Reviews – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: (A) The visual elements.

• Explanation: Mark praises the “slides,” “charts,” and “color scheme.” In a B1 context, these words are all paraphrased as “visual elements.”
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap. Mark mentions their “marketing class,” but he does not praise the topic itself, only how she presented it. Option (B) is plausible for a university assignment but is never mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (B) The speaker talked too fast at the end.

• Explanation: Mark mentions that when she was “wrapping up” (at the end), she seemed to “rush through the information.” Rushing through information means talking too fast.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap because Sarah mentions she was “worried about going over the strict time limit,” but exceeding the time limit was her fear, not the actual issue Mark identified.

3 Correct Answer: (B) Work on the timing of her speech.

• Explanation: Sarah agrees with Mark’s advice to “reduce your speaking speed” and says she will “practice my pacing tonight.” “Pacing” is a synonym for the timing and speed of a speech.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap because Sarah mentions she “spent hours working on those graphics” (charts), but she does not plan to add more of them. Option (C) is a logical real-world solution to a time limit problem, but it is not mentioned in the dialogue.

Mark: Hey Sarah, thanks for letting me review your presentation draft for our marketing class.

Sarah: No problem, Mark. I’m actually a bit nervous about it. What did you think? Please be honest!

Mark: Well, overall, it’s a really solid effort. The way you designed the slides is fantastic. The charts are super clear, and the color scheme really catches the eye.

Sarah: Oh, that’s a massive relief. I spent hours working on those graphics. Did you notice anything that needs improvement?

Mark: Just one minor thing, um… towards the end. When you were wrapping up the main points, you seemed to rush through the information.

Sarah: Really? I guess I was just worried about going over the strict time limit.

Mark: I totally get that. But if you reduce your speaking speed just a little bit in that final section, the audience will have a much easier time understanding your key takeaways.

Sarah: That makes perfect sense. I’ll definitely practice my pacing tonight before the real thing. Thanks for the constructive feedback!

1 Correct Answer: (A) Emma’s impressive sales numbers.

• Explanation: The manager praises Emma because her “sales figures were outstanding”. This is paraphrased as “impressive sales numbers”.
• The Trap: Option (B) is a trap. Emma mentions that she “put in a lot of overtime”, but this was her own explanation of how she achieved the goal, not the manager’s primary reason for praising her. Option (C) is plausible in a workplace context but is never mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (B) She wanted to gather all the necessary facts first.

• Explanation: Emma explains that she waits until she has “all the answers” before writing back. “Having all the answers” is a synonym for “gathering all the necessary facts.”
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap. Emma mentions “incomplete information,” but she specifically states that she didn’t want to give incomplete information, which is the opposite of the option.

3 Correct Answer: (C) She felt highly stressed by her workload.

• Explanation: Emma admits that she “felt quite overwhelmed last week”. At the B1 level, “overwhelmed” means feeling highly stressed or having too much to deal with.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The manager mentions the word “ignored”, but he says the clients feel ignored, not Emma. Option (B) is completely incorrect as she agrees with the manager politely.

Mr. Davis: Have a seat, Emma. Let’s go over your monthly performance review. First off, I want to say you did a fantastic job with the Henderson account. Your sales figures were outstanding this month.

Emma: Thank you, Mr. Davis. I put in a lot of overtime to make sure we met the deadline.

Mr. Davis: And it really shows. However, there is one area where we need to see some growth. I’ve noticed a few clients mentioned that it takes a while for you to get back to them.

Emma: Oh, you mean the emails? I try to wait until I have all the answers before I write back. I didn’t want to give them incomplete information.

Mr. Davis: I understand your approach, but it often leaves them feeling ignored. It’s much better to send a quick message acknowledging their question, even if you are still looking into the details.

Emma: That makes sense. I felt quite overwhelmed last week, but I will definitely start sending quick updates from now on.

Mr. Davis: Excellent. I’m glad we’re on the same page. Keep up the great work!

1 Correct Answer: (B) It is easy to navigate and use.

• Explanation: Lisa says the layout is “incredibly straightforward” and “finding my daily tasks is actually quite simple”. This is a B1-level paraphrase for being “easy to navigate and use”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. Lisa mentions the word “complicated”, but she says she was worried it would be complicated, which means it actually isn’t. Option (C) is plausible for a software review but is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (A) The program stops responding when saving reports.

• Explanation: Tom complains that when he tries to “download the weekly data” (saving reports), the whole application “freezes” (stops responding).
• The Trap: Option (B) is a trap. Finding daily tasks is mentioned in the audio, but it was Lisa who talked about it, and she said it was simple, not a problem. Option (C) is a logical computer issue but no one mentions a virus.

3 Correct Answer: (C) Report the software error to the IT department.

• Explanation: Mark says he will “inform the technical support team so they can fix that bug.” The “technical support team” is another way to say the IT department, and a “bug” is a software error.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The “old system” is mentioned by Lisa, but Mark thinks the new software is a “step in the right direction”, so they are not going back to the old one. Option (B) uses the exact words “exporting files/data” from the audio, but Mark doesn’t offer to teach Lisa; he focuses on fixing Tom’s issue.

