Natural Disasters – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Answer: (B) A large vehicle passing by.

• Explanation: In the audio, Sarah says “I thought a heavy truck was just driving by at first”. “Large vehicle” is a synonym for “heavy truck”.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is the real event, but not what she initially thought. Option (C) is a trap because the “desk lamp” was mentioned by Mark, not Sarah.

2 Answer: (B) He felt extremely nervous.

• Explanation: Mark says “I got so anxious”. “Extremely nervous” is a paraphrase of “so anxious”.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Mark says he “almost ran outside”, which means he didn’t actually run out. Option (C) is a trap because it was Sarah who stayed in bed waiting for an aftershock, while Mark was on the couch.

3 Answer: (B) Get some disaster survival supplies ready.

• Explanation: Mark says he is “thinking of preparing an emergency kit” and Sarah agrees to do the same. “Disaster survival supplies” is a paraphrase of “emergency kit”.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is wrong because Mark already checked the news (“I checked the news right after”), this is not a future plan. Option (C) is not mentioned at all (he was watching a movie, but doesn’t need to buy a TV).

Mark: Hey Sarah, did you feel that tremor last night?

Sarah: Um, yeah… I was actually fast asleep. But then my bed started swaying, and I woke up in a panic. I thought a heavy truck was just driving by at first.

Mark: Me too! I was sitting on my couch watching a movie around midnight. Suddenly, the lamp on my desk began to rattle. I got so anxious, I almost ran outside.

Sarah: Well, I stayed in bed, but I couldn’t go back to sleep for hours. I kept waiting for an aftershock. It’s quite terrifying because we rarely get seismic activity in this area.

Mark: Exactly. I checked the news right after. It was only a magnitude 3.5, but it felt much stronger. I’m thinking of preparing an emergency kit today, just in case something bigger happens.

Sarah: That’s a sensible idea. I should probably do the same. I don’t even have a flashlight or extra water stored in my apartment.

1 Answer: (B) Four gallons.

• Explanation: The mother says she first thought “two gallons” was enough but then says they need “twice that amount” (2 x 2 = 4).
• Trap: Option (A) is the old idea she rejected. Option (C) is a random number not mentioned.

2 Answer: (C) It does not have working batteries.

• Explanation: Leo uses the word “torch” (synonym for flashlight) and says “the power cells are dead”. “Power cells” is a synonym for “batteries”.
• Trap: Option (A) is wrong because it’s just out of power, not broken. Option (B) is where it was found, but not the reason it’s “useless”.

3 Answer: (B) Food that stays good without refrigeration.

• Explanation: The mother suggests “non-perishable goods” and gives examples like “tinned tuna” which “don’t require cooking” or a fridge.
• Trap: Option (A) is rejected (“frozen burritos are out of the question”). Option (C) is the opposite of what she wants because they can’t use the microwave or stove.

Mrs. Gable: Leo, can you come here for a second? The weather forecast says the hurricane season is starting earlier than usual this year. We need to assemble our survival bag.

Leo: Again? We did that last year, Mom.

Mrs. Gable: Well, most of the supplies are gone or expired. Let’s check the cupboard. Um, first, we need enough water. I initially thought two gallons would be fine, but the authorities recommend we store at least twice that amount for a three-day period.

Leo: Okay, I’ll add a large pack of bottled water to the shopping list. What about light? I found this torch in the garage, but it’s useless because the power cells are dead.

Mrs. Gable: Good catch. Put “heavy-duty batteries” on the list then. Now, food. We can’t use the microwave if the electricity fails.

Leo: So, I guess my frozen burritos are out of the question?

Mrs. Gable: Definitely. We should focus on non-perishable goods. Things like tinned tuna or jars of peanut butter that don’t require cooking.

Leo: Got it. I’ll finish the list and we can head to the supermarket before the rain starts.

1 Answer: (C) Scattered rubbish is lying all over the place.

• Explanation: Linda states there is “debris everywhere, mostly from those garbage bins”. “Scattered rubbish” is a paraphrase of this information.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is the opposite of the truth (she said “my roof is fine”). Option (B) is a trap because the fallen tree branch happened to Tom, not Linda.

2 Answer: (B) It was trapped behind a large piece of wood.

• Explanation: Tom mentions a “massive branch” (large piece of wood) landed on his driveway and “completely blocked” (trapped) his car.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is a trap because he explicitly says the branch “missed the windshield” and no repairs are needed. Option (C) is a trap using a keyword from the audio (“flooding”), but that happened to the next neighborhood, not Tom’s car.

3 Answer: (C) She is thankful that there were no personal injuries.

• Explanation: Linda says she is “relieved that all of us are safe and sound”. Being “safe and sound” means having no injuries, and “relieved” is a synonym for “thankful”.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) uses Tom’s words (“expensive repairs”) to confuse the listener. Option (B) mentions the “radio”, but she only heard the news on the radio; she didn’t express frustration about a lack of warning.

Tom: Hey Linda. Quite a storm last night, huh? How did your property hold up?

