Part 1

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1.    You hear two people talking about their new boss.

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A:   So, what do you think about our new boss then?

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B:   Kelly? She seems alright.

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A:   She didn’t look as if she was enjoying it much, though, did she? You have to love your work if you’re going to do it well, don’t you think?

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B:   I don’t think she wasn’t enjoying it, I think she was just getting to grips with everything, you know. It isn’t easy, taking over a new team, and she did appear a bit shy, I suppose.

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A:   I think that was it. We’ll soon find out what she’s really like, won’t we?

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B:   Yeah, we will.

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2     You hear a young man talking about his sports studies course.

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Yes, I’m very pleased with the course! The teaching is excellent, as we’d been promised when I applied, and I’ve learned so much. I still have two years to go – I’m pleased about that, because I’m enjoying it so much. I’m also aware that there’s a lot more to cover – by the time we leave, we’ll all have specialised in one or two sports, but we’ll still officially be allowed to coach people in quite a range of others, too. I hadn’t expected to see people on the course who aren’t particularly sporty, but in fact what we study really is appropriate for everybody.

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3    You hear a woman talking about a trip to the theatre.

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I’d been looking forward to it for weeks. I love Shakespeare, you know. And this production had been given fantastic reviews. I thought I might regret going on this particular trip, though, because the woman next to me coughed all the way there on the bus, poor thing, and I thought she’d be doing that all the way through the play. But she must have had some very good throat sweets – I wish I’d found out what brand they were, actually – because she never coughed once when we were in the theatre. I must say I hope she was alright when she got home, because it was a rotten cold.

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4    You hear a lecturer discussing a scientific experiment with a student.

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A:   So how do you think the experiment went? Have you got plenty of results to work on?

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B:   Yes, but some of them were a bit surprising so I think I’d better repeat it.

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A:   Fair enough. In fact that’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. It’s a good idea to do that anyway, just to satisfy yourself that you’ve recorded everything properly.

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B:   I think I have, but I’ll have another go. It won’t take long.

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A:   Great – if the equipment isn’t set up exactly right, that can cause problems of course, but it all looks fine to me. I’ll come back when you’ve finished.

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5   You hear a man talking about a novel he has read.

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It’s not a bad book, I suppose. It’s about some people living in a fairly conventional community in the countryside – you know the sort of thing, it’s been done before. I did start to care what happened to them, though – the author really brought some quite complex personalities to life. The trouble is, I just knew what was going to happen all the way through the book, and I always find that a little disappointing in a novel. Having said that, it is quite entertaining, and I can recommend it as an enjoyable, relaxing read.

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6    You hear a student talking about a geography trip.

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A:   So how was your geography trip, then?

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B:   Not too bad in the end, actually. I was happy to get home, but I also felt it had lived up to my expectations – certainly as far as the coursework we covered was concerned. I really feel I know what I’m doing now. The weather was disappointing, but it didn’t matter because they’d organised loads of things for us to do. And spending all that time with my classmates turned out to be a real bonus, too. I’ve made quite a few new friends – I needn’t have worried about the side of things at all.

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7    You hear two friends talking in an art gallery.

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A:   This is a good exhibition, isn’t it? It’s great to see so much all in one place like this.

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B:   Yes, and the reviews I read said there was a lot to take in, so I knew there’d be plenty to look at. And they were right about another thing, too.

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A:   What’s that?

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B:   There’s a lot here that all sorts of people will enjoy, I think. This kind of thing is very fashionable at the moment.

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A:   Yeah, I suppose you’re right.

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B:   I haven’t seen anything like this myself, though, so it’s great to be able to come here and see what they mean.

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8    You hear a student talking about learning a new language.

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I didn’t have to learn a new language as well as everything else I have to do on my course, but I thought it would be worth it. I’ll definitely need it at some stage, so I might as well get on with it now. I’m enjoying the challenge, actually. I’ve always found languages fairly straightforward, but this is a bit more complicated, what with all the different tenses and everything. I think people should always be able to choose, you know, whether they do something like this or not, because you really do have to be motivated if you’re going to make a success of it.

