CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

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 colleague.
1. What is the problem the colleague causes?
A others have to do more work because of them
B clients are not happy with the service
C other members of staff are dissatisfied with them
2. What does the woman suggest as a solution?
A talk about it with the colleague
B get the management involved
C give the situation more time
Extract Two
You hear a man and a woman talking about a newspaper article.
3. What is the newspaper article about?
A poor results of a football match
B club management changes
C a sports club involved in a lawsuit
4. What is the man's reaction to the news?
A He is unhappy because the situation is very unfortunate
B He feels relief that they avoided a difficult situation
C He is puzzled by the timing of the event
Extract Three
You hear two students talking about a university course.
5. What do they agree about?
A The teacher manages to arouse interest to the difficult subject.
B The course got off to a bad start.
C Their future careers will benefit from this course.
6. What does the woman like about the lectures?
A the voice of the lecturer
B the lecturer’s humorous approach
C the lecturer's visual presentation of the material

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

Part 2
You will hear part of a talk on working as a computer game designer. For questions 7-14, complete the sentences.
The speaker believes computer games industry is a great career choice because it is 7 ________.
creative
Back at university the speaker got a degree in 8 economics
________.
She applied for the job when her 9 ________
uncle shared a contact name with her.
At first she worked as a 10game
________
testerfor a big name in the industry.
The first game she worked on was called 11 ________.
jungle
The speaker was later transferred to company’s 12 ________
research department.
She derives particular pleasure from working on 13 ________
adventure games.
The speaker uses the word 14 ________
satisfying to describe her career in the industry.

Part 3
You will hear a part of a radio programme about a professional dancer. For questions 15-20, choose the answer (А,
В, C or D) which fits best according to what you hear.
15. What does Ross mention about his current professional life?
A He enjoys the opportunity to work on his acting skills.
B He is actively involved in dance routines planning.
C He believes that his task is to make choreography come alive.
D He finds it interesting to plan the classes in a responsible manner.
16. According to Ross, the biggest issue is
A finding enough work contracts.
B staying fit and healthy.
C picking which company to work with.
D efficient time-managing.
17. Ross believes that he should get better at
A cooperating with others.
B using rehearsal more effectively.
C asserting himself.
D being a quicker learner.
18. Ross says he most enjoys working with other dancers who
A support others and are fun to be with.
B have ambition and strive for perfection. watch and learn
C friendly and know how to communicate.
D energetic and creative.
19. What does Ross say about the atmosphere in the two companies he worked with?
A Both are committed to dancing.
B The way they approach to dancing is very different.
C One of the companies is more enjoyable to work with than the other.
D They have their own way to show dancer's style.

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

20. What plans does Ross have?

a bit less predictable
A find employment in the movies
B become a teacher for younger dancers
C start a business of his own
D study a different field film study / history

Part 4
You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about events that they remember well.
TASK ONE TASK TWO
For questions 21-25, choose from the list A-H what the For questions 26-30, choose from the list A-H why the speaker still
event was. remembers the event.

A a sporting event Speaker 1 21 [ ] A it changed their opinion of Speaker 1 26[ ]

B a special birthday someone.
C a train journey Speaker 2 22 [ ] B it was very beautiful. Speaker 2 27[ ]
D a theatre visit C their companion reacted unexpectedly.
E a musical event D it had an impact on their
Speaker 3 23 [ ] Speaker 3 28[ ]
F the anniversary of an historic event career.
G apolitical speech E It helped them make a
H the opening of a public Speaker 4 24 [ ] decision. Speaker 4 29[ ]
building F They found something there.
Speaker 5 25 [ ] G They bought something Speaker 5 30[ ]
special there.
H They met someone special
there.

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

Answer Keys
Part 1
1. C 2. C 3. B 4. C 5. B 6. B
Part 2
7. creative 8. economics 9. uncle 10. (game) tester
11. Jungle 12. research 13. adventure 14. (very) satisfying
Part 3
15. C 16. D 17. C 18. A 19. B 20. D
Part 4
21. E 22. F 23. B 24. A 25. D
26. C 27. H 28. E 29. B 30. F

Tapescripts
The part of the text containing the answer is underlined with the question number given in square brackets []. If
you still struggle with CAE Listening, please refer to Listening tips.

