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Monco Posted 14 years ago
Proficiency Tests & Test-taking

CPE listening question

Here's a transcript from Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 1:

You hear two people talking about a character from a book.

8. The man describes the character of Inspector Rebus by:

A. comparing his anxieties to those of ordinary people
B. pointing out his interest in global issues.
C. emphasising his problem-solving abilities.

Presenter: I haven't read the Inspector Rebus books myself. What's he like?
Actor: Well, he's kind of concerned about his place within the world. He's quite...
Presenter: He's a thinker.
Actor: Yeah, in the way that we all are. We think, what on earth's going on? How can this happen? Am I part of the problem, or in some way part of the solution? What am I doing to change that? And in a very sort of introspective way I think he tries to resolve his own life issues by dealing with them externally.
Presenter: He's a bit of an independent thinkier, an eccentric, then?
Actor: Well, yes. But that's probably because, as an individual, he's concerned with what is happening to him and to the world, and I think being a cop is often, in some sense, a kind of, a kind of persuit, theoretical or psychological, trying to understand the world that he lives in, through trying to understand the events that happen around him. So he's anti the authorities in general, certainly, but I think he's probably just more aware of his personal responsibility for his own existence than - than simply eccentric.

I've underlined what seems to me the important bit. The key says it's A, but I chose B. Where does he say that he compares his anxities to those of ordinary people? I don't read it in. He is trying work out his own life issues, but by dealing with them externally? Is that it? What does he mean by dealing with them externally?

Do you think that A is a good answer?

Thank you in advance.
  

Top answer

Yes, A is the answer. Your underlined segment does not support B: 'dealing externally' means dealing with his own issues outside himself, not global issues. Actor: Yeah, in the way that we all are.

  • Yes, A is the answer.
  • Your underlined segment does not support B: 'dealing externally' means dealing with his own issues outside himself, not global issues.
  • Actor: Yeah, in the way that we all are.
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4 Answers
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Yes, A is the answer. Your underlined segment does not support B: 'dealing externally' means dealing with his own issues outside himself, not global issues.

To support A:
MoncoPresenter: He's a thinker.Actor: Yeah, in the way that we all are.
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Thank you, Mister Micawber.

But if I may ask a follow-up question: why is dealing with your life issues externally akin to comparing your anxieties to those of ordinary people? My idea is that dealing with life issues externally could also be talking about it with other people without necessarily comparing your axieties to those of other people. Dealing with those issues internally could
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I don't see how dealing with them externally is the same as comparing your axieties to those of other people.-- You are missing the point. Look at the text:
MoncoWell, he's kind of concerned about his place within the world. ...Yeah, in the way that we all are.
Concerned = anxious
In the way = compared with
we all = ordinary people
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Now I get it. Thank you, Mister Micawber.

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