Линия заданий 8, ЕГЭ 2027 по английскому языку

Задания 3–9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: With us in the studio today we have a young woman from the Navajo Nation. Could you please introduce yourself to the audience?

Helen: People call me Helen, though it is not my real name. All our names have special meanings; my original name for instance can be translated as “dewdrop” from my native language.

Presenter: That is a beautiful name indeed! Why would one change it?

Helen: You see I had to when I went to school. It was not easy for my teachers and classmates to pronounce it as our system — I mean the Navajo system — of vowel sounds is very different from the systems people around me use, which makes it difficult both to hear and pronounce. The sound of my name was closest to Helen so I put up with that.

Presenter: When people hear your tribe name, they imagine Indian-style tents and horse riding without a saddle. Could you explain what your land and people are like?

Helen: Much about the life of modern Native Americans is not the same as stereotypes may make you believe. Our land is basically a desert, with proper houses scattered everywhere. We no longer live in traditional hogans as our main homes. They are now mainly used for ceremonies. We still ride horses as the land is very open. The people are nice and friendly. I live in a small community in New Mexico.

Presenter: Could you tell us about your family?

Helen: Well, mine is very large, with a lot of relatives spread all over the reservation, and some in different cities. I have three brothers, a sister and three sisters-in-law. I’m the youngest of my family. However, it is not a must, not all our families are the same size. They used to be like ours, but not anymore.

Presenter: What is your lifestyle like?

Helen: Again, far from stereotypes. I go out with friends and wear clothes like an ordinary person — we only wear traditional Navajo dresses on certain occasions. I play all types of sports.

Presenter: Do you feel that your traditions are being kept or have they been destroyed, as your people become more influenced by European culture?

Helen: In some families Navajo traditions are kept — they are in my family. Other families are being influenced by mainstream American culture, but I think it is wrong for a Navajo person to lose their cultural identity completely. Something truly authentic must remain.

Presenter: Is English your first language?

Helen: When I was a child, I was taught both English and Navajo. Now I have partly forgotten the latter — I can understand almost anything but speaking or writing may create a problem for me. The elders understand our language best.

Presenter: What do you do on an average weekend?

Helen: I go to Farmington, the nearest large town, and go shopping, eat out, and then go to the movies. A great weekend would be going to the mall where I’d hang out with friends.

Presenter: Have you traveled much? What is your favourite place?

Helen: Yes, I have traveled. My favourite place is Connecticut. I would like to go overseas some day and see how people are there, and what their lifestyle is like. Navajo people are hospitable and we welcome travelers in our land too.

Presenter: Thank you, Helen.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задания 3–9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Good afternoon to those of you who listen to us every Monday in real time! Good day to those who are going to listen to the podcast later. It’s noon and Jacob Davies and Jane Sallie are here for you today. Hi, Jane!

Jane Sallie: Hi, Jacob!

Presenter: Jane, is it true that you’ve discovered a way to unlock your hidden potential?

Jane Sallie: Oh, yes! You do know that as a reporter I read hundreds of books a year. I watch thousands of videos and listen to hundreds of hours of audio podcasts. I’d love to say that I do that to become a better professional or to stay up-to-date, but truth be told, I’m a total content junkie. Most of the things that go in, do not stick in my head for long. But I’ve found a way to deal with it!

Presenter: So, what is it?

Jane Sallie: I call it a Goldfish notebook. Firstly, because people often joke that goldfish have a short attention span, and I sometimes feel mine is even shorter. Secondly, because they are smart and you can even train them to do some tricks. And last but not least, goldfish are also known to be helpful in increasing the good luck of a house and of a person who owns them. So, if you want to keep those shining fish...

Presenter: Jane, sorry for bringing you back, but we were talking about your Goldfish notebook. How did you come across this idea and what is it about?

Jane Sallie: Oh. Sorry. I was watching one of those recordings on productivity, or marketing, or something. I cannot say for sure. And it was like a lightning bolt for me. The recording was about keeping a diary that is not truly a diary. The idea is that you keep it on your lap while browsing the net or consuming content in general and you write there whatever comes to your mind.

Presenter: Are there any rules? Maybe a particular format you should follow, or all those bells and whistles like in a bullet journal?

