Cross-country Road Trips – B2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
You will hear a teenage boy called Leo giving a presentation about a recent family hiking expedition. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Leo – hiking expedition
Leo’s parents chose a (9)……………………… for the family trip rather than a beach holiday or city break.
Despite thinking about buying sunglasses, Leo’s most expensive purchase was some (10)……………………… for the journey.
At the beginning of the hike, Leo was unexpectedly greeted by the sight of some (11)……………………… on the trail.
Instead of the pine trees Leo anticipated, the hiking route eventually revealed a beautiful (12)……………………… .
A loud noise frightened Leo’s sister until they noticed a (13)……………………… in the sky above them.
For their midday meal, the family eagerly ate the (14)……………………… that had been made the previous evening.
Leo explains that the extreme (15)……………………… caused problems during the afternoon, rather than the predicted rain.
From the top of the mountain, a huge (16)……………………… caught the family’s attention since the ocean was not visible.
Leo spent time taking close-up photographs of the (17)……………………… instead of his relatives.
At the end of the day, Leo experienced a strong feeling of (18)……………………… which replaced his tiredness.
ANSWER KEY
9 national park 10 walking boots 11 horses 12 river valley
13 helicopter 14 pasta salad 15 heat
16 volcano 17 wild flowers 18 achievement
AUDIO SCRIPT
Leo: Hi everyone, I’m Leo, and I want to tell you about a family hiking expedition we went on last month. The main goal of our trip was to admire some of the breathtaking vistas that our country is famous for. Usually, when it comes to family holidays, my sister and I spend weeks begging my parents to book a relaxing beach resort or an exciting city break. Instead, my parents decided a trip to a national park would be far more rewarding this time, as they really wanted us to disconnect from our screens, get some fresh air, and enjoy nature.
Before we set off, we obviously had to get all our gear ready. Mum kept reminding us to pack plenty of waterproofs, as the weather up in the mountains can be notoriously unpredictable. I completely ignored her advice and almost bought some pricey sunglasses instead. However, it was a pair of walking boots that I spent the most money on in the end, because I knew comfort would be absolutely vital on the steep trails.
We started our hike quite early on a Saturday morning. Because it was the weekend, I figured the trail would be packed with other enthusiastic tourists, or maybe even some adventurous mountain bikers. Actually, we were surprised to see a few horses sharing the path with us early on, being gently led by a local guide. It certainly added a unique charm to the atmosphere!
As we trekked further along the route, the landscape began to change dramatically. I’d assumed we’d be hiking through dense, dark pine trees all morning, which is pretty typical for that specific region. But actually, the trail suddenly opened up into a spectacular river valley, which was completely unexpected and really quite stunning to look down into from our high vantage point.
About two hours into the hike, we suddenly heard a tremendous roar echoing off the surrounding rocks. My sister immediately panicked, absolutely convinced it was a bear or some other wild animal! However, we quickly realised it was just a helicopter flying low overhead, probably doing a routine mountain rescue drill or transporting supplies.
By midday, we were all absolutely starving and needed to rest. I was secretly hoping dad had brought his famous cheese sandwiches, or maybe a few large chocolate bars for a quick sugar rush. But as it turned out, we ended up devouring a massive pasta salad that mum had cleverly prepared the night before. It was surprisingly refreshing and gave us the energy we needed!
In the afternoon, the trek got a lot tougher. We’d checked the local weather forecast before leaving, which had warned us about potential heavy rain and thick fog, so we had our waterproof jackets ready at the top of our bags. In the end, we didn’t see a single drop of rain; instead, it was the intense heat that made the afternoon climb so difficult, as there was absolutely no shade on that side of the mountain.
Finally, after hours of climbing, we reached the summit to admire the breathtaking vistas we had heard so much about. We were hoping we might just be able to see the distant ocean on the horizon. Although that was entirely hidden by a thick haze, the main thing dominating the view was an enormous volcano right in the middle of the landscape. It was absolutely awe-inspiring and totally worth the effort.
Of course, I got my camera out straight away to document the moment. I thought I’d take a million photos of my family posing at the summit, or maybe try to capture the unusual cloud formations. But I actually focused my camera on the delicate wild flowers growing near the edge of the cliff. Their bright colours were just incredibly vibrant against the dull grey rocks.