Linda: Oh, hi Tom. Well… it was pretty terrifying. The wind was howling for hours. Thankfully, my roof is fine. But my front yard is a total mess. There’s debris everywhere, mostly from those garbage bins that blew over.

Tom: Yeah, I saw that. I spent all morning clearing up. A massive branch from the oak tree snapped and landed right on my driveway. It completely blocked my car.

Linda: Oh no! Did it hit your vehicle?

Tom: Fortunately, it missed the windshield by just a few inches. So, no expensive repairs needed. It’s just going to take a lot of effort to chop up the wood.

Linda: Honestly, we’re really lucky. I heard on the radio that the neighborhood next to us had severe flooding. At the end of the day, property can be fixed. I’m just relieved that all of us are safe and sound.

Tom: Absolutely. Let me know if you need a hand with cleaning up that trash later.

1 Answer: (B) They were relocated to a higher level.

• Explanation: Mia states, “We managed to move most of our furniture to the upper floor”. “Relocated to a higher level” is a paraphrase of this sentence.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Arthur was worried the house was “completely submerged,” but Mia said they are okay. Option (C) is a trap because the “rescue teams” are mentioned later in a different context (bringing food, not taking furniture).

2 Answer: (A) Emergency workers are delivering them over water.

• Explanation: Mia says, “local rescue teams have been dropping off food and clean water by boat.” “Emergency workers” is a synonym for rescue teams, and “over water” is a paraphrase of “by boat.”
• Why traps are wrong: Option (B) is mentioned but rejected; Mia explicitly says “we can’t drive anywhere”. Option (C) is plausible but false; Arthur offered to come later, he is not currently bringing supplies.

3 Answer: (C) She decides to stay inside her home until conditions improve.

• Explanation: Mia says the water should recede soon and “I think we just need to wait it out.” Waiting it out means staying where you are until a bad situation finishes.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is the trap. Uncle Arthur offered to help her evacuate, but Mia rejected the offer to wait instead. Option (B) is a plausible action during a flood, but it is never mentioned in the audio.

Arthur: Hello? Mia? Are you there? The connection is a bit spotty.

Mia: Hi, Uncle Arthur! Yes, I can hear you. Thanks for checking in.

Arthur: I saw the terrifying news about the severe flooding in your district. Is everyone safe? I was worried your house might be completely submerged.

Mia: We’re doing okay, actually. We managed to move most of our furniture to the upper floor yesterday. The water level in the street is almost up to my knees, though.

Arthur: That sounds awful. Are you stuck inside, then?

Mia: Pretty much. Um, we can’t drive anywhere because the roads are totally blocked. But local rescue teams have been dropping off food and clean water by boat.

Arthur: That’s a massive relief. Do you need me to come down and help you evacuate once the roads clear?

Mia: Well, the mayor said the rain is supposed to stop tonight, so the water should recede soon. I think we just need to wait it out. But I’ll definitely let you know if things change.

Arthur: Please do. Stay strong, sweetheart.

1 Answer: (C) The road along the ocean.

• Explanation: Ryan suggests that they “head toward the coast using the coastal bridge” and Emma agrees. “Coast” and “ocean” are synonyms.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Emma mentions the main highway but rejects it because it will be “jammed” (busy). Option (B) is also a trap. Liam suggests the valley road, but Ryan rejects it because it is “too risky”.

2 Answer: (A) Electronic devices storing his coursework.

• Explanation: Liam says he is taking his “laptop and my hard drive” because his “study materials are on them”. “Electronic devices” is a paraphrase for laptop/hard drive.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (B) is a trap. Ryan is the one who will grab the “important documents” (passports and rental agreement), not Liam. Option (C) is also a trap. Emma explicitly tells them to “forget about the heavy textbooks”.

3 Answer: (B) They should only take light outfits for a short period.

• Explanation: Emma tells the guys to pack “a few days’ worth of casual clothes”. “Light outfits” is a paraphrase for “casual clothes”, and “a few days’ worth” means for a short period.
• Why traps are wrong: Option (A) is the exact opposite of what she says; she tells them to “forget… winter coats”. Option (C) is a trap because she mentions her car is “small”, so they cannot pack everything into it.

Ryan: Hey guys, have you seen the news? The wildfire is spreading quickly. We might need to leave the apartment tonight.

Emma: I know, it’s pretty scary. We should figure out an escape route just in case. The main highway is probably going to be jammed with traffic.

Liam: Good point, Emma. Um, how about taking the old dirt road through the valley?

Ryan: I don’t think so. That path is surrounded by dry trees. It’s way too risky. Let’s head toward the coast using the coastal bridge instead. The flames haven’t reached that area yet.

Emma: I agree, the bridge is our safest bet. Now, what about our stuff? We can’t pack everything into my small car.

Liam: I’m just taking my laptop and my hard drive. All my study materials are on them.

Ryan: Yeah, that makes sense. Plus, I’ll make sure to grab all our important documents, like our passports and the rental agreement.

Emma: Exactly. Forget about the heavy textbooks or winter coats. Let’s just pack a few days’ worth of casual clothes and get out of here when the siren goes off.