Hotels & Accommodation – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to a conversation between an assistant and his boss. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What does Mr. Davis want in his hotel room?
(A) A large TV.
(B) A big desk.
(C) Two beds.
2 What is the problem with the Park Hotel?
(A) The room is too small.
(B) It is too noisy.
(C) The internet is very slow.
3 What does Mr. Davis finally decide to do? (The Twist)
(A) Choose the City Hotel.
(B) Cancel his video meeting.
(C) Stay at the Park Hotel.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B) A big desk.
- Explanation: At the beginning, the boss asks, “Did you find a quiet single room with a big desk?”
- Trap: Option C is incorrect because he asked for a “single room” (one bed). Option A is a plausible thing to want in a hotel room, but it is never mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: C) The internet is very slow.
- Explanation: The assistant clearly states the problem: “Unfortunately, their Wi-Fi is very slow right now.”
- Trap: Option B is a trap because the “City Hotel” is next to a busy (noisy) street, but the Park Hotel is actually “very quiet”. Option A is not mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: A) Choose the City Hotel.
- Explanation: This is the Twist. Mr. Davis originally liked the Park Hotel, but because of the bad Wi-Fi, he changes his plan. He says, “Let’s book the City Hotel instead.”
- Trap: Option C is what he planned to do at first, but he rejected it. Option B is a plausible reaction to bad internet, but he decides to change hotels, not cancel the meeting.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Assistant: Excuse me, Mr. Davis. I am ready to book your hotel for the business trip.
Boss: Great, Tom. Did you find a quiet single room with a big desk?
Assistant: Yes, the Park Hotel has a great room. It is very quiet and comfortable.
Boss: Excellent. And what about the Wi-Fi? I have a long video meeting on Friday.
Assistant: Well, I read some reviews online. Unfortunately, their Wi-Fi is very slow right now.
Boss: Oh, that’s a big problem. I cannot work with slow internet.
Assistant: I also checked the City Hotel. The internet is very fast, but it is next to a busy street.
Boss: That’s fine. Fast internet is more important. Let’s book the City Hotel instead.
Assistant: Understood. I’ll do it right now.
Listening 2
Listen to a teacher talking to a group of students at a hostel. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What happens at 11 PM?
(A) The students must go to sleep.
(B) The front door locks.
(C) The hostel staff goes home.
2 What is the rule about making noise?
(A) They can talk loudly all night.
(B) They must be quiet after 10 PM.
(C) They cannot talk in the morning.
3 What do the students have to do tomorrow morning? (The Twist)
(A) Wait for the staff to clean the room.
(B) Make their own beds.
(C) Pay for their rooms.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B) The front door locks.
- Explanation: The teacher explicitly says, “First, the front door locks at 11 PM.”
- Trap: Option A is a trap because the teacher mentions 10 PM for the “no noise” rule, not 11 PM. Option C is plausible for a hostel but is never mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: B) They must be quiet after 10 PM.
- Explanation: The teacher tells the students, “we cannot make any noise after 10 PM.”
- Trap: Option A is what the students want to do (“I know you all want to stay up late and talk”), but it is rejected by the teacher. Option C is not mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: B) Make their own beds.
- Explanation: This is the Twist. The students might expect a cleaning service, but the teacher says, “However, this is a hostel. You must make your own beds…”
- Trap: Option A is exactly what the teacher warns them not to expect (“You might think the hotel staff will clean your room… However…”). Option C is a typical hotel action but is not mentioned as a task for the students.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Teacher: Listen up, everyone! We are at the youth hostel now, and I need to tell you some important rules. First, the front door locks at 11 PM. So, you must be inside the building before that time. Next, I know you all want to stay up late and talk. But, we cannot make any noise after 10 PM because other guests are sleeping. Finally, about your rooms. You might think the hotel staff will clean your room tomorrow morning. However, this is a hostel. You must make your own beds and clean up your trash before we leave. Okay, let’s get our keys!
Listening 3
Listen to a conversation between an accountant and a salesperson. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What was the $20 extra charge for?
(A) Snacks from the minibar.
(B) The hotel laundry service.
(C) A new suit for the conference.
2 Why did Mark need to use this service?
(A) He spilled coffee on his suit.
(B) He forgot to bring clean clothes.
(C) He wanted to look nice for a party.
3 What does Sarah decide to do? (The Twist)
(A) She refuses to pay the extra charge.
(B) She makes Mark pay for his hotel room.
(C) She agrees to pay the extra charge.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B) The hotel laundry service.
- Explanation: Mark clearly says, “It’s for the hotel laundry service.”
- Trap: Option A is a trap because Sarah asks if it is for the “minibar” (snacks), but Mark says no. Option C is a trap using the word “suit”, but he didn’t buy a new one; he just cleaned his old one.
2 Correct Answer: A) He spilled coffee on his suit.
- Explanation: Mark explains his problem: “I spilled coffee on my suit.”
- Trap: Option B is a plausible reason for using laundry services, but it is not mentioned. Option C is a trap because he needed the suit for a “conference”, not a party.
