Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Taste this!

She is asking him to taste different types of food with his eyes covered (a blind taste test).

Audioscript

Isla:   Hi, Ali. We’re doing a project in our science class. It’s about what we eat and drink.

Ali:   Oh, yeah. What do you want me to do?

Isla:   Well, it’s a taste test. I’m going to give you eight things to taste. But I’m going to cover your eyes with a scarf … so you can’t see them. Is that OK?

Ali:   Er … OK.

Isla:   All you have to do is describe their taste and say what you think they are.

Ali:   What kind of foods are they?

Isla:   Don’t worry. There isn’t anything horrible. You really don’t need to be worried.

Ali:   OK then. I’ll do your taste test.

Isla:   Really? Great! I’ll just tie this around your eyes … there!

1 D   2 F   3 B   4 E   5 A   6 H   7 C   8 G

Audioscript

Isla:   Here’s number 1.

Ali:   Mmm, this is delicious! It’s a fruit. Pineapple, I think. It’s really juicy!

Isla:   OK. Number 2.

Ali:   Ugh! That’s really sour. What is it? Lemon juice? It’s horrible. I need a think now …

Isla:   Here’s some water. This is number 3.

Ali:   Argh! This is disgusting. It’s cold and tastes like rice and raw meat! Hold on, it’s not as bad as I thought. It tastes fishy. Is it sushi? You know, raw fish. Salmon or something like that?

Isla:   Number 4.

Ali:   Well, it’s obviously curry and it’s really tasty, but it’s also quite spicy. I love spicy food. Oh, it’s very spicy …

Isla:   Now, number 5. It’s a drink, so be careful.

Ali:   Mmm … It’s warm and oh, it’s really bitter! What is it? A strong coffee? It tastes like coffee … Like black coffee …

Isla:   Number 6.

Ali:   Nice. Something sweet after that bitter coffee. It’s just cake, I think. Is that right?

Isla:   OK, number 7.

Ali:   Mmm. It’s hard and very cold. It doesn’t really taste of anything. Is it some type of frozen vegetable? A pea or something like that? It feels like a pea but I can’t taste anything …

Isla:   And finally, number 8.

Ali:   Mmm … this tastes like bread. Mmm, delicious. It’s still warm – it must be really fresh.

1 C   2 A   3 A   4 B   5 C   6 C   7 A

Audioscript

1   What did the girl cook when she was young?

Man:   So, do you cook a lot at home?

Girl:   Not really. My dad taught me how to make a good omelette recently. And I often make one when I need a quick snack. When I was young, I did a lot of cooking with my dad. We made sweet things like cakes.

Man:   Have you ever made dinner for your family?

Girl:   I’ve tried. I roasted a chicken once. I followed the recipe carefully, but when we cut into it, it was raw in the middle!

2   Where does the boy get his recipes from?

Boy:   Everyone in my family is really into cooking and food in general. My dad actually teaches food technology at a secondary school. I usually cook once or twice a week for everyone at home. I don’t have any of my own recipe books. I use ones I find on the internet. I can make a very good chicken and vegetable soup, but my sister is better. She makes a fantastic lamb curry. It tastes incredible but she won’t tell me the recipe!

3   Who is a vegetarian?

Boy:   So who does most of the cooking in your family?

Girl:   My mum, I guess. But I cook quite a lot too. I have to.

Boy:   Why? Don’t you like your mum’s cooking?

Girl:   It isn’t that. She makes some really tasty meals. But I don’t eat meat or fish. So sometimes the three of us – Mum, Dad and me – have a vegetarian meal together, but sometimes she makes something with meat … or fish. And then I try to cook my own meal. I can’t really expect her to cook twice.

4   Which dish is only available today?

Woman:   And this is the cafeteria where students have their lunch. It’s usually open every day from 12.30 until 2, but today we’re closing early at 1.30 because of exams. There’s always a selection of hot and cold food – burgers, chips, salads, and so on. And we have a special every day too – it’s Wednesday today, which means it’s pizza. If you just want a snack, they always have soup and lots of different sandwiches to choose from.

5   Which food does Lizzie dislike?

Girl:   Hi, James. Mum wants me to check that you and Lizzie can still come for dinner tomorrow evening.

James:   Yes, that’s fine. We’re looking forward to it.

Girl:   Oh, good. I was just wondering if there’s anything you or Lizzie don’t eat? I think we might have roast lamb.

James:   Yes, lamb would be fine, or chicken. Lizzie isn’t keen on fish, so it might be best to avoid that.

Girl:   OK, great.

6   Which ingredient do they need to buy?

Mum:   Do you want to give me a hand with dinner?

Boy:   Sure. Is this the recipe? Oh. That looks delicious! I really love curries.

Mum:   I’ve never made it before. Well, I’ve done something similar with chicken, but lamb will be good too. We’ve got all the ingredients I think. One chilli, two onions, some garlic. Can you check?

Boy:   There’s plenty of garlic … there’s one chilli and … one onion. I guess we need to get one more. I’ll go if you like.

7   What do the couple decide to have for dinner?

Man:   I’m not in the mood to cook tonight. What about going out for dinner? We could go to that Italian place. I feel like some good pasta.

Woman:   I’m not really that hungry and they’re closed on Tuesdays, remember? What about something light, like the Japanese, opposite the café? Sushi would be perfect. Then after we could get some ice cream from the café and bring it home. They do amazing quality ice cream.

Man:   Mmm … Let’s not have any dessert today.

Woman:   OK.

1   a veggie pizza, a green salad and a small cola

2   £12.50

Audioscript

Server:   Hi. What can I get you?

Emma:   Could I have a veggie pizza, please?

Server:   Of course. Would you like a salad?

Emma:   Yes. I’ll have a green salad, please.

Server:   OK. And to drink?

