Extended Family – A1 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
A student is giving emergency contact information to a school office worker. Listen to the conversation between a student and an office worker. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Who is the emergency contact?
(A) The student’s father
(B) The student’s aunt
(C) The student’s uncle
2 What is the contact’s name?
(A) Davis
(B) David
(C) Daniel
3 What is his phone number?
(A) 098 550 144
(B) 098 550 140
(C) 089 550 144
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: C (The student’s uncle)
- Explanation: The worker asks who they can call, and the student says, “You can call my uncle.” Option A (father) is a common emergency contact but is not mentioned. Option B (aunt) is a trap using a different extended family member.
2 Correct Answer: B (David)
- Explanation: The worker asks if the name is spelled D-A-V-I-S (Option A is the trap). The student corrects the worker and spells it D-A-V-I-D. Option C (Daniel) is a plausible name but is never mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: A (098 550 144)
- Explanation: The student clearly says the number is “0-9-8, 5-5-0, 1-4-4.” The worker also repeats this exact number. Option B (ends in 140) and Option C (starts with 089) are traps because they have numbers that look and sound very similar to the correct answer.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Worker: Hello. I need an emergency contact for your school form. Who can we call?
Student: You can call my uncle.
Worker: Your uncle. Okay. What is his name?
Student: His name is David.
Worker: How do you spell that? Is it D-A-V-I-S?
Student: No, it is D-A-V-I-D. David.
Worker: D-A-V-I-D. Thank you. And what is his phone number?
Student: It is 0-9-8, 5-5-0, 1-4-4.
Worker: Let me check. 0-9-8, 5-5-0, 1-4-4.
Student: Yes, that is correct.
Listening 2
A young student is presenting his family tree to the class. Listen to a student talking about his family tree. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Who is John?
(A) The student’s uncle
(B) The student’s grandfather
(C) The student’s cousin
2 What is the aunt’s name?
(A) Lily
(B) Lucy
(C) Mary
3 How old is the student’s cousin, Sam?
(A) 8
(B) 18
(C) 80
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (The student’s grandfather)
- Explanation: The student clearly says, “My grandfather is John,” and spells the name J-O-H-N. Option A (uncle) and Option C (cousin) are other family words used in the presentation, so they act as traps for students who just guess based on vocabulary.
2 Correct Answer: B (Lucy)
- Explanation: The student points to his aunt and says, “Her name is Lucy.” Option A (Lily) is a phonetic trap because it sounds very similar to Lucy. Option C (Mary) is a plausible name but is never mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: A (8)
- Explanation: The student states his cousin’s age and repeats it: “He is eight years old… He is eight.” Option B (18) is the main trap because the student explicitly says “Not eighteen.” Option C (80) is a phonetic trap, as “eight” and “eighty” can sound similar to beginners.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Student: Hello, class. This is my family tree. At the top are my grandparents. My grandfather is John. J-O-H-N. Here is my aunt. Her name is Lucy. She is my mother’s sister. And this is my cousin. His name is Sam. S-A-M. He is eight years old. Not eighteen. He is eight. Thank you for listening!
Listening 3
An employee (Tom) is asking his manager (Mr. Smith) for a day off. Listen to the conversation between Tom and his manager. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Why does Tom need a day off?
(A) He is sick.
(B) He has a family wedding.
(C) He wants to sleep.
2 Whose wedding is it?
(A) His brother’s wedding
(B) His cousin’s wedding
(C) His uncle’s wedding
3 What day is the wedding?
(A) Friday the 4th
(B) Friday the 14th
(C) Thursday the 14th
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (He has a family wedding)
- Explanation: The manager asks, “Are you sick?” (Option A is the trap). Tom says, “No, I am not sick. I have a family wedding.” Option C (He wants to sleep) is never mentioned.
2 Correct Answer: B (His cousin’s wedding)
- Explanation: The manager guesses, “Is it your brother’s wedding?” (Option A is the trap). Tom corrects him and says, “No, it is my cousin’s wedding.” Option C (uncle’s wedding) is a different extended family word to act as a distractor.
