Recycling & Waste – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Answer: (B) To report that her household waste was not taken away.

• Explanation: The resident states that “the truck didn’t come to pick them up this morning.” Option (B) paraphrases this as “waste was not taken away.” Option (A) is a trap; she says her bins are “completely full,” but she is not asking for larger ones. Option (C) is a trap; 8 AM is the time they usually arrive, not a complaint about noise.

2 Answer: (C) One of the company’s trucks had an engine failure.

• Explanation: The operator explains that one of their “collection vehicles broke down,” which is also referred to as a “mechanical issue.” Option (C) uses the synonym “engine failure” for this problem. Option (B) is a trap; “stray animals” are mentioned, but they are making a mess with the trash, not blocking the road. Option (A) is plausible but not mentioned.

3 Answer: (A) Another team will arrive early the next day to collect the trash.

• Explanation: The operator promises to “schedule a backup crew to collect your waste first thing tomorrow morning.” Option (A) uses paraphrasing (“Another team” for “backup crew”, “early the next day” for “first thing tomorrow morning”). Option (B) is a trap; the resident asks for someone to clear it up “right now” (this afternoon), but the operator refuses. Option (C) is a trap; the resident says she will “sweep up the spilled rubbish,” but she is not taking it to the center.

Operator: Good afternoon, City Sanitation Services. This is Mark speaking. How can I help you?

Resident: Hi, um, I’m calling from Maple Street. Our garbage bins are completely full, and the truck didn’t come to pick them up this morning. They usually arrive by 8 AM.

Operator: I apologize for the inconvenience, ma’am. Let me check the system for Maple Street… Ah, I see. One of our main collection vehicles broke down earlier today, so the entire route was delayed.

Resident: Oh, I see. Well, the problem is that stray animals have started tearing the plastic bags open. It’s making a terrible mess all over the pavement. Can someone come back and clear it up right now?

Operator: I completely understand your frustration. Unfortunately, because of the mechanical issue, we can’t send a truck this afternoon. However, I will schedule a backup crew to collect your waste first thing tomorrow morning.

Resident: Tomorrow morning? Alright, I guess I’ll have to sweep up the spilled rubbish myself for today. Please make sure they don’t miss us again.

Operator: We will make it a priority. Again, I am very sorry about that.

1 Answer: (B) To inform him that the waste workers rejected their rubbish.

• Explanation: Emma says that the “garbage collectors came this morning, but they refused to empty the green container.” Option (B) uses paraphrasing (“waste workers” for “garbage collectors”, “rejected” for “refused to empty”). Option (A) is a plausible neighborly request but is never mentioned. Option (C) is a trap; the phrase “last night” is mentioned by John about putting his bags out, not about making noise.

2 Answer: (A) He combined glass items with compostable materials.

• Explanation: Emma points out that there were “glass jars and empty wine bottles mixed in with the food waste.” Option (A) is a paraphrase (“combined” for “mixed in”, “compostable materials” for “food waste”). Option (B) is a trap; John explicitly says he “put my garbage bags in there last night,” so he didn’t forget. Option (C) is a trap using words from the audio; “fruit peels and leaves” belong in the green bin, and the “grey recycling bin” is for the glass, but the option mixes up this logic.

3 Answer: (C) Fix the problem by separating the trash correctly.

• Explanation: John says, “I’ll go out and sort them properly right now.” “Sort them properly” is paraphrased as “separating the trash correctly.” Option (A) is a trap; the “city council” is mentioned by Emma as having a strict policy, but John isn’t going to call them. Option (B) is a trap; John mentions he “misunderstood the recycling guide,” but he is not going to read a new one from the supermarket.

Emma: Hi John, sorry to bother you so early. Do you have a quick minute?

John: Oh, hi Emma. Sure, what’s going on? Is everything okay?

Emma: Well, it’s about the shared bins outside. The garbage collectors came this morning, but they refused to empty the green container.

John: Really? Why would they do that? I put my garbage bags in there last night.

Emma: That might be the issue. I noticed there were several glass jars and empty wine bottles mixed in with the food waste. The city council has a strict policy: organic bins are only for fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and garden leaves.

John: Oh no… I thought those jars were supposed to go in there because they contained food previously. I’m so sorry, I completely misunderstood the recycling guide.

Emma: Don’t worry, it’s a common mistake. But you need to wash them out and put them in the grey recycling bin instead.

John: Got it. I’ll go out and sort them properly right now before it gets too hot. Thanks for letting me know, Emma.

1 Answer: (B) The garbage containers in the park are completely full.

• Explanation: Sarah reports that the “public recycling bins are completely overflowing.” Option (B) uses the paraphrase “completely full” for “overflowing.” Option (A) is a trap; a school group was there for a picnic, but they didn’t leave equipment behind. Option (C) is a trap; Sarah is “walking her dog,” but dogs are not eating the food.

2 Answer: (A) Because the weather conditions are causing it to fly around.

• Explanation: Sarah explains that “It’s the weather. The wind is incredibly strong today, and it’s blowing empty plastic bottles…” Option (A) uses paraphrasing (“weather conditions” for “wind”, “fly around” for “blowing”). Option (C) is a trap; the officer asks if wild animals got into the trash, but Sarah explicitly says “No, it’s not animals this time.” Option (B) is a trap; the maintenance workers are the ones who will clean it up, not the ones who dropped it.

