CAE Listening Test

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear two friends discussing a rock concert they both went to.

1 How does the boy feel about the main band?
A disappointed by their performance
B confused by all the advanced publicity
C unsure whether he got value for money or not

2 What is the woman doing in her reply?
A criticising the support band
B defending the approach of the media
C agreeing with comments about the main band

Extract Two

You hear part of a sports report about a football club manager.

3 What is the male presenter doing?
A praising changes that the manager has made
B suggesting that rumours about the manager are unfounded
C describing a growing sense of dissatisfaction with the
manager’s performance

4 In the female presenter’s opinion
A the manager’s strategy is the correct one
B the real problem is a lack of talented players
C the pressure on the manager is likely to increase

Extract Three

You hear two friends discussing an exhibition of modern sculpture.

5 What does the woman particularly admire about the artist?
A the originality of his work
B the way his art has developed
C the issues that his sculptures raise

6 What disappointed them both about the exhibition?
A the pieces of work that had been chosen
B the information provided for visitors
C the way it had been laid out

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear two people talking about their work as website designers.

1 How does the man feel about the work?
A He finds the creativity stimulating
B He would like to use his academic training more
C He gets most satisfaction from being part of a team

2 What do they both think about the job?
A It’s a difficult career to get started in
B It’s important to be able to work flexible hours
C It’s a poorly paid job for the amount of work involved

Extract Two

You hear two cyclists talking about their sport.

3 The man thinks his success as a cyclist is due to
A his complete dedication
B the age at which he started
C a series of great role models

4 When talking about cycling in a velodrome, the woman reveals her
A fear of dangerous sports
B inability to follow instructions
C willingness to accept a challenge

Extract Three

You hear a man called Roy talking about bees on a phone-in programme.

5 Why has he phoned the programme?
A to raise issues not previously discussed
B to challenge the opinions of other contributors
C to lend his support to a view that’s been expressed

6 When talking about gardens, he is
A describing what he does in his own
B encouraging people to grow certain things
C suggesting that people keep bees themselves

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear part of an interview with a broadcaster who is talking about a series of programmes he presented about landscape painting.

1 Why did he decide to include a picture by a politician?
A to point out how painting helps people in different ways
B to show some interesting points about styles of painting
C to stress that amateur art can equal professional painting

2 How does he feel about the process of drawing?
A The activity relaxes him
B He is ashamed of the results
C Concentrating on it is exciting

Extract Two

You hear an amateur pilot called Gina Nesbit talking about doing aerobatics in her small plane.

3 What does Gina find hard about learning new aerobatic movements?
A It is difficult to practise without any instructions
B Trying out some of them makes her feel sick at first
C She can get nervous flying the plane unaccompanied

4 What gives Gina most pleasure when taking part in competitions?
A the relief she feels after completing a sequence of actions
B the satisfaction of knowing she has performed accurately
C the pride she takes in preparing as thoroughly as possible

Extract Three

You overhear a chef called George talking to a friend about his daily routine.

5 What does George appreciate most about riding a motorbike?
A It allows him to avoid the traffic jams on the way to work
B It reminds him of when he was a teenager
C It gives him some time for himself

6 Which is George’s favourite object in his house?
A the kitchen table
B the shower
C the cooker

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You overhear a man telling a friend about a trip to the theatre.

1 The man says that the theatre
A had recently moved
B was overcrowded
C was unusually small

2 The man criticises the actors for
A lacking enthusiasm
B forgetting their lines
C wearing inappropriate make-up

Extract Two

You hear a media interview with a tour operator at a conference on what is called ‘responsible’ tourism.

3 What distinctive feature of his company is the tour operator keen to stress?
A It is responsive to local employment needs
B It designs tours for selected groups and special interests
C It makes limited use of non-renewable sources of energy

4 He makes the point that the majority of tourists are now
A conscious of a greater need for social justice
B willing to pay additional amounts for responsible tourism
C unaware that the choices they make have far-reaching effects

Extract Three

You hear two local radio presenters, Laura and Steve, talking about an upcoming rugby match.

5 What do they agree about?
A The ticket allocation has been unfair
B The final result is almost impossible to predict
C The absence of certain players will make for a less exciting game

6 Listeners who are planning to go to Australia to see the match should
A organise their accommodation in advance
B join the official fan club to reduce their travelling costs
C bring their children along to introduce them to the sport

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You overhear part of a conversation between the secretary of a golf club and a visitor to the club

1 What does the visitor feel about installing satellite navigation in her car?
A worried about its cost
B unsure of its usefulness
C doubtful about its reliability

2 When he talks about in-car satellite navigation systems, the secretary is
A helping his visitor to choose the best model
B providing his visitor with information about them
C warning his visitor about the drawbacks of using one

Extract Two

You hear part of a discussion in which the anthropologist Paula Drew and the comedian Mike Morton are talking about their lives.

3 What does Mike say about his use of comedy as a child?
A He appeared to have an instinctive talent for it
B His long-term friendships depended on it
C It was one of a number of skills he developed

4 Both speakers agree that, for a successful life, people need
A a belief in themselves
B a clearly defined goal
C a commitment to hard work

Extract Three

You hear part of a radio discussion about holiday reading

5 The man reads books which
A remind him of people he’s met
B make a change from his work
C are set somewhere he doesn’t know

6 His work involves
A a lot of travel
B looking out for new words
C studying classical literature

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You overhear two friends, Gordon and Annabelle, discussing a film called A Secret Place, which they have both seen recently.

