recommend the new

restaurant. Before I went there, I’d tried to

call them to book a table but nobody ever

answered the phone. Anyway, I got a table

although the place was almost full. I suppose

it must be the low prices. The interior looks

terrible. The decoration is a complete mess,

a mixture of everything. And that horrible

folk music drove me crazy. The service was

surprisingly good and quick, but the food

tasted bland and I left most of my main course

untouched. I’m definitely not going there

again.
3
Man: Judy, what do you think I should cook

for this evening?
Judy: Why don’t you try a traditional dish?

They’re your speciality.
Man: Well, I did that last time. And Mark isn’t

coming tonight, so there’s no need to make

a vegetarian dish.
Judy: How about trying something unusual?

How about that delicious Thai lobster soup we

had last week in that new restaurant?
Man: Sounds like a good idea. I’ll do that.
4
Like most people, I have my good and bad

eating habits. I certainly drink too much

coffee, which I love, and I don’t think I’ll ever

be able to cut down on it. On the other hand,

I eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and

I only occasionally eat sweets, so that’s not

a problem. But I’m going to eat less between

meals, which I often do, you know, things like

sandwiches or crisps.
5
A: Mmm, that was delicious. Tell me, how did

you learn to cook?
B: Well, it took a  while. When I  went

to university and started living on my

own, I cooked most of my own food and

I experimented a lot. I used cookery books and

the Internet.
A: But surely your parents had taught you to

cook earlier?
B: Actually, my mum’s hopeless at cooking.

My dad’s a bit better and he taught me a few

simple dishes while I was still at home.
A: Have you ever taken a cookery course?
B: I have. It was during my studies. I missed

most of the classes, though.
6
A: It’s such a nice place. It feels almost like

having a meal at home.
B: Yes. It was a good idea to go out this

afternoon. The weather’s beautiful and for

a while, I thought we could have dinner in the

garden. But it was really pleasant to take a walk

here. It made me hungry, though.
A: Me, too. Let’s have a look at the menu, shall

we?

UNIT 7

CD 07

A: What are you doing? Reading something?
B: Not really. I’m browsing through the new

catalogue of an online clothes shop. I’m going

to need new clothes for my holiday, mostly

some T-shirts and a pair of shorts, maybe.
A: But surely you don’t buy all of your clothes

online?

B: Most of them, actually. I only ever go

to clothes shops when I need some smart

clothes. Shopping online is so much more

convenient, and quite often it’s a lot cheaper

than shopping in traditional stores.
A: All right, but how can you be sure the

clothes will fit and suit you if you don’t try

them on first?
B: That’s no problem if you know your sizes.

And I only choose those online stores that

have good return policies. If something didn’t

fit me, I’d just send it back, though I can’t

remember ever doing that.
A: OK, but where’s the fun? When I  go

shopping for clothes, most of the time it’s with

my friends and we always have such a good

time together. And it’s nice to go for a meal

afterwards.
B: Oh, it seems like a waste of time to me. So,

you never buy clothes online?
A: I’ve bought a few items, usually things to

go with my clothes, such as a handbag or

jewellery. Well, sports clothes are an exception.

I’ve recently bought some clothes for my

aerobics class.
B: Well, that’s a start.

UNIT 8

CD 08

1
Can I have your attention, please? As you

can see, the weather today is not suitable for

a visit to the aquapark, so we have arranged

to do something else today. We’re going to

visit some historical sites in the area, including

a museum of local crafts in a nearby town. The

coach will be picking us up from outside the

hotel at 10 am.
2
We’re standing in the very centre of the old

town. A word, perhaps, about the beginnings

of the town. Before it received city rights in

1274, the village was a base for the local dukes

who went hunting in the nearby forests.

The building in front of us is the Town Hall,

the oldest structure in the town. Unfortunately,

the interior is being renovated at the moment,

so we won’t be going in. Shall we move on?
3
At first, I hoped I might be able to get there by

plane, because this it’s only a one-hour flight.

But the early morning flight, which would be

the most convenient, has been fully booked.

So, I’ve got no other option but to take the

train. Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct one so

early in the morning and I’ll need to change in

Leeds, where I’ll be waiting for nearly an hour

for the next one. This is definitely not my idea

of a quick journey.
4
Good morning passengers. This is a pre-

boarding call for passengers travelling to

Glasgow on flight BA 295. All passengers with

small children, and passengers who might

require special assistance, are requested to

go to gate 2 and start boarding now. Please,

remember to keep your boarding pass and

identification ready. Thank you.

2

AUDIOSCRIPT

© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

UNIT 9

CD 09

1
A: So, what do you think? There are lots of

films to see tonight.
B: I’m not sure. How about this comedy? There

are some great actors in it.
A: Oh, come on. You can watch a comedy

like that on TV any time, there are hundreds

of them on the film channels. I’d like to see

something made especially for the big screen,

like a horror or an action film.
B: You know I hate horror films! An action film

sounds good, but, anyway, on the way home,

we can borrow a comedy on a DVD from the

rental shop.
A: That’s fair. Now, let’s see what we’ve got

here.
2
I play computer games a lot and I also like

reading novelisations. These are books in

which the authors use the original plot from

a computer game to invent new stories. I think

they are very interesting to read because the

characters that you already know from a game

have completely new adventures. I know that

some people complain that these books are

badly written, but for me they make a good

read.
3
I’m speaking to you today from outside our

local art gallery, where an interesting photo

exhibition opened yesterday. It has been

organised to show how our town has changed

over the last hundred years. It features

some photos from the collection of David

Christianson, a well-known photographer

from our town, who had a brilliant career over

50 years ago. There are also new photographs

taken by young amateur photographers who

were keen to share their work with the general

public.
4
I must say I found the performance absolutely

amazing. It wasn’t like any performance of that

kind that I’ve been to before. This time the

conductor introduced each of the pieces with

an interesting comment on the composer’s

biography. I think it really helped the audience

to understand and enjoy the music and gave

me a feeling of watching a biographical film or

a theatre play.
5
Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve liked drawing