3 Answer: (C) Dispatch some workers to tidy the location right away.

• Explanation: Officer Davies says, “I’ll send a maintenance crew down there immediately to clean it up.” Option (C) uses synonyms (“dispatch” = “send”, “workers” = “maintenance crew”, “tidy” = “clean up”, “right away” = “immediately”). Option (A) is a trap; the officer says they usually empty them on Monday mornings, but in this urgent case, he will not wait. Option (B) is a plausible safety measure but is never mentioned in the audio.

Officer Davies: Hello, Evergreen Park Management. Officer Davies speaking. How can I help you?

Sarah: Hi, um, I’m walking my dog near the South Lake camping area. I just wanted to report a huge mess over here. The public recycling bins are completely overflowing.

Officer Davies: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. We had a large school group having a picnic there yesterday. Did the wild animals get into the trash?

Sarah: No, it’s not animals this time. It’s the weather. The wind is incredibly strong today, and it’s blowing empty plastic bottles and paper plates all over the grass and into the water. It looks terrible.

Officer Davies: That’s definitely a hazard for the local environment. We usually empty those containers on Monday mornings, but I’ll send a maintenance crew down there immediately to clean it up.

Sarah: Thank you so much. I tried to pick up a few things, but there’s just way too much of it.

Officer Davies: Don’t worry, our team will handle the rest. We really appreciate you letting us know.

1 Answer: (A) He placed some large items in the shared corridor.

• Explanation: Lisa says that “large cardboard boxes” were “left outside your door” (in the hallway). Option (A) uses paraphrasing (“large items” for “cardboard boxes”, “shared corridor” for “hallway”). Option (B) is a trap; the “blue recycling bin” is mentioned as the place he wanted to put the boxes, but he didn’t break it. Option (C) is a plausible reason to get a warning letter, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Answer: (B) Make them completely flat for recycling.

• Explanation: Tom explains that he was “trying to flatten the packaging to put it in the blue recycling bin.” Option (B) is a direct paraphrase (“make them completely flat” = “flatten”). Option (A) is a trap; the words “furniture” and “store” are in the audio, but he went to the store to buy a box cutter, not to return furniture. Option (C) is a trap; the “cleaning staff” reported him, he wasn’t giving them a gift.

3 Answer: (C) Forgive the mistake and remove the financial charge.

• Explanation: Lisa says, “since this is your first offense… I will waive the fee.” To “waive the fee” means to remove the financial charge. Option (C) is a paraphrase of this decision. Option (A) is a trap; Tom already “cleared them away immediately,” so the cleaning staff doesn’t need to do it. Option (B) is a trap; the “fifty-dollar penalty” was the initial problem, but she cancels it at the end.

Tom: Hi Lisa, do you have a minute? I received this warning letter and a fifty-dollar penalty notice under my door this morning. It’s about some trash in the hallway.

Lisa: Let me see… Ah, yes. Apartment 4B. The cleaning staff reported several large cardboard boxes left outside your door yesterday evening. They were blocking the fire exit route.

Tom: I know, and I really apologize for that. But it was just a temporary misunderstanding. I ordered some new furniture and was trying to flatten the packaging to put it in the blue recycling bin. But I couldn’t find my box cutter, so I ran to the convenience store to buy one.

Lisa: I see. But the building policy clearly states that personal waste cannot be left in the common corridors at any time.

Tom: I completely understand. I was only gone for twenty minutes, and I cleared them away immediately when I got back. Could you please cancel the fine this time? I promise it won’t happen again.

Lisa: Well, since this is your first offense and you removed them quickly, I will waive the fee. But please keep the hallway clear from now on.

1 Answer: (A) He accidentally discarded a valuable piece of jewelry.

• Explanation: Mark says he “threw away” (discarded) his “silver ring” (valuable piece of jewelry). Option (A) is a paraphrase of the situation. Option (B) is a trap; the “basement” is mentioned, but he didn’t lose his key there. Option (C) is a trap; he threw away “receipts” intentionally, so finding the receipt is not his main goal.

2 Answer: (C) On the housekeeper’s trolley.

• Explanation: Maria says the waste is “still right here on my cleaning cart.” Option (C) uses the synonym “trolley” for “cleaning cart.” Option (A) is a trap; Mark asks if she took it to the “dumpster in the basement” (downstairs), but she says “Not yet.” Option (B) is a trap; she already “emptied the bins” in his room.

3 Answer: (B) Put on some protective hand covering.

• Explanation: Maria tells Mark to “put on these rubber gloves first” so he doesn’t injure his hand. Option (B) paraphrases “rubber gloves” as “protective hand covering.” Option (A) is a plausible request but is never mentioned. Option (C) is a trap; “glass” and “food waste” are mentioned as dangers inside the bag, not as things Mark needs to separate.

Mark: Excuse me! Are you the housekeeper for the third floor? I really need your help!

Maria: Yes, I am. Calm down, sir. What seems to be the problem?

Mark: I made a terrible mistake. About an hour ago, I was cleaning my room and I threw away some crumpled receipts into the trash can. But my silver ring was wrapped inside one of those pieces of paper!

Maria: Oh dear. Are you staying in room 312? I just emptied the bins in that room a few minutes ago.

Mark: Yes, that’s my room! Have you already taken the garbage down to the large dumpster in the basement?

Maria: Not yet, luckily. The waste from your room is still right here on my cleaning cart. It’s the black plastic bag on top.

Mark: Thank goodness! Do you mind if I open it and look through the rubbish to find it?

Maria: Go ahead, but please put on these rubber gloves first. There might be broken glass or messy food waste inside, and I don’t want you to injure your hand.

Mark: Thank you so much! I’ll be very careful.