Reviews – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: (B) A brick wall and a parking area.

• Explanation: John opens the curtains and says he sees a “brick wall and a parking lot”. “Parking area” is a simple synonym for “parking lot”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is the Trap of Contradiction. Lisa mentions the “stunning ocean view” from the comments, but they both realize it is not really there. Option (C) is a plausible view from a bad hotel room, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (A) They were completely unauthentic.

• Explanation: Lisa states that the ratings “must be completely fake” and that actual guests didn’t write them. “Unauthentic” is a B1 paraphrase for “fake” or “not real”.
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap because it contains exact words from the audio (“stunning view”), but it is the opposite of the truth. Option (B) is a very logical real-world assumption (the owner wrote them), but the speakers only say they are fake; they don’t specify who wrote them.

3 Correct Answer: (C) Search for alternative accommodation in the city center.

• Explanation: Lisa says she will use her phone to “look for a decent hotel downtown”. “Alternative accommodation” is a paraphrase for “a decent hotel”, and “downtown” means “in the city center”.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. Lisa mentions “getting our money back” (a refund), but she says they will deal with that later, not right away. Option (B) contains exact words (“filthy floor”, “suitcases”), but Lisa specifically says “Let’s not even open our suitcases”, so they have no intention of staying or cleaning.

John: Well, this is… certainly not what I expected.

Lisa: I know, right? Just look at this place. The floor is absolutely filthy! And, um, where exactly is that ‘stunning ocean view’ everyone was raving about in the comments?

John: Let me open the curtains. Yeah… unless the ocean looks like a brick wall and a parking lot, I think we’ve been tricked.

Lisa: I can’t believe we fell for it. Those hundreds of five-star ratings must be completely fake. There is no way actual guests wrote those glowing reviews.

John: I completely agree. The smell in here alone is giving me a headache. I am definitely not spending our entire vacation in this room.

Lisa: Me neither. Let’s not even open our suitcases. I’m going to get on my phone right now and look for a decent hotel downtown instead. We can deal with getting our money back later.

John: Good idea. Let’s get out of here.

1 Correct Answer: (A) To respond to her negative feedback online.

• Explanation: The manager states he is calling regarding the “one-star review you left on our website”. A one-star review is a B1 paraphrase for “negative feedback online.”
• The Trap: Option (B) uses words from the audio (“order”, “complain”), but the manager is calling to apologize, not to complain to the customer. Option (C) is a plausible reason for a restaurant to call a customer, but it is not mentioned here.

2 Correct Answer: (C) The food she received had lost all of its heat.

• Explanation: Sarah explains that her dinner was “completely cold by the time it arrived.” “Lost all of its heat” is a synonym for being completely cold.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The manager mentions the “delivery team,” but he says they were “overwhelmed” (too busy), not rude. Option (B) is a common food delivery issue but is never mentioned in the audio.

3 Correct Answer: (C) By providing a discount code for her future purchase.

• Explanation: Mr. Smith offers her a “free fifty-dollar voucher for your next order.” A voucher for a next order means a discount code for a future purchase.
• The Trap: Option (B) is a trap. The audio mentions “fifty-dollar,” but he is giving her a voucher for her next order, not refunding (returning) the money she spent yesterday. Option (A) is a logical real-world solution to cold food, but he does not offer to send food right away; he sends a code via email.

Sarah: Hello?

Mr. Smith: Hello, is this Sarah? I’m Mr. Smith, the manager at The Daily Grill. I’m calling regarding the one-star review you left on our website last night.

Sarah: Oh, hi. Yes, I was actually quite disappointed. I order from you guys all the time, but yesterday my dinner was completely cold by the time it arrived at my door.

Mr. Smith: I sincerely apologize for that, Sarah. We had a sudden rush of online orders last night, and our delivery team was, um, really overwhelmed. However, that is no excuse for serving meals that are not hot.

Sarah: I understand things can get busy on a Friday, but it was just frustrating because I was really looking forward to it after a long day at work.

Mr. Smith: We completely understand. To make things right, I’d like to offer you a free fifty-dollar voucher for your next order. We want to ensure your next experience is much better.

Sarah: Wow, that’s very generous of you. Thank you. I’ll definitely give your restaurant another try next week.

Mr. Smith: You’re very welcome. I will email the code to you right away.

1 Correct Answer: (A) She could not connect her printer.

• Explanation: Daniel asks if the printer is “finally connected to the wireless network,” and Rachel confirms it is printing now after reinstalling the software.
• The Trap: Option (C) is a trap. Facebook is mentioned in the audio, but that is where she wrote the review, not the source of her technical problem. Option (B) is a plausible computer issue but is never mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (B) He was very patient with her.

• Explanation: Rachel explicitly thanks Daniel, saying, “You have been incredibly patient with me.”
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap of contradiction. The audio actually says he was on the phone with her “for the last hour,” so it did not take just a few minutes. Option (C) is a trap because the word “frustrated” is used, but it was Rachel who was frustrated yesterday, not the agent.

3 Correct Answer: (C) Change her previous online review.

• Explanation: Rachel promises to “delete that negative comment” and “write a new one” with a four-star rating. Deleting an old comment to write a new one is a paraphrase for changing her previous online review.
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The audio uses the words “Facebook” and “new”, but she is writing a new comment/review, not creating a new account. Option (B) is a common resolution when technology fails, but her printer is working fine now so she doesn’t need to buy a new one.

