Childhood memories – A2 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: (B) A wooden train

• Explanation: Lisa clearly states, “My favorite toy was a little wooden train.” Option (A) is a trap; a doll is mentioned, but Lisa says it belonged to her sister. Option (C) is a plausible childhood toy, but it is never mentioned in the conversation.

2 Correct Answer: (A) A remote-control car

• Explanation: Mark says, “I wanted a big remote-control car for my tenth birthday.” Option (B) is a trap; a model airplane is what he actually received, not what he initially wanted. Option (C) is plausible for a 10-year-old boy, but it is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (C) He enjoyed putting it together.

• Explanation: Mark says about the model airplane, “…it was actually really fun to build” (which matches “putting it together”). Option (A) is a trap; the word “expensive” is mentioned, but it describes the remote-control car, not the airplane. Option (B) is a trap; he was disappointed “at first,” but he ended up having fun with it.

Lisa: Phew, there is a lot of old stuff in these boxes. Oh, look at this!

Mark: Is that your old doll?

Lisa: Actually, it was my sister’s. My favorite toy was a little wooden train. My grandfather made it for me. I played with it every single day.

Mark: That’s nice. I loved toy cars when I was a kid. I wanted a big remote-control car for my tenth birthday.

Lisa: Did you get it?

Mark: Well, my parents went to the toy store, but it was too expensive. So, they bought me a model airplane instead. I was a bit disappointed at first, but it was actually really fun to build.

1 Correct Answer: (B) Black with one white ear

• Explanation: The grandfather says his dog was “mostly black, but he had one white ear.” Option (A) is a trap; the dog is mostly black, but not completely. Option (C) is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (C) They ran in the garden.

• Explanation: The grandfather says, “we usually just ran around the garden together.” Option (A) is a trap; he wanted to teach the dog to catch a ball, but the dog was too lazy. Option (B) is a trap; the word “lazy” is mentioned, but they didn’t sleep all day.

3 Correct Answer: (A) In the kitchen.

• Explanation: The grandfather says the dog “had to sleep in the kitchen.” Option (B) is a trap; the grandfather wanted the dog in his bedroom, but his mother said no. Option (C) is a trap; the garden is where they played, not where the dog slept at night.

Granddaughter: Grandpa, did you have a pet when you were my age?

Grandfather: Yes, I did. I had a small dog named Buster. He was mostly black, but he had one white ear.

Granddaughter: He sounds cute! Did you play games with him?

Grandfather: I tried! I really wanted to teach him to catch a ball, but he was very lazy. So, we usually just ran around the garden together.

Granddaughter: Where did he sleep? In your bedroom?

Grandfather: I wanted him to sleep in my room, but my mother said no. So, he had to sleep in the kitchen.

1 Correct Answer: (B) To the beach

• Explanation: Sarah says, “When I was a kid, my family always went to the ocean” (ocean = beach). Option (A) is a trap; the mountains are where Mark’s family went, not Sarah’s. Option (C) is a plausible vacation spot, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (A) Stay in the tent

• Explanation: When Sarah asks, “Did you just stay in the tent all day?”, Mark replies, “I wanted to!”. Option (B) is a trap; he had to hike because his dad made him, but he didn’t want to. Option (C) is a trap; he hated camping at first because there was no TV, but “watching TV” was impossible there, so his plan was to just stay in the tent.

3 Correct Answer: (C) Fishing in the lake

• Explanation: Mark clearly states, “I eventually loved fishing in the lake.” Option (A) is a trap; hiking is mentioned, but he thought it was “tiring,” not enjoyable. Option (B) is a trap; they caught their dinner, but the audio doesn’t say he enjoyed cooking it.

Sarah: Where should we go this summer? Um, I really miss the beach. When I was a kid, my family always went to the ocean for two weeks.

Mark: That sounds nice. My family never went to the beach. We usually went camping in the mountains. Well, actually, I hated it at first because there was no TV.

Sarah: Did you just stay in the tent all day?

Mark: I wanted to! But my dad made us hike every morning. It was so tiring. But, you know, I eventually loved fishing in the lake. We even caught our own dinner!

Sarah: Wow. That sounds fun. Let’s go camping this year then!

1 Correct Answer: (B) They didn’t bring a ball.

• Explanation: The dad says, “unfortunately, we forgot the soccer ball at home!” Option (A) is a trap; the boy mentions his new shoes, but he didn’t forget them (he wore them). Option (C) is a plausible reason not to play, but no one mentions the park being crowded.

2 Correct Answer: (A) He has to stop moving.

• Explanation: The dad explains the rule clearly: “you can’t run anymore. You have to stop and stand still like a statue.” Option (B) is a trap; running is part of the game, but when touched, you must stop, not go faster. Option (C) is a plausible rule for normal “Tag,” but in “Freeze Tag,” the touched person freezes.

3 Correct Answer: (C) By getting touched by another player.

• Explanation: The dad states, “Usually, another player has to touch you to save you.” Option (A) is plausible for some kids’ games, but it is not mentioned in the audio. Option (B) is a trap; the chaser (the dad) is the one who freezes people, not the one who saves them.

Son: Dad, can we play soccer now? I wore my new running shoes today!

Dad: Oh, unfortunately, we forgot the soccer ball at home! But don’t worry, we can play a game I loved when I was your age. It’s called “Freeze Tag.”

Son: How do you play? Do I just run away from you?

Dad: Yes, I chase you. But here is the rule: if I touch you, you can’t run anymore. You have to stop and stand still like a statue.

Son: That sounds easy. How do I move again?

Dad: Usually, another player has to touch you to save you. But since it is just the two of us today, if I touch you, the game is over and I win! Ready? Go!

1 Correct Answer: (B) Leo

• Explanation: Tom says about the boy in the photo, “His name was Leo!”. Option (A) is a trap; Emma guesses the boy is Peter, but Tom says “No, that’s not Peter.” Option (C) is the speaker’s name, not the boy in the picture.

2 Correct Answer: (B) He had curly brown hair.

• Explanation: Tom describes Leo by saying, “This boy has curly brown hair.” Option (A) is a trap; short blond hair was Peter’s appearance, not Leo’s. Option (C) is a plausible hair description but is never mentioned in the audio.

3 Correct Answer: (C) He drew funny pictures.

• Explanation: Tom says that Leo “usually drew funny pictures of the teacher on the desk.” Option (A) is a trap; Emma asks if Leo helped with math, and Tom says he wanted him to, but Leo was terrible at it. Option (B) is a trap; they cleaned the desk to hide the pictures, but Leo didn’t clean the whole classroom.

Emma: Look at this old school photo, Tom! Is that your best friend… um, Peter?

Tom: No, that’s not Peter. Peter had short blond hair. This boy has curly brown hair. His name was Leo! He sat next to me in third grade.

Emma: Oh, right! Was he the one who always helped you with your math homework?

Tom: I wanted him to help me, but he was terrible at math. Actually, he usually drew funny pictures of the teacher on the desk.

Emma: Oh no! Did the teacher see them?

Tom: Luckily, no. We always cleaned the desk before the teacher came back!