Crime & Punishment – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Answer: (B) A large amount of money stolen from a business.

• The Key: The news is about two men who entered a “bank” (a business) and escaped with “nearly fifty thousand dollars” (a large amount of money).
• The Trap (A): The announcer mentions a “dark blue van” with a “broken back window”, but this is the thieves’ escape car, not a traffic accident.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): The police are mentioned because they are asking for help, but there is no mention of an attack on an officer.

2 Answer: (C) Because there were very few people inside at the time.

• The Key: The announcer says there were no injuries because “the building was relatively empty during the lunch hour.” Relatively empty means there were very few people inside.
• The Trap (A): The word “safe” is in the audio, but the robbers ordered the staff to “open” the safe, not lock it quickly to protect themselves.
• Plausible but not mentioned (B): Fake weapons are often used in robberies, but the news report does not mention any weapons at all.

3 Answer: (A) Call the emergency number right away.

• The Key: The announcer says, “please contact the emergency hotline immediately.” Contacting the hotline immediately means calling the emergency number right away.
• The Trap (B): The announcer specifically advises citizens “not to approach the men, as they might be dangerous.” Following them would be approaching them, which is against the advice.
• The Trap (C): The audio mentions the van has a “broken back window,” but the news host does not tell the listeners to take a picture of it.

News Announcer: Good evening, you are listening to Radio City News. I’m your host, Michael Davis. Our top story tonight: the local police are asking for the public’s help after a major crime in the downtown area.

At approximately 12:30 PM today, two masked individuals entered the City Center Bank on Maple Street. They ordered the staff to open the safe and quickly escaped with nearly fifty thousand dollars in cash. Fortunately, there were no injuries during the incident, as the building was relatively empty during the lunch hour.

The suspects were last seen driving away in a dark blue van with a broken back window. The authorities are advising citizens not to approach the men, as they might be dangerous. Instead, if you have any details about this vehicle, or if you noticed anything unusual near Maple Street this afternoon, please contact the emergency hotline immediately. Your information could be crucial in solving this case.

Stay tuned for the weather report coming up next.

1 Answer: (A) A story about a man who disappeared without a trace.

• The Key: The host says a businessman “simply vanished.” To vanish means to disappear without a trace.
• The Trap (B): The host mentions “money” and a “business”, but it was not a robbery because all the money was left on the desk.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): The story takes place in the town of Blackwood, but this is a crime podcast, not a general history lesson about the town.

2 Answer: (C) The man’s cash was left behind in the room.

• The Key: The host states that “all of his money was still on the desk.” Money on the desk means his cash was left behind.
• The Trap (A): The audio mentions “broken windows,” but the host explicitly says there were no broken windows.
• The Trap (B): The host mentions the “desk,” but says the police “never found a single clue” (they did not find a secret message).

3 Answer: (B) Review official documents and talk to the man’s relatives.

• The Key: The host promises to “examine the old police reports” (review official documents) and “listen to interviews with his family” (talk to relatives).
• The Trap (A): The “police” are mentioned, but this is an unsolved mystery (“nobody knows what truly happened to him”), so no one successfully solved it.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): Traveling to the town is something a podcaster might do, but David does not say he will travel there in this episode.

Podcast Host: Welcome back to “Dark Shadows,” the podcast where we explore the most mysterious events in history. I’m your host, David. Today, we are looking at a very strange case from 1998. It happened in a quiet little town called Blackwood.

A successful local businessman simply vanished from his locked office. There were no broken windows, and all of his money was still on the desk. The local police searched everywhere, but they never found a single clue. Even now, more than twenty years later, nobody knows what truly happened to him. Was it a carefully planned kidnapping? Or did he just want to start a new life somewhere else?

In this episode, we will examine the old police reports, listen to interviews with his family, and try to piece together the puzzle. So, make sure your doors are locked, turn down the lights, and let’s dive into the great Blackwood mystery.

1 Answer: (C) Travelers must stay with their bags at all times.

• The Key: The announcer says, “keep your personal belongings with you at all times. Do not leave your bags… alone”. This means travelers must stay with their bags.
• The Trap (B): The “ticket machines” are mentioned later, but you should not leave bags there. The machines are where you can find emergency phones.
• Plausible but not mentioned (A): Paying fees for heavy luggage is common at airports or train stations, but the announcer does not talk about money or fees.

2 Answer: (A) They might be taken away and destroyed.

• The Key: The audio states that luggage left alone “will be quickly removed by our security team and may be destroyed.” Taken away means removed.
• The Trap (B): The “main concourse” is mentioned at the very beginning (“Attention all passengers on platform four and the main concourse”), but bags are not kept safe there; they are destroyed.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): Searching a bag for an ID is a logical thing to do when looking for an owner, but the station’s rule is to remove and destroy it for safety.

3 Answer: (B) Tell a station worker or a police officer right away.

• The Key: The announcer says, “immediately inform the nearest police officer or station staff member.” To inform means to tell someone right away.
• The Trap (C): The announcer specifically warns passengers “please do not touch it.” Therefore, opening it is the exact opposite of what you should do.
• Plausible but not mentioned (A): Moving it away sounds like a good idea to protect people, but again, the rule is not to touch it.

