Endangered Species – B1 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the conversation between a brother and sister. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why did Sarah suggest adopting an animal online?
(A) Because her mother enjoys programs about wildlife.
(B) Because she wants to go on a safari trip soon.
(C) Because her mother recently asked for a new pet.
2 Why do they decide NOT to choose the panda?
(A) Pandas are currently too expensive to adopt.
(B) They believe another animal requires the financial support more.
(C) Their mother thinks that pandas are quite boring.
3 How will the brother and sister pay for the birthday present?
(A) By asking their parents for some extra cash.
(B) By combining their own personal savings.
(C) By working extra hours at a part-time job.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (A)
- Explanation: In the audio, Sarah says their mother watches “nature documentaries”. Option A uses the synonym “programs about wildlife”.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. The word “adopt” is mentioned, but they are doing it “symbolically” through a charity, not bringing a real pet home. Option (B) is plausible but not mentioned at all.
2 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Sarah mentions that pandas already get a “massive amount of funding”, while rhinos face poaching and “desperately need more protection efforts”. This matches option B.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. The mother actually thinks pandas are “adorable”, not boring. Option (A) is a plausible guess but price was not the reason they rejected the panda.
3 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Sarah suggests they “pool our allowance together” and Mark mentions using their “pocket money” to “pitch in”. Option B perfectly paraphrases this idea.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. They are using their own money (allowance/pocket money), not asking their parents for extra cash. Option (C) is not mentioned in the conversation.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mark: Hey, Sarah. Mom’s birthday is coming up next week. Have you thought about what we should get her?
Sarah: Well, um, I was thinking… since she spends so much time watching those nature documentaries, why don’t we symbolically adopt an animal for her online? We could pool our allowance together for the donation.
Mark: Oh, that’s a brilliant idea! A conservation charity would send her a certificate and regular updates. What species should we pick? Um, she always says pandas are adorable.
Sarah: True, but… you know, giant pandas get a massive amount of funding and media attention already. I read an article saying their numbers are actually improving. How about a rhino instead? Poaching is still a huge threat to them, and they desperately need more protection efforts.
Mark: Hmm, I see your point. We want our pocket money to make a real difference. Okay, let’s go with the horned one then. How much do we need to pitch in?
Sarah: The starter package is about fifty dollars. So, twenty-five from each of us.
Mark: Sounds fair. Let’s set it up tonight!
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation between the two roommates and choose the best answer (A, B, or C) for each question below.
1 How did Sarah primarily feel after finishing the documentary?
(A) She was amazed by the beautiful cinematography.
(B) She was deeply saddened by the reality of the animals.
(C) She was confused about the causes of global warming.
2 According to Sarah, what is the main issue affecting the polar bears?
(A) They are struggling because their habitat is melting away.
(B) They are exhausted from fighting with other bears.
(C) They are being helped by conservation groups.
3 What did Sarah initially think about the polar bears before watching the film?
(A) She believed they were completely helpless.
(B) She assumed they were finding ways to adjust to the changes.
(C) She thought people were doing enough to save them.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Sarah says she felt “heartbroken” and “devastated” by the reality of the polar bears. “Heartbroken” is a synonym for “deeply saddened”.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Mark mentions the film is “visually stunning” and Sarah agrees the cinematography was “gorgeous”, but her main feeling was sadness, not amazement.
2 Correct Answer: (A)
- Explanation: Sarah explains that “the sea ice is vanishing” and their “natural home is literally disappearing,” which means their habitat is melting away.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. “Conservation groups” are mentioned at the end of the conversation as a future plan to help, not as the main situation of the bears in the film.
3 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Sarah says, “I thought they were adapting somehow.” The word “adjust” in option B is a paraphrase of “adapt”.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The word “helpless” is mentioned in the audio, but it describes how Sarah feels right now (“feel completely helpless”), not what she thought about the bears in the past.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mark: Hey, Sarah. Are you okay? You look a bit, um, down.
Sarah: Oh, hi Mark. Yeah, I just finished watching that new documentary… the one about the Arctic. It honestly left me feeling really heartbroken.
Mark: Really? I heard it was visually stunning. What was so upsetting about it?