3 Correct Answer: C) She agrees to pay the extra charge.
- Explanation: This is the Twist. Normally, the company doesn’t pay for laundry (“We don’t usually pay for laundry either”). But because it was an emergency, she changes the rule and says, “I will approve it this time.”
- Trap: Option A is what Sarah usually does (company policy), but not what she does in this specific situation. Option B is incorrect because the company is definitely paying for the room, they were only arguing about the $20 extra charge.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Sarah: Hi Mark. Do you have the hotel bill from your business trip to Tokyo?
Mark: Yes, here it is. The room was $100 per night for three nights.
Sarah: Okay… wait, what is this extra $20 charge? Is it for the minibar? You know the company doesn’t pay for snacks.
Mark: No, it’s not food. It’s for the hotel laundry service.
Sarah: We don’t usually pay for laundry either, Mark.
Mark: I know, but I spilled coffee on my suit. I had to clean it for the big conference the next morning!
Sarah: Oh, I see. Since it was an emergency for the conference, I will approve it this time.
Mark: Thank you so much!
Listening 4
Listen to a conversation between two colleagues. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What does Sarah say about her hotel room?
(A) It is very big.
(B) The bed is comfortable.
(C) It has a nice view.
2 How did Sarah travel to the office this morning?
(A) She took a taxi.
(B) She took a bus.
(C) She walked.
3 Why did Sarah change her travel plan? (The Twist)
(A) She saw that the office was very close.
(B) There were no taxis outside her hotel.
(C) The traffic was very bad.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B) The bed is comfortable.
- Explanation: Sarah describes her hotel by saying, “The room is quiet and the bed is very comfortable.”
- Trap: Option A and Option C are plausible things to say about a nice hotel room, but they are never mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: C) She walked.
- Explanation: This is part of the Twist. Sarah clearly says, “So, I just walked instead.”
- Trap: Option A is what David asked (“Did you take a taxi?”) and what she planned to do, but she didn’t do it. Option B is a common way to travel but is not mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: A) She saw that the office was very close.
- Explanation: Sarah explains her decision to walk by saying, “I checked the map on my phone and saw the office is only two blocks away.” (“Two blocks away” means very close).
- Trap: Option B is a plausible reason for not taking a taxi, but it is not her reason. Option C is a trap because David mentions “sitting in traffic” at the end, but this is his comment, not Sarah’s reason for walking.
AUDIO SCRIPT
David: Hi Sarah. Welcome to the New York office! How is your hotel?
Sarah: It’s great, thanks, David. The room is quiet and the bed is very comfortable.
David: That’s good to hear. How long does it take to get here from the hotel? Did you take a taxi?
Sarah: Well, I planned to take a taxi this morning. But, I checked the map on my phone and saw the office is only two blocks away. So, I just walked instead. It only took ten minutes!
David: Oh, that’s perfect. Walking is much better than sitting in traffic.
Sarah: Yes, it was a nice walk!
Listening 5
Listen to a conversation between an event manager and a hotel staff member. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What does the manager want to have in the meeting room?
(A) A computer and water.
(B) A large TV and sandwiches.
(C) A projector and coffee.
2 What is the problem with Friday afternoon?
(A) The rooms with projectors are not available.
(B) The hotel does not serve coffee in the afternoon.
(C) The meeting room is too small for 15 people.
3 What do they finally agree to do? (The Twist)
(A) Book the room for Friday afternoon without a projector.
(B) Book the room for Friday morning.
(C) Look for a meeting room in another hotel.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: C) A projector and coffee.
- Explanation: The manager clearly lists his requests: “Oh, and we need a projector and some coffee and tea.”
- Trap: Options A and B are plausible things to request for a meeting, but they are never mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: A) The rooms with projectors are not available.
- Explanation: The staff member explains the problem: “…all our rooms with projectors are busy on Friday afternoon.” (“Busy” means not available).
- Trap: Option B is a trap because “coffee” and “afternoon” are mentioned, but that’s not the problem. Option C is incorrect; the manager asks for a room for 15 people, but the staff never says it is too small.
3 Correct Answer: B) Book the room for Friday morning.
- Explanation: This is the Twist. The manager originally wanted Friday afternoon, but to get the projector, he changes his plan. He says, “We will take the room on Friday morning instead.”
- Trap: Option A is what he planned to do regarding the time, but he refuses to do it without a projector (“We really need the projector”). Option C is a plausible real-world solution, but he decides to just change the time at the same hotel.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Manager: Hello. I need to book a small meeting room for 15 people.
Staff: Certainly, sir. When do you need it?
Manager: This Friday afternoon, please. Oh, and we need a projector and some coffee and tea.
Staff: Let me check… I’m sorry, but all our rooms with projectors are busy on Friday afternoon.
Manager: Oh no. We really need the projector for our presentation.
Staff: We have a great room available on Friday morning. It has a projector, and we can serve coffee at 10 AM.
Manager: That sounds good. Let’s change the plan. We will take the room on Friday morning instead.
Staff: Perfect. I will book it for you now.