Practice Listening English Exercises for A2 – Lifestyle

A

1   Yes, they do.

2   Gonzales: No, but his wife loves the money.

     Emma: Her eight-year-old girl doesn’t like it.

B

1 Emma T   2 Gonzales F, Emma F

3 Gonzales T, Emma T   4 Gonzales T, Emma F

Audioscript

H = Host   G = Gonzales   E = Emma

H:   And today on Radio 99 we talk to some high ­flyers—men and women who work in very high places around the world: high buildings or high mountains or planes. Our first guest is from the United States. His name is Gonzales Delgado, and he has a great job. He works on bridges. Welcome, Gonzales.

G:   Good morning.

H:   So, tell us about your job.

G:   Well, I’m a painter, and I work on bridges. Now I’m at the Mackinack Bridge, in Michigan.

H:   Oh, yes. I have a photo of you on that bridge. It looks dangerous.

G:   Yeah, maybe, but I like it.

H:   What do you like about it?

G:   Well, I leave home at four in the morning and start work at five, and it’s quiet; no people, no cars – just me. I love the fresh air. It’s great being outside. I like all that. The only problem is the wind and the cold …

H:   Yes.

G:   … and then I finish work at two and get home at three, and that’s great!

H:   Yes. And do you come down to have lunch?

G:   No, I have a sandwich up on the bridge.

H:   And what does your family think about it?

G:   Oh well, my wife doesn’t like it. She thinks it’s dangerous. But she loves the money—it’s very good money.

H:   I’m sure! Anyway, thanks, Gonzalez. Please don’t go because our next guest is another high ­flyer. She’s a pilot in Canada. Good morning, Emma. Can you hear me? Emma?

E:   Yes, ‑ ne. Hi.

H:   Where are you now?

E:   In Ottawa, Canada, at the airport.

H:   So, do you ­ y from Ottawa?

E:   Well, I live in Ottawa. But mostly I ­ y between small towns. I take food, mail and other things out to small towns in Canada.

H:   Is that a lot of ­ ying?

E:   Yes, it’s, uh… four or five hours from one town to another.

H:   That’s a lot of time. When do you eat?

E:   Oh, I don’t eat on the plane. I have dinner in the towns, with friends.

H:   And you ­ y every week?

E:   Yeah. I leave home on Monday morning, and I get back home on Thursday.

H:   Do you like your job?

E:   Oh yes, yes, I do. I love the mountains. They’re, they’re beautiful …

H:   Yes.

E:   … really beautiful.

H:   And what does your family think about your job?

E:   Hmm … mixed emotions. I’m not home for three days a week, so that’s a problem for my eight-year-old girl.

H:   Ah. What’s her name?

E:   Her name’s Alice.

H:   Does she want to be a pilot?

E:   No, Alice doesn’t like ­ ying. She wants to work with animals – she watches animal shows on TV all the time.

H:   Thanks, Emma. Have a safe trip.

E:   No problem. Thank you.

H:   So, Gonzalez, do you …

1   the Golden Gate boat tour

2   no

3   The man doesn’t understand the tourist information woman.

      She speaks too fast, and he feels very stupid.

Audioscript

A:   Oh look, tourist information. We can ask there.

B:   OK. You ask.

A:   No, you ask. My English isn’t very good.

B:   You speak English very well. You ask.

A:   No, you ask.

B:   No, you ask.

A:   OK. Excuse me, do you speak English?

C:   Yes, can I help you?

A:   Yes, thank you. My friend has a question.

B:   No! Oh … uh … OK … We want to take a tour.

C:   OK. Which tour is that? The Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour, the Golden Gate boat tour or the Chinatown walking tour?

B:   Uh … I don’t understand anything.

A:   She asked which tour.

B:   Oh, the Golden Gate boat tour.

C:   Ah, the boat tour, good choice, and I think we have a couple of places left on the tour tomorrow morning if you’re interested in that one …

B:   Thank you, goodbye.

C:   Oh, Goodbye.

A:   What’s the problem?

B:   I don’t understand her. She speaks too fast!

A:   Oh, come on! Let’s go back.

B:   No, I don’t want to. I feel so stupid!

A:   Oh, come on!

A

1   What time does it start?

2   Where does it leave from?

3   When does the tour finish?

4   How much does it cost?

5   Do you take credit cards?

B

1 10 o’clock   2 the front gate/Pier 43   3 1p.m.

4 26 dollars (52 dollars for two)   5 yes

Audioscript

A:   Hello. We’re back.

C:   Hello again! So, do you want the Golden Gate boat tour?

A:   Uh, could you speak more slowly, please?

C:   Of course. Would you like the Golden Gate boat tour?

A:   Yes, tomorrow.

C:   Would you like the morning or afternoon tour?

A:   Tomorrow morning. What time does it start?

C:   At ten o’clock exactly.

A:   Excuse me, ten o’clock … ?

C:   Yes, at ten.

A:   And where does it leave from?

C:   From Pier forty-three. Or the shuttle to the boat leaves from the front gate at nine forty-five.

A:   Sorry, could you repeat that?

C:   The shuttle to the boat leaves from the front gate.

A:   The front gate? Here? Outside?

C:   Yes, just over there. Do you see the sign?

B:   Yes, I can see the sign. I can see it!

A:   Nine forty-five.

B:   Nine forty-five. OK. And when does the tour ­finish?

C:   The boat arrives back here at 1 p.m.

A:   1 p.m. OK. How much does it cost?

C:   Twenty-six dollars per person.

A:   Twenty-six dollars. So fifty-two dollars for two.

C:   That’s right.