1 What do Gordon and Annabelle agree about?
A The film lacks a coherent storyline
B The director was over-ambitious in his aims
C The book which the film was based on is far subtler

2 What does Annabelle think about the film’s ending?
A It is greatly enhanced by the musical soundtrack
B It strikes a good balance between humour and tragedy
C It is a clever way of solving a character’s problem

Extract Two

You hear part of a radio interview with an architect called Alan Fasman

3 Alan refers to St Paul’s Cathedral in London because
A it is a building of outstanding beauty
B it retains a powerful symbolism
C it met with disapproval at first

4 How does Alan account for the success of public architecture in the Netherlands?
A People there are very well-informed about architecture
B Decision-making about architecture is well organised there
C Many of the world’s leading architects happen to come from there

Extract Three

You hear part of a radio interview with the ecologist Lorna Hindle about climate change

5 What prompted Lorna to begin her latest project?
A dismay over a colleague’s behaviour
B frustration at government inactivity
C concern about industrial pollution

6 What is Lorna’s attitude to climate change?
A She believes individuals can help to combat it
B She considers its dangers have been exaggerated
C She places most emphasis on its economic implications

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear part of a radio discussion about a football team

1 What impresses the man about the player called John Elliott?
A He is able to keep calm when he gets near the goal area
B He is good at preventing the opponents from scoring
C He can score many goals given the right conditions

2 What do the two speakers disagree about?
A the inflated price paid for the new player
B the new player’s long-term prospects in the team
C the manager’s previous mistakes when purchasing players

Extract Two

You hear part of a radio interview with Deanna Carriconde, who has just won a prize for her environmental work in South America

3 Deanna thinks the underlying cause of the ecosystem changes she mentions is
A overfishing by industrial fisheries
B increased local sea temperatures
C growth of predator populations in the area

4 How do the local fishermen feel about Deanna’s work now?
A unhappy about sharing their catch with marine creatures she protects
B pleased that she has prevented industrial exploitation of anchovies
C optimistic about the prospect of catching better quality fish

Extract Three

You hear part of a radio programme about books and reading

5 Why did the woman read the book she describes?
A It was an unexpected gift
B She came across it by chance
C It was recommended to her

6 What did the book help her to understand?
A how strange the world is
B how enjoyable stories can be
C how she could become a writer

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear two colleagues, Eva and Colin, talk about a problem at work

1 What is Colin’s opinion of their new boss?
A She fails to consult with colleagues
B She is too keen to establish new working practices
C She has little understanding of the organisation’s history

2 When talking about the problem, Eva is
A trying to suggest that it is unimportant
B comparing alternative ways of solving it
C encouraging Colin to take a more positive attitude to it

Extract Two

You hear an interview with an expert who repairs antique vases

3 What is the expert doing at the start of the interview?
A explaining what can ruin a restoration job
B comparing various methods of restoration she uses
C describing the difficulties of matching colours during restoration

4 How does the expert feel about leaving visible cracks in the finished vase?
A They should be avoided if at all possible
B They are part of the vase’s history and should be seen
C They affect the value of the vase rather than its appearance

Extract Three

On the radio, you hear a visitor talking to a man about the remote island where he lives

5 The man wants a ferry service between the mainland and the island because
A he is keen to develop tourism on the island
B he thinks more young people would come to live on the island
C he feels the island people should not be isolated from modern life

6 The speakers have different opinions about whether
A creating an airport would be advantageous
B building houses on the beach would be advisable
C commercial development would spoil the island’s unique nature

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You overhear two friends, John and Diane, discussing holiday plans.

1 John thinks Diane’s indecision about the holiday is
A unreasonable in view of her financial position
B surprising since her holiday is well overdue
C understandable given how much money is involved

2 How does Diane feel about the prospect of a break from work?
A nervous that her boss will regret promoting her
B worried that staff will take advantage of her absence
C doubtful whether she can clear her backlog of work in time

Extract Two

You overhear two friends discussing a new film.

3 Why has the film been refused a certificate allowing it to be shown to children?
A The soundtrack makes it too frightening in places
B The plot is too psychologically complex
C The opening images are too violent

4 The friends agree that the original story on which the film is based
A is written in a rather unusual style
B gives a convincing portrayal of a historical character
C manages to keep the reader in suspense until the end

Extract Three

You hear an interview with the architect Ingrid Chapman, who is talking about an office building she has recently designed.

5 What does Ingrid think is the best feature of the new building?
A the amount of light that comes in
B the space she has created for staff interaction
C the way each floor has its own facilities

6 What does she suggest companies with outdated office buildings should do?
A employ her to design a more modern building
B ask staff what kind of workplace they would like
C use imagination to improve aspects of the offices

The old, print-friendly test

CAE Listening Part 1

You will hear three different extracts. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, В or C) which fits best according to what you hear. There are two questions for each extract.

Extract One

You hear part of an interview with a woman who works in retail management.

1 How does the woman feel now about her first job in retailing?
A pleased by the way she handled the staff
B confident that it gave her a good start
C relaxed about the mistakes she made

2 What is the woman advised to do next?
A reflect on her skills
B volunteer for extra work
C discuss her situation with her boss

Extract Two

You overhear a woman telling a friend a story about a swan.

3 What problem did the woman have with the swan?
A She misunderstood its intentions
B She underestimated the speed of its approach
C She failed to realise the consequences of disturbing it

4 What is the man’s reaction to the story?
A He feels he would have handled the situation better
B He is unconvinced by the woman’s version of events
C He fails to see quite how serious the problem was

Extract Three

You hear part of an interview with Bruce Loader, a successful businessman who is talking about his early life.

5 Why did Bruce decide to give up the idea of studying art?
A He failed to gain a place at art college
B He became tired of doing representational art
C He was persuaded that he could not realise his ambition

6 What was his father’s reaction to Bruce’s decision?
A He was anxious to discuss alternative employment options
B He was angry that a good opportunity had been wasted
C He was dismissive of the advantages of higher education

For this task: Answer Keys :: Tapescript