Internet Safety – B1 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the conversation between two friends at a cafe and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does Sarah tell Mark to stop what he is doing?
(A) She wants him to focus on their conversation.
(B) She believes his current internet connection is unsafe.
(C) She thinks the cafe’s internet is too slow for banking.
2 What is Mark’s initial reaction to Sarah’s warning?
(A) He doesn’t think there is a danger because he will only be online briefly.
(B) He gets worried and immediately closes his banking application.
(C) He explains that he already has a very strong password.
3 What does Sarah advise Mark to do to solve the problem?
(A) Wait until he gets home to transfer his rent money.
(B) Ask the cafe staff for a secure, private password.
(C) Rely on his mobile phone’s cellular connection instead.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Sarah stops him because the network is “open” and “unsecured,” which means it is not safe for banking.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is incorrect because she doesn’t mention their conversation. Option C is incorrect because she never talks about the speed of the Wi-Fi, only the security.
2 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: At first, Mark dismisses her warning by saying, “I’m only going to be on the app for a minute. What could happen?”
- Why the traps are wrong: Option B is incorrect because he doesn’t get worried right away; he questions her first. Option C is a trap because the word “password” is in the script, but Mark never talks about how strong his own password is.
3 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: Sarah tells Mark to “use your 4G for a minute” because the cellular network is encrypted. Option C uses the synonym “cellular connection” for “4G”.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a logical piece of advice, but Sarah does not tell him to wait until he gets home. Option B is incorrect because Sarah never suggests talking to the cafe staff.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mark: Man, this coffee is great. Give me a second, Sarah. I just need to log into my bank account and transfer some money for my rent.
Sarah: Wait, Mark. Are you using the cafe’s free Wi-Fi right now?
Mark: Yeah, it connected automatically when we walked in. Why?
Sarah: Um, I really wouldn’t do that if I were you. Especially not for banking. It’s an open network, meaning there’s no password.
Mark: So? I’m only going to be on the app for a minute. What could happen?
Sarah: It doesn’t matter how fast you are. Unsecured networks are incredibly risky. Anyone with a bit of tech knowledge sitting in this room could intercept your data and steal your password.
Mark: Seriously? I never even thought about that. I usually just connect to whatever is available to save my data plan.
Sarah: It’s definitely not worth the risk. Just turn off your Wi-Fi and use your 4G for a minute. Your cellular network is encrypted and way more secure.
Mark: Good point. Let me switch to my data right now. Thanks for the heads-up.
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation between a brother and sister and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does Tom suggest that Lily remove her recent post?
(A) She is boasting too much about her upcoming vacation.
(B) She accidentally revealed private information to the public.
(C) She included a picture of someone else’s delivery package.
2 According to Tom, what is the risk of showing the boarding pass online?
(A) Strangers might use the code to ruin her travel plans.
(B) People can find out exactly how much she paid for the ticket.
(C) Someone could use the information to steal her identity.
3 How does Lily feel after hearing her brother’s explanation?
(A) She is annoyed because he always criticizes her photos.
(B) She plans to blur out the address and upload the photo again.
(C) She feels slightly embarrassed and decides to remove the image.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Tom warns Lily because her post shows her “personal details” and “home address.” Option B uses the synonym “private information” to paraphrase this.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap; Lily is excited about her trip, but Tom doesn’t think she is boasting. Option C is incorrect because the delivery box belongs to them (“our exact home address”), not someone else.
2 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: Tom explicitly states that someone could scan the barcode and “cancel your flight.” Option A uses the synonym “ruin her travel plans” to express this idea.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option C is a trap; identity theft is a real-world danger, but Tom does not specifically mention this term in the audio. Option B is plausible but never mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: Lily admits that she feels “a bit silly” (embarrassed) and says she will “take it down immediately” (remove the image).
- Why the traps are wrong: Option B is a trap because she talks about posting a completely different photo tomorrow (a selfie), not editing the current one. Option A is a plausible sibling reaction, but it does not happen in this dialogue.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tom: Hey Lily, I just saw your latest update on social media about your trip to Tokyo.
Lily: Oh, yeah! I’m so excited. I just got my tickets in the mail. Did you like the picture?