Jane Sallie: No. Nothing like that. It’s quite the opposite actually. You may do whatever you like there and however you like it. You may recall a line from a song, or get an idea while reading a book, or just remember that you forgot to add milk to your grocery list, just add it to the notebook. You may doodle, or scribble ideas as fast as possible and go back to your content. If it doesn’t take much to grab your attention and yank you from your working mind, then you’ll find this idea very appealing. It’s like a dustbin for all those ideas that you juggle in your head all the time. They come and go, you jot them down in the notebook and return your focus to the content at hand.

Presenter: Why does it work? Is there a scientific explanation for that?

Jane Sallie: I don’t claim this is a strict scientific theory. I think of the conscious mind as the part focused on the task at hand, while what people often call the subconscious keeps producing associations and ideas in the background. When we read, or watch, or listen to something, our mind wanders now and then. Every time you get that little wander, tune in instead of tuning out. And you’ll see that if you allow yourself to get distracted for a moment, you’ll stay focused longer. Moreover, you won’t have to juggle all those potentially brilliant ideas in your head and will have access to them later.

Presenter: Can you give an actual example of how the notebook has helped you?

Jane Sallie: Sure. Just this week alone, my Goldfish notebook helped me to come up with a few pretty catchy headlines for my articles, and gave me an idea of what topic I should cover next. A friend of mine, who also got caught on the notebook, got some game-changing ideas for her publishing business.

Presenter: So, in a nutshell, if you have this free-for-all notebook and curate your ideas later, you might uncover your hidden potential?

Jane Sallie: Yes. As simple as it sounds. Just remember that the best ideas return.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задания 3–9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Good morning to you all! Alice Fraiser and Donald Thatcher are here for you today. As you know, Donald is a well-known writer of young adult fiction and stories for children. His major work, Dolly the Beast, has been successfully screened and caught on at once, hasn’t it?

Donald Thatcher: Hi, Alice! Oh, yes! It has. There’s now a whole community of fans, who come up with their own prequels, sequels, and side-stories. And I’m here today to say ‘thank you’ to you guys! Without you, nothing would have been possible!

Presenter: Donald, while preparing for the program, you mentioned that there’s a surprise you wanted to share. What is it?

Donald Thatcher: To answer this question, I should go a few months back. I was going to surprise my family and bake a Christmas cake full of raisins, cherries, and sultans...

Presenter: Umm. Sounds delicious.

Donald Thatcher: It does. So, I was in the middle of making dough, when I realised that a perfect baking tray is nowhere to be seen. So, I climbed upstairs, to the attic to find it. Instead, I stumbled upon a lot of amazing things: an old swing set, a collection of my great grandparents’ pictures in a leather book, my wife’s premiere dresses, a dozen of teddy bears, and a dusty shoebox with a piece of paper attached. It said: “A slimy tree.” I got it down and opened it.

Presenter: Was the tray inside?

Donald Thatcher: Even better. There was a manuscript of a children’s book.

Presenter: How did it end up there?

Donald Thatcher: That’s obvious, actually. When I work on a book, I drift into a habit of drafting its chapters whenever the idea comes to me. So, there is always a gazillion of papers, sticky notes and even tissues from coffee shops with my notes scribbled on them. My wife helps me to organise them. She devised a system of labelled shoe boxes, and puts all the notes she finds into them. This particular box was dedicated to the story about a slimy tree.

Presenter: Didn’t you want to publish it?

Donald Thatcher: I charted it out and read during bedtime story time to my kids. They liked it. I did intend to publish it straight after the release of Dolly the Beast. But when this fantasy series made a hit, I held back. Over time I came to think of The Slimy Tree as just for my family. So, the manuscript went up into the attic, where it remained until this Christmas.

Presenter: What are you going to do with the story now?

Donald Thatcher: I’d like to release it chapter by chapter on my website, with the entire book eventually being uploaded. It’ll later be published as a physical book. You don’t need to register or pay to get access to the book, nor to live in the UK or USA. The chapters are there for you to read in English.

Presenter: Wow! That’s a very generous gesture in our commercialized to the core world.

Donald Thatcher: There’s more! The coolest thing is that I’ll upload chapters daily alongside my suggestions for what you, my dear readers, might like to draw. But, please, don’t restrain yourselves and let your imagination run wild. The best artworks will be included in a published version of the book next year.

