Money Management – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: (B) To work additional time at the store.

• Explanation: Leo asks if it is possible to “pick up some extra hours.” “Work additional time” is a direct paraphrase of picking up extra hours.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The manager asks if there is a problem with his “Thursday shift,” but Leo explicitly says, “Thursday is fine.” Option (C) is a plausible reason to talk to a manager about money, but he asks for more hours, not a raise.

2 Correct Answer: (B) His accommodation and daily costs have become more expensive.

• Explanation: Leo explains that his “rent just went up” and the “cost of living is getting pretty high.” This means his accommodation (rent) and daily costs (cost of living) have become more expensive.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The manager mentions him keeping his weekends free for “studying” and asks about his “grades,” but paying for university materials is not his motivation for needing money. Option (C) is a trap because he mentions his rent going up, but he does not say he wants to move to a new apartment.

3 Correct Answer: (A) She will assign him to work on the weekend.

• Explanation: Sarah agrees to “add you to the roster for this Sunday.” Working on Sunday is working on the weekend.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. Sarah mentions that a “cashier just quit,” but she does not say she will hire a new one to help him; instead, she is giving Leo the cashier’s empty shift. Option (C) is a trap because she only gives him the Sunday morning shift, not shifts every day of the week.

Leo: Excuse me, Sarah. Do you have a moment to talk about the upcoming schedule?

Sarah: Sure, Leo. What’s on your mind? Is there a problem with your Thursday shift?

Leo: Oh, no, Thursday is fine. Actually, um, I was wondering if it’s possible for me to pick up some extra hours. I’d love to work on Saturdays or Sundays if you need more staff.

Sarah: Really? You usually like to keep your weekends free for studying.

Leo: I know, but to be honest, my rent just went up, and the general cost of living is getting pretty high. I need to boost my income a bit to cover my daily expenses.

Sarah: I understand. Well, we are actually quite short-staffed on Sunday mornings. One of our cashiers just quit. But are you sure you can handle the extra workload without it affecting your grades?

Leo: Yes, definitely. I’ve already reorganized my study timetable. I can easily manage a Sunday morning shift.

Sarah: Alright then. Let’s add you to the roster for this Sunday, and we’ll see how it goes.

Leo: Thank you so much, Sarah! I really appreciate it.

1 Correct Answer: (B) His family’s business suffered unexpected damage.

• Explanation: Liam explains that his “father’s store had a terrible fire” and lost inventory. This means his family’s business suffered damage.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. Liam mentions his parents can’t help him pay, but it is because of the store fire, not because they were fired from their jobs. Option (C) is a plausible university expense, but it is never mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (A) It is too late to hand in the required paperwork.

• Explanation: Liam states that “the deadline to submit those forms passed in March.” “Too late to hand in the paperwork” is a paraphrase of missing the deadline.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. The officer asks about academic scholarships, but Liam explicitly says, “my grades are quite good,” rejecting the idea that his scores are too low. Option (C) is a plausible rule, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

3 Correct Answer: (C) The student will not owe the university any money later.

• Explanation: The officer explains that the fund is a grant, meaning “you don’t have to return the money after graduation.” If you don’t have to return it, you do not owe any money later.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. A “low-interest campus loan” is what Liam hoped to apply for, but the officer offers him a grant instead. Option (B) is a trap because the officer says they can “process it by next Friday,” not on the same day.

Liam: Hello, Mr. Davis. Thank you for seeing me. Um, I’m here because my family’s financial situation has suddenly changed.

Mr. Davis: Please have a seat, Liam. What happened?

Liam: Well, my father’s store had a terrible fire last month, and he lost a huge amount of inventory. Because of that, my parents can’t afford to help me pay for the upcoming semester.

Mr. Davis: I am so sorry to hear that. I know that must be incredibly stressful. Let’s look at some options to keep you enrolled. Have you already looked into our academic scholarships?

Liam: Ah, my grades are quite good, but the deadline to submit those forms passed in March. I was actually hoping to apply for a low-interest campus loan instead.

Mr. Davis: We could do that, but we also have a special emergency fund for situations exactly like this. It’s a grant, which means you don’t have to return the money after graduation like you would with a traditional loan.

Liam: Really? That would be amazing. Is there a lot of paperwork?

Mr. Davis: Just a simple application. You’ll need to attach a copy of the official insurance report about the fire, and we can process it by next Friday.

Liam: Phew, that’s a huge relief. Thank you!

1 Correct Answer: (A) Two hundred dollars.

• Explanation: Emma states that their “original goal” (initial financial target) was to raise two hundred dollars.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap because $300 is their “actual profit” after paying off debts. Option (C) is the trap for what they “actually collected” in total, not what their initial goal was.

2 Correct Answer: (C) To cover the cost of the baking materials.

• Explanation: Emma explains they need to pay back fifty dollars for the “flour and sugar we used.” Flour and sugar are baking materials.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. The “winter dance” is mentioned later as something they will spend their profit on, but they are not paying the school to rent a room for it. Option (A) is a plausible club expense but is never mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (B) They will divide it between a donation and a party.

