Education Systems – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 (B) His marks in one particular subject have decreased.

• The Key: Mr. Davis says, “I am concerned about his Math grades. They’ve dropped quite a bit lately.” Option B paraphrases “Math grades dropped” as “marks in one particular subject have decreased”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The audio mentions Science, but the teacher says Toby’s performance in Science is “outstanding” (excellent), not struggling. Option (C) is too extreme and incorrect.

2 (A) He spends too much time talking to other students.

• The Key: The teacher explains that Toby “frequently chats with his classmates during independent work time.” Option A uses the synonym “talking to other students” for “chats with his classmates”.
• The Trap: Options (B) and (C) are plausible reasons for why a student might not finish schoolwork, but they are completely fabricated (not mentioned in the audio). Furthermore, the teacher explicitly states that Toby’s problem is not a lack of understanding.

3 (C) Provide a distraction-free environment for doing homework.

• The Key: Mr. Davis suggests setting up “a quiet study area away from his phone and video games”. Option C paraphrases this perfectly as a “distraction-free environment”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a logical guess for a parent whose child is bad at Math, but the teacher never mentions a tutor. Option (B) contains the words “video games”, but the teacher only suggests keeping Toby away from them while studying, not permanently confiscating them.

Mr. Davis: Good afternoon, Mrs. Miller. Thank you for coming in to discuss Toby’s progress this term.

Mrs. Miller: Thank you for having me, Mr. Davis. I’ve been a bit worried about his recent test scores. How is he doing in class?

Mr. Davis: Well, Toby is a very bright boy. His performance in Science is outstanding. However, I am concerned about his Math grades. They’ve dropped quite a bit lately.

Mrs. Miller: Oh, I see. Does he not understand the lessons?

Mr. Davis: It’s not a lack of understanding. To be honest, he gets easily distracted. He frequently chats with his classmates during independent work time, so he rarely finishes his assignments.

Mrs. Miller: That’s disappointing to hear. I’ll definitely have a serious talk with him. What can we do to help him improve?

Mr. Davis: I strongly suggest creating a strict homework routine at home. Perhaps setting up a quiet study area away from his phone and video games would keep him focused.

Mrs. Miller: That makes sense. I’ll make sure he leaves his electronic devices in the living room while studying. Thank you for your advice.

1 (A) To promote products online.

• The Key: Emma says she wants to “get into digital marketing”. Option A paraphrases “digital marketing” as “promote products online”.
• The Trap: Option (C) mentions “photographer”, which is a trap because “Photography” is a class the advisor suggests, not her career goal. Option (B) is a plausible goal for a business student but is never mentioned in the audio.

2 (C) She wants to learn skills with real-world application.

• The Key: The advisor suggests Photography because it’s an “easy grade,” but Emma rejects it, saying she wants “something practical that I can use in my career.” Option C paraphrases “practical” as “real-world application”.
• The Trap: Option (B) is a trap. The audio mentions grades, but the advisor says the class is an “easy grade”, whereas option B wrongly states she thinks it’s “too difficult”. Option (A) is a logical reason to reject a class, but it is not mentioned.

3 (B) The class that teaches how to create internet pages.

• The Key: Emma chooses the “Web Design” course because knowing how to “build a website” would be useful. Option B paraphrases “Web Design / build a website” as “create internet pages”.
• The Trap: Option (A) refers to “Consumer Psychology” (understanding why people buy products). This is a trap because she finds it fascinating but explicitly chooses not to take it. Option (C) is a trap because she has already completed her core business modules.

Emma: Hi Mr. Harris. Do you have a minute? I need some advice on choosing my electives for the spring semester.

Mr. Harris: Of course, Emma. Take a seat. So, remind me again, what are you planning to do after you graduate?

Emma: Well, um, I really want to get into digital marketing. I’ve already completed all the core business modules, but I’m not sure which extra classes would make my resume stand out to employers.

Mr. Harris: I see. Well, you could take “Introduction to Photography”. A lot of students find it fun and it’s quite an easy grade.

Emma: Actually, I’m not looking for an easy (A) I want something practical that I can use in my career.

Mr. Harris: Fair enough. In that case, how about “Consumer Psychology”? It helps you understand why people buy certain products. Or, there’s a brand new “Web Design” course.

Emma: Hmm, the psychology class sounds fascinating, but honestly, I think knowing how to build a website would be more useful for my future job. Let’s go with that one.

Mr. Harris: Great choice. I’ll update your academic profile right now.

1 (B) Her mother is currently the only person earning an income.

• The Key: Maya says her father lost his job and her mother is the “sole provider”. Option B paraphrases “sole provider” as “the only person earning an income”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The audio mentions “medical” later (medical researcher), and “father”, but he is not sick; he lost his job. Option (C) mentions “younger siblings”, which are in the audio, but the parents are not saving money for them; they are just struggling to support everyone.

2 (C) She earns money by teaching younger students in her free time.

• The Key: Maya explains that she started “tutoring high school students on weekends” to pay for her textbooks. Option C paraphrases this as “teaching younger students in her free time”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. “Medical lab” connects to her future dream of being a “medical researcher”, not her current part-time job. Option (B) is a logical guess but is not mentioned at all.

3 (A) To work in the healthcare field doing scientific studies.

• The Key: Maya states her dream is “becoming a medical researcher”. Option A paraphrases “medical researcher” as working in the “healthcare field doing scientific studies”.
• The Trap: Option (B) is a trap because she currently “tutors” (teaches), but that is just to earn money now, not her ultimate career goal. Option (C) uses the words “financial burden” from the audio, but it applies to her own family, not a charity she wants to run.

