Culture & Customs – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 (B) Because the tourist’s current clothing is considered disrespectful.

• Explanation: The guard states there is a “strict dress code” and the tourist’s shoulders and knees must be covered “to show respect” (meaning his current shorts and sleeveless shirt are disrespectful). Option (A) is a trap; the tourist asks to “buy a ticket”, but that’s not why he is stopped. Option (C) is a trap; the tourist mentions it is “hot outside”, but the temple isn’t closed.

2 (A) He is worried that he might need to return to his accommodation.

• Explanation: The tourist asks, “Does this mean I have to go all the way back to my hotel to change clothes?” (return to his accommodation). Option (B) is a trap; the clothes are free, and he hasn’t heard about the deposit yet. Option (C) is a trap; he hasn’t even seen the sarong yet, so he isn’t confused about wearing it.

3 (C) Visitors must leave some money which will be refunded later.

• Explanation: The guard says they ask for a “small cash deposit” (leave some money) and will “give the money back to you” (refunded later). Option (A) is a trap; the tourist asks about a “rental fee”, but the guard says it is “free of charge” and only requires a deposit. Option (B) is incorrect because they “borrow” the clothes, not buy them.

Tourist: Excuse me, sir. I’d like to buy a ticket to enter the main temple, please.

Guard: I’m sorry, sir, but we have a strict dress code for all visitors. You cannot go inside wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Your shoulders and knees must be fully covered to show respect to the site.

Tourist: Oh, I sincerely apologize. I had no idea about the rule. It’s just so incredibly hot outside today. Does this mean I have to go all the way back to my hotel to change clothes?

Guard: Not necessarily. We have a visitor center right over there by the main gate. You can borrow a traditional sarong to cover your legs and a lightweight scarf for your shoulders.

Tourist: That’s a huge relief! Is there a rental fee to use those items?

Guard: The clothes themselves are provided free of charge, but we do ask for a small cash deposit. We will give the money back to you when you return the items upon leaving.

Tourist: Perfect. I’ll head over there right now. Thank you for your guidance.

1 (B) The water current running through the local valley.

• Explanation: Elena says the zigzag lines “symbolize the river that flows through our valley” (the water current running through the valley). Option (A) is a trap; she mentions that many tourists assume they represent the mountains, but that is incorrect. Option (C) is a trap using the word “ancestors”, which is mentioned later for a different shape.

2 (A) To ensure the security and well-being of the household.

• Explanation: Elena explains that the diamond shapes are woven to “guarantee safety and provide protection to whoever hangs the cloth” (ensure the security and well-being of the household). Option (C) is a trap; the shapes represent the eyes of the ancestors, not the faces of current leaders. Option (B) is a plausible aesthetic reason but not the symbolic meaning she shares.

3 (B) He chooses to buy the tapestry because of its rich symbolic meaning.

• Explanation: Mark says he loves that there is a “story woven right into the material” and decides “I’ll take the tapestry” because it feels “much more special.” Option (A) is a trap; he originally intended to buy a carved wooden statue, but he changed his mind and bought the tapestry instead. Option (C) is never mentioned.

Mark: Excuse me, I was just admiring this beautiful woven tapestry. The colors are incredibly vibrant. Could you tell me if this specific geometric pattern has a deeper meaning?

Elena: Ah, thank you for noticing! That is a traditional motif from my home village. Many tourists assume those zigzag lines represent the tall mountains surrounding our town, but they actually symbolize the river that flows through our valley. It stands for the continuous flow of life and endurance.

Mark: That’s fascinating. And what about these small diamond shapes along the bottom border?

Elena: Those represent the eyes of our ancestors watching over us. We weave them into the fabric to guarantee safety and provide protection to whoever hangs the cloth in their living space.

Mark: I absolutely love that there is a whole story woven right into the material. I came in here intending to buy a carved wooden statue for my living room, but this feels much more special. I’ll take the tapestry, please.

Elena: Wonderful choice. Let me wrap it up securely for your journey home.

1 (B) It is a customary practice to reward good staff.

• Explanation: Anna says tipping is “highly expected if you received good service” (a customary practice to reward good staff). Option (A) is a trap; she explicitly says tipping is “isn’t strictly required by law”. Option (C) is a plausible practice in some European countries, but it is never mentioned in this conversation.

2 (B) He provided around fifteen percent of the meal’s cost.

• Explanation: Greg says, “I left about fifteen percent” (provided around fifteen percent). Option (A) is a trap; Anna mentions “ten to fifteen percent” as the general rule, but Greg specifically chose fifteen. Option (C) is a trap; he admits he was “confused” earlier, but he still left a tip.

3 (C) By paying slightly more to reach a round number.

• Explanation: Anna says people “round up the fare to the nearest whole number” (pay slightly more to reach a round number). Option (A) is a trap; Greg asks if he needs to “calculate a percentage”, and Anna says “Not at all”. Option (B) is a trap; nine dollars was just an example she gave for an $8.50 ride, not a standard flat rate.

