Listening Practice Through Dictation Level 1 – Topic: Nature and the Environment

W:   This is a good spot. Let’s stop and have our picnic next to the river.
M:   Good idea. Walking always makes me hungry. I’m ready for lunch.
W:   We can sit here on the grass. Oh no! Someone forgot to throw these empty paper bags away. There is litter everywhere!
M:   Why do people always leave litter around? It’s not a nice thing to do. It spoils other people’s picnics.
W:   I think they are lazy. Or maybe they just don’t care. Look, there are some empty cans and glass bottles under that tree, too.
M:   People should clean up before they leave, and not leave litter lying around.
W:   That’s right. Well, after our picnic, let’s pick up all the litter we can and take it out of here.
M:   OK! And next week, let’s come back with friends and pick up some more.
W:   Good idea!

M:   Hi, Jane! Have you heard about the new laws to help people recycle?
W:   I heard about them on the news last night. I don’t think I like them.
M:   The government wants to keep the environment clean by recycling paper, metal, and glass instead of throwing these things away.
W:   But who wants to pay an extra 50 cents each time you buy a cup of coffee? That’s a lot of money!
M:   50 cents? It’s only five cents extra for a paper cup.
W:   I thought it was 50 cents!
M:   No, it’s only five cents. Don’t worry. And you can get your money back when you return the cup.
W:   That’s fair. Well, maybe the government is right, after all. I’ll return all the paper coffee cups I use from now on.
M:   Good! We all need to recycle. It helps to keep the environment clean.

M:   Excuse me, ma’am. I have a problem with my rose bush. It used to produce a lot of pink roses. But now it doesn’t produce any flowers at all.
W:   I see. That does seem like a problem. Do the leaves on the plant look healthy?
M:   Not really. The leaves used to be very green. Now, most of them have turned brown.
W:   Well, I think your rose bush needs some fertilizer.
M:   OK. What sort of fertilizer do you think I should use?
W:   This liquid fertilizer is very good. It will help make your rose leaves green again. Then the
plant should produce roses quite soon. The fertilizer costs about ten dollars.
M:   How long will it take for my rose bush to recover?
W:   About two weeks, I think.
M:   Great. I’ll take it. Thank you so much for your help.
W:   You’re welcome!

B :   I want to go bird watching tomorrow. Do you know a good area for birds?
G :   There is a quiet park near here. There are always many beautiful birds there.
B :   Will I be able to see different types of birds in this area?
G :   Yes, I think so. If you use binoculars, you can see the birds, even if they are far away.
B :   Great! I have a book about all the different types of birds.
G :   It seems as if you really like bird watching.
B :   Yes, I do! Would you like to come with me tomorrow?
G :   No, thank you. I think bird watching is boring.
B :   That’s not true! Birds are very interesting. Some birds have colorful feathers. Some birds sing beautiful songs. Some birds make special nests to lay eggs in.
G :   Really? Maybe I will go bird watching one day after all!

B :   There are many forests in North America. There are many trees in these forests. Some of these trees are more than two hundred feet tall. Some are over five hundred years old.
Several kinds of trees grow in these forests. Fir, cedar, and pine are three. These trees grow in different areas. Some grow in forests. Some grow on the mountains. People who lived in this place long ago used these trees to make things out of wood.
Many of these trees are now in special areas. These areas are called forest reserves or national parks.
Some parks charge a small entrance fee. Visitors must pay the fee to enter the parks. Then they can walk among the beautiful old trees. They must take care not to damage the trees. We should all take care of forests.