Mr. Roberts: Welcome, Maya. We have reviewed your application for the Excellence Scholarship. Your grades are certainly impressive.

Maya: Thank you, Mr. Roberts. I’ve always worked hard to maintain top marks, especially in my Science classes.

Mr. Roberts: That’s great to see. However, we have many applicants with high grades this year. Tell me, why do you think you specifically deserve this financial support?

Maya: Well, um, aside from my academic achievements, my family’s situation makes it quite challenging to afford university tuition. My father recently lost his job, so my mother is now the sole provider for me and my two younger siblings.

Mr. Roberts: I see. That must be a difficult situation. How do you balance your studies with that kind of pressure at home?

Maya: Honestly, it motivates me. I actually started tutoring high school students on weekends to help pay for my own textbooks. If I am awarded this scholarship, it will relieve the financial burden on my parents, and allow me to focus entirely on my dream of becoming a medical researcher.

Mr. Roberts: That shows a lot of dedication, Maya. We will make our final decision by next Monday.

1 (B) Students show more interest in the learning materials.

• The Key: Sarah says her students are “definitely more engaged” and “love using the interactive maps”. Option B uses the phrase “show more interest” as a synonym for “engaged”.
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap. “Participating in the quizzes” is mentioned in the audio, but it happens in Robert’s science classes, not Sarah’s history classes. Option (A) is a plausible benefit of technology but is not mentioned.

2 (A) They were doing non-academic activities on their devices.

• The Key: Sarah mentions she caught students “playing a game instead of researching the assignment”. Option A paraphrases “playing a game” as “non-academic activities”.
• The Trap: Option (B) contains the word “textbook”. However, Sarah only compares the tablets to textbooks (“much better than just reading from a textbook”); she doesn’t say the students forgot them. Option (C) mentions “rules”, but Robert hasn’t even suggested the new rules yet.

3 (C) Create firmer regulations for when the devices can be active.

• The Key: Robert suggests they need to “establish stricter rules for device usage” and only turn them on “for specific activities”. Option C perfectly paraphrases this idea.
• The Trap: Option (B) mentions “watching short educational videos”. While videos (“historical clips”) are mentioned earlier by Sarah as an activity, they are not Robert’s solution to the problem. Option (A) is a logical teacher’s reaction but is never mentioned in the conversation.

Robert: Hi Sarah. How are the new tablets working out in your history classes?

Sarah: Oh, hi Robert. Well, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. The students are definitely more engaged. They love using the interactive maps and watching short historical clips. It’s much better than just reading from a textbook.

Robert: I’ve noticed that in my science classes too. More students are participating in the quizzes. But there’s a downside, isn’t there?

Sarah: Exactly. It’s so hard to monitor what they are actually doing on their screens. Yesterday, I caught two students playing a game instead of researching the assignment. They get distracted so easily.

Robert: Yeah, I had a similar issue. I think we need to establish stricter rules for device usage. Maybe we should only allow them to turn the tablets on for specific activities, and keep them face down the rest of the time.

Sarah: That’s a good idea. I’ll try implementing that tomorrow. The technology is beneficial, but we definitely need better management.

1 (A) Include some background information before his main arguments.

• The Key: The professor tells Daniel he needs a section explaining the “history and purpose… to provide some context”. Daniel confirms by asking if he should add a “background chapter”. Option A paraphrases this requirement.
• The Trap: Option (B) contains the words “test anxiety”, but the professor does not want him to remove it; she just wants another section before it. Option (C) mentions “introduction” and “motivation” (words from the audio), but they are combined incorrectly.

2 (B) He needs to gather a larger number of reading materials.

• The Key: The professor states, “you only have three references here. That’s not enough”. Option B paraphrases “more references” as “a larger number of reading materials”.
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap. Dr. Harrison is mentioned, but her articles are about “alternative assessment methods”, not “test anxiety”. Option (A) is plausible for a research paper but is never mentioned.

3 (C) Send his corrected writing plan via the internet.

• The Key: Daniel promises to “revise the outline and email it to you by Friday”. Option C paraphrases “revise the outline” as “corrected writing plan” and “email it” as “via the internet”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. He is submitting the outline (the plan) on Friday, not the completed term paper. Option (B) is also a trap; he will search the “library database” for Dr. Harrison’s work, not meet her in person at the library.

Professor Smith: Come in. Oh, Daniel. You wanted to discuss your term paper outline?

Daniel: Yes, Professor Smith. Um, I’ve decided to write about the impact of standardized testing on student motivation. I have my introduction, a section on test anxiety, and a conclusion.

Professor Smith: Well, the topic is certainly relevant. However, looking at your structure, it seems a bit unbalanced. You jump straight from the introduction to the negative effects. You really need a section explaining the history and purpose of these tests first, to provide some context.

Daniel: Oh, I see. So I should add a background chapter before discussing the anxiety issues?

Professor Smith: Exactly. Also, you only have three references here. That’s not enough for a final paper. I strongly recommend you look into Dr. Harrison’s recent articles. They offer a great perspective on alternative assessment methods.

Daniel: Dr. Harrison… alright, I’ll definitely check the library database for her work. Thanks for the feedback, Professor. I’ll revise the outline and email it to you by Friday.

Professor Smith: Looking forward to it.