Presenter: Will you choose the best works?

Donald Thatcher: I will be able to see them and, maybe, comment on them, but I won’t be judging the competition. People from all over the world will have a chance to vote for the artworks online, but my publishers will decide which illustrations work best for their edition. So, here’s a chance for you to get creative and to get featured in my new book. Get imagining, and good luck!

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задания 3–9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Hello, everybody! My name is Jim Fairfax and here with me in the studio is Sally O’Connell. Hi, Sally!

Sally O’Connell: Hi, Jim!

Presenter: Sally, thank you for coming. I know you had a busy morning today and you have an evening flight back home, but it’s only noon and we’re ready to discuss virtual learning in our regular program “Tips and Tricks”. So, what is virtual learning?

Sally O’Connell: Virtual learning is a learning experience that is organized through the use of computers and/or the Internet. Unlike a virtual classroom, which is meant to replicate and replace the physical classroom for distance learners, virtual learning supplements in-class experience with digital communication and interaction. For instance, online quizzes or polls. Today, teachers and students across the country are making the transition to distance and virtual learning.

Presenter: Sally, for many students, this is the first experience using video chat and digital conferencing as a tool for learning. Are there specific rules of virtual learning etiquette, or are they similar to those we’re used to following in a physical classroom?

Sally O’Connell: They are a little different from the ones we’re used to. Actually, I intend to share a few tips to help students adjust to their new setup, engage fully in virtual class time and troubleshoot any related challenges. They were instrumental for me, so, I hope, they’ll come in handy for other learners as well.

Presenter: We are all ears.

Sally O’Connell: First, a quiet environment is the key when you’re setting up space for virtual class time. Choose a spot where there will be minimal distractions, ideally away from the flow of family “traffic”. It’s fabulous if you can set up your device at a desk, table or countertop so that your hands are free to take notes and flip through class materials.

Presenter: By the way, talking about class materials, are there any? Can’t they just browse for them during the class?

Sally O’Connell: Absolutely not! Just like ordinary class time, it’s better to have your materials ready when a virtual class or lecture begins. Gather any books, notes, printouts and binders that you may need to reference during the session. Make sure you have a pen and paper handy! And don’t forget to let your family members know you’re about to enter class time. This way, they can avoid distracting you and be mindful of their volume.

Presenter: My kids have French classes with a teacher from France via Zoom. There are five other children in a group and it’s ridiculous to hear them argue with parents about chores or shooing their pets away when the teacher is explaining the task.

Sally O’Connell: That’s exactly what I wanted to mention next. After you log on make sure to mute yourself! Background noises such as typing, chewing or barking and meowing pets may not sound like much on your side, but those noises can amplify across your teacher’s and classmates’ speakers. Most audio/mute buttons look like a little microphone. You’ll know you’re muted when you see an X or slash over the button. And, always double-check: are you really muted?

Presenter: Sally, don’t you think it’s too easy to get distracted when you’re sitting alone in front of a device with no one around to check on you?

Sally O’Connell: It really is. You can stay focused if you use active listening techniques. For instance, to show that you’re paying attention to the teacher, nod, smile and react to what you’re hearing, just the way you would in the classroom. Use a pen and paper to jot down the main points and ideas of the lesson in bulleted notes. Challenge yourself to learn one new thing from a classmate, ask one question or share one piece of positive feedback. And, please, resist the urge to surf the net!

Presenter: What if something goes amiss? Screen froze? Bumped from the class? App crashed?

Sally O’Connell: Don’t panic! Technical glitches are bound to happen. Calm down, troubleshoot, and try logging on again!

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задания 3–9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Hello, everybody! My name is Mary Sailor and welcome to our regular program about music. Last week we had a French horn player, who shared with us the challenges of his profession. Two weeks before, three pianists advised you to spend no less than one hour a day practising if you wish to become successful. Today we’ll discuss with our expert, Simon Banks, what to do if you aspire to become a conductor. Hello, Simon.

Simon Banks: Hi, Mary and hello to everyone. I’m pleased to be here today.

Presenter: Simon, I’m sure there are certain steps that must be taken to achieve such an ambitious goal as becoming an orchestra conductor. Could you please give us more details on that?