Station Announcer: Attention all passengers on platform four and the main concourse. For your own safety and security, please keep your personal belongings with you at all times. Do not leave your bags, suitcases, or backpacks alone, even for a short moment. Any luggage left without an owner will be quickly removed by our security team and may be destroyed.

Also, we ask everyone to remain alert. If you notice any unusual packages or a bag that seems to belong to no one, please do not touch it. Instead, immediately inform the nearest police officer or station staff member. You can also use the red emergency phones located next to the ticket machines to contact security directly.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep Central Station a safe place for traveling. We hope you have a pleasant journey.

1 Answer: (B) To advise citizens on how to protect their houses at night.

• The Key: The officer advises residents to “double-check their security before going to bed” to prevent “nighttime break-ins.” This means he is advising them on how to protect their houses at night.
• The Trap (C): The officer talks about making sure things are “locked,” but he does not teach people how to install new locks.
• Plausible but not mentioned (A): Reporting traffic accidents is a common police announcement, but it is not the topic of this audio.

2 Answer: (A) They fail to secure certain windows before going to sleep.

• The Key: The officer says, “It is easy to forget a small bathroom window.” Forgetting to shut a window means failing to secure it.
• The Trap (B): The audio mentions “car keys” and a “bathroom window”, but the officer does not say people hide their keys in the bathroom. He says leaving keys near open windows is risky.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): Leaving doors open is a mistake, but the officer talks about the “warmer months” (summer), not the winter.

3 Answer: (C) They should be moved away from areas where people can easily see them.

• The Key: The officer says, “Please move your valuables out of plain sight.” “Out of plain sight” means hiding them or moving them away from areas where people can easily see them.
• The Trap (B): The audio mentions leaving items “near open windows”, but the officer says this is “extremely risky,” not a good way to scare thieves.
• Plausible but not mentioned (A): Putting valuables in a metal safe is a great security measure, but the officer does not specifically suggest buying or using a safe.

Officer Miller: Good evening, everyone. I am Officer Miller from the local police department. I want to take a moment to share a quick public safety announcement with our community.

As we approach the warmer months, many of us enjoy letting fresh air into our homes during the day. However, we have noticed a recent increase in nighttime break-ins. Criminals are taking advantage of houses that are not properly secured.

Therefore, we strongly advise all residents to double-check their security before going to bed. Please make sure that all entry points, especially first-floor windows and back doors, are completely shut and locked. It is easy to forget a small bathroom window, but that is exactly what intruders look for.

Additionally, leaving expensive items, like laptops or car keys, near open windows is extremely risky. Please move your valuables out of plain sight.

Remember, most of these crimes are crimes of opportunity. By taking just two minutes every night to secure your property, you can keep your family perfectly safe. Thank you for listening, and have a good night.

1 Answer: (B) Scammers force you to make decisions very quickly.

• The Key: Robert says scammers create a “sudden sense of emergency” and want you to “panic and act without thinking.” Acting without thinking means making decisions very quickly.
• The Trap (A): The speaker mentions “gift cards” later in the talk, but scammers ask you to buy them, they don’t send them to you.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): Stealing passwords is a real cyber threat, but Robert does not mention this specific threat in his speech.

2 Answer: (A) By claiming they are a relative or a bank worker.

• The Key: The expert explains that criminals “pretend to be… a family member… or an official from your bank.” This means they claim to be a relative or a bank worker.
• The Trap (B): Robert mentions that scammers might threaten that you will be “losing your house,” but they do not visit the victims at their houses.
• The Trap (C): The audio mentions a “government office,” but Robert explicitly states that “no real government office” will ask you to pay like this.

3 Answer: (C) Criminals request money in strange, untraditional forms.

• The Key: The speaker warns that scammers demand “unusual payment methods, such as retail gift cards or cryptocurrency.” Unusual methods mean strange, untraditional forms of money.
• The Trap (A): Scammers do not want normal bank transfers because they are easy for the police to trace. They want “unusual” methods.
• Plausible but not mentioned (B): Advising people to use credit cards online is a good safety tip, but the expert does not give this specific advice.

Robert: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to our community safety workshop. My name is Robert, and I am a cybersecurity expert. Today, I want to talk to you about a growing problem: online scams, which unfortunately often target older adults.

There are three common warning signs you should always watch out for. First is a sudden sense of emergency. Scammers will often tell you that you must send money immediately to avoid a terrible consequence, like being arrested or losing your house. They want you to panic and act without thinking.

Second, criminals often pretend to be someone you know and trust. They might send a message acting like a family member who had a car accident, or an official from your bank. Always double-check their identity by calling the real number you have for them.

Finally, pay attention to how they ask you to pay. Scammers usually demand unusual payment methods, such as retail gift cards or cryptocurrency. Remember, no real government office or bank will ever ask you to pay them with a supermarket gift card. Stay safe, and always pause before you click or pay.