and sketching. That’s why my mum keeps

saying I should study art at college. But I’m

really into computers and would like to study

something connected with IT as well as art. So,

when I finish school next year, I’m going to try

to get a place at university and do a degree

in computer graphics. My dad has helped

me to find a job for this summer with a small

computer company, which I think will help me

to get some practical experience in this field.
6
A: That was quite a disappointment, wasn’t it?
B: Very much so. I mean, you would expect

a much better performance from such famous

Hollywood names. I thought they were terrible.

A: But on the other hand, I think the actors

did their best if you think about how simple

the plot was, and how easy it was to guess the

ending. I wanted to see it mainly because I’d

heard such enthusiastic opinions from people

who’d read the book, but now I’m definitely

not going to read it.
B: Nor am I. I mean the story just wasn’t

interesting at all.

UNIT 10

CD 10

1
A: Where’s Tina? Is she coming today? Or is

she having problems with her knee again?
B: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with

her knee. She hasn’t been to the class for a few

weeks now and every time I ask her about it,

she always has some sort of excuse. Last week

it was an exam she had to prepare for, two

weeks ago it was the pain in her leg.
A: So, do you think she just doesn’t want to

come any more?
B: I guess so.
2
I’m not that much into sports, really. I mean,

I have been to the local football games once

or twice, just because my friends wanted me

to come, but I prefer watching sports on TV,

actually. But only when there is a really big

thing on, like the Olympic Games or the World

Cup. My brother watches extreme sports a lot,

but I honestly don’t understand that. I mean,

those sports are probably fun to do but

watching others do them is just a waste of time.
3
I’ve recently seen a  documentary about

ice climbing. You know, about people who

climb glaciers or even frozen waterfalls. It’s

an extremely difficult and dangerous sport,

something I can’t imagine trying myself. On

the other hand, I think I can understand why

some people do it. The rush of adrenaline and

the feeling of achievement when you’ve made

it to the top must be fantastic.
4
A: Hi Tom. What are you doing?
B: I’m looking through my cycling stuff. The

cycling season is starting again.
A: It looks like you need a new helmet. This

one’s all scratched. Look.
B: I know, but other than that it’s still good.

The cycling gloves look pretty worn out. I don’t

need to buy a new pair right now, though. But

look here. There’s a big hole in the saddle. I’ll

need to get a new one tomorrow.
A: Yes, I don’t think you could repair that on

your own.
5
A: What’s your schedule for this afternoon?
B: Well, I’ve got a small group for strength

training at 3 pm. Then I’m working with a new

guy who’s preparing for the ski season. Then

I’m free. Patty Jones called in this morning to

cancel her session today. What about you?

A busy day?
A: Not really. In an hour, I’m seeing a new guy

for his first training session. He’s got a history of

heart problems, but his doctor has given him

a special exercise programme. Look, if you’re

free now, why don’t we go to the cafeteria on

the ground floor?
6
Attention everyone! As you already know,

some of the outdoor competitions at our

school sports day, including the cycling and

running contests, have been cancelled due

to bad weather. Instead, we would like to

encourage all students to enter a swimming

competition, which will be held at the main

swimming pool. If you are interested, please

contact Mr Benson, the PE teacher, who will

give you more details on how to take part in

the event.

UNIT 11

CD 11

A: Hi Peter. Sorry to say this but you look as if

you stayed up all night.
B: I know I do. And I feel like it, too. I haven’t

been sleeping very well for the last few weeks.

I mean, I have no problem falling asleep but

I wake up several times during the night and

never get a good night’s rest. Last night was

no different.
A: Have you tried taking sleeping pills?
B: Well, I’ve read that it’s not easy to stop

taking them once you’ve started, so I won’t

touch them, but I tried some herbal stuff,

which didn’t work at all. If it doesn’t get better

soon, I’ll need to go to the doctor’s.
A: I certainly would if I were you. On the other

hand, though, I think your sleeping problems

might be the result of poor sleeping habits.
B: What do you mean?
A: I mean regular activities that may help you

a lot to get a better night’s rest. You might try

working out a little in the evening or changing

your menu for the evening. What’s most

important, though, is to teach yourself to go

to bed and get up at the same times, even at

weekends. I think some of these ideas may

actually help you.
B: Well, I don’t think my problem has anything

to do with my diet because I’m really careful

about what and how much I  eat in the

evening. But it’s true I’ve been really stressed

out recently, so maybe jogging in the evening

will make me feel more relaxed.
A: I’m sure it will.

