Housing – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: A

• Explanation: The announcer says the building is located “just a short five-minute walk from the central subway station.” Option A perfectly paraphrases this: “situated very close to” (five-minute walk) a “public transportation hub” (subway station).
• Why the traps are wrong: Option B is a trap; the building is named “Riverside Towers,” but the location advantage mentioned is the subway, not the river itself. Option C is a trap; the audio actually says it is near the central subway station, meaning it is not far from the city center.

2 Correct Answer: B

• Explanation: The advertisement highlights a “rooftop swimming pool” and a “fully equipped fitness center.” Option B uses synonyms for these: an “exercise area” (fitness center) and “a place to swim on the top floor” (rooftop swimming pool).
• Why the traps are wrong: Options A and C are plausible amenities for a modern apartment complex, but they are never mentioned in the audio script.

3 Correct Answer: C

• Explanation: The announcer says, “Our beautiful show apartments are now open to the public every weekend,” and invites people to “Come and see it for yourself!” “Look at a sample home” is a direct paraphrase of seeing a show apartment.
• Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap; the website is mentioned, but it is to “book your guided tour,” not to buy an apartment online. Option B is a trap; there is no mention of calling a sales office or getting a discount.

Announcer: Are you tired of long commutes and old, noisy buildings? Welcome to Riverside Towers, the city’s newest and most exciting apartment complex!

Here at Riverside, we offer modern living at its finest. Imagine starting your morning with a refreshing dip in our rooftop swimming pool, or staying healthy in our fully equipped fitness center. And the best part? We are located just a short five-minute walk from the central subway station, making your daily journey to work faster and easier than ever before.

Don’t just take our word for it. Come and see it for yourself! Our beautiful show apartments are now open to the public every weekend. Visit our website at https://www.google.com/search?q=riversidetowers.com to book your guided tour today. Experience the lifestyle you truly deserve at Riverside Towers!

1 Correct Answer: A

• Explanation: The vlogger says, “If you haven’t worn a shirt in a year, you should donate it to charity.” “Giving them away to help other people” is the exact meaning of donating to charity.
• Why the traps are wrong: Options B and C are very common real-world ways to get rid of old clothes, but the vlogger specifically mentions charity, not recycling or selling.

2 Correct Answer: B

• Explanation: The vlogger instructs listeners to “put them in a suitcase under your bed.” Option B perfectly paraphrases this: “luggage” (suitcase) and “beneath the sleeping area” (under your bed).
• Why the traps are wrong: Options A and C are plausible ways to organize a room, but they are not the advice given in the audio.

3 Correct Answer: B

• Explanation: The vlogger says containers are for “smaller items like socks, scarves, and belts” (tiny accessories) and that this will “maximize your storage area” (make the best use of the available space).
• Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap; plastic containers do protect clothes, but the vlogger focuses on saving space and finding things quickly, not on dust/insects. Option C is a trap; shelves are mentioned (“Don’t just throw everything on the shelves”), but there is no price comparison.

Vlogger: Hey guys, welcome back to my channel! Today, we are talking about a problem we all face: having a tiny bedroom with an even smaller closet. But don’t worry, here are my top three tips to keep your wardrobe perfectly organized.

Tip number one: clear out the old stuff. If you haven’t worn a shirt in a year, you should donate it to charity. You need to create some empty space first.

Tip number two: sort your clothes by season. This is so important! There is no reason to look at heavy winter coats in the middle of summer. Take all the clothes you don’t need right now, fold them neatly, and put them in a suitcase under your bed. Keep only the current season’s items hanging up.

Finally, tip number three: use storage boxes. Don’t just throw everything on the shelves. Buy some clear plastic containers for smaller items like socks, scarves, and belts. This will maximize your storage area and help you find things in seconds.

Try these out this weekend, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

1 Correct Answer: B

• Explanation: The anchor states that “the cost of renting a flat in the city center has jumped.” Option B perfectly paraphrases this: “increase” (jumped) in the “cost of living in central apartments” (cost of renting a flat in the city center).
• Why the traps are wrong: Option A is a trap; the audio mentions that the trend will continue “until more apartment blocks are constructed”, meaning they are not built yet. Option C is a trap using the words “university graduates” and “city,” but the news is about housing, not their employment.

2 Correct Answer: B

• Explanation: The report says the cost has “jumped by ten percent over the last twelve months.” “Jumped” means “grown” or increased, and “twelve months” is exactly “the past year”.
• Why the traps are wrong: Option A is the exact opposite (saying it has gone down). Option C is a trap regarding the timeframe; it says “since the previous month” instead of the previous twelve months.

3 Correct Answer: A

• Explanation: The anchor mentions that young adults are choosing to “leave the busy city streets and relocate to the quieter, more affordable residential areas on the edge of the city.” Relocating to affordable areas on the edge of the city matches option A (“moving to cheaper neighborhoods outside the main city”).
• Why the traps are wrong: Options B and C are very logical and common real-world solutions for expensive housing, but they are completely made up and never mentioned in the audio script.

