Shopping & Money – A1 English Listening Exercise

1 (B) The blue T-shirt

• Explanation: The customer asks about the “blue T-shirt” at the beginning and confirms at the end, “I will buy the blue one” (The Key). The red T-shirt is mentioned by the assistant (The Trap), and the black T-shirt is not mentioned.

2 (A) £15

• Explanation: The assistant says the price is “fifteen pounds” (The Key). The customer misunderstands and says “fifty” (The Trap). £20 is the price of the red T-shirt.

3 (C) One, five

• Explanation: To fix the customer’s mistake, the assistant says the numbers digit by digit: “One, five” (The Key). This proves the price is £15, not £50.

Customer: Excuse me. How much is this blue T-shirt?

Assistant: The blue one? It is fifteen pounds.

Customer: Oh, fifty pounds? That is very expensive!

Assistant: No, not fifty. It is fifteen. One, five. The red T-shirt is twenty pounds.

Customer: Oh, I understand. Fifteen pounds is cheap. I will buy the blue one.

Assistant: Great. Here you go.

1 (B) A book

• Explanation: The customer says at the very beginning, “I want to buy this book” (The Key). Bags and pens are not mentioned in the audio.

2 (C) $16

• Explanation: The cashier says, “That is sixteen dollars” (The Key). The number $20 is the money the customer gives (The Trap), and $4 is the change.

3 (A) $4

• Explanation: The cashier does the math (20 – 16) and says, “Here is your change. Four dollars.” The customer also repeats “Four dollars” to confirm (The Key).

Customer: Hello. I want to buy this book, please.

Cashier: Okay. That is sixteen dollars.

Customer: Here is a twenty-dollar bill.

Cashier: Thank you. So, you gave me twenty dollars. The book is sixteen dollars. Here is your change. Four dollars.

Customer: Four dollars. Thank you very much.

Cashier: Have a good day!

1 (A) Sunglasses

• Explanation: The customer says at the beginning, “I want to buy these sunglasses, please” (The Key). A bag is mentioned (“in my bag”), but it is not what the customer wants to buy (The Trap).

2 (B) $30

• Explanation: The cashier says the price is “thirty dollars,” and the customer repeats it (The Key). Option A ($13) is a phonetic trap because “thirteen” and “thirty” sound similar.

3 (C) By credit card

• Explanation: The customer asks, “Can I pay by credit card?” (The Key). The cashier says they only take cash (The Trap). The customer does not have cash.

Customer: Hello. I want to buy these sunglasses, please.

Cashier: Okay. That is thirty dollars.

Customer: Thirty dollars. Can I pay by credit card?

Cashier: I am sorry. We do not take credit cards today. Only cash.

Customer: Oh, no. I do not have cash in my bag. Where is the bank?

Cashier: It is next to the supermarket.

Customer: Thank you. I will come back later.

1 (B) To the train station

• Explanation: The passenger asks if the bus goes to the park (The Trap). The driver says no, the bus goes to the train station. The passenger then buys a ticket to the train station (The Key).

2 (B) $2.50

• Explanation: The driver says the price is “two dollars and fifty cents” (The Key). The passenger mishears it as “fifteen cents” (The Trap). The driver corrects this and says “Five, zero”.

3 (C) With coins

• Explanation: The passenger says, “I don’t have paper bills” (The Trap). Then, the passenger asks to pay with coins, and the driver says yes (The Key). Credit cards are not mentioned.

Passenger: Hello. Does this bus go to the park?

Driver: No, it does not. This bus goes to the train station.

Passenger: Oh, okay. One ticket to the train station, please.

Driver: That is two dollars and fifty cents.

Passenger: Two dollars and fifteen cents?

Driver: No, not fifteen. Fifty. Two dollars and fifty cents. Five, zero.

Passenger: I see. I don’t have paper bills. Can I pay with coins?

Driver: Yes, coins are fine. Here is your ticket.

1 (C) An ATM

• Explanation: The tourist says clearly at the beginning, “Is there an ATM near here?” (The Key). The post office is mentioned later as a location clue (The Trap). A bank is a place to get money, but it is not the word used in the audio.

2 (A) 5 minutes

• Explanation: The tourist asks if it is a “fifteen-minute walk” (The Trap). The passerby corrects this: “No, not fifteen. It is only five minutes.” (The Key)

3 (B) Next to the post office

• Explanation: The passerby says, “The ATM is next to the post office” (The Key). Option A uses the wrong preposition (“Inside” instead of “Next to”), and Option C mentions a supermarket, which is not in the audio.

Tourist: Excuse me. I need some money. Is there an ATM near here?

Passerby: Yes, there is one on Main Street.

Tourist: Is it far? Like, a fifteen-minute walk?

Passerby: No, not fifteen. It is only five minutes.

Tourist: Oh, five minutes. Great. Where is it exactly?

Passerby: The ATM is next to the post office.

Tourist: Next to the post office. Thank you very much!

Passerby: You are welcome.