Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Time out

A

Caller 1 wants to reserve a table.

Caller 2 wants to change the date of tickets reserved for a show.

Caller 3 is inviting a friend for dinner.

Caller 4 wants to cancel dinner.

B

1 four, 9 o’clock   2 King, June 14th   3 8:30, Saturday   4 dinner

Audioscript

W1 = 1st woman     M1 = 1st man     W2 = 2nd woman     M2 = 2nd man     W3 = 3rd woman     W4 = 4th woman     M3 = 3rd man     W5 = 5th woman

Conversation 1

W1:   Como’s Restaurant.

M1:   Hello, I’d like to reserve a table for four on Saturday night. Around eight thirty if possible.

W1:   Let me just take a look. This Saturday?

M1:   Yes.

W1:   Saturday the fifteenth. Sorry, we’re completely full on Saturday. There’s nothing at all.

M1:   Ah, what about Sunday?

W1:   Sunday, Sunday. Um … the best I can do is a table at nine o’clock.

M1:   Nine o’clock? Don’t you have anything earlier?

W1:   Nothing at all, I’m afraid.

M1:   OK, let’s go ahead. Nine o’clock.

W1:   Can I take your name, please?

M1:   The table is for Jack Hopper.

W1:   Jack … hang on … can you repeat that, please? Did you say Jack Hopper?

M1:   Yes. H-o-double p-e-r.

W1:   OK, that’s reserved. Table for four, nine o’clock, Sunday.

M1:   Great. Thank you.

W1:   Thank you.

Conversation 2

W2:   RSA Theatre. Jenny speaking. How can I help you?

M2:   Hello, I was wondering if you could help me. I’ve reserved tickets for the show on the tenth of June, but I’d like to change the date.

W2:   OK, one moment. Can I just check? What’s the name, please?

M2:   The tickets are in the name of James King.

W2:   Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Did you say King?

M2:   James King.

W2:   OK. Two tickets for June the tenth. What date would you like to change to?

M2:   What dates do you still have seats for?

W2:   There’s nothing on the twelfth or thirteenth. There are two seats for the eleventh, but they’re separate. We have …

M2:   Sorry, can you slow down, please? Two seats for?

W2:   Sorry, two seats for the eleventh, but they aren’t together. We can give you two seats together on June the fourteenth.

M2:   June the fourteenth. That’s fine.

W2:   OK. I’ll just go ahead and reserve those.

Conversation 3

W3:   Hello?

W4:   Hello, it’s Mary here. Hello? Can you hear me OK? It’s Mary here.

W3:   Oh hi, Mary. How are you?

W4:   Very well, thanks. And you?

W3:   Yeah, fine.

W4:   Are you doing anything on Saturday? Because a few of us are going out for dinner.

W3:   Sorry, Mary, can you speak up, please? I’m at the station, and I can’t hear a thing.

W4:   D’you want to go for dinner on Saturday?

W3:   Oh, that sounds nice.

W4:   There’s going to be a few of us, Mohammed and Clare, and Robin.

W3:   That sounds like fun.

W4:   Are you free?

W3:   I think so.

W4:   Good. Eight-thirty, Saturday. Pauly’s.

W3:   OK. Pauly’s on Saturday at eight-thirty.

W4:   That’s right. Great. See you soon.

W3:   OK. Thanks for calling.

Conversation 4

M3:   Witherton’s. Who’s calling?

W5:   Hello, this is Kim. Kim Brower. Can I speak to Alexandra Sanders, please?

M3:   I’m afraid she’s not here at the moment.

W5:   Ah, do you know when she’ll be back? I’ve tried her phone three or four times and left messages, but she hasn’t called back.

M3:   She’s visiting a customer. She should be back this evening. Can I take a message?

W5:   It’s about dinner tonight. I’ve had to cancel because of work.

M3:   OK. I’ll ask her to call you back.

W5:   Thanks.

M3:   Does she have your number?

W5:   It’s 182 2766.

M3:   Can you repeat that, please?

W5:   182 2766.

