At the doctor’s – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the telephone conversation between an employee and her manager. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why is Emma calling Mr. Davis?
(A) To tell him she will be late for work.
(B) To say she cannot come to the office today.
(C) To ask him for a doctor’s phone number.
2 When did Emma get a high fever?
(A) Last night.
(B) This morning.
(C) Two days ago.
3 What is Emma going to do today?
(A) Just rest at home in her bed.
(B) Work on her computer at home.
(C) Go to the clinic to see a doctor.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Emma says, “I don’t think I can come to work today.” She is calling to take a sick day.
- Trap A is wrong: She is not going to be late; she is not coming at all.
- Trap C is wrong: The doctor is mentioned, but she doesn’t ask her manager for the doctor’s number.
2 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Emma clearly states, “I woke up with a really high fever this morning.”
- Trap A is wrong (The Trap): Last night she only “felt a little sick,” she didn’t have a high fever yet.
- Trap C is wrong: “Two days ago” is not mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: Emma says, “my husband is taking me to the doctor’s clinic.”
- Trap A is wrong (The Twist): The manager asks if she will stay in bed, and Emma says “I wanted to just rest at home, but…”. She changed her plan because she feels worse.
- Trap B is wrong: Working from home is a plausible idea for an office worker, but it is not mentioned. The manager even says, “Don’t worry about the office today.”
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mr. Davis: Hello. Mr. Davis speaking.
Emma: Hi, Mr. Davis. It’s Emma. Um, I don’t think I can come to work today.
Mr. Davis: Oh? Are you okay, Emma?
Emma: Not really. I felt a little sick last night. I thought a good sleep would help, but I woke up with a really high fever this morning.
Mr. Davis: That sounds bad. Are you going to just stay in bed?
Emma: Well, I wanted to just rest at home, but I feel worse now. So, my husband is taking me to the doctor’s clinic.
Mr. Davis: That’s a good idea. Don’t worry about the office today. Get well soon.
Emma: Thanks, Mr. Davis. Bye.
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation between a student and a school nurse. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does David feel sick?
(A) He has a high fever.
(B) He didn’t eat enough for breakfast.
(C) He didn’t sleep well last night.
2 What did David have for breakfast this morning?
(A) He bought a sandwich.
(B) He just had some milk.
(C) He ate some crackers.
3 What does the nurse tell David to do next?
(A) Go back to his classroom.
(B) Take some headache medicine.
(C) Rest on a bed for half an hour.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: The nurse says, “You are just hungry” because David only drank milk.
- Trap A is wrong (The Twist): David thought he had a fever, but the nurse checks his temperature and says, “You don’t have a fever.”
- Trap C is wrong: Waking up late is mentioned, but not sleeping well is not in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: David clearly states, “I just drank a glass of milk.”
- Trap A is wrong: He says, “I wanted to buy a sandwich later, but I forgot.” He didn’t buy it.
- Trap C is wrong: The nurse says she will get him some crackers later; he didn’t eat them for breakfast.
3 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: The nurse tells him to “Lie down on this bed and rest for 30 minutes” (30 minutes = half an hour).
- Trap A is wrong: David asks if he should go back to class, but the nurse answers “Not yet.”
- Trap B is wrong: The nurse explicitly says, “I’m not going to give you any medicine.”
AUDIO SCRIPT
Nurse: Hello, David. What’s the matter?
David: Hi, Ms. Green. I feel really dizzy and I have a bad headache. I thought I had a fever.
Nurse: Let me check your temperature. Hmm… 37 degrees. You don’t have a fever. Did you eat breakfast this morning?
David: Well, I woke up late, so I just drank a glass of milk. I wanted to buy a sandwich later, but I forgot.
Nurse: That explains it. You are just hungry. I’m not going to give you any medicine.
David: Should I go back to class now?
Nurse: Not yet. Lie down on this bed and rest for 30 minutes. I will get you some crackers and water.
David: Okay, thank you.
Listening 3
Listen to the conversation between a patient and a doctor. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does Mark need a medical certificate?
(A) To buy some medicine at the pharmacy.
(B) To give it to his company’s HR department.
(C) To show it to his manager tomorrow.
2 How many days off work did Mark want at first?
(A) Only one day.
(B) Two days.
(C) Three days.
3 What is Mark going to do next?
(A) Go back to work immediately.
(B) Call his manager on the phone.
(C) Visit the HR department today.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Mark clearly says, “I need to give it to my company’s HR department.”
- Trap A is wrong: The doctor gives him medicine, but the medical certificate is not for buying medicine.
- Trap C is wrong: Mark will call his manager to tell her the news, but he doesn’t need the certificate to show her tomorrow (and he is not going to work tomorrow anyway).
2 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: Mark says he wanted to go back to work tomorrow, so he tells the doctor, “just one day is fine.”
- Trap C is wrong (The Twist): Three days is the number of days the doctor actually gives him, not what Mark wanted at first.