Sarah: Well, the cinematography was gorgeous, sure. But seeing the reality of the polar bears… it’s devastating. The sea ice is vanishing so fast because of global warming. They showed this one mother bear swimming for miles, totally exhausted, just trying to find solid ground to hunt.
Mark: Wow, I didn’t realize it had gotten that severe. I mean, I knew the ice was melting, but actually seeing the impact on wildlife… that’s heavy.
Sarah: Exactly. I thought they were adapting somehow, but the film made it clear their natural home is literally disappearing beneath them. It’s just so frustrating to watch and feel, you know, completely helpless.
Mark: I get it. Maybe we could look into supporting some conservation groups or something?
Sarah: Yeah, that’s a good idea. I need to do something rather than just sit here feeling miserable.
Listening 3
Listen to a conversation between two friends traveling together and choose the best answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does Emma advise Liam against buying the red necklace?
(A) It is excessively overpriced for a souvenir.
(B) Collecting the material causes significant damage to the underwater environment.
(C) It is illegally made from elephant tusks.
2 How does Liam react when he learns the truth about the materials?
(A) He is reluctant to change his original gift idea.
(B) He is angry at the shop owner for selling such items.
(C) He is willing to find a gift that doesn’t negatively impact animals.
3 What is one reason Emma recommends the neighboring stall?
(A) The goods are created from environmentally friendly resources.
(B) The profits from the sales are used to protect marine life.
(C) The wooden jewelry there is much cheaper than the coral.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Emma says that harvesting the coral is “destroying marine ecosystems.” Option B paraphrases this as “causes significant damage to the underwater environment.”
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. Elephant tusks (ivory) are mentioned in the audio, but they are used to make the “white bracelets,” not the red necklace.
2 Correct Answer: (C)
- Explanation: Liam states, “I definitely don’t want to spend my money on anything that harms wildlife,” and asks for another present idea. This means he wants a gift that doesn’t hurt animals.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a plausible guess, but it is not mentioned. Liam says “Oh, man. I had no idea,” showing surprise and regret, but he never expresses anger toward the shop owner.
3 Correct Answer: (A)
- Explanation: Emma suggests the other stall because they sell items made from “sustainable bamboo and local timber.” This is paraphrased in option A as “environmentally friendly resources.”
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. Emma mentions that the money goes directly to “local artisans” (people who make the crafts), not to protect marine life. Option (C) is also a trap because Emma suggests buying “bowls,” not wooden jewelry, and price is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Liam: Wow, look at this red necklace. It’s absolutely stunning, isn’t it? I think I’ll get it for my mom.
Emma: Wait, let me see that. Um… Liam, I really don’t think you should buy that. It looks like it’s made of real red coral.
Liam: So? It’s just a rock from the ocean, right?
Emma: Well, actually, it’s a living organism, and harvesting it is completely destroying marine ecosystems. Red coral is severely threatened because it takes decades to grow. And look over there… those carved white bracelets? They’re highly likely made from elephant tusks. You know, ivory.
Liam: Oh, man. I had no idea. I definitely don’t want to spend my money on anything that harms wildlife. But I still need to find a nice present for her.
Emma: Why not check out the stall next door? They have some beautiful, hand-carved bowls made from sustainable bamboo and local timber. Plus, the money goes directly to local artisans rather than poachers.
Liam: That sounds like a much better plan. Let’s go take a look.
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation between the three neighbors and choose the best answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What is the primary reason Mr. Tan wants to start a neighborhood group?
(A) To help neighbors compete for the best-looking lawn.
(B) To address the declining number of bees in the area.
(C) To share the cost of expensive gardening tools.
2 Why does Ms. Lan refer to a “perfect lawn” as a “green desert”?
(A) Because it requires too much water to stay healthy.
(B) Because it provides no food resources for bees.
(C) Because the grass turns brown and dry during the summer.
3 What is the group’s final plan to help the bees?
(A) They will use safer pesticides to protect the flowers.
(B) They will only plant lavender in their front yards.
(C) They will grow native wildflowers and stop using chemicals.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Mr. Tan starts the talk by mentioning he’s “barely seen any bees” and suggests a project to help them.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap because Peter mentions his “perfect lawn,” but the group’s goal is actually to change those lawns to help bees, not to compete for the best one.
