Zadanie 1 – transkrypcja
Speaker 1: When I finished school, everyone assumed I'd go straight to university. My teachers certainly expected it, and my parents had already started looking at accommodation with me. But I wasn't sure what I wanted to study, and I didn't see the point of spending three years doing a degree just because everyone else was doing one. So I took a job at a local hotel instead. Some of my friends thought I was crazy. A year later, I still haven't started university and, actually, I'm really happy with my choice.
Speaker 2: I'd wanted a new laptop for months. Mine was incredibly slow and sometimes switched itself off in the middle of an online lesson. I found one that looked perfect, but it was much more expensive than I'd planned. Normally I buy things quite quickly, but this time I decided to leave it for a few days. I'm glad I did. After reading some reviews, I realised there was another model which was just as good and considerably cheaper. If I'd ordered the first one immediately, I'd have wasted a lot of money.
Speaker 3: My friends and I had arranged to spend Saturday at an outdoor music festival. We'd bought the tickets weeks before and were really looking forward to it. On Friday evening, though, I checked the weather forecast and saw that heavy rain and strong winds were expected all day. Then we found out that several bands had cancelled their performances. We talked about it and eventually decided to sell our tickets and go somewhere else instead. It wasn't what we'd planned, but we had a great day.
Speaker 4: Last summer I was offered two part-time jobs. One was in a small bookshop and the other was in a supermarket. The bookshop sounded much more interesting, and it was closer to my house. But the supermarket paid nearly thirty percent more and I was saving for a trip abroad. So in the end the choice was pretty simple. The work wasn't particularly exciting, but after two months I had enough money for my holiday.
Speaker 5: My older brother told me not to buy my first car without getting someone experienced to look at it. I thought he was being overprotective. I'd found a cheap car online, the seller seemed friendly, and during the test drive everything appeared fine. Three weeks later the engine started making a terrible noise. The repair cost almost as much as the car itself. Next time my brother tells me to get something checked first, I'll listen.
Zadanie 2 – transkrypcja
Sophie: Have you decided whether you're going back to the sports centre this summer?
Daniel: Probably. They asked me last week if I wanted to work there again. What about you? Are you going back to that café?
Sophie: I think so. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
Daniel: Really? I remember you weren't exactly enthusiastic at first.
Sophie: That's true. I only applied because I wanted to replace my phone before our holiday. Mine was so old that the battery lasted about two hours. My parents said they'd pay half if I earned the rest myself.
Daniel: And did you?
Sophie: Yes, after about six weeks. But the job was harder than I expected. I thought I'd just take orders and make coffee. I didn't realise I'd spend so much time standing, carrying boxes and cleaning tables. At the end of my first few shifts, my legs were killing me.
Daniel: But you got used to it?
Sophie: Definitely. And I learned a lot. You have to stay polite even when people are impatient. What made you choose the sports centre?
Daniel: Mainly because it was practically next door to my house. I could walk there in seven minutes. I looked at another job in an electronics shop, which sounded more interesting, but I'd have needed two buses to get there.
Sophie: What did you actually do at the sports centre?
Daniel: A bit of everything. I helped at reception, prepared equipment for children's classes and sometimes answered phone calls. Nothing very exciting, but I became much more confident talking to people I didn't know.
Sophie: Same here. That's probably the biggest thing I got from my job. I used to hate speaking to strangers.
Daniel: Exactly. Even if the job has nothing to do with what you want to do in the future, you learn things you'll probably use later anyway.
Sophie: That's what I think too.
Zadanie 3 – transkrypcja
When I signed up for my first online course, I wasn't worried about the technology. I use a laptop every day, so that part seemed easy enough. What concerned me was staying motivated. At school, you've got a teacher reminding you about deadlines and classmates working beside you. At home, there are plenty of reasons to do something else. At first, I made the mistake of trying to watch an entire lesson without stopping. If I didn't understand something, I just continued and hoped it would become clear later. Now I do the opposite. Whenever there's a difficult explanation, I pause the recording and play that section again, sometimes two or three times. I've also started planning my week much more carefully. Every Sunday evening I decide when I'm going to study and write those times in my calendar. Before doing the course, I wasn't very organised. I usually left schoolwork until the last possible moment. So although online learning isn't always easier, it's definitely taught me to take more responsibility for my own work.
Zadanie 4 – transkrypcja
If you need a new jacket, desk or even a phone, your first thought is probably to buy something new. But before you do, it might be worth checking what's available second-hand. I started buying used clothes when I was a student simply because I didn't have much money. Years later, I still do it. In fact, the jacket I wear most often cost me just twelve pounds in a charity shop. I bought it four years ago and I've probably worn it hundreds of times. Furniture is another category worth considering. Of course, buying a second-hand table can be less convenient than ordering a new one and having it delivered to your door. You may need to collect it yourself. But second-hand shops and online marketplaces often have pieces you simply won't see in large furniture stores. That can make your room feel much more personal. Electronic devices require a little more care. Before buying a used phone or laptop, check its condition carefully and, if possible, buy from a seller who offers some form of guarantee. I'm not suggesting that we should never buy anything new. Sometimes new is clearly the better option. But next time you're about to order something, spend five minutes checking whether someone is already selling what you need. You might save money, reduce waste and find something far more interesting at the same time.
