Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Youth culture

1 getting a job

2 traveling abroad

3 buying a car

4 living alone

5 getting married

Audioscripts in B below

1 no   2 yes   3 no   4 yes   5 no

Audioscripts

1

Man:   Hey, Jun. Would you mind helping me with this job application? It says, “List the reasons why you would be successful at this job.” Hmm. What should I write?

Jun:   Well, what kind of job is this application for?

Man:   It’s a full-time job with a big computer company. I’d be an assistant manager.

Jun:   Wow. It sounds like you’d have a lot of responsibility and you’d be really, really busy.

Man:   Yeah, you’re right.

Jun:   Are you sure you’re up for that? Maybe you should take some time off before you get a job.

Man:   Yeah, maybe you’re right. I just graduated, and I’ve been thinking about taking a break. I don’t really want to get a job quite yet.

2

Man:   Have you decided whether you’re going or not?

Woman:   Not really. A year seems like such a long time to be away from home, and I’ve never been abroad before.

Man:   Yeah, but think of the experience you’ll have. A homestay is a great opportunity to learn so many new things.

Woman:   You know, you’re right. If I don’t go, I’ll always regret it.

Man:   Good for you!

3

Man:   So, are you going to buy one?

Woman:   I don’t know. They’re pretty expensive. I’ll have to pay for gasoline, repairs, insurance…

Man:   Come on! You’ve had your driver’s license since April! Don’t you want to go on some road trips this summer? We could go to the beach, camping… and I’ll give you money for gas!

Woman:   I don’t think so. It’s just too much responsibility.

4

Woman:   So, Mei, you’re starting college in the spring? Are you going to live with your parents?

Mei:   I don’t know. I guess I could live with my parents, but I might get an apartment closer to school.

Woman:   Don’t you think you’d be lonely living on your own? You’re so sociable.

Mei:   Maybe, but I could invite my friends over anytime I wanted.

Woman:   Well, you’d have to cook and clean if you lived on your own.

Mei:   Oh, I wouldn’t mind cleaning. And I love cooking.

Woman:   Well, then maybe you are ready to get your own place.

Mei:   Yeah, I think I am.

5

Woman:   So, you and Julie are graduating from college this year.

Man:   Yeah, in June.

Woman:   Are you two still planning to get married after you graduate?

Man:   Well, we’re not sure. I mean, we really love each other, but we don’t know if we’re ready for such a big step right now.

Woman:   Well, you shouldn’t get married before you’re ready.

1 Japan   2 Mexico   3 Ghana

4 Norway   5 the U.S.

Audioscripts in B below

1 a   2 a   3 b   4 a   5 b

Audioscripts

1

Man:   In my country, we have Coming of Age Day. It’s on the second Monday in January. The year we turn twenty years old, we celebrate this day. We dress up. Women wear long, colorful dresses called kimono, and men wear suits. There’s a big ceremony at City Hall, and somebody usually makes a speech. But the fun part is having a party with our friends. We’re twenty. We are finally adults!

2

Woman:   For me, becoming an adult was my Quinceañera party. Quince means “fifteen.” Where I come from, this is very important for fifteen-year-old girls. We wear pretty white dresses, and we usually wear something pretty in our hair, too – a hairpiece. First we go to church; then we have a big party and dance. We always dance the first dance with our fathers. Quinceañera means we are no longer little girls. We are becoming women.

3

Woman:   In my country, Krobo girls who are becoming women have a ceremony called Dipo. We go away for three weeks with our mothers and other older women to learn about being wives and mothers. When we come back, we wear special necklaces made of glass beads, and we walk through the village. After Dipo, we can get married.

4

Woman:   When we graduate from high school in May, students celebrate for two weeks. Students from the same school all wear the same clothes, usually blue or red, depending on the school. We go out with our friends and have lots celebrations – parades, fireworks, parties. Sometimes, we get pretty crazy!

5

Man:   We don’t really have a special ceremony where I’m from. I guess the senior prom is sort of like that. It’s a big dance we have our last year of high school. We dress up; girls wear formal dresses, and guys wear suits or tuxedos. The couple takes a photo together, and everybody dances.

1 c   2 b   3 a   4 a   5 c

Audioscripts

Man:   In my country, we have a celebration called the Twenty-first. We have it here in New Zealand, and Australians celebrate it, too. It’s a big celebration for our twenty-first birthday. When we turn twenty-one, we have a big party with our friends and families. Everyone gives us presents, and there’s lots of food. In the past, the Twenty-first was a very important custom. It meant the person was officially an adult. It’s still important, but now I think the meaning is different. I think it’s really just a chance to have some fun with friends and family.

1 a   2 b   3 a   4 a    5 b

Audioscripts in B below

1 college   2 don’t have   3 rain

4 after   5 jeans and a T-shirt

Audioscripts

1

Chris:   So, Cory, did you decide where you’re going to live next year?

Cory:   Yeah, I’m going to live at home with my family.

Chris:   Oh, I thought you wanted to get your own apartment near school.

Cory:   I changed my mind. Living on my own would be very expensive. And I’d have to spend a lot of time cooking and cleaning; I wouldn’t have much time to study.

Chris:   Sounds very sensible.

2

Steven:   Is there any mail for me, Mom?

Mother:   Yes. Here you go.

Steven:   Oh, it’s from a credit card company. Hey! They’re offering me my own credit card!

Mother:   Why do they want to give you a credit card? You don’t even have a part-time job.

Steven:   A lot of my friends have credit cards, Mom. The kids use them to buy things, and then their parents pay the bill at the end of the month.

Mother:   Well, Steven, you can get a credit card when you’re old enough to have a job and pay your own bill!

3

Man:   So, Terry, are you ready for your big day?

Terry:   I think so. I have my dress, and we’re ordered flowers…. It’s going to be great. I just hope we have nice weather! The ceremony is outdoors. I don’t want a wet wedding.

Man:   Oh, don’t worry. Everything will be perfect.

4

Michelle:   Hey, Dad. Tomorrow’s my last driving lesson. Will you take me for my test sometime next week?

Father:   Sure, Michelle. What day do you want to go?

Michelle:   How about Tuesday afternoon? A lot of kids go before school, so it gets really crowded in the morning.

Father:   OK. I’ll pick you up around four-thirty.

Michelle:   Great! And when I’m finished, I’ll drive you home!

5

Mom:   Ryan! You look very handsome. What are you doing tonight?

Ryan:   Larisa and I are going to a movie.

Mom:   Oh, you have a date! So, that’s why you’re all dressed up.

Ryan:   Yes, I have a date. But I’m not really dressed up, Mom.

Mom:   Well, you’re wearing pants and a nice shirt – not jeans and a T-shirt – so you look dressed up to me. You look very nice, sweetie. Have a great time.

Ryan:   Thanks, Mom.