3 Correct Answer: B (Friday the 14th)
- Explanation: Tom says clearly, “It is on Friday. Friday, the 14th.” The manager repeats it and says the numbers “One-four” to confirm. Option A (Friday the 4th) is a phonetic trap for the number 14. Option C (Thursday the 14th) is a trap for the day of the week.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Manager: Good morning, Tom. Can I help you?
Tom: Yes, Mr. Smith. I need a day off next week.
Manager: A day off? Okay. Why? Are you sick?
Tom: No, I am not sick. I have a family wedding.
Manager: Oh, nice. Is it your brother’s wedding?
Tom: No, it is my cousin’s wedding. My cousin, Mark.
Manager: I see. What day is the wedding?
Tom: It is on Friday. Friday, the 14th.
Manager: Friday the 14th? One-four. Okay, Tom. Have a good time!
Tom: Thank you!
Listening 4
An uncle is at a kindergarten to pick up his niece. Listen to the conversation between a man and a teacher. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What is the little girl’s name?
(A) Maya
(B) Mia
(C) Mary
2 Who is the man?
(A) The girl’s father
(B) The girl’s uncle
(C) The girl’s grandfather
3 How old is the girl?
(A) 4
(B) 14
(C) 40
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (Mia)
- Explanation: The man says he is there for Mia and spells her name clearly: M-I-A. Option A (Maya) is a phonetic trap because it sounds very similar to Mia. Option C (Mary) is a plausible girl’s name but is not mentioned.
2 Correct Answer: B (The girl’s uncle)
- Explanation: The teacher asks, “Are you her father?” (Option A is the trap). The man answers, “No, I am not. I am her uncle.” Option C (grandfather) is another family word used as a distractor.
3 Correct Answer: A (4)
- Explanation: The uncle says, “She is four years old.” Option B (14) and Option C (40) are traps because numbers like four, fourteen, and forty often confuse A1 learners.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Teacher: Hello. Can I help you?
Uncle: Hi. I am here for Mia.
Teacher: Mia. Okay. Are you her father?
Uncle: No, I am not. I am her uncle. My name is Peter.
Teacher: Peter. Let me check the list. Ah, yes. How old is she?
Uncle: She is four years old.
Teacher: Great. She is in the classroom. You can go in.
Uncle: Thank you.
Listening 5
A new employee and a colleague are talking in the office. Listen to the conversation between two coworkers. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Who is the woman they are looking at?
(A) Leo’s mother
(B) Leo’s aunt
(C) Leo’s sister
2 What is the woman’s name?
(A) Helen
(B) Ellen
(C) Karen
3 Where does the woman sit?
(A) At the computer
(B) Next to the door
(C) Next to the window
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: B (Leo’s aunt)
- Explanation: Leo clearly points to the woman and says, “She is my aunt.” Option A (mother) and Option C (sister) are other female family members used as distractors to test if the listener caught the exact word.
2 Correct Answer: A (Helen)
- Explanation: Leo spells her name letter by letter: H-E-L-E-N. Option B (Ellen) is a phonetic trap because it sounds very similar to Helen, especially if the listener misses the “H” sound. Option C (Karen) is just a plausible name.
3 Correct Answer: C (Next to the window)
- Explanation: Leo states clearly, “…she sits next to the window,” and Sarah repeats this location. Option A (At the computer) is a trap because Sarah asks, “The woman at the computer?” at the beginning of the conversation. Option B (Next to the door) is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Sarah: Welcome to the company, Leo.
Leo: Thank you, Sarah. Oh, look! Do you see that woman?
Sarah: The woman at the computer?
Leo: Yes. Her name is Helen. H-E-L-E-N. She is my aunt.
Sarah: Your aunt? Wow! Does she work in this office?
Leo: No, she works in the IT room. But she sits next to the window.
Sarah: Ah, I see her. Next to the window. That is very nice.