UNIT 12

CD 12

1
A: So, what did you think of the presentation?
B: Oh, it was OK. I mean, when I realised it

wasn’t exactly going to be what I wanted,

I thought it would be a waste of time. But

actually I found it really interesting.’
A: You did? The leaflet said it would be about

graphics software, but instead the guy just

gave a commercial presentation of their own

program. He might be a good speaker and

the talk wasn’t that bad, but I’m still going to

complain to the organisers.
2
Ladies and gentlemen! Could I have your

attention, please! The next presentation will be

3

AUDIOSCRIPT

© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

a talk on data security by Dr William Hanson,

who will present a  number of solutions

to the problem of how to protect large

computer networks. Due to a huge interest

in the talk, the organisers have decided to

move the presentation to a larger room. The

presentation will not take place in room 25 as

planned, but in room 31 on the second floor.

We apologise for any inconvenience. We are

also pleased to inform all those, who cannot

attend the presentation at that time that it will

be broadcast on the local radio station at 9

o’clock this evening.
3
A: Look. I’ve found an interesting article about

the beginnings of genetic engineering. I think

we could use the information for a short

introduction.
B: Well, I’m not sure. It might be a bit of

a waste of time. In my opinion, we should

focus on explaining the idea of genetic

engineering and talk about what is going on in

the field at the moment. Look here, I’ve found

some interesting info about the use of genetic

manipulation in agriculture and medicine.
4
A moving image was transmitted for the first

time in 1923 by the Scottish engineer, John

Logie Baird, who a few years later, managed to

send a long-distance TV signal from London

to Glasgow, and from London to New York.

In 1928, the Baird Television Development

Company produced the first TV programme

for the BBC. However, Baird’s TV system was

a mechanical one and it was slower and less

effective than the electronic system developed

by the Italian inventor, Guglielmo Marconi.

As a result, the BBC stopped using Baird’s TV

system in 1935.
5
A lot of people of my generation criticise

modern technology. They say we grew up

without all these useful new devices and

gadgets at home and so we were not as

lazy as the younger generation. Honestly

though, I can’t imagine my life without all the

household appliances that make life so much

simpler and let me have more free time for

my interests and hobbies. And I completely

disagree that modern technology has

a negative influence on family relationships.

On the contrary, I can use email and other

online communicators to keep in touch with

members of my family who live far away.
6
Look, I was thinking. Could you come over

tonight and take a look at my computer? For

a few days, I’ve been getting the BSoD, you

know, the ‘blue screen of death’ message on

the screen. I’ve removed a lot of programs,

so there’s plenty of space on the disk and

I’ve updated most of the system drivers.

I really don’t know what else to do. Maybe

I should install the system again? It’s just really

annoying when I have to press the reboot

button several times a day.

UNIT 13

CD 13

1
When I bought my first pet snake about 15

years ago, some of my friends thought I was

crazy. I needed to learn how to take good

care of it, and I must say that it was not easy

or cheap. I joined a forum for owners of exotic

pets and I also read a lot of books and online

articles. Since then, I’ve kept several types of

snake, and I think that they are fascinating

animals as long as you know how to handle

them.
2
I’ve been working in a pet store for a few years

and I’ve observed that more and more people

are buying exotic animals as pets, such as

snakes or tarantula spiders. The thing is that

many of our customers don’t realise that it isn’t

easy to take good care of these animals. You

need to have some expert knowledge and be

ready for the sometimes high costs of looking

after exotic pets.
3
On the whole, I like animals. I’ve got a pet

dog and I  used to have a  hamster and

a budgie when I was a kid. But honestly, I can’t

understand why some people decide to keep

lizards or insects as pets. They’re disgusting!

One of my friends has an iguana and I wouldn’t

touch it even if you paid me. Besides, what fun

are they? You can’t take them for a walk or

teach them tricks.
4
Are you interested in exotic and unusual

animals? Would you like to keep one at home

as a pet but don’t know how to go about it?

Here at Exotic Pet Care, we can help you get

started. Visit our website, www.exoticpetcare.

com, to find all sorts of information about

exotic pets. You can also download our full-

colour veterinary reference book on exotic

animals for the small fee of £12.99.

UNIT 14

CD 14

A: What are you reading?
B: An article about community service. The

author thinks that it’s a good idea to punish

criminals and offenders by getting them to

do some work for the community instead of

sending them to prison. Personally, I find this

idea difficult to agree with.
A: But why? Isn’t it better for the local

community if criminals do something useful

rather than stay in prison and just learn to

commit crimes more effectively? I’ve read

somewhere that criminals who did community

service are less likely to break the law again.
B: Hard to believe, really. I mean, getting

a prison sentence is much worse than doing

community work or paying a fine. It shows

criminals that we, as a society, take the law

seriously. I think that only strict punishment

can scare people away from breaking the law.

A: I have to disagree with you on that. People

who go to prison lose their lives. They lose their

jobs, sometimes their homes and even their

families. What prospects do they have after

they’ve done their time and leave prison? So

they turn to crime again. Community service

may help them to learn a better way to live

without ruining their lives.
B: But what about the victims? If you were,

say, a mugging victim, wouldn’t you like to

see the mugger go to prison? Criminals must

be separated from society to make ordinary

people feel safe.
A: You’ve got a point there, but I think that this

is only true when it comes to violent crime. In

less serious cases, I still think community

service is a reasonable solution.