Tom: Well, um, actually… I think you should probably delete it. You’re oversharing a bit.
Lily: What do you mean? It’s just a picture of my boarding pass and my coffee cup.
Tom: That’s the problem. The barcode on your pass is completely visible. Someone could easily scan that and get your personal details, or even cancel your flight. And worse, look at the background. There’s a delivery box with our exact home address printed on it.
Lily: Oh, wow. I didn’t even notice the box. But who would actually zoom in to read that?
Tom: You’d be surprised. It’s really not safe to broadcast where you live to strangers, especially right before you go on vacation and leave the house empty.
Lily: I guess you’re right. I feel a bit silly now. Let me take it down immediately. I’ll just post a selfie at the airport tomorrow instead.
Listening 3
Listen to the conversation between a mother and her teenage son, and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What makes Leo doubt the friend request initially?
(A) He thinks it belongs to a new student from his class.
(B) The profile lacks any shared contacts with him.
(C) The account recently sent him a strange text message.
2 What does the mother say is the danger of these types of profiles?
(A) They are created to gather people’s private data.
(B) They belong to users with very few followers.
(C) They might send computer viruses to the phone.
3 How does Leo resolve the situation?
(A) He rejects the invitation completely.
(B) He sends a text message to his friend Jason to check.
(C) He decides to block all future friend requests.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Leo is suspicious because the account has “zero mutual friends.” Option B uses the synonym “lacks any shared contacts” to express the same idea.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap; he mentions Jason, but thinking it was Jason was a reason he might accept it, not the reason he doubted it. Option C is plausible, but the audio never mentions the account sending him a message.
2 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: The mother warns that scammers use these accounts to “steal personal information.” Option A uses the synonym “gather people’s private data.”
- Why the traps are wrong: Option B is a trap because the mother does mention the account only has “two followers”, but that is just an observation, not the actual danger. Option C is incorrect because she mentions “spam links,” not viruses.
3 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: Leo follows his mother’s advice and says, “I just deleted it.” Option A paraphrases “deleted it” as “rejects the invitation.”
- Why the traps are wrong: Option B is a trap because he mentions Jason, but he says he will ask him “tomorrow at school,” not by sending a text message right now. Option C is incorrect because he only deletes/blocks this specific user, not all future requests.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Leo: Hey Mom, do you have a second? I just got a really weird friend request on social media.
Mom: Oh? Let me see. Hmm… “User99284”. Well, do you know anyone with a username like this?
Leo: Not at all. And look, there’s no profile picture, just a blank gray circle. Plus, we have zero mutual friends.
Mom: Ah, I see. It only has two followers, too. Honestly, Leo, I would just ignore it. It looks like a classic fake profile.
Leo: Yeah, I thought maybe it was the new kid at school, Jason. He said he was going to add me today.
Mom: I really doubt it. People usually use their real names or at least have a photo of themselves. Scammers often create these empty accounts to steal personal information or send spam links.
Leo: True. If I accept it, a total stranger might be able to see all my private posts and figure out where I go to school.
Mom: Exactly. It’s always better to be safe. Just hit “delete request” and maybe block the user so they can’t bother you again.
Leo: Okay, I just deleted it. I’ll ask Jason for his actual username tomorrow at school.
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation between two friends playing an online game, and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does Alex warn Ben during their game?
(A) Ben is focusing too much on chatting and losing the match.
(B) Ben is about to share private information with an unknown player.
(C) Ben is spending too much time playing with his classmates.
2 What exactly did the stranger ask Ben about?
(A) The specific educational institution he attends.
(B) The actual names of Ben and his family members.
(C) The password to Ben’s online gaming account.
3 What is Ben’s final decision regarding the stranger’s message?
(A) He decides to report the player to the game administrators.
(B) He is going to leave the game and stop playing for the day.
(C) He will tell the player that he refuses to answer the question.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: Alex warns Ben because he is about to tell a “complete stranger” where he goes to school. Option B uses the synonym “unknown player” for “stranger” and “private information” for school/location details.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap; chatting is happening, but they are winning/doing well (“Nice shot”). Option C is incorrect because the person messaging Ben is a stranger, not a classmate.