Simon Banks: Absolutely! Many music students dream of leading a group of highly trained musicians using their own unique interpretations. However, there are a number of skills required for becoming a professional conductor. First and foremost, to be able to inspire the best musicians, you need the ability to communicate with players on their own level. You should speak and understand their language. And I don’t mean English or French. What I want to say is that if you don’t know what it means to play an instrument well, you are not in a position to demand the same thing from an orchestra. Regardless of the instrument you choose, you must become extremely proficient at playing it.

Presenter: So, if you don’t play any musical instrument or don’t play it well, the career of a conductor is not for you?

Simon Banks: Exactly! Being a conductor is about presenting music in a way that you interpret it. Essentially, your orchestra is your instrument. Like musicians who are able to channel their feelings into their playing, an aspiring conductor needs to love music so much that they can effectively communicate their ideas to the group. So, you must love music more than you love yourself in a way.

Presenter: That’s amazing! I’ve never thought of it that way. Are there any other aspects involved in a conducting career?

Simon Banks: Because you will be working with people, you need to know how to effectively communicate with them and inspire them at the same time. You should know how to understand different personalities in order to create positive interaction.

Presenter: So, you need to be a musician and a psychologist at the same time.

Simon Banks: And a leader, and a mother. Because you should also learn how to inspire your performers and bring out the best in each one without starting unnecessary quarrels and arguments. You should also be a bit of a linguist.

Presenter: A linguist?

Simon Banks: Yes. A strong grasp of music language is important. And for that a conductor should be familiar with various languages such as Italian, German, and French so that they can share their interpretation of a musical piece with orchestra players from different countries.

Presenter: Do you need to graduate from University or College to become a conductor?

Simon Banks: I’d love to say that no education is needed if you are talented, but that’s just not true. Many professional positions require a master’s at the minimum, but some minor positions need a bachelor’s degree in arts. And while education is essential, like most jobs, experience also ranks very high as a marketable feature. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for college internships, you can get experience on your own if you know where to look.

Presenter: That’s amazing! Will you share some productive ideas with our audience?

Simon Banks: Actually, they are relatively simple. First, go to rehearsals. You’ll see what makes performance and observe how conductors make it happen. Second, listen to classical music. As much as possible, explore all types of music. Simply familiarizing yourself with classical pieces will help you develop your own ideas about how the music should be performed. And, silly as it may seem, pretend to conduct an orchestra using CDs or videos. If you work in front of a mirror, you will see what you need to correct or improve.

Presenter: Thank you very much, Simon.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задания 3-9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Broadcasting live around the globe on Radio Sundae is David Silverspoon. Hope, you started your weekend right by waking up to the breakfast show with my colleagues, Sarah and Jessica. Your day just got a whole lot better, and you are now ready to travel around the world with our guest, Jemima Foxcraft. Hi, Jemima! How are you today?

Jemima Foxcraft: Hello, David. I’m fine, thank you. Much better than yesterday. The weather was terrible, wasn’t it?

Presenter: It was raining hailstones as big as eggs. But I wouldn’t expect anything different from Friday the 13th.

Jemima Foxcraft: Neither would I (laughing).

Presenter: So, Jemima, where will you take us today?

Jemima Foxcraft: I want to take you on a tour around small, picturesque towns full of bookshops and book-related industries. So, we are off for book towns!

Presenter: And what makes a town a book town?

Jemima Foxcraft: Well, having one book store or even two in a town doesn’t turn it into a book town. You should have a real concentration of them, where people keen on reading might spend hours, or even days, browsing. While many cities have numerous book shops, book towns have them all in a small area, in order to create a critical mass. They usually begin with a couple of second-hand book stores and later grow to offer new books, too.

Presenter: Is that a recent movement?

Jemima Foxcraft: It depends on your age. They’ve been out and about for around half a century. Book towns have been springing up all over the globe since the 1970s. There are now dozens of them — from Australia and Finland, to India and South Africa. I haven’t been able to locate any in Russia or Argentina yet.

Presenter: How did it all start? What’s the rationale behind turning a town into a book town?

Jemima Foxcraft: As it turns out, it all started with an idea. Richard Booth wanted to regenerate Hay-on-Wye, his home town in Wales. Things used to be economically slim, and the population was decreasing as younger people moved away into cities. So he strived to provide employment, keep people in Hay-on-Wye, and increase the influx of tourists.