A:   OK, that’s good. So could we have two tickets for tomorrow morning, please?

B:   Uh … do you take credit cards?

C:   Yes, of course.

A

arrive early/late, give money, stay a short/long time, speak in your/their language

B

Ss should check (✓) all the phrases apart from What do you mean?

Audioscript

A:   What do you think? What does a good guest do?

B:   Uh, well, he …

A:   Or she …

B:   Yes, let’s say he …

A:   OK.

B:   He doesn’t arrive early.

A:   For example?

B:   For example, he says seven o’clock, and then he arrives at six o’clock. One hour early, and I’m not ready.

A:   Yes, I agree. That’s bad.

B:   So, number one, a good guest doesn’t arrive early.

A:   Not too early, not too late.

B:   Yes, that’s good. What else?

A:   Uh… what about money?

B:   Hmm … I don’t know. What do you think?

A:   Well, I think it’s important to give some money for your food.

B:   Oh no, I don’t agree.

A:   Well, maybe you have dinner at a restaurant one evening and you pay.

B:   It depends. Not for one night.

A:   OK, when a guest stays three nights, he pays for dinner at a restaurant.

B:   I think that’s strange, but OK.

A:   And language? Maybe the guest speaks a different language.

B:   Yeah. Well, then …

A

Digital Photography:   2

Salsa for Beginners:   3

Singing for Fun:   1

Office Yoga:   4

B
Singing for Fun:   Monday and Thursday nights; music school; sing old songs, new songs (and the teachers play the guitar)

Digital Photography:   Saturday mornings; high school; study how to take a good photo

Salsa for Beginners:   Tuesday and Thursday (and weekends); dance club; practice salsa dancing (and go to dance clubs at the weekend)

Office Yoga:   Monday and Wednesday; Union Couty; stretching and relaxing exercises

Audioscript

A:   Can I help you?

B:   Yes, hi. I’m interested in one of your courses.

A:   OK. Which course do you want to do?

B:   Uh, I don’t know. Can you help me?

A:   Sure. Well, do you like music?

B:   Yes, I do. I listen to music a lot at home, and … I sing in the car sometimes.

A:   Then maybe Singing for fun? The class is on Monday and Thursday nights from six-thirty till eight-thirty at the music school.

B:   And what do they do in the classes?

A:   Well, the teachers play the guitar, and the students uh, sing – old songs, new songs. They, uh …

B:   I’m not sure. No, I don’t think that’s good for me.

A:   OK. Let’s see … Do you take pictures?

B:   Well, I take them on vacations.

A:   Because the Digital photography course is on Saturday mornings from nine to twelve at the high school. A good time if you work Monday to Friday. You study how to take good pictures. The teacher is a photographer.

B:   Hmm … no, no, I don’t like photography much.

A:   Well, do you like dancing? There’s a salsa group – Salsa for beginners. They meet at the dance club on Tuesdays and Thursdays from seven to nine and practice salsa dancing. I know that on the weekend they meet and go to dance clubs.

B:   Oh, no. I don’t dance.

A:   Hmm. OK. Where do you work?

B:   At a bank.

A:   And do you sit at your desk a lot?

B:   Yes, all day. I don’t do much exercise.

A:   Yes, me too. I’m here all day on the computer, but I do Office yoga.

B:   What do you do in an Office yoga class?

A:   Oh, it’s great! We meet here at Union County on Mondays and Wednesdays from seven thirty to nine. We learn exercises that you do at your desk – stretching and relaxing exercises.

B:   Yeah. That’s good. Uh, yes … OK, OK. Office yoga. How much is it? And when are the classes …

2 12.10   3 7 (a.m.)   4 1 p.m. / 1 o’clock

5 Wat Phra Kaew   6 650   7 9.30 (a.m.)   8 1 (p.m.)

Audioscript

1

A:   Hello, National Rail. Can I help you?

B:   Yes, I want to go from London to Cambridge this morning. What time does the next train leave?

A:   There’s one at 10:52, getting into Cambridge at 11:54.

B:   Sorry, could you speak more slowly please? What time does it leave?

A:   10:52.

B:   10:52. That’s soon. Uh, what time’s the next train after that?

A:   The next one leaves at 11:15.

B:   And when does it arrive in Cambridge?

A:   At 12:10.

B:   12:10. Great. Thank you.

2

A:   Hello.

B:   Hello, can I help you?

A:   Yes, can you tell me about the Bangkok Temple Tour?

B:   OK.

A:   Uh, what time does it start?

B:   It starts at 7 a.m.

A:   7 a.m! That’s early. When does it finish?

B:   Lunchtime. At about 1 o’clock.

A:   OK. And where does it start from?

B:   Oh, it starts and ends at the Wat Phra Kaew.

A:   Excuse me, the Wat Phra … Uh, could you spell that?

B:   Sure. W-A-T P-H-R-A K-A-E-W.

A:   Thanks.

B:   Would you like to book the tour?

A:   How much does it cost?

B:   Six hundred and fifty baht.

A:   How much is that in dollars?

B:   Eighteen dollars and twenty five cents.

A:   OK, yes, please.

3

A:   Hello, National Bank. Can I help you?

B:   Yes, just a question about your opening hours. What time do you open on Monday?

A:   We open at 9:30 on Monday to Friday.

B:   Sorry, could you repeat that? Nine …?

A:   Nine thirty.

B:   And what time do you close?

A:   At four.

B:   Are you open on Saturdays?

A:   Yes, from 10 a.m.

B:   And what time do you close?

A:   At 1 p.m.

B:   OK, thank you.