Thanking & Apologizing – A2 English Listening Exercise

1 (A) He had a fever.

• Key: Leo says, “I woke up with a terrible fever.”
• Trap: Option (B) is a trap. His Wi-Fi was broken, but that is the reason he couldn’t send an email, not the reason he missed school. Option (C) is a common reason for missing school, but it is not mentioned.

2 (C) His internet wasn’t working.

• Key: Leo explains the “Twist”: he planned to email her, “but unfortunately, my Wi-Fi was completely down.” (Wi-Fi down = internet not working).
• Trap: Options (A) and (B) are plausible reasons for not sending an email, but they do not match the information in the audio.

3 (B) Her class notes.

• Key: Leo asks, “Could I possibly borrow your notes?” and Ms. Davis agrees by saying, “Of course. Here you go.”
• Trap: Option (A) is a trap because the word “grammar” is mentioned in the audio (they started a new grammar unit), but they are not doing a test.

Leo: Excuse me, Ms. Davis. I’m really sorry I missed class yesterday.

Ms. Davis: Oh, hello Leo. I was wondering where you were. Is everything okay?

Leo: Well, I’m better now. I actually wanted to come to school, but I woke up with a terrible fever.

Ms. Davis: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. You should have sent me an email.

Leo: I know. I planned to email you right away, but unfortunately, my Wi-Fi was completely down all morning.

Ms. Davis: I see. Well, the important thing is you’re feeling better. We started a new grammar unit yesterday.

Leo: Could I possibly borrow your notes? I promise to catch up this weekend.

Ms. Davis: Of course. Here you go. Just bring them back on Monday.

Leo: Thank you so much, Ms. Davis!

1 (B) Mr. Brown.

• Key: James asks, “was it Mr. Brown? I’ve been expecting his call…”
• Trap: Option (A) is the person who actually called, but James was expecting Mr. Brown.

2 (C) She answered the phone and took a note.

• Key: James thanks her for “taking the message” and Kathy says she wrote the details on a note.
• Trap: Option (A) is a trap because the word “email” is mentioned in the conversation, but Kathy didn’t send it; Ms. Garcia will.

3 (B) A meeting was cancelled.

• Key: Kathy says, “the meeting for tomorrow morning is cancelled.”
• Trap: Option (A) uses the word “contract” which James mentioned earlier, but it is not part of the actual message.

James: Hi Kathy, I’m finally back from my lunch break. Did I miss anything important while I was out?

Kathy: Oh, hi James. Yes, you had a phone call about ten minutes ago.

James: Let me guess… was it Mr. Brown? I’ve been expecting his call about the new contract all morning.

Kathy: Actually, no. Mr. Brown didn’t call. It was Ms. Garcia from the design office.

James: Oh, I see. What did she want?

Kathy: She said the meeting for tomorrow morning is cancelled. She’ll send you an email with the new time later. I wrote all the details down on this note for you.

James: That’s so helpful! Thank you so much for taking the message, Kathy. I really appreciate it.

Kathy: You’re welcome! It was no trouble at all.

1 (B) The report from last month.

• Key: Mr. Smith says, “you attached the wrong file. This is the report from last month.”
• Trap: Option (A) is the “Twist” trap. Emma planned and thought she sent the new report, but in reality, she didn’t. Option (C) is a common email mistake, but it is not mentioned here.

2 (A) She clicked the wrong document in her folder.

• Key: Emma explains her mistake: “I saved them in the same folder. I must have clicked the wrong document…”
• Trap: Option (B) and (C) are plausible reasons for work problems, but they are not mentioned in the audio. The new report is already finished, she just clicked the wrong one.

3 (B) Send the correct document immediately.

• Key: When Mr. Smith asks her to send the correct one, Emma replies, “Yes, absolutely. I will send it right away.”
• Trap: Option (A) uses words mentioned in the audio (“report from last month”), but Emma is not going to read it; she is going to send the new one.

Mr. Smith: Hi Emma. I just checked the email you sent me a few minutes ago.

Emma: Oh, great! Did you have time to look at the new sales report?

Mr. Smith: Well, I wanted to read it, but you attached the wrong file. This is the report from last month.

Emma: Oh no! I am so sorry, Mr. Smith. I planned to send the new one, but I saved them in the same folder. I must have clicked the wrong document because I was in a hurry.

Mr. Smith: That’s okay, Emma. These things happen. Can you send the correct one now?

Emma: Yes, absolutely. I will send it right away. I apologize for the mistake.

1 (B) Helping him with his English essay.

• Key: Mike says, “thank you so much for your help yesterday” right after Mr. Clark asks about his English essay.
• Trap: Option (A) is a trap. Mr. Clark gave notes and advice, but he didn’t write the essay for Mike. Option (C) mentions a test and a grade, which are not in the audio.

2 (A) Delete it and start again.

• Key: Mike explains his original plan: “I planned to delete the whole essay and start again…”
• Trap: Option (B) is the “Twist” trap. Changing the conclusion is what he actually did in the end, not what he planned to do at first.

3 (C) One hour.

• Key: Mike says, “…it only took me an hour to fix it.”
• Trap: Option (A) is a trap because the word “minute” is mentioned at the very beginning when Mike asks, “Do you have a minute?”.

Mike: Hi, Mr. Clark. Do you have a minute?

Mr. Clark: Sure, Mike. How is your English essay going?

Mike: It’s finally finished! I just wanted to say thank you so much for your help yesterday. I really appreciate it.

Mr. Clark: You’re very welcome. Did my notes make sense?

Mike: Yes, they were very easy to understand. Actually, I planned to delete the whole essay and start again because I felt so stuck. But then I read your advice.

Mr. Clark: Oh, I’m glad you didn’t delete it! Your introduction was great. You just needed to change the conclusion.

Mike: Exactly. I followed your tips, and it only took me an hour to fix it. Thanks again for your time, Mr. Clark.

1 (B) He was talking loudly on the phone.

• Key: Mike explains his apology by saying, “I was on the phone with a customer… and I know I was talking really loudly.”
• Trap: Option (A) is a trap because the word “headphones” is mentioned later, but Mike didn’t break them. Option (C) mentions “customer” and “report” (words from the audio), but they are put together incorrectly.

2 (A) Someone else was inside.

• Key: Mike says he wanted to use the meeting room, “but someone was using it.”
• Trap: Options (B) and (C) are plausible reasons for not using a room, but they are not mentioned in the conversation. The twist here is his plan versus the reality of the room being full.

3 (C) She was listening to music.

• Key: Sarah explains the twist: “I had my headphones on… I was listening to music the whole time.”
• Trap: Option (B) is a trap because Mike was the one on the phone, not Sarah. Option (A) is wrong because she was at her desk working on a report.

Mike: Hey, Sarah. I am so sorry about the noise earlier.

Sarah: Noise? What do you mean, Mike?

Mike: Well, I was on the phone with a customer for twenty minutes, and I know I was talking really loudly. I originally planned to take the call in the meeting room, but someone was using it.

Sarah: Oh, don’t worry about it at all. I didn’t even hear you.

Mike: Really? But I was so loud!

Sarah: Yeah, I had my headphones on because I needed to finish a big report. I was listening to music the whole time.

Mike: Phew! That makes me feel much better. Anyway, I’ll try to be quieter next time.