Listening Exercises A1 – Places

1.

A:        How do you like where you’re living?

B:        Oh, I love it. There’s so much to do here. And I have a lot of friends here, too.

2.

A:        What’s your city like?

B:        Well, the good thing is there are a lot of things to do here. There are good theaters and restaurants. The trouble is it’s getting very polluted, so it’s not as nice as it used to be.

3.

A:        Do you enjoy where you’re living?

B:        Well, I enjoy a lot about it. The city has a very nice climate. It’s never too hot or too cold. And it’s a safe place to live.

4.

A:        What’s it like to live in this city?

B:        Well, it’s very noisy and crowded. And the pollution is getting really bad. And I think we have one of the worst transportation systems in the world. I’d love to live somewhere else.

5.

A:        How is it here, anyway? Is this a nice place to live?

B:        Oh, I’m really glad we moved here. The air is fresh and the people are very friendly. Rents are pretty reasonable, and it’s a very safe city, too. That’s so important. Also, it’s close to the sea, so it’s great in the summer.

6.

A:        Do you enjoy living here?

B:        Some things are okay. The restaurants are pretty good, and the subway system is pretty good, too, but it’s very old and not very clean. The weather also isn’t that great. It’s very hot and humid in the summer and pretty cold in the winter. But in general, it’s not too bad.

1.

A:        So tell me about Tokyo. What’s it like?

B:        I love it. There are so many great things to do. I’m busy all the time.

2.

A:        Do you like living here?

B:        Well, it’s okay. One thing I do like is that there’s very little noise. People don’t walk down the street with loud radios or anything. It’s pretty nice.

3.

A:        Do you like it here?

B:        It’s okay. But it’s awfully crowded and the air is so dirty. To tell you the truth, I’m thinking about moving.

4.

A:        What’s it like living in New York?

B:        Oh, it’s really a great city, but you have to pay a fortune for everything.

5.

A:        Is Auckland a very big city? Is it crowded?

B:        Not really. It’s really quite small. It’s never very crowded or noisy. In fact, it’s like a small town in many ways.

6.

A:        So what’s San Francisco like? I hear it’s very scenic.

B:        Yes, it is. The Golden Gate Bridge is great any time of year. The parks and the ocean are beautiful, too. It really is a very lovely city.

7.

A:        What’s your hometown like? Is it a nice place to live?

B:        It’s great, especially for families with children. It’s pretty and quiet and it isn’t dangerous at all.

8.

A:        Is Osaka a big place?

B:        Sure. That’s why I like it. Lots of people. Lots of nightclubs and discos. I don’t like small cities.

1.

New York has great museums, and so does Washington. But Washington feels more serious because the government is there, so it isn’t as exciting as New York. Washington is more beautiful for sure, and the restaurants are cheaper there. But you know, I love theater, and New York has the best! Washington is okay, but I love New York!

2.

Los Angeles is a huge place. You need a car to get around. San Francisco is more beautiful and it’s a great place for a weekend, but I get bored there after a few days. I enjoy the fact that in Los Angeles everything moves really fast. I love living here.

3.

Hong Kong may be more beautiful than Singapore because it’s got that fantastic harbor, but I like Singapore better. It’s smaller, so I think it’s more comfortable. It’s easy to get around and everything is very clean. Hong Kong is pretty polluted and it’s always very crowded.

4.

Melbourne is smaller than Sydney. It has a lot of lovely old buildings and great restaurants. Sydney is more exciting and probably more beautiful, but I think it’s too busy and too expensive. Melbourne prices are better and it’s a more relaxing place. That’s why I prefer Melbourne.

1 c   2 e   3 d   4 b   5 a

Transcript

1.   I love it here! I only moved here six months ago, and I already have some good friends. The people are great. The summer is a little too hot and humid, and there’s not much nightlife, but that’s okay. My friend and I are going to have cookouts all year long!

2.   This place is all right for a big city. It has the typical problems like traffic and noise, but there are fantastic restaurants and theaters. The nightlife is what I love.

3.   I love this little town. It’s so quiet and clean. I never hear my neighbors, and there are no highways anywhere nearby. I love to just sit and listen to the birds.

4.   It’s really wonderful here. It’s not too small, and it’s really safe. You don’t have to lock your doors or anything. Most people just leave their keys in their cars. It’s incredible.

5.   When I moved to the city, I thought it would be really expensive. Once I got to know it better, I found shops and restaurants that are really cheap. It’s much less expensive to live here than I thought.

1 False   2 True   3 True   4 False   5 True

Transcript

1.   Oregon, the state where I grew up, has really changed. There used to be a lot of wide open spaces and even the cities weren’t very big. Now it’s getting a lot more crowded.

2.   Even though there are more people living in Oregon, there isn’t as much pollution. We really value nature, so we take good care of it. Today the state is much cleaner than when I was growing up.

3.   Like most places in the U.S., the prices have gone up here, too. When I used to go to dinner, it cost only five dollars, but now it’s fifteen or twenty.

4.   The truth is our restaurants are a lot better than they used to be. We have famous chefs from all over the country opening really wonderful restaurants.

5.   There is so much more to do in Oregon than there used to be. We have music and theater and sports activities. And in the summer, people love to go hiking and go to markets and festivals. There is always something to see or do. It’s really a great state. You should come visit sometime!