4

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© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

UNIT 1

CD 15

1
When Mary invited a group of her friends,

including me, to her coming-of-age a few

months ago, Tom came up with the idea of

dressing up for the party. ‘It’ll be great fun’,

he said. He wasn’t serious, though, which

I failed to notice. So I emptied my wardrobe

and eventually used a few bits and pieces to

create an elf outfit. Imagine my surprise, when

I arrived at the party and everyone else was

wearing ordinary clothes. But I didn’t feel

offended and we all had a bit of laugh about it.
2
A few months ago I needed to attend a job

interview and I decided to wear a neat trouser

suit and high heels. But to avoid making my

feet tired on the way, I went in my trainers

and intended to change my footwear before

entering the interview room. Well, I was so

stressed out that I forgot to do that, and

I walked in wearing my old trainers. It must

have looked rather comical to the interviewers

and as soon as I realised my blunder, I wished

the earth would open up and swallow me.
3
Last weekend I was asked out to dinner by

a man I’d met on a dating website. I wanted

to look and feel my best, so I decided to go for

a smart casual look, like a smart top and a skirt.

The guy, however, showed an appalling lack

of taste. He wore jeans, a horrible shirt, white

socks and sandals, which, of course, put me

right off him. I had a feeling that everyone else

was staring at us and all I wanted was to leave

the restaurant and forget the shame.
4
I’m so used to dressing down for the office

on Fridays that last week I completely forgot

about a business presentation I was going

to give for some of our customers. So,

when I arrived at the office wearing jeans

and a T-shirt, my boss was furious. Well, he

was right to shout at me and I knew I had

blundered. Anyway, there was no time to go

home and get changed, so I just tried to do

my best during the presentation. Fortunately,

it went very well and my appearance didn’t

seem to matter to our customers.

UNIT 2

CD 16

Interviewer: Good morning, everyone. It’s

time now for the weekly Our Space, Our Times.

I have with me Dr Sarah Hawkins, who will talk

to us about how we should manage our home

space. Good morning, Sarah.
Sarah Hawkins: Good morning.
Interviewer: Sarah, how well do we manage

our home space these days?
Sarah Hawkins: Quite badly, I’m afraid. We

are practically drowning in clutter. In 2005,

a group of researchers from UCLA visited 32

homes of middle-class families. What they

found were garages full of boxes, housewares

and tools, kids’ rooms overflowing with old

UNIT TESTS. Poziom rozszerzony

toys. Similar research done here in the UK has

shown that a lot of British families are no better

in this respect. The point is that although most

people value their home space, they can’t stop

accumulating unnecessary stuff.
Interviewer: Then why do we clutter our

living space?
Sarah Hawkins: There are a  number of

reasons. Storing things is comforting as we like

to think we’ll use them sooner or later when

the need arises. Sometimes we can’t get rid of

old stuff because of silly sentimental reasons.

Most importantly, though, we are a consumer

society. We have come to believe that buying

things is a measure of our financial success.

And gradually, over the years, we clutter our

homes and our lives to a crisis point.
Interviewer: What do you mean by a ‘crisis

point’?
Sarah Hawkins: That’s when we realise that

we’ve turned our homes into a warehouse

of junk. Most often, it is a moment when we

find it difficult to fit something new into the

house or garage. Occasionally for some, it

could be the need to rearrange their homes

because their adult children have just moved

out, moving to a new location or even doing

a jumble sale for charity.
Interviewer: Does the clutter affect the

quality of our lives?
Sarah Hawkins: It does! It takes up valuable

resources: time, space, money and energy.

Tidying up becomes more time-consuming,

and your living and working space, if you work

from home, is badly reduced. Research has also

shown that clutter can make you passive – it

costs you energy which you could otherwise

use for more creative pursuits like sports,

hobbies or improving your social life.
Interview: What advice can you give to those

who would like to declutter their homes?
Sarah Hawkins: Well, you have to realise it’s

going to cost you a lot of time and energy

and the mess can’t be tackled overnight.

Separate junk from useful stuff and get rid

of it. You might be able to sell some of it or

give it away but, if necessary, just dump it in

the garbage can. An absolutely crucial thing

to do is to start with something that will have

a positive impact on your life. For example, if

you can no longer put your friend up for the

night because the spare room is in a mess, deal

with that first. It will motivate you to carry on

with the task.
Interviewer: Thank you very much, Sarah, for

talking to us today.

UNIT 3

CD 17

1
A: I’m rather concerned about Stephen

Adams. It is almost the end of term and his

test results show he’s been making very little

progress recently. How’s he been doing in your

classes this term?
B: Well, that is not the case in my class. He’s

achieved satisfactory results in his tests and he

clearly has a lot of academic potential. What

worries me is that he is not using as much of

it as he could. He seems to be satisfied with

what can only be seen as average scores.
A: You’ve got a point there. Stephen was

much more involved last year and now he

seems to have become awfully passive. That is

definitely the reason why his performance has

suffered this term.
2
The unfavourable demographic situation

that is badly affecting the educational system

nationwide is threatening a number of schools

with closure. It seems that the first victim of the

situation will be St. George’s Grammar School,

one of the oldest privately-owned schools in

the area. The school authorities announced

their decision to close down the school after

local government had rejected their request

for financial help, arguing that several state

primary schools in the area are facing similar

problems. The government has already begun

working on a restructuring model that will

determine the number of schools to be axed.
3
A: A lot of teachers complain nowadays that

the Internet has become the only source of

information, especially for secondary school

students. Do you think this is true?
B: Well, I wouldn’t agree with the statement

that the Web is the only source of information,

although, undoubtedly it is the primary source.

