Hobbies & Free time – A1 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the conversation at the cinema. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What kind of movie does the customer want to see?
(A) An action movie.
(B) A comedy movie.
(C) A horror movie.
2 How do you spell the movie’s name?
(A) H-E-R-O
(B) H-A-R-O
(C) Z-E-R-O
3 What time does the movie start?
(A) 2:00
(B) 11:00
(C) 7:00
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) A comedy movie.
- Explanation: The customer clearly states, “I want to see the comedy movie.” Option (A) “An action movie” is a trap; the seller asks about it, but the customer explicitly rejects it by saying, “I don’t like action movies.” Option (C) “A horror movie” is not mentioned.
2 (A) H-E-R-O
- Explanation: The ticket seller spells the name of the movie as “H-E-R-O”. Option (B) uses the letter ‘A’ instead of ‘E’, which is a common vowel confusion trap. Option (C) “Z-E-R-O” is a phonetic trap because the letter ‘Z’ and ‘H’ can sound completely different, but “Hero” and “Zero” rhyme.
3 (C) 7:00
- Explanation: The seller says the movie starts at “seven o’clock” and the customer repeats it. Option (A) “2:00” is a trap because the number 2 is mentioned in the audio, but it is for the number of tickets (“two tickets”), not the time. Option (B) “11:00” is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Customer: Hello. I want to buy two tickets, please.
Ticket Seller: Okay. Do you want to see the action movie or the comedy movie?
Customer: I want to see the comedy movie. I don’t like action movies.
Ticket Seller: The comedy movie is called “Hero”. That is H-E-R-O.
Customer: Great. What time does it start?
Ticket Seller: It starts at seven o’clock.
Customer: Seven o’clock. Perfect. Here is the money for two tickets.
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation at a music center. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 When is the guitar class?
(A) Only on Tuesdays.
(B) On Tuesdays and Thursdays.
(C) On Tuesdays and Fridays.
2 How much is the class per month?
(A) $18
(B) $50
(C) $80
3 How do you spell the customer’s name?
(A) G-E-R-Y
(B) G-A-R-Y
(C) J-A-R-Y
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) On Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Explanation: The receptionist says, “We have a class on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” and the customer repeats it. Option (A) is a trap because “Tuesdays” is mentioned first, but it is not the only day. Option (C) is not mentioned.
2 (C) $80
- Explanation: The receptionist states the price is “eighty dollars” and clarifies with “eight-zero.” Option (A) “$18” is the classic A1 phonetic trap for “eighteen” vs “eighty.” Option (B) is not mentioned.
3 (B) G-A-R-Y
- Explanation: The customer spells his name clearly as “G-A-R-Y.” Option (A) uses ‘E’ instead of ‘A’, and Option (C) uses ‘J’ instead of ‘G’, which are common letter confusion traps in English.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Receptionist: Hello! Welcome to the Music Center.
Customer: Hi. I want to learn the guitar. Do you have a class for beginners?
Receptionist: Yes, we do. We have a class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Customer: Tuesdays and Thursdays. Okay. How much is the class?
Receptionist: It is eighty dollars a month. That’s eight-zero.
Customer: Eighty dollars. Great. Can you take my name, please? It’s Gary. G-A-R-Y.
Receptionist: G-A-R-Y. Thank you, Gary. See you on Tuesday!
Listening 3
Listen to the conversation in a sports store. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What size basketball does the customer want?
(A) Size 6
(B) Size 7
(C) Size 17
2 What color is the basketball?
(A) Orange
(B) Yellow
(C) Brown
3 How much is the basketball?
(A) $9
(B) $90
(C) $19
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Size 7
- Explanation: The customer clearly says, “I need size seven, please.” Option (A) “Size 6” is a trap because the clerk mentions it as an option, but the customer does not choose it. Option (C) “Size 17” is a phonetic trap for the number 7.
2 (A) Orange
- Explanation: The customer says, “I want the orange basketball.” Option (B) “Yellow” is the trap; the clerk offers it, but the customer rejects it by saying, “I don’t like yellow.” Option (C) “Brown” is a common color for basketballs but is never mentioned in the audio.