Daniel: So, after restarting your computer, is the printer finally connected to the wireless network?

Rachel: Yes, it is printing perfectly now! Thank you so much for guiding me through the software reinstallation. You have been incredibly patient with me for the last hour.

Daniel: It’s no problem at all, ma’am. I’m just glad we could get it sorted out. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Rachel: No, that’s everything. Oh, actually, um, I wanted to mention something. Yesterday, I was so frustrated with the machine that I wrote a very angry review on your company’s Facebook page.

Daniel: Ah, I understand. Technology can be very stressful sometimes when it doesn’t work the way we want it to.

Rachel: Well, because of your excellent help today, I’m going to delete that negative comment right now. I’ll write a new one and give your customer service a solid four-star rating instead.

Daniel: We really appreciate that, Rachel. Have a wonderful rest of your day!

1 Correct Answer: (B) She got an uncomfortable red rash.

• Explanation: Chloe complains that her cheeks are “red” and that she developed a “terrible rash” that feels “so itchy” (uncomfortable).
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. Mia says the cream is supposed to make skin look “completely flawless,” but Chloe says her experience was “far from it.” Option (C) is a plausible consequence of an allergy but is never mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (A) Because she did not keep the proof of purchase.

• Explanation: Chloe says she cannot get a refund because she “threw away the receipt.” “Proof of purchase” is a B1-level paraphrase for a receipt.
• The Trap: Option (B) is a trap. Chloe mentions the time period “two days”, but she says she used it for just two days, not more than two days, and that was not the reason she couldn’t get a refund. Option (C) is a logical real-world store policy but is not mentioned in the dialogue.

3 Correct Answer: (B) They are secretly receiving money from the company.

• Explanation: Chloe states that the reviews are “probably paid for by the brand” and warns Mia not to “blindly trust everything those influencers say.”
• The Trap: Option (A) is the exact opposite of what Chloe believes (The Trap of Contradiction). Option (C) is a trap because the word “doctor” is mentioned by Mia at the end, but the vloggers are not trying to be doctors.

Mia: Hey Chloe, what’s wrong with your face? Your cheeks look a bit red today.

Chloe: Ugh, don’t remind me. I spent a fortune on that new Glow Miracle face cream. You know, the one every beauty vlogger on the internet is raving about right now?

Mia: Oh yeah! The one with thousands of five-star reviews. It’s supposed to make your skin look completely flawless. Did it not work for you?

Chloe: Far from it! After using it for just two days, I developed this terrible rash. My skin feels so itchy. It was definitely an overhyped product and a complete waste of money.

Mia: That’s awful. Have you tried taking it back to the store for a refund?

Chloe: I can’t. I was so excited to open it that I threw away the receipt. Honestly, I’ve learned my lesson. Half of those glowing online reviews are probably paid for by the brand. We really shouldn’t blindly trust everything those influencers say.

Mia: You’re totally right. Next time, let’s just stick to the products our doctor recommends.

1 Correct Answer: (B) A false and damaging online comment.

• Explanation: The speakers are discussing a “fake comment” (false) that was meant to “ruin our reputation” (damaging).
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. The audio mentions the reviewer claimed the coffee was “terrible,” but this is part of the fake review, not an actual customer complaint they are trying to fix. Option (C) is a plausible real-world consequence of a cockroach report, but it is not mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (C) Because the business was not open on that day.

• Explanation: Lily realizes the review is a lie because they were “completely closed all day yesterday for painting and renovations.” “Not open” is a paraphrase for “closed.”
• The Trap: Option (A) is the opposite of the audio. Mark says the review is from an “anonymous user,” meaning they don’t know who wrote it. Option (B) is a logical assumption about dealing with insects, but it is not mentioned in the dialogue.

3 Correct Answer: (B) Post a respectful answer to explain the truth.

• Explanation: Mark decides to “write a polite, public reply” and “explain that we were closed for repairs.” “Respectful” is a B1 synonym for “polite.”
• The Trap: Option (A) is a trap. Lily suggests reporting it so the website will delete it, but Mark rejects this idea because it “takes weeks.” Option (C) mentions the competitor across the street, but Mark never suggests going there to fight or confront them.

Mark: Lily, did you see the new review we received this morning? It’s a one-star rating from an anonymous user.

Lily: No, I haven’t checked the page yet. What does it say?

Mark: Well, they claimed our coffee was terrible, and even worse, they said they saw a cockroach running across the floor yesterday afternoon.

Lily: Wait, that’s impossible! We were completely closed all day yesterday for painting and renovations. There wasn’t a single customer inside the shop!

Mark: Exactly. I strongly suspect it’s a fake comment. It might be from that new cafe across the street, trying to ruin our reputation.

Lily: That is so unfair. Should we report the account to the website and wait for them to delete it?

Mark: I thought about that, but the process takes weeks. Instead, I’m going to write a polite, public reply right now. I will simply explain that we were closed for repairs yesterday.

Lily: Good idea. That way, anyone reading it will immediately know the reviewer is lying.