This has been confirmed by a recent study,

which has shown that the Internet is the

first choice for the vast majority of teenage

students. However, I personally believe that

the fact that so much information is instantly

available nowadays makes some young

people more critical and encourages them

to check whether the information is reliable

enough to be used for their schoolwork.

UNIT 4

CD 18

1
I’ve always wanted to work in one of the

professions that serve the general public, and

I’ve been seriously considering becoming

a firefighter. My uncle is a retired fireman and

I really admire him, although he doesn’t seem

to approve of my chosen career. To tell the

truth, he’s often tried to talk me out of doing it,

and I don’t think my parents are pleased with

my decision, either. But for the time being, I’m

determined to apply to the local fire station as

soon as I leave school next year.
2
Last summer I did some voluntary work at the

local health centre. I worked as an assistant to

a physical therapist and I found it a fascinating

thing to do. I used to want to be an economist,

but now I know I’d like to be in a caring

profession. It seems so worthwhile and

satisfying to help injured or disabled people.

Of course, before I can work as a therapist, I’ll

need to do a three-year course in order to get

a physical therapy degree.
3
I’m leaving school in a few months and as

soon as I do that, I’m going to join the police

5

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© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

force. Some of my friends think I’m crazy and

I’ve heard lots of people talking about how

dangerous, unrewarding and even menial this

job can be. I do realise that working as a police

officer is not a bed of roses. But there are also

lots of advantages and I definitely want to try

and make a difference to the local community.
4
I’ve been playing the guitar for years and two

years ago my friends and I formed a rock band.

So far we haven’t really had any commercial

success – we have only played a few gigs at

some local events. My parents have advised

me to try and get a place at university in case

the band never really takes off and I think

I’ll go along with what they say. So, to keep

my options open, I’m going to study sound

engineering.

UNIT 5

CD 19

A: What are you reading? Anything intere-

sting?
B: I’ve just finished, in fact. A very interesting

article about ‘boomerang kids’.
A: Boomerang kids? I don’t think I’ve heard

that phrase.
B: Oh, you know, they are young people who

leave their parents’ homes and then go back to

live with their parents again, for various reasons.

Some have had an unsuccessful marriage which

ended up in a divorce, others are university

drop-outs. According to statistics, most

boomerang kids return to their parents’ nest

because they simply can’t afford to live on their

own, even though many have full-time jobs.
A: Not very surprising, is it? I mean the cost of

living is so incredibly high these days.
B: Exactly. What’s worse, the trend is so strong

that it has affected the property market

because there are very few first-time home

buyers. Just a second, I’ll look at the numbers

quoted in the article. It says here that in the

last 15 years, the number of young Britons

living with their parents has increased from 2.5

million to 3.2 million. That’s a 28% rise! It turns

out that a third of young adults, most of them

males, are living with their parents.
A: Phew! It’s hard to believe there are so many

of them! But it also means that they can’t only

be going back home for financial reasons.

I don’t think it was any easier for us to leave

home and live independent lives, but we all

wanted to do so as soon as we could. I can’t

think of any of my friends who’d have wanted

to keep living with their parents till they were

thirty something.
B: Well, I’m sure that there were such people

in our generation, too. But you’re right in

saying we did crave real independence and it

was only possible if you lived on your own and

paid your own bills. Apparently, these young

people find the present situation convenient.
A: I bet they do! Most probably don’t do any

cooking, washing or shopping. I wonder if they

at least contribute to the family budget.
B: According to the article, most of them

don’t, actually.
A: Then the parents should make them! Those

who do have a job, that is. Can you imagine

Mark coming back to live with us and not

sharing the bills?
B: Funny you should say that. He called me

this morning from his office. He’s coming to

see us this weekend.
A: That’s nice. Hold on, isn’t Janet coming,

too? Have they fallen out or something?
B: No, nothing like that. Janet’s going to

university this weekend, so he just doesn’t

want to stay at home alone. Probably because

he wouldn’t have anything to eat!
A: That’s right. He’s so hopeless in the kitchen.

UNIT 6

CD 20

1
Presenter: I’m talking to David Benson, who is

a nutritionist. David, a lot of people believe it’s

unhealthy to eat snacks between meals. What

can you tell us about that?
David: Obviously, some snacks which are

known to be ‘junk food’ are unhealthy. But

we need to know that there are a number of

modern myths about eating between meals.

For example, it is commonly believed that

eating snacks will make you put on weight or

lose your appetite. Research shows, however,

that some snacks, such as yogurt or nuts, are

actually very healthy as they help you get

used to eating smaller portions during lunch

or dinner and, as a result, effectively reduce the

risk of unwanted weight gain.
2
Earth ovens, or more precisely, cooking pits,

have been used by people in many cultures

for centuries. This easy-to-build and non-

energy intensive cooking method is perfect

for camping. It can also be an interesting

alternative to barbecues in your own back

garden. To make an oven, choose a safe spot

for the fire and dig a hole in the ground

around 30 cm deep and about 60 cm wide.

Line the hole with some flat stones, and on

top of them, pile up some small dry twigs.

Light the fire, making sure it burns evenly

over the whole pit. As soon as the fire starts

dying down, remove the ashes, leaving the

hot stones in place. Next, cover the stones

with grass and place the meat on it. Use the

remaining grass to cover the meat. Finally,

cover everything with the excess earth from

the hole to prevent air ventilation. The crisp,

aromatic and delicious meat will be ready in

about 12 hours.
3
If you just can’t live without red grapes, this

might be bad news for you. Studies have

shown that allergic reactions to red grapes are

becoming more and more common among

both children and adults. So, be careful if

you notice any of the following: flushed skin,

a stuffed nose, or, most commonly, a faster

heartbeat. Take special care in case of more

severe reactions, such as vomiting, shortness

of breath or swelling of the lips and mouth.

