Practice Listening English Exercises for A2 - School

Exercise 1

1. Listen to the What’s New section on a morning radio show. A boy called Ethan is talking about his experience of schooling. What phrase does Ethan use for the education he had on the trip?

2. Listen again. Are the sentences right (✓) or wrong (✗)?

1 There are four people in Ethan’s family.

2 Ethan’s mum left her job because she wanted to see the world.

3 Ruth and Ethan were homeschooled before they went travelling.

4 Ethan’s parents didn’t tell anyone else about their plans

5 Ruth and Ethan’s parents helped with the ‘world schooling’.

6 Ruth and Ethan do a lot of different things when they are travelling.

7 Ethan’s parents wanted him to go back to school.

8 Ethan says he works harder at school than he did when he was world schooled.

Answer & Audioscript

1 World Schooling

2 1 ✓

2 ✗ (Ethan’s mum lost her job.)

3 ✗ (Ruth and Ethan went to an ordinary school before they went travelling.)

4 ✗ (Their family and neighbours thought Ethan’s mum and dad were mad so they must have told them.)

5 ✓

6 ✓

7 ✗ (Ethan wanted to go back to school.)

8 ✗ (Ethan says he worked much harder when he was travelling.)

Audioscript

Ava: And now it’s time for ‘What’s new?’ This week we have Ethan Grant, who’s 13, joining us from Bali in Indonesia. Hi Ethan.

Ethan: Hi Ava.

Ava: So, Ethan, I read your blog. Could you tell us about it?

Ethan: Yes, it’s called World Schooling.

Ava: Is that like homeschooling?

Ethan: OK, well, em basically, yes it is, but school isn’t at home – it’s … the world.

Ava: Right!! Tell us from the beginning.

Ethan: OK. That was two years ago. My sister, Ruth, and I were doing OK at school. Mum lost her job and Dad loved travelling, so one day our parents said to us, ‘We’re taking you out of school for a year and we’re going to see the world’. Ruth and I thought it was a great idea.

Ava: A big change for your parents! What did your family and your neighbours think?

Ethan: They all thought mum and dad were mad!

Ava: So what happened next?

Ethan: Mum and dad planned things carefully. They sold the house and lots of their things. Then they bought a camper van and … we left.

Ava: So what about your schooling?

Ethan: Mum and dad taught us things each week – they got material off the internet – but the big thing about world schooling is that travelling is an education in itself. So many subjects connect when you are in a new place. You learn about the history of a place, its geography, its language or languages and you need maths when you are using the money. Ruth and I have been to lots of countries, met so many amazing people and learned so much about the world.

Ava: How long have you been in Bali?

Ethan: Actually, we’ve been here nearly a year. I wanted to go to school, so I asked if we could stay – I need exams to go to university. Mum and dad like it here in Bali, they’ve got a little hotel and I go to an international school. Perfect!

Ava: So do you like being at school again?

Ethan: Yes, I do, I’ve made lots of new friends. School work is fine – in fact, I worked much harder when I was travelling. Ruth’s homeschooled but she’s going to come to my school next year.

Ava: Thanks, Ethan. Good luck. Bye.

Ethan: Bye.

Exercise 2

1. Listen to three people talking about school and learning. Write Mrs Black, Lorna or Ben.

1 ……………… is describing a school.

2 ……………… is describing a way of learning.

3 ……………… is explaining what is going to happen.

2. Listen again and write one word or number for each answer.

1 What subject will Mrs Black teach Class 8A? ………………

2 What subject will Mr Hill teach Class 8A? ………………

3 Where does Lorna live? on a ………………

4 Who is homeschooled with Lorna? her ………………

5 What subject does their mum teach the best? ………………

6 Where is the best school for Ben’s son? in ……………… Street

7 How many students are there at the school? ………………

8 What can’t students wear to the school? ………………

9 How often do students at the school take tests? every ………………

Answer & Audioscript

1 1 Ben 2 Lorna 3 Mrs Black

2 1 chemistry 2 physics 3 farm 4 sister 5 drama

6 market 7 500 8 jeans 9 month

Audioscript

A Mrs Black

Mrs Black: Quiet please. Thank you. I’m Mrs Black, your new teacher. Good morning Class 8A. I’m going to teach you chemistry this year. I also teach biology, but to the younger students. Your biology teacher won’t change this year. But you will have one other new teacher this year. He’s called Mr Hill. The only science subject I don’t teach is physics. So he’s teach you that.

B Lorna

Lorna: Hi, I’m Lorna. I’m homeschooled because we live on a farm, a long way from the nearest school. But it’s not just me – I have a brother and a sister, and my sister is homeschooled with me. My brother’s too young for school. My mum teaches us. She’s really good at maths, and teaches it well. But she teaches us drama better than any other subject – when she was younger, she wanted to be an actor.

C Ben

Ben: My name’s Ben Rogers. My son’s 11 and he’s leaving his school at the end of this year. I’m looking at schools for him. We’re lucky – there are three good ones near our home in King Street. I think the best school’s the one in Market Street. It’s quite small – only 500 students go to it. And the teachers are great. Students don’t have to wear a uniform but they can’t wear jeans. Students there have to work hard. They have tests every month and homework every night of the week, too.