Geography – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the conversation at a tourist information center and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What does the man receive from the staff member?
(A) A ticket for the castle.
(B) A map of the city.
(C) A book about the river.
2 Why can’t the man visit the castle today?
(A) Because it is too far away.
(B) Because he doesn’t have a map.
(C) Because it is closed for an event.
3 What will the man do this afternoon?
(A) He will visit the old castle.
(B) He will stay at the information center.
(C) He will walk along the river.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) A map of the city.
- Why B is correct: At the beginning, the man asks, “do you have a map…?” and the staff responds, “Yes, here you go.”
- Why A is a trap: The castle is mentioned, but he doesn’t get a ticket because it’s closed.
- Why C is wrong: A book is never mentioned in the dialogue.
2 (C) Because it is closed for an event.
- Why C is correct: The staff member explicitly says, “The castle is closed today for a private event.”
- Why A is wrong: Distance is not mentioned as the reason for the closure.
- Why B is a trap: He does have a map now, so that’s not the reason he can’t go.
3 (C) He will walk along the river.
- Why C is correct: This is the A2 “Twist.” After finding out the castle is closed, he says, “I think I’ll go for a walk there [the river] instead.”
- Why A is a trap: This was his original plan, but it changed because the castle was closed.
- Why B is wrong: There is no information suggesting he will stay at the center.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tourist (Man): Excuse me, do you have a map of the city?
Staff (Woman): Yes, here you go. It’s very easy to use and it’s free.
Tourist: Thank you. I originally planned to visit the old castle this afternoon.
Staff: Oh, I’m sorry. The castle is closed today for a private event. You can’t go inside.
Tourist: That’s a shame. Well, I love being near the water. Could you circle the river on this map for me? I think I’ll go for a walk there instead.
Staff: Certainly! I’ll mark the best walking path right here. It’s only ten minutes from here.
Tourist: Perfect. That sounds like a lovely afternoon. Thanks for your help!
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation at a train station and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 Where is the woman traveling to?
(A) Northport
(B) South Bay
(C) The West Coast
2 How long is the train journey today?
(A) 4 hours
(B) 5 hours
(C) 6 hours
3 What is the correct distance to her destination?
(A) 400 kilometers
(B) 450 kilometers
(C) 500 kilometers
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) South Bay
- Why B is correct: The woman confirms: “No, I’m going to South Bay.”
- Why A is a trap: “Northport” is the location that the ticket clerk guessed, but the woman denied it.
- Why C is wrong: “West Coast” is not mentioned. The audio is talking about the “East Coast”.
2 (B) 5 hours
- Why B is correct: This uses “The Twist” technique. The staff member says it usually takes 4 hours, but “today… it will take 5 hours” due to the weather. The question specifically asks about the travel time today.
- Why A is a trap: 4 hours is the usual time, not the time for today.
- Why C is wrong: 6 hours is not mentioned in the audio at all.
3 (A) 400 kilometers
- Why A is correct: The staff member confirms that “the correct distance is 400.”
- Why B is a trap: “450” is the number shown on some old maps. This can easily confuse students if they only catch keywords instead of listening to the whole sentence.
- Why C is wrong: 500 is not mentioned in the audio.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Passenger (Woman): Hello. I’d like to buy a ticket to the East Coast, please.
Agent (Man): Certainly. Are you going to Northport?
Passenger: No, I’m going to South Bay. Um, how long does the journey take?
Agent: Well, the fast train usually takes 4 hours. But today, the train is slower because of the weather, so it will take 5 hours.
Passenger: Five hours? Okay. And how far is it exactly? I mean, how many kilometers?
Agent: It’s about 400 kilometers from this station. Some old maps say it’s 450, but the correct distance is 400.
Passenger: I see. I’ll take one ticket for the next train, please.
Listening 3
Listen to the conversation between a tourist and a boat rental agent. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What does the agent say about the water in the middle of the lake?
(A) It is very shallow.
(B) It is very deep.
(C) It is too dangerous.
2 What did the tourist originally plan to do on the island?
(A) Take some pictures.
(B) Look at the wild birds.
(C) Have a picnic.
3 What will the tourist do instead?
(A) Row around the island.
(B) Go onto the island quickly.
(C) Walk along the edge of the lake.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) It is very deep.
- Why B is correct: The agent clearly answers, “But in the middle, yes, it is very deep.”
- Why A is a trap: The agent mentions the word “shallow”, but that is only true for the water “near the edge”, not in the middle.
- Why C is wrong: The word “dangerous” is never mentioned in the conversation.
2 (C) Have a picnic.
- Why C is correct: The tourist states his original plan: “I actually wanted to stop on that small island in the middle and have a picnic.”
- Why A is a trap: “Take some pictures” is what he decides to do at the end, after his plan changes.
- Why B is wrong: The agent mentions wild birds, but the tourist did not plan to look at them.