And the good news? Allergic reactions to

grapes are often caused by substances on the

grape skin, so peeling the fruit might solve the

problem.

UNIT 7

CD 21

1
I think that we live in a very materialistic

society, in which many people believe that the

ability to buy lots of things helps them to feel

in control of their lives. I used to think the same

until I found out that, in fact, the opposite is

true. It is not the ability to spend which gives

us control but rather being able to put aside

some money every month. Of course, it is

important to know what you’re saving your

money for, as this motivates you to control

yourself every time you feel the urge to spend.
2
I had been trying to control my monthly

budget for a long time. I had prepared my

shopping lists carefully to feel in charge of

my spending. The problem was that I had

never been able to stick to them and I always

ended up buying things not on my list. They

were usually small, inexpensive items, but in

a monthly perspective they badly affected my

modest budget. So, I made a firm decision to

avoid doing this and for the last few months

I have actually managed to save a little money

each month.
3
I have to admit I hadn’t been a very budget-

conscious customer. I used to spend a lot

of money during my weekly supermarket

shopping and I’d only occasionally notice that

I‘d spent more than I meant to. Then a friend

of mine lent me a book, from which I learnt

about some selling techniques that retailers

use to make their customers spend as much

as possible. It really opened my eyes! Now it is

much easier for me to resist the temptation to

spend, simply because I know their tricks and

I have taught myself to buy only the things

I really need.
4
Like most of my friends, I would go shopping

once a week to the out-of-town supermarket

and I always ended up feeling disappointed

with my inability to control my spending.

Finally, I decided that I had to change my ways

if I was ever to save any money. I now tend

to do most of my shopping in small corner

shops nearly every day, and I just buy the few

items I need. I also no longer go shopping for

clothes with my friends because I feel it’s easier

to resist the urge to buy more items if you’re

on your own.

UNIT 8

CD 22

Interviewer: Good morning, listeners. In

today’s programme I’m talking to Dr Edward

Clyde, a psychologist and the author of a book

about the different personality types of

holidaymakers. Good morning Dr Clyde.
Dr Clyde: Good morning.
Interviewer: I have to admit I found your

book very interesting and absolutely hilarious.

But I don’t think that that was the main reason

why you wrote it, was it?
Dr Clyde: Thank you. Well, I’m glad that

you found the book entertaining. But going

6

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© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

on holiday is a serious issue and the wrong

attitude may cause a number of problems.

The book is basically meant to make travellers

think about how their dominant personality

traits may affect their vacation. It might also be

useful in choosing the right company for your

holiday, to avoid disappointment and conflicts.
Interviewer: So, can you tell us about the

more common personality types, please?
Dr Clyde: Sure. Let’s take the ‘timekeeper’

type, for example. They always stick to

a carefully planned itinerary. That might not be

so bad in itself, but timekeepers often overdo

the planning. They’re constantly in a rush,

hurrying themselves and those with them

to keep to the schedule of sightseeing trips,

lunches, excursions and the like. They never

do anything on impulse and often ruin their

holiday just because they’re unable to break

away from their planned routine.
Interviewer: Not the best company for

a holiday. What about some other types?
Dr Clyde: Another common type is the

‘texter’. Texters are often unaware of the fact

that they’re uncomfortable about leaving their

familiar environment. To make up for it, they

keep in touch with it all the time, by sending

messages, emails, and tweets back to their

family and friends. Logging on to their office

mailbox while on the beach is nothing odd

for them. No wonder, those travelling with

a ‘texter’ will often feel ignored.
Interviewer: Terrible. They should get a digital

detox, I believe.
Dr Clyde: Exactly. Now, another type is the

‘hippie’. Unlike the timekeeper, the hippie

never plans anything properly. ‘I’ll figure it out

when I get there’, is what a hippie type thinks.

There’s some similarity between the hippie

and another type, called the ‘underpacker’,

who always fails to pack essential items for

the holiday. As you can imagine, both of these

types waste a lot of their precious holiday time

and budget to compensate for their lack of

suitable preparation.
Interviewer: What general advice can you

give to such travellers?
Dr Clyde: Well, read my book for specific tips

for each of the personality types. But speaking

more seriously, I don’t try to make people

change their personality. Holidays should be

a time of relaxation, not a struggle. The most

important thing is to be aware of those habits

which might spoil your holiday and try to

do away with them, at least for the holiday.

So, if you’re a timekeeper, for example, do

something crazy for once.
Interviewer: Thank you very much, Dr Clyde.

UNIT 9

CD 23

1
A lot of people start learning to play a musical

instrument on their own, using the resources

available online. Some of them might actually

be quite successful if they’re talented and

hard-working. Personally, however, I believe

that professional tutoring is necessary if you

are seriously considering a career in music.

Self-instruction often results in developing bad

habits, which will prevent you from reaching

the level of a pro. The cost of classes might put

you off a bit, but it’s still worth the money in

the long run.
2
My dad taught himself to play the guitar

when he was a teenager and he’s really good.

