Practice English Listening A1 Exercises – Jobs

1   interview people

2    collect guests

3    type letters

4    sell houses

5    deliver post

6    repair TV sets

7    check machines

8    take telephone calls

1   Well, when people come in to borrow some money from the bank, I have to talk to them and ask them a lot of questions, about who they are, where they work, how much money they have, and so on.

2   I meet the guests at the airport and drive them to their hotel.

3   I spend most of my day in front of the typewriter. We have so many letters to send out every day.

4   Well, my job is to find the right kind of house for people. They tell me the kind of house they want to buy and I try to find them something suitable which is for sale.

5   Well, the first thing I have to do every morning is to go round and give everyone their post.

6   Yes, people bring in their televisions when they break and I try to mend them.

7   As soon as each machine is made, my job is to make sure it works properly before we sell it. I have to look over each machine very carefully.

8   I wait for the doctor’s patients to phone every morning and tell me when they want to come in for an appointment.

1   university lecturer

2    nurse

3    hotel receptionist

4    mechanic

5    typist

6    actor

1   Yes, it’s a wonderful job. I like teaching. I also like the long summer holidays. The students are very nice, too.

2   It’s an interesting job, but I often have to work long hours at the hospital. Sometimes I start work at eleven in the morning and work through till ten in the evening.

3   It’s a good job. People come from all over the world to stay at our hotel, because we’re famous for our food.

4   I’ve always wanted to do this kind of work. I love cars and engines. Of course, it’s quite dirty work, but the money’s good.

5   It’s all right. I like typing and the people in my office are very nice to work with.

6   I love my work. I’m able to wear all sorts of strange and beautiful costumes, and it’s exciting to see photographs of myself in the theatrical magazines.

1   nurse

2    shop assistant

3    tour guide

4    receptionist

5    bank clerk

6    mechanic

7    office manager

1   Yes, I really like my new job. I find it’s more interesting being a nurse than a social worker.

2   The job at the library was too boring. Now I work in a shop and I meet lots of interesting people.

3   Well, my salary was higher when I was a driver, but I do get a lot of money in tips.

4   I love my job. When I was at the hospital I had to work every night. Now I just work from nine till five.

5   Well, I don’t work with computers any more in my new job. I work with money. That’s much more interesting.

6   The thing I didn’t like about being a driver was the long trips away from home. The garage where I’m working now is just five minutes away.

7   It’s different working in an office from working at a college. But I like it. I don’t have to correct students’ homework.

1    arrange a meeting

2    type a report

3    post a package

4    make travel arrangements

5    cancel an appointment

Now, first of all, could you call up Mr Stevens? I’d like to meet him on Friday at 10 a.m. Then I’ll need the sales report. Could you finish typing it this morning, please? Don’t forget to go to the post office after lunch. I need to send a package to Switzerland. Then perhaps you could call British Airways and try to get me on a flight to Paris on the 16th. See if you can get me a hotel too, will you?

Oh, and I won’t be able to meet Ms Cairns this afternoon. I’ve got to go to the airport. Could you call her and tell her? Perhaps she can meet me on Thursday.

The letter paper is here on the second shelf, on the left-hand side and the envelopes are on the top shelf, on the right. You’ll find pens next to the letter paper and notebooks on the top shelf, on the left hand side. On the bottom shelf there are elastic bands and sellotape. The elastic bands are on the right and the sellotape is on the left.

1

A   Where’s the coffee bar, please?

B   It’s on the next floor up, at the end of the corridor on the right.

2

A   I’m looking for the accounts department.

B   It’s the last door on the right.

3

A   Where’s the manager’s office, please?

B   It’s the first door on the left.

4

A   Where’s the toilet, please?

B   It’s on the next floor up, the last door on the left, opposite the coffee bar.

5

A   Am I on the right floor for Mr Smith’s office?

B   No, you’ll have to go upstairs. It’s the office at the top of the stairs, on the left.

6

A   Where’s the stationery store?

B   There’s one upstairs, next to Mr Smith’s office.

7

A   Which is Ms Randall’s office?

B   It’s the second door on the right.

8

A   Where’s the photocopier, please?

B   At the end of the corridor, on the left.

9

A   Where’s the post room, please?

B   Just here on the right.