PART 1

1. A 2. C 3. D 4. B 5. A

Interviewer (I) - Novelist (N)

I: OK, in our weekly spot about how to write a novel, I’m talking to novelist Louise Doughty.
Louise, this week we’re talking about getting comments and feedback on your work from
other people. “If there is anything in your own work you think particularly fine.” said Ernest
Hemingway, “strike it out.” Is that good advice?
N: Well, few would-be novelists aspire to be as plain and brutal as Hemingway, I suspect,
but his dictum is still worth tucking into a corner of your brain - not to be followed slavishly,
but as an antidote to that great curse of the inexperienced novelist: over-writing.
I: How do you know if you are over-writing?
N: Well, an excess of adverbs and adjectives is a clue. Repetition under the guise of
emphasis is another, and extended metaphors should be rationed tightly.
I: Now, there comes a point in the writing of every novel when you just don’t know any more.
You’ve been immersed in it for weeks, possibly years. You’ve lost sight of the original
impetus behind the book and are plagued with self-doubt - yet at the same time you know
there is something there and are not ready to give up on it.
N: Yes, and this is the point at which you should be getting feedback.
I: From whom?
N: As a rule, I’d advise against getting it from your nearest and dearest. You will be wounded
by their criticism and suspicious of their praise. Instead, join a writing community of some
sort. You need comments from another writer. Those who have been logging onto my
website will know that such a community has formed there. Creative writing courses and
book groups are also good places to find like-minded souls. Through such contacts you can
find someone who understands what you are trying to do - which is not the same as
someone who is uncritical of the way you do it. There is a time and place for emotional
support, but that is not what we are talking about here.
I: What kind of comments are useful in your view?
N: Well, you need someone who is prepared to say, “I really like the opening paragraph but I
thought it went a bit wrong after that because…” and, crucially, is prepared to be specific. “I
just didn’t like him” is not a helpful comment on a character. “I lost sympathy with him in the
scene where he tells his brother the truth because I thought he was too brutal. Maybe you
should rewrite it making his motivation clearer and his language softer.” That is useful
advice: you can choose whether to take it or discard it. Similarly, at the level of prose style,
some well-meaning person might say “You have three paragraphs of description here before
you tell us who is talking; maybe you should consider starting the conversation first and
weaving all the description in, instead of having it all in one chunk.”
I: How do you personally get feedback on your work?
N: The most fruitful relationships I have with other writers are with the novelists with whom I
swap work - usually the person whose novel is under discussion pays for dinner. If you can
find other novelists who are working at a similar level to yourself, with similar interests, and
who are frank and unafraid of frankness from you, then keep them close at hand.
I: Now what about reactions to feedback? We’ve talked about getting it, but what about
when you’ve got it?
N: Well, even with a trusted ally, there comes a point when you have to stick to your guns
and say, “This person whom I really respect doesn’t like this bit but I do and it’s staying in.”
And of course, feedback can be annoying. For a start, a lot of the criticism you receive will
be stuff which you knew already in your heart of hearts - you were just hoping nobody else
would notice. And sometimes, you will bristle at a certain comment on your work, not
because it is untrue but because the consequences of righting that particular defect are too
daunting to contemplate at that particular time - accurate criticism is the most painful of all.
On other occasions, you will have a gut feeling that the person reading your work just
doesn’t “get” it, or wants you to write a different novel entirely. Frequently, the only way to
work out if criticism is useful is to nod sagely, then file it in a drawer. When the wounds have
healed over and your ego is not under immediate threat, then you will be able to assess its
true worth.
I: Right. Now let’s move on to talk about…

PART 2

1. educated 2. Cotton Club 3. racial barriers 4. segregated

5. maids and butlers 6. editing process 7. nightclubs 8. resonant voice

Radio Announcer: Last month, the renowned and much-lover singer Lena Horne died in
New York, aged 92. This Afro-American singer and civil activist worked in America in the
Golden era of stage and screen, meeting such great names as Billie Holiday and Duke
Ellington. We have with us here in the studio Joel Lightwater to tell us more about Lena
Horne’s remarkable life.