He showed me how to get started with the

guitar and gave me his old books which he

used to learn from. I’m actually using one of

them. With all the useful stuff available on

the web nowadays, it’s much easier for me

to learn. Watching people show you how to

play something online is a great help, not to

mention the fact that it’s no problem finding

guitar arrangements for almost any song you

would like to learn.
3
If you’re bored with your guitar classes

because your teacher makes you play scales

all the time, or if you’re self-taught and need

professional instruction to hone your guitar

skills, my online course may be the answer to

your needs. It features a number of 45-minute

guitar lessons, aimed at helping beginner to

intermediate guitarists. All the lessons come

with my own arrangements of various pieces,

including classical, blues, jazz, rock and heavy

metal pieces. Subscribe today and improve

your guitar skills!
4
My parents are both professional musicians

and I used to think I’d follow in their footsteps.

I started learning to play the piano at the age

of 4. Now I’m 17 and I believe I’m pretty good.

But honestly, only the most talented musicians

can make it to the top and I have realised that

I might not be one of them. So, I no longer see

myself pursuing a music career, and I’d rather

do a degree in sound engineering. Fortunately,

my parents are very supportive and have never

shown any disappointment with the fact that

I’m not going to play music professionally.

UNIT 10

CD 24

Interviewer: With me today in the studio is

Robert Bryce, an author of several books on

sports. Good morning, Robert.
Robert Bryce: Good morning.
Interviewer: Robert, I must admit I’ve found

your latest book an excellent read. It cuts

through some modern myths about sports

and draws an interesting comparison between

traditional and extreme sports. There’s also

a large section in which you try to predict the

future trends in sports.
Rober t Br yce: That ’s all true. M ore

importantly, though, it also shows modern

society through sport. Sport is an important

part of popular culture and it reflects social

values and the way people interact with each

other. And that’s what I’d call the main point.
Interviewer: I see. Let’s talk for a while about

how sport might develop in the future. There

are already some interesting trends we can

observe. New, unusual sports activities are

being invented all the time. Some of them

are short-lived while others gain popularity

quickly. On the other hand, traditional

disciplines seem to have changed very little

since they were invented. Do you think they’re

bound to disappear?
Robert Bryce: Well, if we’re talking about

amateur sports, activities that people do for

fun or to keep fit, I don’t think a lot is going

to change here. Ideas that sports will become

extremely violent, or reserved for a small rich

elite, rightly belong to science-fiction literature.

I also disagree with the views that extreme

sports will prevail over traditional disciplines.

I think that most people will be happy enough

to stick to traditional activities like cycling or

skiing.
Interviewer: And what about professional

sports? What are the trends there?
Robert Bryce: Well, a  lot of people are

critical of the fact that professional sport has

become big business, with top sportspeople

earning incredible amounts of money. They

think sport should become less commercial

whereas I feel the opposite will happen. Sports

authorities will introduce changes to the most

popular disciplines that will attract even larger

crowds to the stadiums and as a result, make

professional sport even more profitable.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for talking

to us today.
Robert Bryce: Thank you.

UNIT 11

CD 25

1
I went skiing in Italy with some friends last year.

On the second day of our trip I was feeling a bit

unwell and some of my friends recommended

that I stay in the hotel. But I was determined

not to waste my time, so I went skiing with

them. I fell really badly on my way down the

piste and got a complicated fracture in my

right elbow. Since the accident I’ve already had

two surgeries, but I still do not have the full

range of motion in my right arm, which means

I can’t stretch it out fully. This hasn’t stopped

me from going back to skiing, though.
2
Last year I was working out in the gym and

I badly strained a muscle in my left shoulder.

To be honest, I could only blame myself for the

injury, as I hadn’t warmed up properly before

the exercise. While I was doing the upright row,

I felt a terrible pain in my left shoulder. In the

hospital, I was given an X-ray, which showed

that some of the muscle fibres had broken.

Luckily though, although it was really painful at

first, the injury was not so serious as to require

any clinical treatment. Still, it took over two

months to heal completely.
3
Two years ago I had a cycling accident while

I was riding in the forest. I shouldn’t have

been going so fast as the path was still wet

after the rain the night before. Anyway, the

bike skidded, I fell off and hit the ground

really hard. At first, I thought I’d got away

with a few bumps and scratches, but a week

later, I started getting frequent pains in my

back. I wasn’t getting any better, so I had to

consult a doctor. It turned out that as a result

of my accident, I was suffering from a ruptured

disc. I spent over a week in hospital, taking

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© Macmillan Polska 2014. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the classroom.

medicines and attending a course of physical

therapy.
4
A few weeks ago I broke the calf bone in my

right leg during a game of football. I was just

going to shoot at the goal when one of the

defenders attacked me. It was a really brutal

foul, which he got sent off for. I was taken to

hospital where the doctor diagnosed me with

a broken bone. Fortunately, though, there

were no complications, so I stayed there for

just two days, got my leg in plaster and then

returned home. I had the plaster removed

yesterday and everything seems to be fine, but

the doctor says I’ll have to wait a few months

before I go back to doing sports.

UNIT 12

CD 26

1
For the last few months I’ve been taking part

in an archaeological project in Peru which is

aimed at exploring the Inca ruins. Many of

the participants, like myself, are volunteers

who help to carry out research work in the

Amaybamba Valley. We live like the local

Peruvians, which most of us found hard to

get used to at the beginning. However, the

difficult living conditions and hard work are

easily made up for by the great satisfaction

I felt when my team helped to excavate and

explore an ancient settlement. It was an

incredible feeling and I’m sure that a lot of

people would love to experience something

like that.
2
Few science-related topics can trigger

such heated discussions as the idea of

space exploration. Personally, I can’t agree

with the opponents of space exploration,

who point out that the costs involved are

immense, because I  believe that space

exploration is a natural and necessary step

in the development of human civilisation.