Mark: Alright team, we’ve been using the new project management platform for exactly a week now. I’d like to get your honest reviews on it. Lisa, what are your initial thoughts?

Lisa: Well, the layout is incredibly straightforward. I was worried it would be complicated to learn at first, but finding my daily tasks is actually quite simple. It is definitely more user-friendly than our old system.

Tom: I agree with Lisa about the design. However, I’ve run into a major technical issue. Every time I try to download the weekly data, the whole application freezes and I have to restart my computer.

Mark: Really? That sounds frustrating. Does anyone else have the same problem with the data downloads?

Lisa: Not me, but I haven’t tried exporting any files yet.

Mark: Okay, thanks for the heads-up, Tom. I’ll inform the technical support team so they can fix that bug immediately. Overall, though, it seems like a step in the right direction.

1 Correct Answer: (B) Providing honest written comments.

• Explanation: The professor says what he values most is the “written feedback section” and asks students to be “as candid as possible” and share “genuine thoughts.” This is a B1 paraphrase for “honest written comments.”
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The professor mentions scoring the materials “on a scale of one to five,” but he does not ask for a high score, and he explicitly says the written part is what he values most. Option (C) mentions “essays,” but only as an example of something students might complain about.

2 Correct Answer: (A) To improve the class for the next group of learners.

• Explanation: The professor states, “I rely heavily on your genuine thoughts to upgrade the syllabus for future students.” “Upgrade the syllabus” means to improve the class, and “future students” means the next group of learners.
• The Trap: Option (C) uses the word “difficult” (paraphrasing “demanding” from the audio), but the professor was giving an example of a complaint (“if you thought the weekly essays were too demanding”), not stating his goal. Option (B) is a logical guess for a university context but is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (C) The identity of the students will be kept secret.

• Explanation: The professor assures David that the survey is “strictly anonymous” and they “don’t have to put your name on it.” This means their identities will be kept secret.
• The Trap: Option (B) is the exact opposite of what the professor says (The Trap of Contradiction). Option (A) mentions David, but David is just a student asking a question; the forms should be dropped “on the table near the exit.”

Professor Roberts: Alright everyone, before we wrap up today’s final session, I’m passing out the end-of-term course evaluation sheets. Please take a few minutes before you leave to fill these in. You’ll notice the first page has a section where you can score the lectures and materials on a scale of one to five. However, what I really value most is the written feedback section at the bottom of page two. Um, please be as candid as possible. Don’t just write ‘great class’. If you thought the weekly essays were too demanding, or if my explanations of the theories weren’t clear enough, I want to know. I rely heavily on your genuine thoughts to upgrade the syllabus for future students.

(Brief pause) David (from a distance): Excuse me, Professor? Do we need to sign these?

Professor Roberts: Ah, good question, David. No, you definitely don’t have to put your name on it. The survey is strictly anonymous so you can feel comfortable sharing your real opinions. Just drop the papers on the table near the exit on your way out. Thank you all for a great semester.

1 Correct Answer: (B) The sweet baked goods.

• Explanation: Jessica praises the “cakes and pastries” and says they were a “huge hit” with the staff. “Sweet baked goods” is a B1 paraphrase for cakes and pastries (desserts).
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The main courses are mentioned, and Jessica says the taste was great, but they were not what the staff enjoyed the most because of the timing issue. Option (C) is plausible for a service review but is never mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (C) The hot meals were not served on time.

• Explanation: Jessica mentions that the “heated dishes” (hot meals) were brought out “behind schedule” (not on time).
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap because David mentions “transport vans,” but nothing is said about the drivers being noisy. Option (B) is a logical guess when food is delayed, but Jessica actually says the dishes were “heated” and the taste was “great,” so they were not cold.

3 Correct Answer: (A) The catering company will be hired again in the future.

• Explanation: At the end of the conversation, Jessica states, “We will likely use your services for our next seminar.” This implies they will hire the catering company again.
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap. The audio mentions both “apologize” and “cakes,” but David does not offer free cakes to say sorry. Option (B) is a common real-world reaction to a service delay, but it is not mentioned in the dialogue.

David: Hello, Jessica. It’s David from Gourmet Catering. I’m calling to follow up on the food service for your company’s annual gala last Friday.

Jessica: Hi David. Thanks for checking in. Overall, things went well. I have to say, the selection of cakes and pastries was absolutely mouth-watering. They were a huge hit with our staff.

David: I’m thrilled to hear that! Our chefs put a lot of effort into the sweets. Were you satisfied with the main courses?

Jessica: Well, the taste was great, but, um, there was a slight issue with the timing. The heated dishes were brought out about forty-five minutes behind schedule. A lot of guests were getting quite hungry waiting for the main meal.

David: Oh, I sincerely apologize for that. We had a minor issue with our transport vans, but we should have communicated that better. I’ll ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Jessica: I appreciate that. Aside from the delay, the quality was excellent. We will likely use your services for our next seminar.