A

2 b   3 d   4 e   5 f   6 a

B

1   We’re going to …

2   It’s going to be …

3   We’re starting the day …

4   In the afternoon, we’re planning to …

5   In the evening, we’re …

6   Afterward, for lunch, we’re …

Audioscript

OK. I’m going to tell you about how to go local in Pisa, Italy. I’m going to take you on a tour that only the locals would know about. First of all, we’re starting the day with a coffee and a fresh pastry from a little bar near the Vettovaglie market. I love this place because it’s where all the locals who sell in the market go to have their coffee. And the coffee is delicious. We’re going to spend the morning walking through the market and the old part of the city near the university. Afterward, for lunch, we’re going to one of the best restaurants I know. It’s called Le Bandierine and they specialize in homemade spaghetti and seafood, and we’re going to have a fantastic meal there. In the afternoon, we’re planning to go a little outside Pisa to San Rossore park. It’s a beautiful place to walk, but they also have horse races there, so we can have some fun watching the horses. In the evening, we’re going back toward the Leaning Tower for an early evening drink to look at the Piazza dei Miracoli as the sun goes down, when all the tourists have gone home. We’ll finish the evening with a wonderful pizza from a restaurant on the other side of the city. I’m sure you’ll love it. It’s going to be a day to remember.

A

1 T   2 F   3 T   4 T   5 F   6 F

B

1 45,000 dollars   2 no   3 yes

Audioscript

D = David   T = Terry

D:   So, what do you think, Terry? I put it on this wall because of the light.

T:   Um. It’s … it’s … well, I want to say I like it. But I don’t.

D:   You don’t like it?

T:   No, David, I don’t. It’s terrible.

D:   What?

T:   It’s just black. All over. It’s black on black. It looks like a painting of a black bird flying over a black building on a black night.

D:   It’s modern art, Terry.

T:   I know, I know. But it doesn’t say anything.

D:   What do you mean, it doesn’t say anything? It’s art. It doesn’t talk.

T:   You know what I mean. It has no message. I don’t understand it.

D:   You don’t have to understand it, Terry. It’s art. It just exists. It’s not there to be understood.

T:   So why is it all black? Why not white? Or white and black? Or red, white and black?

D:   Why don’t you ask the artist?

T:   How much did it cost?

D:   I’m not telling you.

T:   How much did it cost?

D:   Why?

T:   I want to know.

D:   It was expensive.

T:   What does that mean? What’s expensive? Fifty dollars? Fifty thousand dollars?

D:   Nearer fifty thousand.

T:   Nearer fifty thousand dollars than fifty?

D:   Yes. Forty-five thousand. Forty-five thousand dollars.

T:   I can’t believe it! You bought a black painting … you spent forty-five thousand dollars …

D:   I liked it. I like it. No, I love it.

T:   It’s black, David. Black on black. I could paint it for you in five minutes.

D:   But you didn’t.

T:   You didn’t ask me to.

D:   I didn’t want you to.

T:   Has Mary seen it?

D:   Not yet. She’s away. She’ll be back on Friday.

T:   Does she know you bought it?

D:   No. It’s a surprise.

T:   Oh, yes, it will be. A big surprise! Does Mary even like modern art?

D:   Yes. She’ll like this.

T:   How do you know?

D:   I know.

T:   How?

D:   Because I know what Mary likes and what Mary doesn’t like. And she’ll like this.

T:   I hope so. Because if she doesn’t, you’re dead.

1   tickets, after six/6/6.00

2   station, eight/8/8.00

3   bookings, eight/8/8.00

Audioscript

1

A:   You’ve reached Danny’s voicemail. Please leave a message.

B:   Hi, Danny. It’s Pauline here. I’m calling about tomorrow night. Unfortunately, there are no more tickets for the concert. I called them at about two o’clock, but they were already sold out. So, I don’t know what you want to do. Anyway, give me a call tonight after six. Bye.

2

A:   Hi, is Tricia there, please?

B:   No, I’m afraid she isn’t. Who’s speaking?

A:   It’s Elise here.

B:   Hi, Elise. No, I’m afraid Tricia is out at the moment. Do you want to leave a message?

A:   Yes, can you tell her I’ll be at the station at eight. She’s going to meet me there.

B:   Sorry, can you repeat that?

A:   Yes. I’ll be at the station at eight.

B:   Oh, OK. At eight. I’ll tell her that.

A:   Thanks. Oh, and can you tell her that her cell phone isn’t working?

B:   Yes, OK. I think she needs to recharge it.

A:   Thanks. Bye.

B:   Bye.

3

A:   Roundhouse Bar and Grill. How can I help you?

B:   Oh, hello there. I’d like to reserve a table for three people for Wednesday evening.

A:   Oh, we don’t take reservations, actually.

B:   Oh, really?

A:   Yeah, if you just show up at the door, that’ll be fine.

B:   OK.

A:   Around eight is usually our busiest time, between eight and nine thirty. So if you come a bit before that …

B:   Great. Thanks very much for your help.

A:   You’re welcome.