When we finally made it back down to the car park in the late afternoon, my legs felt like jelly. I fully expected to be overwhelmed by complete exhaustion and just sleep the whole drive home. Yet, what I actually felt was a huge sense of achievement as we headed back down the winding country roads. I’d definitely recommend a hiking trip if you want a true family adventure!
Listening 2
You will hear a man called Mark talking about a memorable wildlife encounter he had while on holiday. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Mark’s holiday encounter
Mark and his wife ultimately decided to visit a (9)……………………… instead of going to the coast.
Mark mentions that the lodge they chose to stay at was well-known for its (10)……………………… .
On their first morning, the couple chose to participate in (11)……………………… rather than a more tiring activity.
Mark was surprised to find that the paths were muddy due to an abundance of (12)……………………… .
The outdoor pool at the lodge was enclosed by a (13)……………………… rather than a glass structure.
Mark says that a (14)……………………… provided plenty of light for their late-night swim.
When Mark first heard a splash in the pool, he did not realise it was a (15)……………………… .
The animal was completely distracted by a (16)……………………… which was in the shallow end of the pool.
A staff member managed to scare the animal away by using an (17)……………………… .
As a reminder of the memorable event, Mark purchased a (18)……………………… before leaving the lodge.
ANSWER KEY
9 pine forest 10 hot springs 11 bird watching 12 melted snow
13 wooden fence 14 full moon 15 brown bear
16 floating toy 17 air horn 18 post card
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mark: Hi everyone, I’m Mark. I’m going to tell you about a recent holiday that turned out to be far more adventurous than my wife and I had originally anticipated. We were looking to take a break from our busy city lives and wanted to escape somewhere quiet for a week. When we were deciding where to go, my wife was keen on a coastal trip, as we usually enjoy the beach, but we eventually settled on a pine forest for our getaway because we wanted a complete change of scenery.
Finding the right accommodation was our next task. We didn’t book a standard hotel in the bustling town centre, as we usually do. Instead, we opted for a secluded mountain lodge situated a bit further out in the wilderness. It was famous for its natural hot springs, which sounded incredibly relaxing after a long year of work, so we booked a cabin right away.
When we arrived, the surrounding area was breathtaking. On our first morning, we considered booking a guided rock climbing tour to get our adrenaline pumping. However, we decided we wanted something less strenuous to start the holiday off, and spent the morning doing some bird watching instead. It was wonderfully peaceful and gave us a chance to explore the local trails at our own pace.
Before leaving home, we had packed heavy coats and thick gloves, expecting freezing temperatures in the mountains. Surprisingly, it was unseasonably warm for that time of year. Because of this unexpected heatwave, there was a lot of melted snow making the hiking trails rather muddy and difficult to navigate, but we managed to enjoy our walks regardless.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the lodge was its fantastic outdoor swimming pool. Because it was located in such a wild environment, I’d assumed it would be enclosed by a tall glass wall to keep the wildlife out. But it was actually just surrounded by a low wooden fence, which gave it a very rustic and open feel, blending perfectly with the surrounding trees.
On our final evening, after a heavy dinner, we decided to have a late-night swim to wind down. We initially thought it might be too dark to see anything out there, but we were lucky because there was a bright full moon illuminating the entire pool area, casting a beautiful silver light over the water.
We were quietly enjoying the warm water when I suddenly heard a heavy splash at the shallow end. I initially assumed a large stray dog had wandered in from a nearby farm, but as the water settled and the creature stood up, I was absolutely shocked to see a young brown bear doggy-paddling near the steps!
We completely froze in terror, expecting it to swim right towards us. Actually, it completely ignored us and seemed entirely captivated by a brightly coloured floating toy that another guest had left in the water earlier that day. It just batted it around with its huge paws.
We quietly backed away to the edge and slipped out of the pool. The night manager must have seen what was happening on the security cameras. He didn’t shout or run out waving his arms in a panic; rather, he simply sounded a loud air horn from a safe distance on the balcony, which promptly startled the bear, causing it to scramble out and run off into the trees.
It was certainly an unforgettable experience. Before heading home the next morning, I looked in the gift shop for a suitable souvenir to remember the event. I almost bought a heavy coffee mug, but settled on a funny post card featuring a swimming bear, which perfectly summed up the trip!