Part 1
Extract One
Man: I hope Jeremy's going to turn out OK as the new store supervisor. I'm beginning to have my doubts.
Woman: Well, he’s bound to take some time to settle into the role, I guess, but things aren't looking that promising.
I've heard mutterings from several members of staff already. [1]
Man: I know. And it used to be such a happy team. At least everything seems fine as far as customers are
concerned. I guess there's no reason to take it up with our line manager at this stage. But perhaps we should have a
quiet word with him? You're good at that sort of thing,
Woman: Well, I wouldn't mind but I think I'd be more in favour of hanging on for a bit. It might just be a matter of
him getting used to our way of working with each other. He might just have been used to a less collaborative
atmosphere. [2]
Man: OK, let's give that a try then.
Extract Two
Man: Look at this. They've gone and sacked their manager. He's only been in the post for a couple of years. [3]
Woman: Is that because they've had such poor results recently? When everyone had said the team was on the verge
of doing so much better than before.
Man: It must be. And they've terminated the coach's contract too. But he's no loss. I never thought he was much
good.
Woman: And you never thought much of the manager either did you? You were always saying he was in out of his
depth.
Man: Yes, in the long term it might be a good thing, but it’s still an odd time to do it. [4] It's going to be pretty
unsettling for the players. I wonder if there's more to it than meets the eye. Some legal issue perhaps.

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

Woman: Maybe. But perhaps it's a relief to see the back of them if something like that's involved.
Man: I'd agree with you if it had happened at the beginning of the season but not... [4]
Extract Three
Woman: The Monday afternoon optional course seems to be turning out OK, don't you think? I thought it was
going to be tedious at first but it seems to get a bit better each time. [5]
Man: Yes, I thought I might end up dropping it after the first week but I'm getting more used to the lecturer and I
think I quite like his style now [5]. He's got quite a dry sense of humour. And I suppose vibrations could be an
important topic, if we're going to become hands-on engineers.
Woman: I'm not so sure about that. Anyway, I've decided to stick with it for a bit longer. I wish he didn't speak so
softly though. It's hard to hear his voice from the back of that huge lecture hall. If he wasn't so witty I don't think
I'd make the effort. [6] And his slides have far too much on them, I can't read them when I'm sitting at the back, It's
a good job he puts them up online for us.
Man: Mm, I know. And did you see he's also put up a coursework assignment for us? We've got to get it done by
the end of next week.

Part 2
Woman: I'm here today to talk to you about working in computer gaming, I'd certainly recommend it as a career.
Not because it’s glamorous — it has that reputation among some people, I believe — nor because it's a well-paid
job — generally it isn't — but rather because it's creative. [7] And that's the factor that, all things being equal,
correlates most highly with job satisfaction.
People get jobs in the computer games industry after degrees in all sorts of subjects. Of course, if you've done a
course in graphic design, that'll stand you in good stead but it's certainly not essential. I myself graduated in
economics [8] and colleagues of mine did history, engineering and English. The degree itself is less important than
the enthusiasm someone brings to the job. It goes without saying that everyone who joins the industry has
themselves enjoyed playing games. My parents always told me I spent far too much time on them, so much so that
they suggested I put it to good use and apply for work in the industry. My uncle sent me the name of someone he
knew at a major games company, so I decided to apply there first. [9]
I was lucky enough to get taken on. I didn’t have the skills to become a technical programmer of course and started
as a game tester [10]. That taught me a huge amount and after six months I was able to do something more
demanding.
At first I was assigned to one of the games the company was then in the process of developing. You may well know
it — it's called Jungle — it turned out to be a big seller. [11] Later I worked on a game called Motor Show — that's
less widely known but it has a devoted niche following. Anyway, I learnt a lot working on these two contrasting
products.
After six months I moved on. I was given a position in the research department. [12] I had applied for something in
the marketing department but didn’t get that. I was disappointed at the time but now feel it worked out for the best.
There are, of course, many different types of computer games. The company I work for specialises in sports games
— skateboarding, motor racing, that sort of thing. However, it’s also dabbled in old-fashioned arcade games and it
does some adventure games too. Those are the ones I personally most enjoy working on — though each type of
game has its own attractions, of course. [13]

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

Anyway, I'd certainly recommend a career in computer games. I'd say mine has been very satisfying. [14] Not as
financially rewarding as some of you might like but that's not the main thing is it? When preparing for this talk I
asked some of my colleagues how they would sum up their careers. The most common word they used was
challenging but I don't feel that that puts a positive enough slant on a career in computer games. Anyway. let me
now take any

