English Listening Exercises for B1 – Relationships

2 d   3 a   4 h   5 e   6 b   7 f   8 c

Transcript

It was a hot African day and I stopped to have a rest under a tree. I took off my hat and put it down on the ground. Then I lay down and I soon fell asleep. While I was asleep, a monkey took my hat. When I woke up, I put out my hand to pick up my hat, but it wasn’t there. Then I heard a noise in the tree above me. I looked up and I saw the monkey. It was holding my hat. I started to climb up the tree but the monkey just jumped up to a higher branch, so I gave up and climbed down the tree again.

I sat down to think, and I noticed that the monkey sat down, too. I stood up and the monkey stood up, too.

‘Ah-hah,’ I thought. I put my hand in my pocket, took out a handkerchief and put it on my head.

The monkey put on my hat, too. Then I took off the handkerchief, and the monkey took off the hat. Then I threw down the handkerchief on the ground. The monkey threw down my hat. When the hat landed on the ground, I quickly bent down and picked it up. Then I put it on and walked away. After a while, I looked back. The monkey was still sitting in the tree.

a

2 f   3 g   4 b   5 a   6 d

b

2   I’ll have a shower, I get home

3   I’ll recharge my phone, I go to bed

4   I’ll listen to some music, I do my homework

5   I’ll take the dog for a walk, it gets dark

6   I’ll meet my friends, I have my piano lesson

Transcript

1   What’s the time? Oh, half past five. I’ll check my emails before we have dinner.

2   Well, I’ve finished my homework. I’ll take the dog for a walk before it gets dark. Come on, boy.

3   Oh, my battery’s nearly gone. I’ll recharge my phone when I go to bed.

4   There’s nothing on TV this evening. I’ll listen to some music while I do my homework.

5   Phew, it’s hot today. I’ll have a shower as soon as I get home.

6   I probably won’t be here for lunch. I’ll meet my friends after I have my piano lesson.

a

1 e   2 d   3 c   4 b

b

1 Rita   2 Adam   4 Cass   5 Ned   6 Rita

7 Adam   8 Cass

Transcript

1

Presenter   And our next caller is Ned. What’s your problem, Ned?

Ned   Hi. Well, maybe it isn’t a problem. I don’t know. You see, some of my friends are going to a music festival, and I want to go, too. But I haven’t said anything to my parents yet, because I’m sure they’ll say ‘No’. There was something on the news about a music festival last summer, and I can remember my dad saying: ‘There’s always trouble at those festivals – with drugs and things like that! The police should stop them.’ Should I just lie and say that I’m going to stay at my friend’s house – and then go to the festival?

2

Presenter   Now let’s talk to Cass. What do you want to say, Cass?

Cass   I’ve got a problem with my mum. When I was younger I always enjoyed going shopping with her – especially when we went to buy clothes. But now I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to go shopping with my friends, and I want to choose my own clothes. But I don’t want to hurt my mum’s feelings. How can I tell her?

3

Presenter   OK. Now here’s Adam.

Adam   Hi. My problem is that I like to go out with all my friends on Fridays and Saturdays, but my parents always say that I have to be home before 10 o’clock. And we don’t live near the town centre, so I have to get a bus at ten past nine. All my friends stay later – till 11 or 11.30. It’s become really embarrassing, so now when someone says ‘Do you want to go out this evening?’ I usually say ‘No’, and I just stay at home and watch TV.

4

Presenter   And our last caller for now is Rita. What do you want to say, Rita?

Rita   Hello. I want to go out on a date. That isn’t really a problem. I’ve been out with boys before and my parents don’t mind. But now a boy has asked me out on a date, and the problem is that he rides a motorbike. My parents hate motorbikes. One of their friends was killed in a motorbike accident, so you can understand it. I really like this boy and I’ve promised that I won’t go on the motorbike, but my parents say that I can’t go out with him.

1   to make, wasn’t any

2   to see, forgot

3   to watch, fell asleep

4   to say, wasn’t in

5   to book, were sold out

6   to play, started raining

7   to buy, was closed

Transcript

1   I went to the kitchen to make a sandwich, but there wasn’t any bread.

2   I made an appointment to see the doctor, but then I forgot it.

3   I sat down to watch TV, but I fell asleep.

4   I phoned my grandma to say ‘Happy Birthday’, but she wasn’t in.

5   I went on the Internet to book some tickets for a concert, but they were sold out.

6   I went to the park to play tennis, but it started raining.

7   I went to the shop to buy some milk, but it was closed.

a

1   c ✓

2   b ✓   d ✓   e ✓   f ✓   h ✓

b

2   Try

3   I think you should

4   you also need a break

5   I’m sure

6   It’s never a good idea

7   my advice to you

Transcript

Hi. I’m Ella. This is my problem. I’ve got exams at school next month and they’re very important. The problem is that my parents think that I should stay at home and study all the time. They say that I can’t go out with my friends until after the exams. I can’t watch TV and I have to go to bed early every night – including weekends. At least they haven’t taken my mobile away, so I can talk to my friends. But I can only use the computer for my revision – so no emails or computer games.

I know these exams are important, but I feel like I’m in jail. I really miss my friends, and if I don’t go out soon, I’ll go crazy. Help!

a ✓   c ✓   d ✓   e ✓   f ✓   h ✓

Transcript

I’m in our kitchen. I’m making my breakfast. I’ve just put some toast in the toaster. And now I’m looking out of the window while I wait for it. The window’s open and I can feel the wind blowing in my face, but it isn’t cold. There’s a park opposite our house and I can see a girl riding a horse. And there are two boys playing with a kite. It’s going very high in the wind. There’s a man talking on a mobile. He’s talking very loudly. I can hear him. I can hear a dog barking, too. And now I can smell something burning. Oh no. It’s my toast. I forgot about it!