Practice English Listening A1 Exercises – Remember when…

1 b   Henry Ford sold the first Model-T motor car in 1908. It cost $825 and came in grey, green, blue, and red – but not black!

2 b   The Russian Revolution was in 1917. It started in St Petersburg.

3 c   About 50 million people died of flu between 1918 and 1919. It was more than died in the First World War.

4 c   Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928. He discovered it by accident.

5 a   Superman first appeared in a comic collection in 1938, but the first Superman only comic appeared in 1939.

6 b   John Atanasoff invented the very first digital computer in the 1930s, but the first programmable computers began to appear about 65 years ago.

7 c   The first colour TV cost $1,295 in 1955. In the 1970s, they cost around $350. This was still very expensive at the time.

8 a   Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon on 20th July 1969. The second man to walk there was Buzz Aldrin.

9 c   The Berlin Wall came down on November 9th, 1989. It was the beginning of the end for Communist Europe and the Soviet Union.

10 a   Universities developed systems of communication between computers in the 1970s and 80s, but the general public first began to use the Internet about 25 years ago.

A

programmes on TV, pocket money, holidays, housework, and comics.

B

1   Did you have television?

      Yes, of course we had television.

2   How many TV channels were there?

      Only two.

3   So what time did programmes begin?

      After four o’clock, when I got home from school.

4   How much pocket money did you get?

      Sixpence a week.

5   What sort of comics did you buy?

      A comic called the Eagle, full of adventures stories, and Superman.

6   So where did you go on holiday?

      To the seaside in England.

7   How did you get there?

      My father drove.

8   Why did you always go to the same place?

      Because we all liked it there.

Audioscript

The good old days

B = Billy R = Roger

B   Grandad, when you were a boy, did you have television?

R   Of course we had television! But it wasn’t colour TV like now – it was black and white. The screens weren’t very big, like they are now. And there weren’t many channels.

B   How many channels were there then?

R   Only two! But that was enough. We loved it! But there were no programmes in the morning.

B   What?! So what time did programmes begin?

R   They didn’t start till after four o’clock, when I got home from school – that’s when the children’s programmes were on. There were some brilliant programmes for children – I was always sad when they stopped at six o’clock and the grown-up programmes started. That’s when I did my homework!

B   Did your mum and dad give you pocket money?

R   Yes, but I worked for it! I did the washing-up every day – we didn’t have dishwashers in those days.

B   No dishwashers! That sounds awful! So how much pocket money did you get?

R   I didn’t get much. I got sixpence a week. That’s only about three p these days, but, oh, it seemed like a lot! I bought comics and sweets with it.

B   What sort of comics did you buy?

R   I bought a comic called the Eagle – that was full of adventure stories. And … Superman!

B   What, they had Superman comics then?!

R   Oh yes! And they were very exciting to me – they had adverts in them from this strange, amazing country called America! I really wanted to go there!

B   So did you?

R   No! People didn’t go abroad for their holidays then – it was too expensive. I didn’t go on a plane till I was a lot older.

B   So where did you go on holiday?

R   To the seaside in England.

B   How did you get there?

R   My dad drove. We had a Ford car, a Ford Prefect it was. We went to the same place every year.

B   Why did you always go to the same place?

R   Because we all liked it there!

B   Huh. Well, I’m glad I wasn’t alive then! It all sounds really boring!

R   Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong! We didn’t have so many things to choose from in those days, and everything we did seemed really exciting!

 

B

1   Did you have television?

2   How many TV channels were there?

3   So what time did programmes begin?

4   How much pocket money did you get?

5   What sort of comics did you buy?

6   So where did you go on holiday?

7   How did you get there?

8   Why did you always go to the same place?

At a party

N = Nicole O = Owen

O   You aren’t English, are you Nicole? Where are you from?

N   No, I’m French. I was born in Toulouse.

O   Is that where you grew up?

N   Yes. I lived with my parents and my brother in a house near the university there. My father worked at the university.

O   Oh, how interesting! What did he do? Was he a teacher?

N   Yes, he was a professor of music.

O   Really! What does he play?

N   He’s a brilliant pianist.

O   How wonderful! And what about your mother? What’s her job?

N   She’s retired now, but she was a doctor. She worked in the hospital.

O   So did you go to school in Toulouse?

N   Yes, I went to a catholic high school. I was there for ten years. Then I went to university.

O   What did you study?

N   I studied English and Education in Paris, and then I studied for one year in London.

O   Ah! That’s why your English is so good! And did you start work straight after that?

N   No, I travelled around Africa for a few months, then I taught in a school in Senegal.

O   That sounds great! And what’s your job now?

N   I teach in a high school in Paris. I teach English and French.

O   I’m sure you’re a brilliant teacher!

N   Anyway … what about you?

A

He heard a noise. / He heard two men talking.

B

4   carefully

7   obviously

1   suddenly

10   calmly

3   slowly

6   immediately

9   quickly

5   quietly

2   silently

8   fortunately

Audioscript

Noises in the night!

It was about two o’clock in the morning. Suddenly, I woke up. I heard noises downstairs. I got out of bed silently and went slowly downstairs. There was a light on in the living room. I listened carefully. I could hear two men talking very quietly – they said something about the police. ‘Burglars!’ I thought. Immediately, I ran back upstairs and phoned the police. Obviously, I was very frightened. Fortunately, the police came quickly. They opened the front door and went into the living room. Then they came upstairs to see me. ‘It’s all right now, sir’, they explained calmly. ‘We turned off the television for you.’

Special occasions

1   Happy birthday to you.

      Happy birthday to you.

      Happy birthday, dear Joseph.

      Happy birthday to you.

2   A   Did you get any cards?

      B   Yes, I did. Listen to this . . .

           Roses are red, violets are blue.

           You are my Valentine,

           And I love you.

      A   Wow! Do you know who it’s from?

      B   I’m not sure. I know who I want it to be from!

3   C   Mummy! Daddy! Wake up! It’s Christmas!

      D   Mmm. What time is it …? Mmm six o’clock …

      C   Yes, it’s morning! Look at the present Father Christmas left for me!

      E   Oh, that’s lovely! Merry Christmas, darling!

4   F &G   Trick or treat!

      H   Wow, what fantastic Halloween costumes! You two look very scary!

      F   Have you got any sweets to give us?

      H   Of course I have. Here you are, two chocolates each.

5   I    It’s midnight! Happy New Year everyone!

      J/K/L   Happy New Year!

      Should old acquaintance be forgot …

6   M   Wake up, Mummy! Happy Mother’s Day!

      N   Thank you, darling! Oh, what beautiful flowers! And chocolates! And a cup of tea!! Well, aren’t I lucky!

      M   And we made you a card!

      N   Oh, that’s wonderful! Aren’t you clever children!

7   O   Congratulations! It’s great news!

      P   Thank you! We’re both very happy!

      O   So when’s the wedding day?

      P   May 5th. You’ll get an invitation!