2 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Ms. Lan explains that in a perfect lawn, there are “no flowers for them to collect pollen from.” In B1 level, “food resources” is a paraphrase for “flowers/pollen.”
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a common association with the word “desert,” but it is not mentioned in the audio script.
3 Correct Answer: (C)
- Explanation: The conversation concludes with planting “wildflowers” and Peter agreeing to “stop spraying” (no chemicals).
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Although Peter mentions pesticides, Ms. Lan advises that if they plant flowers, they “won’t need any chemicals” at all.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mr. Tan: Hi Lan, hi Peter. Thanks for meeting me. Have either of you noticed… well, how quiet the gardens are lately? I’ve barely seen any bees this spring.
Ms. Lan: You’re right, Mr. Tan. I read a report recently saying our local bee populations are crashing. It’s mostly because they’re losing their natural habitats and have nothing to eat.
Peter: That’s a shame. I thought my garden was doing great—I spend hours mowing the lawn to keep it looking perfect.
Ms. Lan: Actually, Peter, that might be part of the problem. To a bee, a perfectly mown lawn is like a “green desert.” There are no flowers for them to collect pollen from.
Mr. Tan: Exactly. That’s why I want to start a neighborhood project. I’m suggesting we all dedicate a small area of our backyards to growing wildflowers instead of just grass.
Peter: Oh, I see. I was actually planning to spray some pesticides this weekend to get rid of other bugs, but I suppose that would be quite harmful to the bees too, wouldn’t it?
Ms. Lan: Absolutely. If we plant things like lavender or sunflowers, we’ll attract the bees naturally and won’t need any chemicals.
Mr. Tan: I’ve already bought a large bag of native seeds to share. What do you think?
Peter: Well, it’ll certainly save me some time on mowing! Count me in.
Listening 5
Listen to a conversation between two friends who are camping and choose the best answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What was Tom doing when he first noticed the rare bird?
(A) He was taking pictures near the tent.
(B) He was gathering wood for a fire.
(C) He was looking for fish in the river.
2 Why does Tom ask Lisa to lower her voice?
(A) Because making loud sounds could scare the owl away.
(B) Because he doesn’t want other campers to discover the nest.
(C) Because the park rangers told them to be quiet in this area.
3 What do the two friends plan to do with this information later?
(A) They will try to capture the bird to protect it.
(B) They will leave the forest immediately so they don’t disturb it.
(C) They will report the sighting to the local authorities.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (B)
- Explanation: Tom says, “I was collecting firewood” when he saw the owl. “Gathering wood” is a synonym for collecting firewood.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Tom mentions that he “managed to take a quick photo,” but he did this after he saw the bird, not when he first noticed it. Option (C) is also a trap; the bird is a “fish owl” and was found “near the river,” but Tom himself was not looking for fish.
2 Correct Answer: (A)
- Explanation: Tom warns that if they make sudden noises, they might “frighten it away.” The word “scare” in option A is a synonym for “frighten.”
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a plausible guess for a forest setting, but Tom never mentions other campers in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: (C)
- Explanation: Lisa suggests, “We need to tell the park rangers about this,” and Tom agrees. “Report the sighting to the local authorities” is a paraphrase of telling the park rangers.
- Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. Although they want to avoid disturbing the bird, they decide to “sit here and quietly observe,” not leave the forest immediately.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tom: Lisa, you won’t believe what I just spotted near the river!
Lisa: What is it? And why are you whispering?
Tom: Shh! Keep your voice down. I was collecting firewood, and I saw a Blakiston’s fish owl resting on a branch.
Lisa: Wait, seriously? I thought they were almost extinct in this region. Are you sure it wasn’t just a regular hawk?
Tom: Positive. It was massive, and it had those distinct ear tufts. I even managed to take a quick photo on my phone. Look.
Lisa: Wow, that is absolutely incredible! We need to tell the park rangers about this. Since their natural habitats are shrinking so fast, every single sighting is crucial for conservation efforts.
Tom: Exactly. But for now, we have to stay completely quiet. If we make any sudden noises, we might frighten it away, and it could end up abandoning its nest.
Lisa: Okay, understood. Let’s just sit here and quietly observe from a distance.