Cross-country Road Trips – B2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
You will hear a boy called Toby giving a presentation about a road trip he took with his family. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Colorado road trip
Toby’s family eventually decided to do their road trip in a (9)……………………… rather than a motorhome.
Toby was amazed to discover huge (10)……………………… at their first destination, instead of the mountains he anticipated.
While driving, Toby and his family were thrilled to observe some (11)……………………… next to the road.
The family was forced to stop their vehicle temporarily because of a severe (12)……………………… .
Toby learned that the historical town they visited was originally founded for the mining of (13)……………………… .
Toby was relieved when his parents chose to go (14)……………………… instead of walking in the hills.
Toby says that a slice of (15)……………………… was the most delicious food he consumed during the holiday.
Toby vividly remembers how the colour of the landscape changed to a spectacular (16)……………………… in the late afternoon.
The family’s journey was delayed significantly when they encountered a (17)……………………… along their route.
Toby chose to buy a (18)……………………… as a permanent reminder of the beautiful places they had seen.
ANSWER KEY
9 van 10 sand dunes 11 wild horses 12 hailstorm
13 silver 14 mountain biking 15 cherry pie
16 red rock 17 broken bridge 18 calendar
AUDIO SCRIPT
Toby: Hi everyone. My name’s Toby, and I’m going to tell you about a fantastic family road trip we took across the state of Colorado in the USA. My parents wanted to explore the constantly changing landscapes there, so we planned a two-week journey.
Initially, my dad had considered renting a massive motorhome for the trip so we could sleep inside it, but my mum thought it would be too hard to park. So instead, we ended up travelling in a van, which was surprisingly comfortable for the four of us.
Our first major stop was an area in the south. I’d expected to see the famous snowy mountains that Colorado is known for, but the landscape completely surprised me. We actually found ourselves staring at enormous sand dunes. It felt more like the Sahara Desert than America!
As we drove further west, I kept my eyes peeled out the window, hoping to spot some of the local wildlife. My sister was desperate to see a bear, but we didn’t have any luck with that. However, we did come across a herd of wild horses grazing near the highway, which was a spectacular sight.
The weather in Colorado can shift very quickly. One afternoon, the sky turned completely black. The radio warned us about a potential thunderstorm, but what actually hit us was a sudden hailstorm. The chunks of ice were so loud on the roof that we had to pull over and wait for it to pass!
When the skies cleared, we visited a fascinating historical town. A lot of towns in this area were built during the 19th-century mining boom. I assumed people had moved there to search for gold, but it turned out that silver was the main mineral extracted from the local mines.
While we were staying in that town, my parents wanted to get some exercise. They suggested spending the day hiking, which sounded a bit boring to me. Thankfully, they changed their minds and we opted for mountain biking instead. The trails were steep, but racing down the hills was exhilarating.
Of course, all that exercise made us incredibly hungry. We stopped at a classic American diner by the side of the road. I was fully prepared to order one of their famous burgers, but the waitress recommended their homemade cherry pie. It was absolutely delicious and definitely the best thing I ate on the whole trip.
Moving on, the landscape began to shift once again. We left the green valleys behind and entered a much drier region. We had been driving past rather dull grey cliffs all morning, but suddenly the scenery transformed into striking red rock. The colours glowed brilliantly, especially as the sun began to set.
Our journey wasn’t entirely without its problems, though. I’d been worried we might get a flat tyre on the rough country roads, but the car was fine. What actually forced us to take a massive detour was a broken bridge over a river. It added about three hours to our drive that day!
Before heading home, we wanted to buy something to remember the trip by. My sister bought a classic t-shirt, which was nice, but I wanted something I could look at all year round. I eventually picked out a stunning calendar featuring photographs of all the shifting landscapes we’d just driven through. It’s hanging on my bedroom wall right now!
Listening 2
You will hear a man called David talking about a holiday he took with his wife. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
David’s lakeside holiday
David and his wife decided to stay in a hotel room with a view of the (9)……………………… rather than a busy road.