Although the issues of poverty, starvation

and protection of the natural environment

are certainly important, I am strongly in favour

of exploring outer space because scientific

knowledge is of incalculable value, and the

research might well benefit the human race in

a number of ways.
3
A: Have you read this article?
B: The one about genetically modified crops?

Yes, I have. It’s rather critical, isn’t it?
A: I don’t honestly understand why. I know

that there have always been doubts about

every new technology. The author’s arguments

that GM crops have resulted in genetic

pollution have not been confirmed by any

research data. In fact, I’ve read some more

about the issue on the Web and most experts

seem to agree that genetic modification

of crops is likely to improve the quality of

the natural environment and boost food

production.
B: Well, I’m not so sure. After all, he does

quote some figures in his article to show that

GM crops have already increased the risk of

allergies. And I think I agree with his beliefs

that in the long term, GM crops may cause

unwanted mutations in some bacteria or

insects. I really don’t think we just have the

right to interfere in nature so much.
A: Oh, well I’m sorry to say this, but I really

can’t go along with that at all.

UNIT 13

CD 27

1
I live in a lovely, small seaside town, whose

beautiful sandy beaches attract crowds

of tourists each year. Every summer it was

the same sad story – the beaches were

covered in all sorts of rubbish, with the local

authorities unable to stop people littering the

environment. So last year, some of the local

residents like me decided to set up beach

patrols to deal with this problem. Groups of

volunteers walked along the beaches to make

sure that the tourists used rubbish bins. They

talked to people about the health hazards that

litter might pose and teamed up to clean up

the beaches. I’m convinced that such voluntary

schemes can do more good than any strict

laws imposed by the local authorities.
2
I often go hiking in the mountains and I’m very

concerned about how mindless some tourists

can be. They drop all sorts of litter in the forest:

broken glass, plastic bottles, food leftovers,

even cigarette ends. They completely ignore

the fact that these things can be dangerous to

the woodland and the animals that live there.

A fire caused by a thoughtlessly dropped

cigarette end could easily destroy hundreds of

acres of forest. The forest wardens I’ve talked

to say that most of the tourists are just too lazy

to take their rubbish with them, even though

they do realise the danger they’re causing.
3
The village where I live is located on the

shore of a large lake, and so it’s very popular

with tourists who come flocking here in the

summer for the water sports. No wonder the

beaches around the lake are littered with all

sorts of stuff left by the tourists. And I don’t

blame them! People are lazy by nature and if

they do not feel any pressure, they will drop

their litter anywhere. I believe that there should

be high penalties imposed by the local officials

to make people think twice before they leave

their rubbish on the beach. Unless firm legal

action is taken against people littering the

lakeside, the problem will remain.
4
Whenever I go on holiday, it strikes me how

much damage tourists can do to places of

natural beauty. I sometimes see whole families

leaving all their rubbish on the beach or near

a river. I’m not surprised that small kids do that.

After all, they’re just following their parents’

example. I think the only way to change

this is to teach people about the dangers

of pollution. People need to realise that the

environment is a fragile system and it’s our

common responsibility to protect it. Without

proper education, most people will just keep

thinking like this: ‘It’s only a sweet wrapper! It

won’t destroy the forest, will it?’

UNIT 14

CD 28

A: I’m talking to John Davids, who works as

a volunteer for Victim Support. John, could you

tell us more about the organisation?
B: Of course. Victim Support is a charity that

provides various forms of help to people who

have been victims of a crime. This help might

range from helping to deal with the damage

done by burglars, for example, to going

through some formalities, or, as is the case of

my group, helping the victims cope with the

after-effects of the crime.
A: You mean counselling?
B: Not exactly. Counselling involves specialist

therapy which is provided by trained

professionals who help their clients solve their

problems. Crime victims hardly ever need this

kind of specialist therapy unless they suffer

from PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

What most of them need is to make sense of

what they’ve been through and get their lives

under control again. So most of the time, we

just let them express their emotions and fears

while we are there to hear them out.
A: Surely this can be done by family members

or close friends, too?
B: You’re right, but from my own experience

I can say that most crime victims prefer talking

to our volunteers. I believe that it’s easier for

them to open up to strangers and avoid

troubling their nearest and dearest, who, more

often than not, might also have been affected

by the crime.
A: John, you’ve mentioned some practical

help offered by Victim Support. What kind of

help do most crime victims need?
B: Various sorts. Our volunteers help, for

example, the victims of burglaries to get their

houses renovated, or they help people get

whatever medical treatment they need. The

majority of crime victims, though, need our

assistance with filling out compensation claims

or dealing with the criminal justice system. It’s

a lot of paperwork.
A: What essential piece of advice could you

give to people who are finding it difficult to

cope with their emotions after becoming

a crime victim?
B: Oh, there are lots of things that are very

important. You have to try to regain control

over your daily life. Don’t make life-changing

decisions unless they’re absolutely necessary.

However, remember that your recovery

depends on one important condition –

you must never blame yourself for what’s

happened to you. Unless you get rid of the

feeling of guilt, you will never come to terms

with the experience.
A: Thank you very much for talking to us,

John.

8

AUDIOSCRIPT