Listening (C1): Brian May, Jeremy Irons and Paul McCartney reminisce about their school days

Listen to Queen lead guitarist, Dr Brian May (PhD), actor Jeremy Irons and former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney reminiscing about their school memories. For questions 1-8 choose the best answer (a, b or c).

Click on the screenshot to open the pdf file

Brian May- Desert Island Discs

Watch on YouTube– subtitles available

Jeremy Irons- Desert Island Discs

Watch on YouTube– subtitles available

Paul McCartney-This Cultural Life

Watch on YouTube– subtitles available

You can check your answers by submitting them through this Google form:

Transcript -answer key and highlighted vocabulary

Vocabulary: 

• a swot

Examples:

• • I was your classic swot
  • Adele the academic: Why mature students are top of the swots

 

• To be as thick as two short planks (UK, informal)- very stupid
  • Cambridge dictionary
  • Lexico (Oxford) dictionary

Example: The Durrells (season 1 ep 01):

• to skive (a skiver)
• to knuckle down (informal)
• to whack