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Part 2

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Hello and thank you for inviting me to talk to you this evening about how to get into the music industry.

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So, the first thing to note is that the music industry is constantly changing and evolving. You need to make sure you stay up to date and keep up with trends affecting the business. Check out specialist music websites for news and insight into the industry, and also trade magazines, which are produced for industry insiders, unlike other music magazines.

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Obviously you’ll need a CV when you apply, whether it’s for an unpaid internship or for a paid job. And you need it to make an instant impression if you want to have a chance of getting an interview. It doesn’t have to be very long, but it really does need to be memorable – as you know, there’s a huge amount of competition for places.

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The person looking at your CV needs to see that you are enthusiastic and can use your own initiative. Unpaid interns are often expected to do administrative work, so if you have any experience in that area, do include it. You are unlikely to be involved in PR work or dealing directly with the stars.

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Lots of people who are now high up in the industry did low-paid jobs when they first started. You might be surprised to know that one top executive started out as an office cleaner. My first job was as what’s known as a ‘teaboy’, and I’m happy with the way my career has progressed. I’m glad I didn’t turn that first work offer down – it was a great way to get in.

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So I suppose my main piece of advice to anyone considering applying for an internship is: don’t limit yourself. People need to remind themselves that life is full of surprises and unexpected developments. You just never know what something relatively unexciting may lead to.

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And if you have any experience at all in the music industry itself, that will help too. I’d worked as a volunteer before applying for paid work: I’d spent three summers helping out at music festivals, and what started off as a desire to have a bit of fun turned into a passion for me. So I’d definitely recommend volunteering. All experience is useful, but having this kind of experience on your CV shows that you don’t just know about theoretical aspects of the industry, but practical ones too.

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You should also try to get out and meet people who work in the music business. Go to as many different networking events as possible – check industry websites to find out about these, and there are also plenty of experts giving talks that you’ll find useful. Conferences are also worth going to if you can, because you’ll meet all sorts of helpful people there.

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One big music organisation also holds a series of informal music career talks in different parts of the country. You can meet people doing things from marketing to digital music production, a reminder that there are more roles in the music industry than just being a singer! If you’re interested, come and see me after the talk and I’ll give you the details.

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Finally, don’t forget that like all other businesses, creative industries like the music industry also need lawyers and accountants, and people to do all those other ‘back-room’ jobs. So if you’re already training for or doing a job like that, it could be a great way of combining a love of music with your chosen profession.

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Part 3

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Speaker 1

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I always loved music as a child. I can remember singing and playing the piano with my mother. She was a musician – very talented and incredibly energetic. One of the many things she did while we were growing up was to make sure that all her children learned to play an instrument. I didn’t inherit her talent as a player, unfortunately, but as a music critic I get to attend – in fact I have to attend – some of the best classical concerts in the world. Funnily enough, I rarely listen to music in my spare time these days. I find silence more relaxing!

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Speaker 2

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I have a very busy job in the music industry. I don’t actually ever have to listen to music as part of my job, because I work in the accounts department, but I do listen to it a lot in my spare time. Apart from the fact that I love it, especially jazz and blues, it really helps me forget about all the stress at work. In the office, where I’m surrounded by people, I have to be extremely focused, and I wouldn’t have the energy to carry on sometimes if I didn’t have a way of getting away from it all from time to time.

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Speaker 3

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I work in a busy office. I’ve discovered that the best way to block out the noise around me, and get on with what I’m supposed to be doing, is to put on a pair of headphones and play some music. Classical works best, although I enjoy rock and folk too. Of course if I want to chat to other people – my work colleagues, I mean – then the headphones come off and I end up shouting to make myself heard like the rest of them! Those breaks with other people do mean that I usually return to my work feeling more relaxed and inspired!