3 (A) Row around the island.
- Why A is correct: Because he cannot go onto the island, he changes his mind and says, “So, I will just row around it and take some pictures instead.” (The A2 Twist).
- Why B is a trap: The agent strictly says, “you cannot go onto the island.”
- Why C is wrong: He is still renting a boat to row on the lake; he is not going to walk.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tourist: Hi, I’d like to rent a boat, please. Is the water in this lake very deep?
Agent: Well, near the edge it is quite shallow. But in the middle, yes, it is very deep.
Tourist: Okay. I actually wanted to stop on that small island in the middle and have a picnic. Is that allowed?
Agent: You can row your boat near it. However, you cannot go onto the island. It is a safe place for wild birds, so no people are allowed there.
Tourist: Oh, I didn’t know that. So, I will just row around it and take some pictures instead.
Agent: That sounds like a great plan. Here are your life jackets.
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation at a post office. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where does the customer’s sister actually live?
(A) In Seattle
(B) In Vancouver
(C) In Washington
2 What mistake did the customer make on the box?
(A) He wrote a city in the US.
(B) He wrote the wrong country name.
(C) He forgot to write his sister’s name.
3 What does the clerk ask the customer for at the end?
(A) A phone number.
(B) The name of the state.
(C) The postal code.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) In Vancouver
- Why B is correct: The customer corrects his mistake and says, “my sister just moved to Vancouver. That is the city I meant to write.”
- Why A is a trap: Seattle is what the customer originally wrote on the box by mistake.
- Why C is wrong: Washington is the US state where Seattle is located, not where his sister lives.
2 (A) He wrote a city in the US.
- Why A is correct: The clerk points out the error: “you wrote ‘Seattle’ here. Seattle is a city in Washington State, in the US.”
- Why B is a trap: He wanted to send it to Canada and thought Seattle was in Canada, so he didn’t write the wrong country, he wrote the wrong city.
- Why C is wrong: Missing the sister’s name is never mentioned in the audio.
3 (C) The postal code.
- Why C is correct: After fixing the city, the clerk asks, “Do you have the correct postal code?”
- Why A is a trap: The customer says, “let me check my phone” to find the information, but the clerk did not ask for his phone number.
- Why B is wrong: The clerk already knows the province/state (British Columbia) and does not ask the customer for it.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Customer: Hello. I want to send this gift box to my sister in Canada, please.
Clerk: Certainly. Let me check the address. Um, you wrote “Seattle” here. Seattle is a city in Washington State, in the US.
Customer: Oh, really? I always thought it was in Canada! I’m so sorry, my sister just moved to Vancouver. That is the city I meant to write.
Clerk: Ah, Vancouver. That is in the province of British Columbia in Canada. We can fix that. Do you have the correct postal code?
Customer: Yes, let me check my phone. It’s V-6-B, 1-E-8.
Clerk: Great. I will update the address for you, and it will be on its way today.
Listening 5
Listen to the conversation between a passenger and a taxi driver. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where does the passenger want to go?
(A) To the South of the city.
(B) To the biggest bridge.
(C) To a new river.
2 Where is the biggest bridge located?
(A) In the West.
(B) In the South.
(C) In the East.
3 How far is the bridge from their current location?
(A) 10 miles.
(B) 15 miles.
(C) 5 miles.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) To the biggest bridge.
- Why B is correct: The passenger says right at the beginning: “I want to go to the biggest bridge in the city, please.”
- Why A is a trap: The passenger mentions the South later, but that is where he thought the bridge was, not his actual destination.
- Why C is wrong: They mention the name “River Bridge,” but he doesn’t want to go to a “new river.”
2 (A) In the West.
- Why A is correct: The driver corrects the passenger’s mistake by saying, “the new, biggest one is in the West.”
- Why B is a trap: The South is mentioned, but the driver explicitly says, “The old bridge is in the South” and that the passenger’s friend was wrong.
- Why C is wrong: The East is never mentioned in the audio.
3 (C) 5 miles.
- Why C is correct: The driver clearly states the distance: “It is only about 5 miles away.”
- Why A is a trap: “10 miles” is what the passenger guessed based on what his friend said, but the driver rejects this.
- Why B is a trap: “15” is mentioned, but it refers to the time (fifteen minutes), not the distance in miles.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Passenger: Hi! Are you available? I want to go to the biggest bridge in the city, please.
Driver: Sure, get in. You mean the River Bridge, right?
Passenger: Yes, exactly. My friend told me it is located in the South of the city.
Driver: Actually, your friend is wrong. The old bridge is in the South, but the new, biggest one is in the West.
Passenger: Oh, I see! Is it very far from here? I think my friend said it was 10 miles away.
Driver: No, it’s not that far. It is only about 5 miles away. We will be there in about fifteen minutes.
Passenger: Great, let’s go!