B2 First listening test 1

Olivia: So, Jake, you saw the new lease terms, right? It's going up by £140 a month. That's a lot more than I expected when we first moved in. You know, I've been thinking about it, and with my current job situation, I'm really not sure how much longer I can handle these extra costs without making some serious adjustments.

Jake: Yeah, I saw that. It's quite a bit more, isn't it? But here's the thing, I just got offered this job in Bristol. The position starts in six weeks, and it's full-time. Makes everything a bit tricky, doesn't it? I mean, I'm really keen on the job, but the timing's made everything really complicated.

Olivia: Wow, in Bristol? That's big news.

Jake: Yeah, Bristol. It wasn’t even on my radar until everything changed last week. The job offer came as a surprise, but a good one. It's a step up, more responsibility, and a decent pay raise too. But then there's this whole issue of relocating and everything that comes with it. Rent adjustments here complicate things further. If I stay, it's more expenses. If I go, I'm packing up, finding a place, and everything else. It's not easy to decide, you know? What if I don't find a place in time?

Olivia: That's not much time!

Jake: More or less, yeah.

Olivia: We really need to figure out if we're staying here or finding new places. It's a lot to handle all at once.

Jake: Exactly. It's not just about the extra £140, though that's already significant. If I move to Bristol, then you'll have to deal with finding a new flatmate or sorting something out with the lease. It’s a lot to organize in such a short time. Everything seems to be moving so quickly, doesn't it? And I haven't even thought about the logistics of moving my stuff yet.

Olivia: This timing is frustrating.

Jake: Tell me about it. Everything's happening too fast, and there's just no room to breathe or plan properly.

Olivia: If you go to Bristol, then I need to start looking for a new place myself. It's just—

Jake: Makes sense.

Olivia: This whole thing just came up out of nowhere. I'd planned on renewing the lease, but now with your potential move, it complicates everything for me too. I get why you'd want to take the job, but it leaves me juggling my options as well. Maybe I should consider moving to a cheaper area, given the rent hike.

Jake: Yeah, I get it.

Olivia: We can't delay much longer. I need to figure out whether to stay or move. It's not like the landlord's waiting around for us.

Jake: I know you're in a tough spot too. With Bristol's job offer, I could get a raise that makes it worth relocating. But if I do skip out on renewing, we need a plan for this flat. Maybe talk to the landlord, see if there's any flexibility or room to negotiate? Or, worst case, we both start looking for potential places elsewhere too. No easy choices, really, and I'm concerned about leaving you in a bind.

Olivia: True, it's not easy. I guess I should start my search.

Jake: Guess we both need to start making some calls and checking out options. No point in delaying.

Olivia: Well, I'll begin checking out options. I can't afford to sit and wait. Maybe there's something better out there for both of us.

Jake: Do what you need to. And I'll see how quickly I can sort things out on my end. Maybe something will work out in our favor.

Olivia: Hopefully, we can sort this without too much hassle. But given everything, I can't promise I'll stay. I need to think about my finances and what makes sense for my future.

Jake: That's fair enough. We both need to do what's best for us.

Olivia: Let's talk again later this week once we've both looked into things. Maybe by then we'll have a clearer idea of what we're dealing with.

Jake: Good idea. Let me know what you find, and I'll keep you posted on the Bristol situation. We'll figure something out.