2 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: The stranger asks “where we go to school.” Option A paraphrases this as “the specific educational institution he attends.”
- Why the traps are wrong: Option B is a trap because Alex advises Ben not to give out his “actual identity,” but the stranger specifically asked about his school, not his name. Option C is a plausible internet danger, but it is not mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: Ben agrees with Alex and says, “I’ll just message him back and say I don’t share personal details.” Option C paraphrases this as refusing to answer the question.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a logical safety step, but Ben never mentions reporting the user. Option B is incorrect because Ben explicitly says, “let’s get back to the match,” meaning he continues to play.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Alex: Watch out, enemy on your left! Nice shot, Ben.
Ben: Thanks! Hey, that other player in our squad, “DragonSlayer99”, just sent me a private message. He’s asking where we go to school because we sound like we’re from his city.
Alex: Whoa, ignore that, Ben. You should never tell people in these public lobbies where you actually study or live.
Ben: Why not? He seems cool. We’ve been playing in the same team for like an hour now.
Alex: It doesn’t matter how nice he seems; he’s still a complete stranger. You shouldn’t give out your actual identity, your neighborhood, or anything like that. People can use that information to track you down in the real world.
Ben: Oh, I guess you make a good point. I was just about to tell him I go to Lincoln High.
Alex: Yeah, definitely don’t do that. Just use your gamer tag and keep the chat focused on the game.
Ben: Got it. I’ll just message him back and say I don’t share personal details. Anyway, let’s get back to the match!
Listening 5
Listen to the conversation between two roommates and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does David object to Sam’s very first password idea?
(A) It is too long to type quickly on a new keyboard.
(B) It can be figured out by other people almost instantly.
(C) It does not include the year he was born.
2 What is the main issue with using “Max1998” as a password?
(A) It does not contain any numbers to make it secure.
(B) It is a popular password that comes with the laptop.
(C) Cybercriminals can easily uncover that kind of personal detail.
3 How does Sam generate his final, secure password?
(A) He uses the starting letters of words from a memorable sentence.
(B) He types a completely random mixture of letters and numbers.
(C) He combines the name of his favorite coffee shop with a symbol.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B
- Explanation: David says that “123456” is terrible because “Anyone could guess that in seconds.” Option B uses the synonym phrase “figured out by other people almost instantly.”
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a plausible complaint, but not mentioned. Option C is a trap because the “birth year” is mentioned later in the conversation, but it is not the reason David rejects the first password.
2 Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: David warns that “Hackers can easily find out your pet’s name.” Option C paraphrases this as “Cybercriminals can easily uncover that kind of personal detail.”
- Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap because David does say passwords need numbers, but “Max1998” actually has numbers in it, so that is not the reason it is rejected. Option B is plausible but never mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: A
- Explanation: David tells Sam to “Think of a sentence you like, and take the first letter of each word.” Sam follows this advice to make his password.
- Why the traps are wrong: Option B is a trap because Sam says his password “looks like complete gibberish” (random nonsense), but it is actually NOT random; it has a specific meaning. Option C is a trap because the word “coffee” is in the audio, but he uses a sentence about coffee, not the name of a coffee shop.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Sam: Hey David, I’m finally setting up my new laptop. I just need to create an account password.
David: Cool! Just make sure it’s a strong one. Don’t tell me you are using “123456” again.
Sam: Well, yeah. It’s quick and I never forget it. Why? Is it really that bad?
David: It’s terrible! Anyone could guess that in seconds. You need something much more secure. A good password should have capital letters, numbers, and special symbols.
Sam: Ugh, but those are impossible to remember. What if I just use my dog’s name and my birth year? Like, “Max1998”?
David: That’s a bit better, but still too common. Hackers can easily find out your pet’s name on social media. Try using a passphrase instead. Think of a sentence you like, and take the first letter of each word.
Sam: Oh, like the sentence, “I always drink two cups of coffee!”
David: Exactly! So that becomes capital ‘I’, lowercase ‘a’, ‘d’, the number ‘2’, ‘c’, ‘o’, ‘c’, and add an exclamation mark at the end.
Sam: Let me write that down… “Iad2coc!”. Wow, that looks like complete gibberish, but I know exactly what it means. Thanks for the tip!