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Speaker 4

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I can’t imagine my life without music. It’s just always been there in the background, for as long as I can remember. I wouldn’t say I really focus on it that often, but I do listen, and when I go out running with music on, the run often feels as if it’s over before it’s even started! I think lots of other people are the same – they might not sit down and listen to it carefully, but they do enjoy it. And miss it when it isn’t there! I have my favourites, of course, but everything’s on my player and I just have it on shuffle.

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Speaker 5

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I’m quite fussy about what I listen to, I suppose. When I’m feeling energetic, I play something with a faster beat, and when I’m feeling more chilled, then I like to have something quieter on. And music is vital for me when I’m painting, which is my hobby. Somehow new ideas seem to come to me more easily when I’m listening to music – it’s always been that way for me. I know a lot of other people say the same thing, too. I suppose music has always been important for human beings, in all kinds of different ways.

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Part 4

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Interviewer:   I’m delighted to be interviewing Gail Koch, a biology student, via satellite link to the rainforest in South America. Hello Gail.

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Gail Koch:   Hi!

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Interviewer:   So, after nearly a year studying in the rainforest, what’s it like being a field scientist?

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Gail Koch:   Well, people often imagine scientists being in laboratories wearing white coats. But they don’t all work that way – field scientists work outside, exploring and investigating, then trying to understand what they observe. That’s what I’m doing here, though I wouldn’t say I’m a real one yet, even though I’ve been out here for almost a year. But although I still lack experience and have a lot to learn, I hope my enthusiasm more than makes up for that.

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Interviewer:   And what do you enjoy most about living out there?

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Gail Koch:   I’m living in a typical tropical rainforest, at a small scientific research station. It’s very hot and humid, the trees grow tall and very close together, and it’s absolutely full of life – both plants and animals. But at the end of the day, before it gets dark, it finally cools down a little and the trees look stunning in the light of the setting sun. That’s what I’ll really miss when I have to go home.

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Interviewer:   And what does your research involve?

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Gail Koch:   I’m studying lizards, trying to find out exactly which species are here. I explore the area around the research station, helped by a local guide, or I’d soon get lost. It’s incredibly exciting when I actually see a lizard. I have to catch it, of course, and then check whether or not I’ve already found an example of this particular species. I spend most of the time, though, walking extremely slowly – and all I can see are leaves! That’s very much what it’s like for most field researchers.

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Interviewer:   So what inspires you most about your work?

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Gail Koch:   It’s demanding and often repetitive, but it’s rewarding too. It’s not that I want be the first person ever to discover a new species, or gain academic glory – though of course I’d like that – but that I could really add to what scientists know about the world. That’s what motivates me.

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Interviewer:   That’s wonderful! How easy is it to become a field scientist?

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Gail Koch:   It’s quite a hard world to break into, because so many people want to do it, even though it’s poorly paid compared to many other graduate jobs. In many cases you have to work for no salary at the beginning of your career and even pay your own expenses! That’s tough when there seem to be endless opportunities for science graduates in other careers.

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Interviewer:   So would you recommend working at this research station to other biology students?

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Gail Koch:   Yes, absolutely! I could be an assistant in a lab going through endless pages of numbers and results, day after day. But luckily I’m here. And I’m sure the countless skills I’ve learned over the past year will be an advantage when I apply to do further study. I can choose my own research, and it’s entirely up to me how I organise my day.

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Interviewer:   That all sounds very positive. There must be some disadvantages to being there, though!

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Gail Koch:   Well, sometimes I’ve got no idea what I’m supposed to do next, or how to do something, and it can be hard to get myself organised. I had all sorts of plans to improve my little living space when I arrived, but somehow I’ve never got round to it. Also, the technology I use here is fairly basic, and there is always the possibility that I’m missing out on the latest advances in zoology while I’m here. But I personally wouldn’t be anywhere else for the world!