Family & Friends – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the conversation between a customer and a shop assistant. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What is the customer buying a gift for?
(A) A birthday.
(B) An anniversary.
(C) A retirement party.
2 Which item is more expensive?
(A) The silver watch.
(B) The landscape painting.
(C) The gift box.
3 What does the customer decide to buy at the end?
(A) The silver watch.
(B) Both the watch and the painting.
(C) The landscape painting.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) An anniversary.
- Explanation: The customer clearly says, “I’m looking for an anniversary gift for my parents.” Option (A) is a trap because the customer mentions “in their sixties”, which might make students think of a birthday. Option (C) is plausible for older people but is not mentioned.
2 (A) The silver watch.
- Explanation: The customer asks if the watch is more expensive, and the assistant replies, “Yes, it is. The watch is $150, and the painting is $80.” Option (B) is the cheaper item. Option (C) is not mentioned in the audio.
3 (C) The landscape painting.
- Explanation: This is “The Twist”. The customer wanted the watch at first (Option A – the trap), but it was too expensive. The customer says, “So, I will buy the painting instead.” Option (B) is incorrect because the customer only buys one item.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Shop Assistant: Hello. Can I help you find something?
Customer: Yes, please. I’m looking for an anniversary gift for my parents. They are both in their sixties.
Shop Assistant: How nice! We have this beautiful silver watch or this lovely landscape painting.
Customer: Oh, they both look great. Is the watch more expensive than the painting?
Shop Assistant: Yes, it is. The watch is $150, and the painting is $80.
Customer: I see. I wanted to buy the watch, but $150 is a bit too expensive for me right now. Also, my parents love decorating their living room.
Shop Assistant: The painting is very popular with older people.
Customer: Perfect. So, I will buy the painting instead. Can you wrap it for me?
Shop Assistant: Of course.
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation at a ticket window. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 How many children are in the customer’s family?
(A) Two children.
(B) Three children.
(C) Five children.
2 How many children does one Family Ticket include?
(A) Two children.
(B) Three children.
(C) Five children.
3 What does the customer finally buy?
(A) Five individual tickets.
(B) One Family Ticket only.
(C) One Family Ticket and one extra child ticket.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Three children.
- Explanation: The customer clearly says at the beginning, “We have two adults and three children.” Option (A) is a trap because that is the number of children the Family Ticket allows. Option (C) is a trap because five is the total number of people in the family (2 adults + 3 children).
2 (A) Two children.
- Explanation: The ticket agent explains the rule for the Family Ticket: “It only includes two adults and two children.” Option (B) is the trap because it is the actual number of children the customer has.
3 (C) One Family Ticket and one extra child ticket.
- Explanation: This is “The Twist”. The customer wanted to buy a Family Ticket for everyone, but because of the rule, they have to change the plan. The agent suggests buying “one Family Ticket, and then get one extra child ticket”, and the customer agrees. Option (A) is a trap because the customer wanted to buy individual tickets at first but decided not to. Option (B) is a trap because it wouldn’t be enough for the whole family.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Ticket Agent: Welcome to City Park. How can I help you today?
Customer: Hi. I need tickets for my family. We have two adults and three children. I wanted to buy individual tickets, but my friend said the Family Ticket is cheaper. Is that true?
Ticket Agent: Yes, it is. A Family Ticket is only $40. But, there is one problem. It only includes two adults and two children.
Customer: Oh, I see. What should I do? We have three children.
Ticket Agent: You can buy one Family Ticket, and then get one extra child ticket for $10. So, your total is $50.
Customer: That sounds great. I will do that instead of buying five individual tickets. Here is my credit card.
Ticket Agent: Thank you. Here are your tickets. Have fun!
Listening 3
Listen to the phone conversation between a customer and a restaurant manager. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 How many people will come to the dinner?
(A) Eight people.
(B) Ten people.
(C) Twelve people.
2 Why does the customer need a larger table than usual?
(A) Because they are celebrating a birthday.
(B) Because her aunt and uncle are visiting.
(C) Because they are bringing two babies.
3 What special request does the customer make?
(A) A table near the window.
(B) A special food menu.
(C) Two high chairs.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Ten people.
- Explanation: This is “The Twist”. The customer says, “we usually need a table for eight” (Option A – the trap), but because her relatives are visiting, she says, “we need a large table for ten people instead.” Option (C) is a plausible distractor if students incorrectly add the two toddlers to the ten people.