Joel Lightwater: Thank you John.

Lena Horne was born in 1917 to a Brooklyn family, described by a prominent writer as the
‘Talented Tenth’ – a name which was given to those members of the African American
community who were educated and socially prominent. Her family were activists in African-
American rights – her grandmother, Cora Calhoun, was in fact the founding member of the
N.A.A.C.P. , that is, the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People.
Indeed, at the age of two, Lena was photographed parading in a protest.

Her childhood was split between her grandparents’ townhouse in Brooklyn, and her mother’s
lodgings in Harlem, her father having left the family when Lena was only three years old.
She went to school at Brooklyn Girls High, but when she started singing at the famous
Cotton Club at the age of 16, she dropped out without a diploma.

All her life, Lena’s mother Edna had hoped that Lena could use her performances to break
down race barriers. This was not an easy thing to do in the race-conscious culture of the
time. At one point Lena was advised to advertise her creamy complexion as Latin,
something she refused to do; while later in her career, studio executives in Hollywood
suggested that she darken her skin colour with make-up.

Matters relating to racial equality were always high up on Lena’s priorities. During World
War II, when she was entertaining soldiers and prisoners of war, she noticed that she was
always being asked to perform for groups which segregated in terms of colour. In the rare
instances where she sang for mixed groups, white German prisoners of war were seated in
front of the African American servicemen. She soon refused to perform for such occasions,
and, since the US Army refused to allow integrated audiences, she put on her own show for
a mixed-colour audience.

After the war years, Lena had the opportunity to move into the glamorous world of
Hollywood, and she was the first African American to be signed on a long-term studio
contract. However, this was an age when the colour barrier was still strong. Black actors
rarely had the chance to play anything more than maids and butlers. Although Lena was
beginning to achieve a high level of notoriety, she found that she rarely had the chance to
act, and many of her lines were cut during the editing process. Only in two incidences did
she play a character that was central to the plot.

But Lena’s elegance and powerful voice were unlike anything that had come before, and
both the public and the executives in the entertainment industry began to take note. By the
mid-’40s, Horne was the highest paid black actor in the country, and her songs were instant
classics.

However Horne’s great fame could not prevent the wheels of the anti-Communist machine
from bearing down on her. During the 1950s, she was marked as a Communist sympathiser
as a result of her civil rights activism. She soon found herself blacklisted and unable to work
on television or in the movies. At this time, however, she continued to sing in nightclubs,
and made some of her best recordings. In the 60s, she was once again back in the public
eye.

Since the 16-year old danced her first steps on the stage of the Cotton Club, much has
changed. Thanks to her continued musical, theatrical and political efforts, she paved the
way for many other non-whites in the entertainment industry. But what she will be
remembered for most of all must be her ability to move generations of audiences with her
shimmering resonant voice, singing the classic greats, like “Black Coffee” and the
unforgettable “Stormy Weather.”