3 (C) $19
- Explanation: The clerk makes a mistake and says “ninety dollars” at first (which is the trap in Option B). The customer is surprised (“Nine-zero?”), and the clerk corrects herself, saying, “I mean nineteen dollars. One-nine.” Option (A) “$9” sounds similar but is incorrect.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Clerk: Hello! Welcome to the sports store. How can I help you?
Customer: Hi. I want to buy a new basketball.
Clerk: Great. We have size six and size seven. Which one do you want?
Customer: I need size seven, please.
Clerk: Size seven. And what color? We have orange and yellow.
Customer: I don’t like yellow. I want the orange basketball.
Clerk: Okay, an orange basketball. That is ninety dollars.
Customer: Ninety? Nine-zero?
Clerk: Oh, I am sorry! I mean nineteen dollars. One-nine.
Customer: Nineteen dollars. Okay, here you go.
Listening 4
Listen to the phone call to a sports center. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 When is the swimming pool open?
(A) Sunday morning
(B) Sunday afternoon
(C) Saturday morning
2 What time does the pool open?
(A) 2:00
(B) 10:00
(C) 12:00
3 How do you spell the customer’s name?
(A) P-O-U-L
(B) B-A-U-L
(C) P-A-U-L
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Sunday afternoon
- Explanation: The receptionist says, “But it is open on Sunday afternoon.” Option (A) is a trap; the customer asks about Sunday morning, but the receptionist explicitly says, “It is closed on Sunday morning.” Option (C) “Saturday morning” is not mentioned in the audio.
2 (A) 2:00
- Explanation: The receptionist states, “It opens at two o’clock,” and the customer repeats “Two o’clock.” Option (C) “12:00” (twelve) is a phonetic trap because it sounds a little similar to “two”. Option (B) “10:00” is never mentioned.
3 (C) P-A-U-L
- Explanation: The customer spells his name clearly as “P-A-U-L”. Option (A) uses an ‘O’ instead of an ‘A’. Option (B) uses a ‘B’ instead of a ‘P’, which tests the listener’s ability to tell the difference between the /b/ and /p/ sounds.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Receptionist: Hello, City Sports Center.
Customer: Hi. Is the swimming pool open on Sunday morning?
Receptionist: No, I am sorry. It is closed on Sunday morning. But it is open on Sunday afternoon.
Customer: Sunday afternoon. Okay. What time does it open?
Receptionist: It opens at two o’clock.
Customer: Two o’clock. Great. I want to come with my friends. My name is Paul. P-A-U-L.
Receptionist: P-A-U-L. Thank you, Paul. See you on Sunday!
Listening 5
Listen to the conversation in a library. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What is the reader’s new hobby?
(A) Reading comic books.
(B) Baking cakes.
(C) Cooking dinner.
2 Where are the cookbooks?
(A) Section 12
(B) Section 20
(C) Section 2
3 How do you spell the reader’s name?
(A) P-E-L-L-A
(B) B-E-L-A
(C) B-E-L-L-A
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Baking cakes.
- Explanation: The reader clearly says, “I have a new hobby. I love baking cakes.” Option (A) “Reading comic books” is a trap; the librarian asks about it at the end, but the reader says, “No, I don’t.” Option (C) “Cooking dinner” is not mentioned.
2 (A) Section 12
- Explanation: The librarian says the books are in “section twelve” and repeats “One-two” to be clear. Option (B) “Section 20” (twenty) is a classic phonetic trap for the number 12. Option (C) “Section 2” sounds similar but is incorrect.
3 (C) B-E-L-L-A
- Explanation: The reader spells her name letter by letter: “B-E-L-L-A”. Option (A) uses a ‘P’ instead of a ‘B’, testing the difference between the /p/ and /b/ sounds. Option (B) misses the double ‘L’.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Librarian: Good morning. How can I help you?
Reader: Hi. I want to find a book. I have a new hobby. I love baking cakes.
Librarian: Baking cakes. That is a great hobby! Do you need a cookbook?
Reader: Yes, a basic cookbook, please. Where are they?
Librarian: They are in section twelve. One-two.
Reader: Section twelve. Thank you. I also need a library card. My name is Bella. B-E-L-L-A.
Librarian: B-E-L-L-A. Okay, Bella. Do you like reading comic books too?
Reader: No, I don’t. I only want the cookbook today.