Upon his arrival, David was most impressed by the (10)……………………… he saw.
David says that a (11)……………………… he bought in a bakery was his favourite thing to eat.
Rather than doing other water sports, David and his wife chose to do some (12)……………………… on the water.
David changed his original sightseeing plans and decided to visit a (13)……………………… in the centre of town.
During a walk in a nature reserve, David was surprised to see lots of (14)……………………… instead of birds.
David’s wife bought a beautiful (15)……………………… as a souvenir of their trip.
On their last night, David was surprised to see some (16)……………………… as part of a festival.
David says that a (17)……………………… was the only issue they experienced during the trip.
David says the word that best describes his holiday is ‘(18)………………………’.
ANSWER KEY
9 lake 10 mountains 11 lemon cake 12 sailing
13 clock tower 14 butterflies 15 leather bag
16 fireworks 17 bus strike 18 relaxing
AUDIO SCRIPT
David: Hello everyone. My name is David, and I’d like to tell you about a fantastic holiday my wife and I went on last month. We decided to visit a picturesque town situated on the edge of a beautiful body of water in Europe to get away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Finding the right accommodation can be tricky, but we found an incredibly intimate little hotel. We had the choice of a room facing the bustling street, which was obviously a bit cheaper, but we eventually opted against it. Instead, we paid a premium for a balcony that overlooked the lake, and it was absolutely worth every penny. Waking up to that view each morning was magical.
When we first arrived in the town, I was expecting to be instantly blown away by the historical architecture that the region is highly praised for. However, what immediately caught my eye as we stepped out of the railway station were the magnificent mountains surrounding the area. They were still snow-capped and truly breathtaking, completely overshadowing the buildings.
Naturally, we were looking forward to sampling the local food. I’d read in a guidebook that the regional speciality was fresh seafood, and while we did try some and it was perfectly nice, actually, it was a slice of lemon cake at a tiny, hidden bakery that ended up being the culinary highlight of our trip. I went back three times during the week to get more!
We wanted to make the most of the water, so we looked into different outdoor activities. My wife initially suggested we try windsurfing, as we’d seen a few people doing it, but I thought the water looked far too chilly for that. So, instead, we went sailing for a long afternoon. We hired a small boat with a local guide, and it was a wonderfully relaxing way to view the coastline.
In terms of sightseeing, the town boasts several historical sites. We originally planned to put on our walking boots and hike up to the ruins of an old castle on a nearby hill. But, feeling a bit lazy after a large lunch, we stayed down in the town square and went inside a magnificent clock tower instead. The views from the viewing platform at the top were stunning, and we didn’t have to walk miles to get there.
One afternoon, we took a gentle stroll through a nature reserve located just outside the town. We had our binoculars ready, hoping to spot some rare water birds that are known to nest there. While those birds stayed completely hidden, we were amazed by the sheer number of colourful butterflies fluttering around the wild spring flowers. It was like a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
Before heading home, we wanted to pick up some souvenirs. The town is highly famous for its hand-painted pottery, but I was worried about it breaking in my suitcase on the flight back. In the end, my wife bargained for a gorgeous leather bag at the local farmers’ market. The craftsmanship is excellent and it’ll last for years.
On our final evening, we were lucky enough to be in town for a local festival. I assumed there would be a lively street parade with loud music, but to our surprise, the main event was a display of fireworks launched from a platform over the water. Watching the reflections in the night sky was truly spectacular.
The trip was nearly perfect, though we did face one minor hiccup. We had packed sturdy umbrellas expecting a heavy rainstorm, which is fairly common in spring. The weather actually stayed perfectly dry, but we got caught out by a sudden bus strike on our way back to the airport, which caused a bit of last-minute panic! Luckily, we managed to flag down a taxi just in time.
Looking back, friends have asked me if the holiday was highly adventurous. While we did do a few outdoor activities, I’d actually describe the whole experience as deeply relaxing, which was exactly what we needed to recharge our batteries. I’d highly recommend the destination to anyone!