Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Going places

1 Mexico   2 Canada

3 South Korea   4 Thailand

Audioscripts in B below

1 study   2 live with a family

3 start a new job   4 visit an old friend

Audioscripts

1

Man:   I heard you’re going to be away next year.

Woman:   Yeah. I leave next week. I’m so excited.

Man:   It could be kind of scary, though, living by yourself in a foreign place.

Woman:   I know. A year is a long time. But it’s really the only way I’m going to improve my Spanish.

Man:   Well, it’s definitely the best way to learn a language. I’m sure you’ll study really hard. By the way, which country are you going to?

Woman:   Mexico. I’ll be living near the capital, Mexico City.

2

Man:   Take care of yourself, Keiko. Have a great trip.

Keiko:   Thanks. I’m sure I will. I’m a little nervous, but I think it’ll be a great experience. And hopefully my English will improve a lot.

Man:   Oh, I’m sure it will. Canada is a great place to live, and you’ll be in Vancouver, right?

Keiko:   That’s right. By the way, I wanted to ask you, what do you think would be a good gift to bring my host family?

Man:   Hmm. How about something for their home?

Keiko:   That’s a good idea.

3

Woman:   Well, I’m all ready to go. I hope you’ll come to visit me if you have time.

Man:   I’ll try! Good luck with everything. I’m sure you’ll be a great English teacher.

Woman:   Thanks. I’ll do my best. I’m really looking forward to the new job, and to learning about Korean culture.

Man:   Have you learned any Korean?

Woman:   Just a little, but I know I’ll learn a lot once I’m there. I’m going to talk to as many people as I can.

Man:   I’m sure you’ll make a lot of friends.

4

Man:   Well, I’m off. See you in ten days.

Woman:   Where are you going?

Man:   Remember my old roommate from university? Sam?

Woman:   Oh, yeah – that crazy guy.

Man:   Well, he’s working in Bangkok, and he invited me to come for a visit.

Woman:   Thailand? Wow! That’ll be an adventure.

Man:   With Sam, everything’s an adventure!

1 Brazil   2 Turkey   3 Egypt

4 Canada   5 India

Audioscripts in B below

1 Portuguese   2 Turkish   3 Arabic

4 English, French   5 English, Hindi

Audioscripts

1

Woman:   This country makes up half of the land of South America, and has some of South America’s most famous beaches. The Amazon River also flows through this country. In most South American countries, people speak Spanish. Not this country, though. The official language here is Portuguese.

2

Man:   This country is located on the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The art and food from this place are famous around the world, and so is Hagia Sophia, one of the country’s most well-known historic buildings. It was built in the sixth century and is now a popular museum. Several languages are spoken here, including Arabic and English, but Turkish is the only official language.

3

Woman:   This is a very, very old country and culture. People come from all around the world to see the great pyramids, near the capital, Cairo. This country is also home to the Nile River, the longest river in the world. People speak Arabic here. Arabic is the official language.

4

Man:   This is the second largest country in the world and is located in North America. Beautiful forests, mountains, and lakes can be found in many parts of this country. French is the main language spoken in the area of Quebec, in the eastern part of the country. Both English and French are the official languages.

5

Woman:   This country is located in south Asia. It is a very big country and has the second largest population in the world. The famous Taj Mahal attracts tourists from all over the world. The capital city is New Delhi. Many different languages are spoken in different parts of the country, but the two official languages are English and Hindi.

1 c   2 b   3 c   4 a   5 a

Audioscripts

Man:   Hi, Ashley. I hear you’re taking a vacation to Asia this summer.

Ashley:   Yeah, I’m so excited! I’m going to Thailand.

Man:   Oh, wow! Thailand … Do you speak … uh … what language do they speak there?

Ashley:   Well, the official language is Thai. And many Thais speak some English, too.

Man:   Right! I knew that!

Ashley:   I got a phrase book from the library, so I know a few words in Thai, but I’d like to learn some more before I go.

Man:   Well, I think they offer Thai classes at the university. Maybe you could join one.

Ashley:   Really? That’s a great idea! I could learn about Thai culture, too.

Man:   How long are you going there for?

Ashley:   A month.

Man:   Oh, wow. Are you going to visit any other countries while you’re there?

Ashley:   No, I don’t have time on this trip. Besides, Thailand’s a pretty big country. I’m sure there’s a lot to see and do.

1 b   2 c   3 a   4 b   5 c

Audioscripts in B below.

1 study, sightsee   2 sightsee

3 sightsee   4 work

5 work, sightsee

Audioscripts

1

Woman:   I’m going to take French classes at the University of Paris this summer. I’ve always wanted to see the French countryside. I’ll be busy with my classes during the week, but I’ll find time to be a tourist on the weekends.

2

Woman:   I’m off to Acapulco for two weeks! I often go to Mexico on business, but this trip is just for fun. I plan to relax on the beach and really see the sights for a change.

3

Man:   I’m spending my summer break in Istanbul. I’ve heard there’re a lot of interesting things to see and do there, and I love Turkish food. Finally! A break from school!

4

Woman:   My company is sending me on another business trip. I’m leaving for Toronto, Canada, tomorrow. I’ve heard it’s nice there, but I probably won’t have any free time. I’ll be in meetings every day.

5

Man:   I’m all ready for my trip to London. First, I have to meet with some customers at the U.K. office, and then I’m going take a few days off and see some of the country.