• Explanation: The treasurer says they will “split the money into two equal halves.” Half goes to an “animal rescue center” (donation) and the rest goes toward their “winter dance” (party).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The club is donating money, but only half of it ($150), not “all of the cash”. Option (C) is a trap because they are spending the money next month, not saving it for next year.

Treasurer (Emma): Alright everyone, quiet down please! Let’s move on to the financial report. I have some fantastic news about our charity bake sale from last Friday. Our original goal was to raise two hundred dollars, but, um, thanks to all your hard work, we actually collected three hundred and fifty dollars in total!

Treasurer (Emma): I know, it’s amazing! Now, keep in mind, we still need to pay back fifty dollars to the school cafeteria for the flour and sugar we used. So, our actual profit is an even three hundred dollars.

So, here is the plan for the budget. We are going to split the money into two equal halves. One hundred and fifty dollars will be donated directly to the city’s animal rescue center. The remaining amount will go toward our own winter dance next month. We’ll use it to hire a DJ and buy some nice decorations. Does anyone have any questions about this financial plan? No? Great, let’s talk about the dance then.

1 Correct Answer: (B) To discuss a specific meal that cost too much money.

• Explanation: Ms. Carter wants to ask about the “dinner on Tuesday” because David spent $200, which is “over our daily limit.” “A specific meal that cost too much money” is a paraphrase of this.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The hotel is mentioned, but Ms. Carter says it is “approved,” not canceled. Option (C) is a trap because she does congratulate him later (on the contract, not the flight), but that is not the reason for the meeting.

2 Correct Answer: (C) Complete an additional document explaining the situation.

• Explanation: Ms. Carter states that company policy requires a “special explanation form” for anything above $150. “Complete an additional document” is a paraphrase for filling out a form.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The limit is $150 and he spent $200 (a $50 difference), but he doesn’t have to pay it back; he just needs to explain it. Option (B) is a plausible business action, but it is not requested by the accountant.

3 Correct Answer: (A) An itemized bill showing the specific items they consumed.

• Explanation: Ms. Carter says she needs the “detailed paper receipt showing exactly what food and drinks were ordered.” “Itemized bill” is a synonym for detailed receipt.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. David already uploaded the “credit card summary,” so it is not missing. Option (C) is a trap. David mentions they signed a “new contract,” but Ms. Carter is not asking him to submit the contract for the expense report.

Ms. Carter: Hi David, do you have a minute to talk about your travel expense report from the Tokyo trip?

David: Oh, sure, Ms. Carter. Is there a problem with it?

Ms. Carter: Most of it is fine. The hotel and the flight are approved. But, um, I have a question about this dinner on Tuesday. You spent two hundred dollars, which is over our daily limit.

David: Ah, yes. I had to take our main client, Mr. Tanaka, to a nice restaurant. We actually signed the new contract that night, so I thought it was worth the extra cost.

Ms. Carter: Well, congratulations on the contract! However, company policy requires a special explanation form for any meal above one hundred and fifty dollars.

David: Oh, I didn’t know that. I’m sorry.

Ms. Carter: It’s okay. Just fill out the digital document today. Also, I noticed you only uploaded the credit card summary. I need the detailed paper receipt showing exactly what food and drinks were ordered.

David: No problem. I have the physical receipt right here in my wallet. I’ll scan it and send it to you before lunch.

1 Correct Answer: (B) Exactly fifteen percent.

• Explanation: The representative clearly states, “we deduct exactly fifteen percent for the national income tax.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap for the health insurance deduction (five percent). Option (C) is the trap for the total amount of money deducted (twenty percent), not just the tax.

2 Correct Answer: (A) To pay for medical care and hospital treatments.

• Explanation: The speaker says the five percent is subtracted for “medical coverage” which pays for “doctor visits, prescription medicine, and even emergency hospital stays.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. The rep mentions adding “family members” (relatives) to the plan, but explicitly says that “will cost a bit extra,” meaning it is not covered by the basic five percent. Option (C) is a trap using the word “emergency” (emergency hospital stays), but the money doesn’t go to a company fund.

3 Correct Answer: (C) It is given to the staff member to use freely.

• Explanation: The HR representative says, “The remaining eighty percent is given directly to you to spend or save.” “Given to the staff member to use freely” is a strong paraphrase of this.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The employer keeps 20% for taxes and insurance, not the remaining 80%. Option (B) is a plausible financial deduction in the real world, but a retirement account is never mentioned in the audio.

HR Representative: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to your first orientation session. Today, I want to briefly talk about your monthly salary and what you will actually see on your paycheck.

When you look at your employment contract, you see your gross salary. But, um, please remember that the money deposited into your bank account will be a bit lower. This is because we automatically take out certain fees before we pay you.

First, we deduct exactly fifteen percent for the national income tax. Second, we have our company health insurance plan. The company covers most of the cost, but we do subtract a small portion—just five percent—from your monthly wages for this medical coverage. This plan pays for your routine doctor visits, prescription medicine, and even emergency hospital stays.

So, in total, twenty percent of your earnings goes toward these mandatory contributions. The remaining eighty percent is given directly to you to spend or save. Also, if you want to add your family members to your medical plan later, that will cost a bit extra. Any questions so far?