Presenter: Why not do it in metropolises?

Jemima Foxcraft: It is easier to do where rents are low — somewhere away from large cities. Moreover, after we’ve gone through everyone getting excited about e-books and online reading, having something practical and in your hand is something that people are happy to travel for. They’re starting to come back to the idea of things that are handmade, things that are created in a traditional way, things you can hold and smell and touch. I think in locations that are particularly picturesque, those things come together, and people feel they are getting a proper physical experience.

Presenter: It seems to me that there is a balance to keep between the charming nature of a book town, and this almost money-oriented logic.

Jemima Foxcraft: Absolutely. People involved in book selling in small towns must be quite business-minded and hard-headed about it, otherwise it won’t work. But I don’t think anybody’s going to make billions out of selling second-hand books, so it’s got to be people who are doing it for the love of it. And it’s not only about bookselling. Book towns become creative hubs, where there’s plenty to do and see — and the books are just the jumping-off point.

Presenter: So, where should I start if I am to visit one of them?

Jemima Foxcraft: If you have the means, go to Hay-on-Wye in Wales. Simply because that’s the first book town ever. They have a wide range of bookshops, and there’s a new book museum opening later this year. Another one would be Paju Book City in South Korea. Its major hallmark is that people don’t live there, unlike in other book towns. They come in to work there, and everything there is book-related. My third choice would be Wigtown, in Scotland. It’s a vivid example of a place that was regenerated by book selling. Some twenty years ago it was having a hard time — industries were closing and people were moving out. And they’ve absolutely turned it around — going from nothing, to doing a big literary festival and spin-offs. And the setting is amazing.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задания 3–9

Задания 3–9

Задания 3–9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Hello, everybody! My name is Sandy Brior. Welcome to our regular program about arts and literature. We came back on Monday, after our usual break for weekends, to talk about what should be done if you wish to be an orchestra conductor. On Tuesday, we discussed the release of the Dolly the Beast book. Thursday and Friday will be devoted to museums and art galleries, but today, Wednesday, March 19th, we’ll dive into theatre with our expert, Geoffrey Caedmon. Hello, Geoffrey.

Geoffrey Caedmon: Hi, Sandy. I’m pleased to be here today.

Presenter: The pleasure is mine, Geoffrey. I should admit that Geoffrey is neither a film director, nor an actor. You might wonder then what he is doing in the studio today. Well, let’s ask Geoffrey. So, Geoffrey, who are you?

Geoffrey Caedmon: You’re right, I’m none of those, even though I used to play on stage at school. I work for the University doing research on various issues connected with education and arts.

Presenter: While preparing for the interview, I found out that schools nowadays are reducing their arts budgets and cancelling trips to theatres. Does this have a positive or negative influence on students?

Geoffrey Caedmon: Sandy, before going into details, I wanted to remind those of our listeners who didn’t have a chance to go to the theatre with their school class, that it used to be a traditional school practice some 10 years ago. Not only was it a chance to take a break from school and have some fun, but it also had many additional educational benefits. So, I’d say that this is indeed a step in the wrong direction, as investing time into the arts has demonstrated its importance in developing well-rounded learners.

Presenter: So, what are the benefits of taking students to the theatre?

Geoffrey Caedmon: Research suggests that it improves students’ knowledge of literature, increases tolerance and empathy, and develops students’ emotional intelligence. Theatre acts as a window to a broader world by showing them different perspectives and experiences.

Presenter: But isn’t watching a movie the same?

Geoffrey Caedmon: It may be easier and more cost effective to have students watch the movie version of a play — however it does not have the same effects. It turned out that reading and watching movies of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, and Woe from Wit by Griboedov, did not trigger the same increase in knowledge experienced by students who attended live performances of the same plays. Of those who saw the live play, 79% could identify which characters were Romeo’s friends, compared to only 38% of those students who watched the movie. As for Woe from Wit, 83% of students who watched the play at the theatre could easily justify the actions of both Chatsky and Sophia, compared to 65% who read the book.

Presenter: Why is that so?

Geoffrey Caedmon: The way we respond to people performing a story on stage is different from how we react to seeing the same performance on a screen. This could be because being present in person can lead to stronger emotional connections. That is why watching movies does not have the same impact on our emotional intelligence as live theatre.