Greg: Excuse me, Anna. I have a quick question about local customs. I just had dinner at the restaurant across the street, and I was a bit confused when the bill arrived. Is it mandatory to leave a tip here?

Anna: Ah, that’s a very common question for visitors! No, tipping isn’t strictly required by law, but it is highly expected if you received good service. We usually leave about ten to fifteen percent of the total cost on the table for the waitstaff.

Greg: Okay, that makes sense. I left about fifteen percent, so I guess I did the right thing. What about transportation, though? I’m taking a cab to the national museum tomorrow. Do I need to calculate a percentage for the driver too?

Anna: Not at all. For taxi rides, people generally just round up the fare to the nearest whole number. So, if your ride is eight dollars and fifty cents, you just give them nine dollars and tell them to keep the change.

Greg: Oh, that’s much simpler! Thanks for clearing that up for me.

1 (B) He needs guidance on selecting the correct seasonings.

• Explanation: Tom says he is “lost with all these fresh spices” (needs guidance on selecting seasonings). Option (A) is a trap; a “local friend” already gave him the recipe, he isn’t asking the vendor to teach him how to cook. Option (C) is a trap using the word “coconut”, but he is looking for spices, not milk.

2 (C) It will change the expected taste of the traditional meal.

• Explanation: Mrs. Lin says lemon juice “will make the broth quite sour”, which means it changes the expected taste compared to the “fragrant aroma” of lemongrass. Option (A) is a trap; Tom suggests this idea, but Mrs. Lin rejects it (“Well, not quite”). Option (B) is the opposite of what the vendor says.

3 (A) She suggests buying a sweeter type of vegetable instead.

• Explanation: Mrs. Lin recommends using “large red bell peppers” because they provide a “hint of sweetness without burning your mouth” (a sweeter type of vegetable). Option (B) is a plausible cooking tip in real life, but the vendor doesn’t say this; she changes the ingredient entirely. Option (C) is never mentioned in the audio.

Tom: Excuse me, I’m trying to make a traditional yellow coconut curry tonight. A local friend of mine gave me the recipe, but I’m honestly a bit lost with all these fresh spices.

Mrs. Lin: Ah, the yellow curry! You’ve come to the right stall. Let’s take a look at your list. Hmm, you have turmeric and garlic, but you are missing the most important element: lemongrass.

Tom: Oh, right! I couldn’t find any earlier, so I thought I could just use some lemon juice instead. Is that an okay substitute?

Mrs. Lin: Well, not quite. Lemon juice will make the broth quite sour, whereas fresh lemongrass gives it that unique, fragrant aroma. You really can’t skip it if you want the authentic taste.

Tom: I see! I’ll definitely take a bundle of that, then. And what about the heat? The recipe calls for “bird’s eye chilies,” but my stomach doesn’t tolerate very spicy food.

Mrs. Lin: In that case, I highly recommend using these large red bell peppers. They provide a beautiful color and a hint of sweetness without burning your mouth.

Tom: Perfect! That sounds exactly like what I need.

1 (B) A shared living space with native residents.

• Explanation: Mark says he wants to do a “homestay” and “sleep in the same house as a local family” (a shared living space with native residents). Option (A) is a trap; Linh offers a luxury resort by the beach, but Mark rejects it. Option (C) is a trap; Mark explicitly says he doesn’t want a “standard city sightseeing” tour.

2 (A) Participating in manual agricultural labor.

• Explanation: Linh says Mark will “get your hands dirty” and learn to “plant rice and harvest fresh vegetables” (manual agricultural labor). Option (B) is a trap; the script explicitly states this will be done “completely without modern machinery” (no heavy equipment). Option (C) is a trap; the “wooden stilt house” is where he will sleep, not just photograph.

3 (C) The tourist will cook the food together with his hosts.

• Explanation: Linh confirms that Mark will “prepare dinner alongside the family” (cook the food together with his hosts). Option (A) is a plausible tourist activity, but it is not mentioned. Option (B) is a trap; he doesn’t buy ingredients at a market, he uses the ingredients he “gathered that afternoon” from the farm.

Mark: Hi there. I’m looking to book a trip for next weekend, but I don’t want a standard city sightseeing bus. I’m hoping for something much more authentic.

Linh: Welcome! Well, we do have some excellent luxury resort packages down by the beach if you want to relax.

Mark: Actually, I was thinking of an eco-tour. I’d really love to do a homestay—you know, sleep in the same house as a local family and experience their actual daily routine.

Linh: Ah, I understand exactly what you need. We have a fantastic “Rural Life” package. You will stay in a traditional wooden stilt house. And during the day, you won’t just be a spectator; you’ll actually get your hands dirty.

Mark: Get my hands dirty? You mean like doing farm work?

Linh: Exactly! Your hosts will teach you how to plant rice and harvest fresh vegetables using traditional methods, completely without modern machinery.

Mark: That sounds brilliant! What about food? Are meals included?

Linh: Yes, you will prepare dinner alongside the family in the evening, using the very ingredients you gathered that afternoon.

Mark: Perfect. Let’s get that booked right now.