News Anchor: Good evening, this is City News at six. We start tonight with a developing story about our local housing market. If you are trying to find an apartment in the downtown area, you might need to check your budget again.

According to the latest report from the Housing Authority, the cost of renting a flat in the city center has jumped by ten percent over the last twelve months. This sudden price hike is creating a major challenge for many residents, especially recent university graduates.

Because they simply cannot afford these expensive monthly payments, a large number of young adults are packing up their boxes. They are choosing to leave the busy city streets and relocate to the quieter, more affordable residential areas on the edge of the city. Real estate experts predict this movement will continue until more apartment blocks are constructed.

1 Correct Answer: C (Paper products and plastic containers)

• Explanation: The speaker says to recycle “cardboard, newspapers, and plastic bottles,” which are types of paper and plastic.
• Trap A is incorrect because the speaker explicitly states that glass and metal “are not currently part of our recycling program.”
• Trap B is incorrect because regular household waste goes into the green bins, not the blue ones.

2 Correct Answer: B (During a specific three-hour period in the evening)

• Explanation: The announcement clearly states that residents must bring their bags down “between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM every evening,” which is a three-hour period.
• Trap A is incorrect because the speaker says “dropping it off in the morning is no longer permitted.”
• Trap C is incorrect because the allowed window ends exactly at 9:00 PM.

3 Correct Answer: A (To stop bad smells and insect problems)

• Explanation: The speaker mentions that the new schedule is implemented “To prevent unpleasant odors and pest issues in the building.” “Unpleasant odors” means bad smells, and “pest issues” refers to insects or mice.
• Trap B is incorrect because a fine is a punishment for breaking the rules, not the reason the management created the schedule.
• Trap C is incorrect because making room for bins is never mentioned in the audio.

Attention all residents of Oakwood Apartments. This is an important announcement regarding our new waste disposal procedures, effective starting next Monday.

Recently, we have noticed a significant increase in mixed garbage in the collection area. To improve our environmental footprint, management now strictly requires everyone to separate their trash. Please ensure that all recyclable materials, specifically cardboard, newspapers, and plastic bottles, are placed in the blue bins located in the basement. All other regular household waste should go into the green bins. Glass and metal are not currently part of our recycling program, so please dispose of them with your regular trash.

Furthermore, we are implementing a new schedule for taking out the trash. To prevent unpleasant odors and pest issues in the building, residents must only bring their garbage bags down to the collection room between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM every evening. Leaving garbage in the hallways or dropping it off in the morning is no longer permitted. Failure to follow these new guidelines may result in a fine. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community clean and safe.

1 Correct Answer: B (The roommate made too much noise late at night)

• Explanation: The speaker mentions that the roommate would “play video games with the volume way up until midnight.” This means they were making a lot of noise late at night.
• Trap A: Incorrect. The speaker mentions “guests” at the end as a general tip, but did not say their roommate invited friends over.
• Trap C: Incorrect. The speaker explicitly says they “didn’t want to start an argument,” so they did not argue at first. “Cleaning” is also just a general example mentioned at the end.

2 Correct Answer: A (They wanted to avoid a fight with their friend)

• Explanation: The host says, “I didn’t say anything at first because I didn’t want to start an argument.” “Avoid a fight” is a paraphrase of “didn’t want to start an argument.”
• Trap B: Incorrect. This is a plausible idea but is never mentioned in the audio.
• Trap C: Incorrect. The host mentions being “exhausted” (tired), but this was the result of the noise, not the reason why they kept quiet.

3 Correct Answer: C (You need to make clear agreements on the first day)

• Explanation: The host advises listeners to “Have that awkward conversation on day one” and “Establish your boundaries early.” This means making clear rules or agreements immediately.
• Trap A: Incorrect. The host moved in with a “college friend,” but they say this actually led to a “huge mistake” because they assumed they didn’t need rules.
• Trap B: Incorrect. The audio mentions having “quiet hours after 10 PM” as an example of a rule, but it does not mean everyone must literally go to sleep before 10 PM.

“Welcome back to ‘Living Well’. Today, let’s talk about sharing an apartment. You know, um, when I first moved in with my college friend, I was so excited. I thought… well, I thought we wouldn’t need any strict rules because we were already close. But, ah, that was a huge mistake.

During the first few weeks, my roommate would often play video games with the volume way up until midnight. I’m a light sleeper, so I was exhausted every morning. I didn’t say anything at first because I didn’t want to start an argument. But eventually, I had to speak up. We sat down and agreed on some basic guidelines, like, um, having ‘quiet hours’ after 10 PM. Honestly, it changed everything.

So, my biggest piece of advice for any of you moving in with someone new is this: don’t wait. Have that awkward conversation on day one. Establish your boundaries early, especially about noise, cleaning, and guests. It really is the secret to a peaceful home.”