PART 3

1. 79/ seventy- 2. to establish 3. treasure 4. every year / 5. loose stones,

nine/ the year position once a year walls
79

Guide: Good morning and welcome to this morning’s guided tour of the Roman remains in
the area. We’ll start our day by visiting the garrison town of Corbridge - then, this afternoon,
we’ll be visiting part of the wall which the Romans built to keep their enemies out of the
country. The part we’re going to visit is remarkably well-preserved and it’s easy to imagine
what it must have been like all those years ago!
The Romans actually arrived in this country in the earlier part of the first century AD, but it
wasn’t until the year 79 that they came to the Corbridge area. They built a series of forts and
strongholds so that they could establish their position in the whole region. What you’re going
to see this morning are the results of excavations which have taken place fairly recently. The
first early archaeological dig was as far back as 1201 and then, believe it or not, they were
looking for treasure. Unfortunately, (or perhaps fortunately for us!), nothing interesting was
found, so they abandoned the site and it wasn’t until the early nineteenth century that
another, and much more ambitious, excavation was carried out. The result was a number of
exciting discoveries. And in the mid-nineteenth century, they discovered part of a Roman
bridge and other structures, including the baths and other dwellings in the town. More
recently, in fact every year since 1934, digs have taken place. These have resulted in the
discovery of a large collection of sculpture, coins, pottery and small objects; and some of
these have become very famous indeed. Most of them are now housed in the site museum,
which we’ll be visiting before we visit the site itself. Unfortunately, for security reasons, some
have had to be taken to the city museum, which you’ll find is about 15 miles away.
As you can see from this map, the site museum’s laid out in a circle. The first half
concentrates on the history of the site, and each section deals with er ... well, a separate
period of the site’s history. You’ll also find display cases of objects which would’ve been in
use at the time. In the second half of the museum, each section’s related to a particular
aspect of life in the town, such as trade, domestic life and religious observance. After visiting
the museum we’ll be walking round the site, and we would ask you please, to pay particular
attention to any loose stones lying around the site. And keep children off the walls, as these
can be extremely dangerous. At the end of the tour we’ll be paying a visit to the gift shop and
café, which you probably saw as you came in - near the site entrance and the car park. Now,
if you’ve left hats and sunglasses in the coach, I’d advise you to go and retrieve them now as
the coach’ ll be locked for the next few hours and the sun’s very hot today.

PART 4:

1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F

R = Richard L = Louise
R: Right, let’s see, jobs and duties. Where shall we begin?
L: Let’s talk about washing up first. Now that’s something I really can’t stand. My mum
makes me do it after every meal at the weekend, and she won’t let me go out with my friends
until I’ve done it. I just think that’s so unfair. I mean, none of my friends have to do it. I bet
you don’t either, do you?
R: No, you’re right. In fact, no one in my family does. The most I have to do is get the plates
out of the dishwasher.
L: Lucky you! I wish we had one. And what about cleaning shoes? You have a machine to
do that as well, I suppose.
R: Unfortunately not. If it was left up to me, I wouldn’t bother. But my dad says that shoes tell
you a lot about a person so he has me brushing and polishing every other day. It’s such a
pain.
L: Same here. I’m not made to do it that often, but I still dread having to do it.
R: Right, so that could be one of our three. What’s next?
L: Well, I honestly can’t understand why clothes shopping is there. That’s no chore for me. I
mean I could spend all day popping in and out of shops. But going to buy food - now that’s
completely different.
R: I can’t bear doing either of them. In fact, even talking about them makes me feel funny.
Shall we move on?
L: OK. What do you feel about visiting relatives?
R: Oh, that’s not so bad. I’ve got a pretty small family so it doesn’t happen that often. And I
get on really well with my grandparents, the ones that are still alive, that is. In fact, one of my
granddads is a real laugh, and I think he enjoys my company when I go to see him, now that
he’s on his own. How about you?
L: Well, I suppose I’m a bit lazy really. My parents both say I should go and see my
grandparents more often, but they live so far away - I always make sure I’m in when they
come to see us, and they come round quite a lot, so I don’t feel as though I need to go and
see them. I don’t think my mum and dad agree, though.
R: Oh well, that’s relatives for you. Let’s have a look at the next one.
L: What about looking after animals? Have you got any pets?
R: I’ve got a couple of fish, but they’re not really that much trouble. You just have to change
their water once a week, and drop some food into their tank every now and then. But you’ve
got a dog, haven’t you?
L: Yeah, don’t remind me. Every morning he’s there by the front door with his lead in his
mouth, looking up at me with his big eyes, as if to say: “come on, it’s that time again”. And if I
ignore him, he starts barking, and my dad gets angry and says: “he’s your dog, no one else
wanted one, so you’ve got to take responsibility for him”. Thanks, dad. You’re a great help.
R: Bad luck. Get a fish next time.
L: Oh, I love him really. Anyway, what have we decided so far?
R: Well, we both seem to agree on cleaning shoes, and neither of us likes shopping for food.
So that leaves one more. I can’t talk about leaning the car,' cause we haven’t got one.
L: And my dad won’t let any of us go anywhere near his. I think he’s frightened we might
scratch it, or something, so he takes it to the local car wash. That’s fine by me.
R: And if you tell me you like tidying your room, I just won’t believe you.
L: Well I think we’ve found the third one - I absolutely….