2 (B) Because her aunt and uncle are visiting.
- Explanation: The customer clearly states the reason for the bigger table: “but my aunt and uncle are visiting us this weekend.” Option (C) is a trap because they are bringing toddlers, but the toddlers are the reason for the high chairs, not the main reason the table size changed from eight to ten. Option (A) is not mentioned.
3 (C) Two high chairs.
- Explanation: The customer asks, “Can you prepare two high chairs for them?” Options (A) and (B) are plausible things people ask for when booking a table, but they are not mentioned in the audio.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Manager: Good afternoon, Bella Napoli Restaurant. How can I help you?
Customer: Hi, I’d like to book a table for my family this Friday night.
Manager: Of course. For how many people?
Customer: Well, we usually need a table for eight, but my aunt and uncle are visiting us this weekend. So, we need a large table for ten people instead.
Manager: Ten people, great. What time would you like to come?
Customer: 7:00 PM, please. Oh, and one more thing. We are bringing two toddlers. Can you prepare two high chairs for them?
Manager: Certainly. A table for ten with two high chairs at 7:00 PM this Friday.
Customer: Thank you very much!
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation at the airport information desk. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Who is the man waiting for at the airport?
(A) His brother.
(B) His best friend.
(C) His business partner.
2 What time will the flight arrive?
(A) 10:30
(B) 11:30
(C) 12:00
3 Where should the man go to meet his friend?
(A) Gate 5.
(B) Gate 12.
(C) The coffee shop.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) His best friend.
- Explanation: The man clearly says at the beginning, “I’m waiting for my best friend.” Option (A) and (C) are plausible people to wait for at an airport, but they are not mentioned in the audio.
2 (B) 11:30
- Explanation: This is the first “Twist”. The flight was scheduled to arrive at 10:30 (Option A – the trap), but because of bad weather, it is delayed by an hour. The agent says, “It will arrive at 11:30 instead.” Option (C) is a random time not mentioned.
3 (B) Gate 12.
- Explanation: This is the second “Twist”. The man asks if it is arriving at Gate 5 (Option A – the trap). The agent says no, “now it is arriving at Gate 12.” Option (C) is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Man: Excuse me. Can you help me? I’m waiting for my best friend. He is on flight BA 123 from London. Has it landed yet?
Information Agent: Let me check the computer. Um, flight BA 123… Well, it was scheduled to arrive at 10:30, but there was some bad weather. So, it is delayed by an hour. It will arrive at 11:30 instead.
Man: Oh, I see. That’s fine. And is it arriving at Gate 5?
Information Agent: I’m sorry, no. It was Gate 5 earlier, but now it is arriving at Gate 12.
Man: Gate 12. Okay, I will head over there now. Thank you very much!
Information Agent: You’re welcome.
Listening 5
Listen to the conversation between a customer and a car rental agent. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Who is going on the trip with the customer’s family?
(A) Her friends.
(B) Her grandparents.
(C) Her cousins.
2 What kind of car does the customer rent at the end?
(A) A small four-seat car.
(B) A seven-seat SUV.
(C) A large bus.
3 How much will the customer pay per day?
(A) $50
(B) $60
(C) $80
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Her grandparents.
- Explanation: The customer explains why she needs a bigger car: “my grandparents decided to come with us yesterday.” Options (A) and (C) are plausible people to travel with, but they are not mentioned in the audio.
2 (B) A seven-seat SUV.
- Explanation: This is “The Twist”. The customer wanted a small car at first, and the agent suggested a four-seat car (Option A – the trap). However, because there are six people now, the agent says, “You will need our seven-seat SUV instead”, and the customer agrees. Option (C) is not mentioned.
3 (C) $80
- Explanation: The customer asks, “How much is the SUV?” and the agent replies, “It’s $80 a day.” Option (A) is the trap because $50 is the price of the smaller four-seat car. Option (B) is a random number not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Agent: Good morning, Star Car Rental. How can I help you?
Customer: Hi. I need to rent a car for my family trip this weekend.
Agent: Great. We have a very nice four-seat car available. It’s $50 a day.
Customer: Well, I wanted to rent a small car at first, but my grandparents decided to come with us yesterday. So, there are six of us now.
Agent: Oh, I see. Then the four-seat car is too small. You will need our seven-seat SUV instead. It is much more comfortable for older people, too.
Customer: That sounds perfect. How much is the SUV?
Agent: It’s $80 a day.
Customer: Okay, I will take it.