Practice English Listening Tests for B1 - Listening Test 15

Listening 1

Questions 8-13

For each question, choose the correct answer.

8 How will hear two friends talking about a singer.

What do they say about her?

A Her music is better than it used to be.

B Her voice doesn’t sound as good as usual.

C Her new song isn’t as good as her older songs.

9 You will hear two friends talking about a new café.

They think the café would be better if

A the dishes were named more clearly.

B the chairs were more comfortable.

C the staff were more polite.

10 You will hear a girl telling a friend about her art course.

How does the girl feel about it?

A She doesn’t like the other people.

B The classes don’t interest her.

C She doesn’t like starting the course so early.

11 You will hear two friends talking about their teacher.

The girl thinks that the teacher

A gives them too much work to do at the weekend.

B doesn’t explain things very well.

C is boring to listen to.

12 You will hear two friends talking about a film they watched.

The boy thinks the film

A was less exciting than the film he saw last week.

B didn’t have as much action as he’d hoped.

C was not as funny as he’d expected.

13 You will hear two friends talking about a website they use.

The girl thinks that the website

A is better than it used to be.

B is not as easy to use as before.

C has lost some of its best features.

Answer & Audioscript

8 C 9 B 10 C 11 A 12 B 13 A

Audioscripts

8 How will hear two friends talking about a singer.

Man: Have you heard Kaylee’s new song?

Woman: Yes, I heard it last night. Do you like it?

Man: It’s good, but I prefer her earlier songs. Her last album was amazing.

Woman: I agree with you. I read an interview with her and she said that she’s been working with a songwriter lately. They’ve written the lyrics and music for her new album together. I think she produces better music when she writes her own songs. She’s got real talent, and she’s very creative.

9 You will hear two friends talking about a new café.

Man: I haven’t been to this café before.

Woman: Nor have I. It’s only been open for a few weeks.

Man: The food is delicious, isn’t it?

Woman: It’s lovely. And the staff are really friendly, too.

Man: Yes, they’re very cheerful and polite. They described all the dishes on the menu to help us order.

Woman: I know! Well, some of the dishes do have funny names, so it’s good to know what they are! I just wish the seats weren’t so uncomfortable.

Man: I know what you mean. These chairs are very hard.

10 You will hear a girl telling a friend about her art course.

Boy: So, are you enjoying the art course you’re doing on Saturdays?

Girl: Yes, I am. Well, most of the time, anyway.

Boy: Oh?

Girl: The people on the course are very nice, and the teacher isn’t too bad. I do find the classes interesting, and it’s fun to do something creative. I just find the hours a bit much. It starts at 8.00 in the morning, which is much earlier than I’m used to. It means that I have to get up at 6.00 to get there on time. Some days I struggle to stay awake until the end of the class!

Boy: Oh dear! You should ask the teacher to take a lot of breaks.

11 You will hear two friends talking about their teacher.

Girl: I wish we didn’t have Mr Harris teaching us history.

Boy: Why? Don’t you like him?

Girl: It’s not that. He’s a good teacher, and he always explains things really well. He makes the lessons interesting and easy to understand, which is really good.

Boy: I know. I never used to like history before, but I really enjoy lessons with Mr Harris.

Girl: Me too. But I wish he wouldn’t give us so much homework on a Friday. Now I’ve got to spend the whole weekend studying!

Boy: No, you haven’t! We’ll go to the library together this evening and we’ll be finished in time to enjoy the weekend!

12 You will hear two friends talking about a film they watched.

Teen boy: Well, that was disappointing.

Teen girl: Didn’t you enjoy it? I laughed all the way through! There were some fantastic lines in that film. I wish I could remember them all!

Teen boy: It was funny, I’ll admit that. But I was expecting there to be a bit more action, to be honest. The trailer we saw last week made the film look really exciting.

Teen girl: That’s true. It was more of a comedy than an adventure film. But at least it had a great cast. You have to admit that the acting was brilliant.

Teen boy: Yeah. I suppose so.

13 You will hear two friends talking about a website they use.

Girl: I see they’ve updated Chatter again.

Boy: I know! I wish they wouldn’t do that. Every time I get used to using it, they change it again.

Girl: Yes, but they always improve it and add cool new features. Look, now you can have private group chats with your friends. And you can add videos to your posts.

Boy: Hmm. But now I can’t find my photo albums. Have all my photos disappeared?

Girl: Don’t panic. You haven’t lost them. They’re just here, under Photo Options.

Boy: Oh, right.

Girl: You’ll get the hang of it soon!

Listening 2

Questions 20-25

For each question, choose the correct answer.

You will hear someone talking about the Westbay Music Festival.

20 The first Westbay Festival

A involved 12 bands.

B took place in 1980.

C lasted for one full day.

21 The festival

A will attract a bigger crowd this year.

B goes on for a whole weekend.

C is aimed at adults and children.

22 The Big Smile Stage includes appearances by

A local comedians only.

B famous TV stars.

C a top American entertainer.

23 What can you do inside the Big Blue Tent?

A read the latest music biographies

B watch thrillers on Saturday and Sunday nights

C watch films about rock music

24 The presenter especially likes the fact that you can buy

A unusual CDs.

B outdoor clothes.

C presents for other people.

25 What is special about the food at the festival?

A The Mexican food is very hot.

B There is more choice than at other events.

C Everything is vegetarian.

Answer & Audioscript

20 A 21 C 22 B 23 C 24 A 25 B

Audioscripts

Interviewer: You’re listening to 3FM, where we’re looking forward to Vancouver’s biggest event of the year, the Westbay Music Festival. Matt Harris is here to tell us all about it.

Matt: The Westbay Festival has been going for quite a number of years. It started off as a small gathering of a few hundred people in the early 1980s. Just a dozen groups played in a single tent and the event began at lunchtime and was over before it got dark. Nowadays it’s a four-day event, featuring some of the biggest acts in world music.

Interviewer: How many people will be attending?

Matt: Ticket numbers have been reduced slightly this year, but more than ten thousand people are expected to attend the festival, which provides a wide range of entertainment for young and old alike.

Interviewer: What kind of entertainment can people expect?

Matt: Well, while it’s still called a Music Festival, there’s actually much more to Westbay. The Big Smile Stage will have some of the best names in comedy to entertain the crowds. You’ll recognize people such as Mark Whitfield and Sandy Denver from TV, and there are also some new performers from the Vancouver area. A number of international names will be appearing, although US comic Joe Reen has unfortunately had to cancel his appearance. There are film shows every night in the Big Blue Tent behind the Main Stage. Friday night is thrillers night, so there should be some exciting movies. On Saturday and Sunday, you can watch a non-stop programme of music biographies and videos covering the history of rock music. Amazingly they’ll also be showing some old famous science fiction movies – special outdoor screenings which will only take place if the weather is suitable. Elsewhere, you can find a huge variety of things to buy in the festival market place. Whether you want to buy a jacket to keep the rain off or a candle for a friend, you’ll find it there. I’m particularly looking forward to visiting Fast Eddie’s Music Shop, which sells albums you can’t find anywhere else.

Interviewer: Will there be food there, too?

Matt: Oh yes! When you need a break from all that dancing, laughing and shopping, you’ll want a good meal. Westbay has more food stalls from around the world than any other festival in the country. You can get a hot vegetable curry from Thailand, enjoy the tastes of Mexico or try Australian barbecued lamb.

Interviewer: Delicious! It sounds as if there’s going to be something for everyone …