- Trap B is wrong: Two days is never mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: After the doctor tells him to rest for three days, Mark says, “I will call my manager and tell her the news.”
- Trap A is wrong: Mark wanted to go to work tomorrow, but the doctor said “that’s a bad idea,” so he will stay home.
- Trap C is wrong: He needs to give the certificate to HR, but he will do that when he returns to work, not today while he is sick.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Doctor: So, Mark, you have a bad throat infection. I’ll give you some medicine to take after meals.
Mark: Thank you, Doctor. Um, could you also write a medical certificate for me? I need to give it to my company’s HR department.
Doctor: Of course. I can write it for you right now.
Mark: I wanted to go back to work tomorrow because our office is very busy. So, just one day is fine.
Doctor: Actually, that’s a bad idea. You need to stay home and rest. I am going to write the certificate for three days.
Mark: Oh, three days? Alright. I will call my manager and tell her the news.
Doctor: Here is the paper. Feel better soon!
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation between two colleagues. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 How long was John away from work?
(A) Two days.
(B) Three days.
(C) Ten days.
2 How is John feeling right now?
(A) He still has a little cough.
(B) He has a terrible headache.
(C) He still has a high fever.
3 What did John do most of the time when he was at home?
(A) He watched a lot of movies.
(B) He slept.
(C) He worked on his computer.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: John clearly says, “Being sick for three days was really boring.”
- Trap A is wrong: Two days is not mentioned in the audio.
- Trap C is wrong: “Ten” is mentioned at the end of the conversation, but it’s for the meeting (“in ten minutes”), not the number of days he was sick.
2 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: John talks about his current health: “I still have a little cough.”
- Trap B is wrong: He had a terrible headache when he was at home, not right now.
- Trap C is wrong: He says “my fever is gone”, which means he doesn’t have a fever anymore.
3 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: John explains his time at home: “I just slept most of the time.”
- Trap A is wrong (The Twist): Mary asks if he watched movies. John says “I wanted to, but…” because he had a headache. He couldn’t look at the screen.
- Trap C is wrong: Working on a computer is a plausible thing to do at home, but it is never mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mary: Welcome back, John! It’s good to see you at the office again.
John: Thanks, Mary. It’s great to be back. Being sick for three days was really boring.
Mary: I can imagine. Are you feeling completely better now?
John: Much better, thanks. I still have a little cough, but my fever is gone.
Mary: That’s good. Did you watch a lot of movies while you were resting at home?
John: I wanted to, but I had a terrible headache. So, I couldn’t look at the TV screen. I just slept most of the time.
Mary: Well, I’m glad you are well now. We have a team meeting in ten minutes, by the way.
John: Okay, let’s go.
Listening 5
Listen to the conversation between a manager and a new employee. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where is the first aid kit located?
(A) In the office kitchen.
(B) Next to the main printer.
(C) Inside the manager’s office.
2 What should Sarah do if she gets a small cut on her finger?
(A) Ask the manager for a key.
(B) Call a doctor immediately.
(C) Take a bandage from the white box.
3 What does Mr. Smith want Sarah to do after she uses the first aid kit?
(A) Send him an email.
(B) Buy some new bandages.
(C) Write her name on the box.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Mr. Smith clearly states, “we put it next to the main printer instead.”
- Trap A is wrong (The Twist): Sarah asks if it is in the kitchen, and Mr. Smith says “I thought about putting it in the kitchen, but…”. It was a past idea, not the real location.
- Trap C is wrong: The manager’s office is a plausible place for a first aid kit, but it is not mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: Mr. Smith says, “If you cut your finger on some paper, just open it and take a bandage.” (The kit is the white box).
- Trap A is wrong: Sarah asks, “Do I need a key to open it?” and Mr. Smith answers “No, it’s always open.”
- Trap B is wrong: Calling a doctor is not mentioned, and it is unnecessary for a small paper cut.
3 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: Mr. Smith answers her question by saying, “Yes, please send me an email.”
- Trap B is wrong: Sending an email helps Mr. Smith know when he needs to buy more bandages. Sarah doesn’t have to buy them.
- Trap C is wrong: Writing her name is a plausible office rule, but it is never mentioned in the conversation.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mr. Smith: Welcome to the team, Sarah. Let me show you around the office.
Sarah: Thanks, Mr. Smith. Um, quick question. Where is the first aid kit? Is it in the kitchen?
Mr. Smith: Well, I thought about putting it in the kitchen, but we put it next to the main printer instead. It’s that small white box on the wall.
Sarah: Oh, I see it. Do I need a key to open it?
Mr. Smith: No, it’s always open. If you cut your finger on some paper, just open it and take a bandage.
Sarah: Okay, that’s easy. Should I tell you if I take something?
Mr. Smith: Yes, please send me an email. Then I can buy some more bandages for the office.