Days & Dates – A1 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Two new friends, Mike and Anna, are talking about their birthdays. Listen to the conversation between Mike and Anna. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What month is Anna’s birthday?
(A) May
(B) June
(C) July
2 What is the date of Anna’s birthday?
(A) The 12th
(B) The 20th
(C) The 22nd
3 How does Anna spell the month of her birthday?
(A) J-U-N-E
(B) J-U-L-Y
(C) J-A-N-E
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (June)
- Explanation: Anna clearly says, “It is in June.” Mike then asks how to spell it. Option A (May) is a trap because it is Mike’s birthday, not Anna’s. Option C (July) is a plausible month but is never mentioned.
2 Correct Answer: B (The 20th)
- Explanation: Mike asks if the date is “the 12th” (Option A is the phonetic trap). Anna corrects him and says, “No, it is the 20th.” She also says “Two-zero” to confirm. Option C (The 22nd) is not mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: A (J-U-N-E)
- Explanation: Anna spells her birthday month letter by letter: J-U-N-E. Option B and C are used to test if the listener can distinguish between different letters of the alphabet (U vs A or N vs L).
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mike: Hi Anna. Your birthday is coming soon, right?
Anna: Yes! It is in June.
Mike: June? How do you spell that?
Anna: It is J-U-N-E.
Mike: And what is the date? Is it the 12th?
Anna: No, it is the 20th. Two-zero.
Mike: Oh, the 20th of June. Got it! My birthday is in May.
Listening 2
Two siblings, Leo and Maya, are looking at a calendar to count down to their summer vacation. Listen to the conversation between two siblings. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What month is the summer vacation?
(A) May
(B) June
(C) July
2 What is the date today?
(A) May 4th
(B) May 14th
(C) May 16th
3 How many days are left until the vacation?
(A) 16
(B) 60
(C) 6
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (June)
- Explanation: Leo asks, “Is it in July?” (Option C is the trap). Maya says, “No, not July. It is in June”. Option A (May) is a trap because May is the current month, not the vacation month.
2 Correct Answer: B (May 14th)
- Explanation: Maya clearly says, “Today is the 14th of May,” and repeats the numbers “One-four.” Option A (May 4th) is a phonetic trap for the number 14. Option C (May 16th) is a trap because 16 is the number of days left, not today’s date.
3 Correct Answer: A (16)
- Explanation: Maya says there are “About 16 days left. Sixteen.” Leo asks, “Not 60 days?” (Option B is the phonetic trap). Maya confirms, “No, 16.” Option C (6) is just a plausible number to test the listener.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Leo: Maya, what is the date today?
Maya: Today is the 14th of May. One-four.
Leo: May 14th. When is our summer vacation? Is it in July?
Maya: No, not July. It is in June.
Leo: June! That is next month. How many days are left?
Maya: Let me see the calendar. About 16 days left. Sixteen.
Leo: 16 days? Not 60 days?
Maya: No, 16. Summer is coming!
Listening 3
A wife is reminding her husband about their upcoming wedding anniversary. Listen to the conversation between a husband and a wife. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What is the date this Friday?
(A) The 8th
(B) The 10th
(C) The 18th
2 What special day is on Friday?
(A) The husband’s birthday
(B) A family holiday
(C) Their wedding anniversary
3 Where are they going for dinner?
(A) An Italian restaurant
(B) A French restaurant
(C) A pizza shop
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (The 10th)
- Explanation: The husband asks if Friday is “the 8th” (Option A is the trap). The wife says, “No, it is not the 8th. Friday is the 10th,” and repeats “One-zero” to be very clear. Option C (The 18th) is a phonetic trap for the number 8.
2 Correct Answer: C (Their wedding anniversary)
- Explanation: The husband realizes the date and says, “Oh, it is our wedding anniversary!” Option A (birthday) and Option B (holiday) are other special events, but they are never mentioned in the conversation.
3 Correct Answer: A (An Italian restaurant)
- Explanation: The husband says, “Let’s go to the Italian restaurant.” The wife asks if he wants “the French restaurant” (Option B is the trap), but he says “No.” Option C (A pizza shop) is a trap because the husband mentions he loves “pizza,” but the place they are going is an Italian restaurant.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Wife: David, do you know what day it is this Friday?
Husband: This Friday? Is it the 8th?
Wife: No, it is not the 8th. Friday is the 10th. One-zero.
Husband: The 10th of October! Oh, it is our wedding anniversary!
Wife: Yes, it is! Do you want to go to a restaurant for dinner?
Husband: Yes. Let’s go to the Italian restaurant.
Wife: The Italian restaurant? Not the French restaurant?
Husband: No, the Italian one. I love their pizza.
Wife: Okay, Friday the 10th at the Italian restaurant.
Listening 4
Two friends are planning a weekend picnic at the park. Listen to the conversation between two friends. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where do the friends want to go?
(A) To the park
(B) To the beach
(C) To the cinema
2 How is the weather on Saturday?
(A) It is sunny.
(B) It is hot.
(C) It is raining.
3 What day are they going to the park?
(A) Friday
(B) Saturday
(C) Sunday
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: A (To the park)
- Explanation: Tom says clearly, “Let’s go to the park this weekend.” Option B (beach) and Option C (cinema) are places for the weekend, but they are never mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: C (It is raining)
- Explanation: Tom says, “It is raining on Saturday”. Option A (sunny) is a trap because “sunny” is the weather for Sunday, not Saturday. Option B (hot) is never mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: C (Sunday)
- Explanation: Lucy asks about “Saturday” (Option B is the trap), but Tom says “No, not Saturday” because of the rain. They finally decide, “Let’s go to the park on Sunday.” Option A (Friday) is not a weekend day in this context and is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tom: Hi, Lucy. Let’s go to the park this weekend.
Lucy: Good idea, Tom. Do you want to go on Saturday?
Tom: No, not Saturday. It is raining on Saturday.
Lucy: Oh, raining? What about Sunday?
Tom: Sunday is good. It is sunny on Sunday.
Lucy: Great! Let’s go to the park on Sunday.
Listening 5
Two roommates are talking about their weekly sports schedule. Listen to the conversation between two roommates. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What sport are the roommates talking about?
(A) Running
(B) Swimming
(C) Tennis
2 What days are they doing the sport this week?
(A) Only Tuesday
(B) Only Thursday
(C) Tuesday and Thursday
3 What date is Thursday?
(A) The 5th
(B) The 15th
(C) The 50th
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (Swimming)
- Explanation: Alex asks, “do we go swimming this week?” Option A (Running) and Option C (Tennis) are other common sports, but they are never mentioned in the audio.
2 Correct Answer: A (Only Tuesday)
- Explanation: Alex asks if they are going on “Tuesday and Thursday” (Option C is the trap). Ben answers, “We go on Tuesday… But we cannot go on Thursday.” Alex then confirms, “So only Tuesday evening.”
3 Correct Answer: B (The 15th)
- Explanation: Ben explains why he cannot go on Thursday: “Because Thursday is the 15th,” and repeats “One-five” to be very clear. Option A (The 5th) is a number trap. Option C (The 50th) is a phonetic trap because “fifteen” and “fifty” can sound similar, though 50 cannot be a date in a month.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Alex: Hey Ben, do we go swimming this week? On Tuesday and Thursday evening?
Ben: We go on Tuesday. But we cannot go on Thursday.
Alex: No Thursday? Why not?
Ben: Because Thursday is the 15th. One-five. I have a lot of homework on the 15th.
Alex: I see. So only Tuesday evening.
Ben: Yes, Tuesday evening at 6 o’clock. See you then!