Presenter: Am I right in assuming that arts education should become part and parcel of school curricula?

Geoffrey Caedmon: Arts education is essential for developing creative thinking skills. Students who are involved in the arts tend to explore all possible solutions to come up with creative ideas. Arts education helps them develop into autonomous and resourceful learners by encouraging them to think outside the box. This, in the long run, impacts every subject students are involved in. So, answering your question, yes, integrating arts education is essential and should once again be given a higher priority.

Presenter: Thank you, Geoffrey, for your inspirational answers. I hope more students will get a chance to visit theatres with their schools, and learn to see beyond their own horizons.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.

Задание 3-9

Now we are ready to start.

Presenter: Good evening to you all and to our guest today, Joseph Evans.

Joseph Evans: Good evening.

Presenter: I don’t think that I need to introduce Joseph, a well-known novelist whose first novel about two young poets brought him national attention. Joseph’s The Swan Song won the National Book Critics Circle Award. And Joseph also won the Prize in Literature for children for his Mary’s Tales. So, Joseph Evans is in our studio today.

Joseph Evans: Thank you, Sophie. Don’t wait for me to blush at such an introduction. I did expect it. Your colleagues mentioned that you tend to start your shows like this, and you didn’t disappoint me.

Presenter: I should say that I will not disappoint the audience either, and will start the show with my usual question: what inspired you to write Mary’s Tales?

Joseph Evans: It was a young girl. She wrote me a letter and complained that all the stories she read about fairies and witches included perfect little lady-like creatures which were always polite and never said a word to defend themselves. And she didn’t like that one little bit.

Presenter: Wow! So she gave you the idea, and you set off writing a story straight away?

Joseph Evans: I wish I did, but it took time to develop. Actually, it took a long time to decide how. I needed to discover the main characters first. They had to grow out of a seed, as my mom would say. This didn’t happen for about three years. No, not three. I received the letter on the eve of my thirtieth birthday, and the book was published on the day of my thirty-fifth birthday.

Presenter: So — five years. You took your time, indeed.

Joseph Evans: I did.

Presenter: You did. But it was worth it, as your readers say. The heroes are not conventional at all. In fact, they are all quite flawed.

Joseph Evans: I think people who don’t have faults are very boring. Your faults are a large part of what you are like as a person. And the aim of any writer should be to make what they write interesting. So, if I can’t be interested in people with no faults, then neither can my readers. Mr Asparagus appealed to me because he is into both botanics and martial arts. And you must admit this is an odd combination. Laila is so sure of herself that you cannot pass by without paying her some attention. And of course Brighty is awesome because while other witches are polite and reliable, with her you never know what is going to happen next.

Presenter: This is so true. Your Brighty, the sorceress of the marshlands, has charmed many readers across the world. What do you make of that?

Joseph Evans: The one strange fact about Brighty is that almost every young man who reads about her wants to marry her. They do. They all confess their wish quite openly. The other day I was doing a question-and-answer session, and a teenage boy put his hand up and asked me if I would mind if he would marry Brighty when he comes of age.

Presenter: What did you say?

Joseph Evans: I wondered whether to ask him if he would mind everything being covered with frogs and lizards when the broomstick she was fixing went wrong. Or if he would mind being twisted round Brighty’s little finger when she needed something. Or would it worry him that she was always falling in love with other men; or... But I could see he regarded these facts as a test. So I told him to join the end of a very long queue of other young men and prepare himself to fight for what he desires.

Presenter: I guess this didn’t appear to trouble him unduly, did it?

Joseph Evans: Not in the least. Personally, much as I love Brighty, she is the last person I would want to marry. I wouldn’t like to live with a person who has a tendency to do the opposite of what you might expect.

Presenter: Luckily, Brighty finds Crawley and they make a spectacular team.

Joseph Evans: Yes, they do! Where Brighty is dashing and original, Crawley is quite practical. He is good at covering up Brighty’s dashing blunders, in spite of disagreeing violently from time to time.

Presenter: Joseph, our listeners would like to know more about the book, and one of them is on the phone — but first a short commercial...

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Now you will hear the text again. (Repeat.)

This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

This is the end of the Listening test.

Время, отведённое на выполнение заданий, истекло.