Emma:   I’d like a cola, please.

Server:   Large or small?

Emma:   Small, please.

Server:   OK. Eat in or take out?

Emma:   Eat in, please.

Server:   That’s £12.50, please.

Emma:   Here you are.

Server:   Thanks. Here’s your change.

Emma:   Thanks.

Server:   Your meal will be ready in about 15 minutes.

Emma:   Thanks.

1

1   In London

2   They are trying to decide what to have for lunch.

3   The first curry restaurant opened in London more than 200 years ago.

2

1 beefburgers   2 chicken   3 spicy   4 sausages, potatoes

5 sweet dish   6 fruit, cake

Audioscript

Emily:   OK, Andrew. What do you want for lunch today?

Andrew:   I don’t know. How about beef burgers?

Emily:   Oh no! You’re only here in London for a week, so you have to try some English food.

Andrew:   I know! And what do you suggest? Fish and chips? Or maybe roast beef?

Emily:   Well, no … I was thinking some chicken tikka masala would be good.

Andrew:   What? Isn’t that a curry dish?

Emily:   Yes, but curry is one of the most popular dishes in the UK! Didn’t you know that?

Andrew:   No! When did curry become a British dish?

Emily:   Well, the first curry restaurant opened in London more than 200 years ago. But it got really popular in the 1960s, when lots of people moved to the UK from India and Pakistan and opened hundreds and hundreds of restaurants with food from their countries.

Andrew:   That’s cool! But I’m not a big fan of spicy food. What other food is typical here?

Emily:   Umm … well, you could try bangers and mash. That’s very British.

Andrew:   What’s that?

Emily:   It’s sausages – bangers – with mashed potatoes. It’s my dad’s favourite.

Andrew:   OK … and what else?

Emily:   Maybe cottage pie? And no, it’s not a sweet dish! It’s a type of meat pie, with beef and vegetables, and with mashed potato on top.

Andrew:   That sounds good. And what about for dessert? You know I’ve got a sweet tooth.

Emily:   Yes, I know! So, you might want to try some English trifle.

Andrew:   That sounds interesting. What is it?

Emily:   It’s a dish made with fruit, cake, jelly and cream. It’s delicious!

Andrew:   Mmm! And where can we eat all that? At a restaurant?

Emily:   No, we can go to a café near here. I think you’ll like it. It’s really cool!

Andrew:   OK, should we go now? Talking about food has made me hungry!

Emily:   Sure! Let’s go …

1 C   2 C   3 A   4 A   5 B   6 A   7 B

Audioscript

1

M:   What did you think of the food in Brazil?

F:   We were only there for two weeks, and we couldn’t go to different parts of the country. But I liked what I had.

M:   Did you try that dish with black beans, meat and rice?

F:   Yes, it’s called feijoada. I had it once and it was very good. What I liked more than anything, though, was the seafood. It was great.

M:   That’s interesting.

F:   Yes, and we had lots of different types of pasta too. I think they like Italian food there.

M:   Everyone likes Italian food.

2

M:   Hi, Chris. It’s Ben. I’m going to the beach with my mum and my brother and sister later. Would you like to come with us? We’re leaving at about two after we’ve had some lunch. If you could come round to my house at about that time, we could give you a lift. Just bring your swimming things and a towel. We’ll probably get a drink or an ice-cream at that café we’ve been to before later in the afternoon. Call me or send me a message. Bye.

3

M:   What’s your favourite breakfast food?

F:   Well, last summer, when we stayed in a hotel, I had, omelette every day. I could see the cook making it and it was delicious. At home, though, we’re all in such a hurry at breakfast that no-one has the time to cook.

M:   That sounds like my family.

F:   Most days, we just have toast and a glass of orange juice. It doesn’t bother me, though.

M:   Don’t you get bored?

F:   Not really. I have cereal from time to time as well. But not that much.

4

F:   Hi, Susie. It’s Emma. I wondered if you’d like to come to my house for dinner this Saturday. My auntie and cousins are coming, and Dad said I can invite a friend. He’s cooking actually. He doesn’t cook very often, but when he does, it’s usually good. He does some brilliant chicken dishes with different sauces. This time, though, it’ll be fish. If you don’t fancy any of that, there’ll be vegetable soup – I think Mum’s making that. Anyway, I hope you can come. Maybe you can message me? Bye.

5

M:   Do you have cooking lessons at your school?

F:   Yes. They call it Food Science. Do you?

M:   Yeah. I love it. We do a lot of baking – you know, biscuits and pastries – and this week we made a fruit cake, which wasn’t bad at all.

F:   Sounds good. Can you take stuff home?

M:   Usually. I baked some bread which you couldn’t really eat because it was too hard. So I left that at school. But I did a pizza once that my mum said was better than anything she could do.

6

F:   That smells nice. What is it?

M:   It’s a ratatouille.

F:   That French dish with lots of vegetables?

M:   That’s right. My grandmother used to make something like this and I always loved it, so I thought I’d try it.

F:   Have you followed a recipe for it?

M:   Yeah, I looked it up online. It tells you all the different vegetables you need and how small you need to cut them. My sister gave me a really good cookery book for my birthday, but it’s mainly Asian food. Anyway, it should be ready soon.

7

F:   Did you see Teenage Chef yesterday?

M:   Yes, it was great. And the final’s next week. Who do you think will win?

F:   They’ve all done well. But Rachel’s fried banana dish yesterday looked amazing, and over the whole series, I’d say she’s been the best.

M:   Rachel? The girl with long hair? She’s good, but that girl Sophie – with very short hair – made a great risotto.

F:   True. But she’s good one week and then makes mistakes the next. She’s like that girl with curly hair.

M:   Jessie?

F:   Yeah. She has great ideas, but they don’t always work.