Part 3
Interviewer: Ross, it's a pleasure to have you in the studio today. I wonder if you could tell me first what your
work is like at the moment?
Ross: Sure. I work for two different dance companies. My primary responsibilities include attending warm-up
class, rehearsals, performances as well as some teaching. At rehearsals, I must learn, master and artistically
interpret the dance routines. [15] It's not my role to change the choreographer's ideas, though sometimes I might be
tempted to. In performances, the dancer has to accomplish what is surely their principal task: to bring the
choreography to life, much as an actor does with their role in a play. Sometimes I have jobs that involve teaching
younger dancers and there the goal is to teach within the style of the company you are representing, so that requires
plenty of thought and planning.
Interviewer: So, what are some of the problems or decisions you face on a regular basis?
Ross: One of the chief problems I face is scheduling. [16] The dance companies I work for often have overlapping
performance dates. I also have to factor in my yoga teaching schedule. Very few dancers land dance jobs where
they work just for one company and can live off of that salary alone. Most dancers work for multiple
choreographers or companies. Of course, you also need to stay in good physical shape and prioritise going to
technique class and the gym.
Interviewer: What skills are required to handle these problems or decisions?
Ross: You have to be extremely organised and vigilant, adaptable and cooperative. Being a fast learner is helpful,
so when you have to attend rehearsals for a shorter period of time, you still get the necessary work done.
Fortunately, that's not usually a problem for me. Lately, though, I have been working on being more confident
about asking for what I need [17]. I'm aware that can let me down sometimes.
Interviewer: Could you tell us about some of the people you work with, and give us some idea of what working
with them is like?
Ross: Most modern dancers are extremely hard-working, down-to-earth, friendly people. Their personalities can
range from being quirky, very creative types to extremely meticulous perfectionists who, under other
circumstances, you might find in an accounting office. I work with both types and more. My interactions with my
fellow dancers are usually filled with laughter and fun. I tend to gravitate towards dancers who are light-hearted
and encouraging - though I certainly respect other types too [18]. I watch and learn from dancers who are
perfectionists and go-getters. I try to avoid confrontation and work toward open channels of communication
between myself and other dancers, so that they feel free to give me feedback about my dancing and vice-versa.
Interviewer: How would you describe your work atmosphere?
Ross: I'm currently working for two main companies. One of these has a very structured and organised rehearsal
process. A lot of time is spent on details and precision of the movements, spacing, musical counts, etc. Each
rehearsal is carefully planned out with asks that need to be accomplished that day. The other company has
rehearsals where dancers improvise with each other, and by themselves, to generate movement material and
stylistic ideas. The rehearsals are freer in their structure, ideas are tossed out, played with, transformed or
discarded. [19] I think both of these working atmospheres, or a combination of both, are typical in the field of

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

dance.
Interviewer: What are your plans for your future?
Ross: Most dancers end up teaching and that's a great career of course. I'd kind of prefer to do something a bit less
predictable. I don't think I've necessarily got the skills to run a business of my own or anything like that but I think
I might go back to college and do a course in something like film studies. Or perhaps, even something in history as
that’s something I get increasingly interested in as I get older. [20] Who knows what I might end up doing!
Interviewer: Thank you, Ross.

Part 4
Speaker 1
I've just been to something I'm sure I'll remember all my life. It was one of my favourite bands of all time playing
in front of the National Gallery. [21] It was just the perfect setting - a square surrounded by elegant historic
buildings. Quite a severe location in some ways but that suited their style. The bit I'll personally always treasure
was how taken my son was by it all. [26] Usually he's a bit dismissive of my tastes in songs but he agreed to let me
drag him along and it was clear from his face that he found it spellbinding. I've now agreed to go along to watch a
cricket match with him and hope I'll be equally surprised to find it enjoyable.
Speaker 2
It was an absolutely extraordinary evening, well worth the long rail journey I'd had to make to get there. The
speakers were excellent - managing to be both moving and witty in a way that seemed totally appropriate given the
nature of the occasion. A hundred years since the halls that had a exhibition had burnt down. [22] But I remember
the event also for personal reasons. I bumped into a friend I hadn't seen for a good ten years, a guy I used to
football with before we both headed off to university. I'd thought about him often but hadn't managed to find out
where he was living or what he was doing now — despite googling him every now and then. [27]
Speaker 3
When you think back over the memorable events in your life I think sometimes it's relatively ordinary ones that can
stand out more than the big public occasions. My grandfather becoming eighty, for example, had a surprisingly
significant impact on my life. [23] A famous actor who'd been to school with Grandpa gave a very touching speech
about the importance of roots and it came to me with total clarity that I really did want to move back to the town
where I grew up. I'd been turning the idea over in my mind for quite some time but might never have got round to
doing anything about it had it not been for that speech. [28]
Speaker 4
I met Fiona when we were both on a train going to the airport last month and we started talking about where we
were heading. Fiona told me she was going back to the island where she'd spent many happy holidays as a child -
but this time because she had to attend a conference in connection with her work as an architect. I explained that I
was off to the city where I'd had the luck as a child to go to the opening ceremony of the winter Olympics. [24] The
thing that struck me most then were the fireworks over the snowy mountains. I don't think I've ever seen more in
the twenty years since. [29]
Speaker 5
I was a bit late coming home last night because I'd had to hand in a piece of lost property. I'd found a purse on the
floor of the auditorium. You remember I was going to see one of my favourite plays. [25] It was an excellent
performance but I think I'll remember the evening most because of that purse. When I looked inside it the credit
card had the name of a really famous political figure on it. [30] Do you think they might ask to meet me when they

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CAE Listening – Practice Test 29

learn their purse has been handed in? They should be very grateful because there was a lot of money in there. And I
mean a lot! Enough to buy a new car!

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