Feelings & Emotions – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 (A) He experienced a sudden and strong sense of fear.

• The Key: Mark says, “My heart was racing, and I felt this massive wave of panic.” A massive wave of panic is a paraphrase for a sudden and strong sense of fear.
• The Trap (B): The audio mentions having “three essays due,” but Mark felt panicked and overwhelmed, not angry at anyone.
• The Trap (C): Mark says, “I just wanted to cry,” which means he felt like crying, but he didn’t actually start crying or forget his assignments.

2 (B) Leave their current location to spend time outdoors.

• The Key: Mark advises students to “step away from your desk… Just go outside for a short ten-minute walk.” This perfectly matches leaving the current location to spend time outdoors.
• The Trap (A): Mark does say “Don’t look at your phone,” but this is just a minor detail during the walk. It is not the main advice or trick, which is changing the physical environment.
• The Plausible (C): Talking to someone is a great way to handle stress, but Mark never mentions talking to other students in his advice.

3 (B) He felt physically and mentally relieved from the pressure.

• The Key: Mark says that after his walk, “that heavy feeling in my chest was gone.” This is a metaphorical way of saying he felt relieved from the emotional and physical pressure.
• The Trap (A): Mark clearly states, “I still had a huge amount of work to do.” He had not finished his essays yet.
• The Trap (C): Even though he still had work to do, he was no longer panicked because the “heavy feeling… was gone.”

Mark (Podcast Host): Welcome back to ‘Campus Life,’ the podcast for students, by students. I’m your host, Mark. Let’s talk about exams. We are officially in the middle of finals week, and if you are feeling completely overwhelmed right now, trust me, you are not alone. Yesterday, I looked at my study schedule and honestly, I just wanted to cry. My heart was racing, and I felt this massive wave of panic. It’s so easy to let stress take over when you have three essays due in two days.

But here is a little trick that helped me calm down. When you feel that anxiety building up, close your books and step away from your desk. Don’t look at your phone, either. Just go outside for a short ten-minute walk. Changing your physical environment actually stops the cycle of negative thoughts in your brain. When I came back inside, I still had a huge amount of work to do, but that heavy feeling in my chest was gone. So, if you’re struggling tonight, give it a try. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this.

1 (B) She was physically extremely tired after studying.

• The Key: The vlogger says she had an “exhausting day at the university library” and was “completely drained.” This is a paraphrase for being extremely tired after studying.
• The Trap (C): The bus ride might have been long, but she didn’t fall asleep out of boredom; she explicitly states she was exhausted.
• The Plausible (A): Eating a heavy meal often makes people sleepy, but this is never mentioned in the audio.

2 (B) He gave her an item to help clean up the mess.

• The Key: The vlogger explains that the man “handed me a tissue and silently pointed at his wet jacket.” Handing a tissue is paraphrased as giving an item to clean up the mess.
• The Trap (A): The businessman pointed at his jacket, but the vlogger says “He didn’t look angry” and he did it “silently.” He definitely did not shout at her.
• The Plausible (C): Moving to another seat is a very normal reaction in this situation, but the audio does not say that he moved.

3 (C) She exited the vehicle before reaching her destination.

• The Key: The vlogger says, “I jumped off the bus immediately, even though it wasn’t my actual neighborhood.” This means she exited the vehicle before her final destination.
• The Trap (B): A “tissue” and her “red face” are mentioned in the story, but she didn’t use the tissue to hide her face; the man gave it to her because she was drooling on him.
• The Plausible (A): Offering to pay for dry cleaning is a polite way to solve the problem, but she was too “ashamed” and just ran away instead.

Vlogger: Hey guys, welcome back to my channel! Today, I’m sharing a story that I’ve kept secret for a long time because I am still so incredibly embarrassed about it. So, a few weeks ago, I was taking the bus home after a really exhausting day at the university library. I was completely drained. I sat down next to this very serious-looking businessman in a dark suit. Well, the bus was warm, and before I knew it, my eyes just closed.

The next thing I remember, I woke up, and my head was resting comfortably on something solid. I opened my eyes and realized I was drooling on the businessman’s shoulder! I was absolutely mortified. My face went totally red. I sat up quickly and apologized a million times. He didn’t look angry, but he just handed me a tissue and silently pointed at his wet jacket. At the next stop, I jumped off the bus immediately, even though it wasn’t my actual neighborhood. I was just too ashamed to stay there!

1 (B) To discuss a recent natural disaster and ask the public for help.

• The Key: The announcer says they are “pausing our regular music program to talk about a truly heartbreaking situation” regarding “recent storms” that “destroyed several villages.” Option B is a perfect paraphrase.
• The Trap (A): The audio mentions “music program” and the word “heartbreaking,” but they stopped the music to talk, not to play heartbreaking music.
• The Plausible (C): The “northern region” and “families” are mentioned, but the announcer is doing a monologue; there is no interview happening on the show.

2 (A) They are staying in emergency housing without their personal belongings.

• The Key: The speaker says the children are “sleeping in temporary shelters” (emergency housing) and have “lost absolutely everything—their toys, their schoolbooks” (without personal belongings).
• The Trap (B): The announcer mentions they are “cold,” but never states they have “severe illnesses.” This is a common assumption (Plausible) but not in the audio.
• The Trap (C): “Schoolbooks” and “destroyed” are words in the script, but they are used in different sentences. The children lost their books; they are not at a new school.

3 (C) Give money via the internet to help provide essential items.

• The Key: The announcer asks listeners to “visit our radio station’s website to make a small financial contribution.” “Website” means via the internet, and “financial contribution” means giving money.
• The Trap (A): The audio mentions “blankets, clean water, and dry clothes” and the “radio station,” but the speaker does NOT ask people to bring physical items to the station. She asks them to go online.
• The Plausible (B): Traveling to help build shelters is a great charity action, but the speaker only asks for a small donation of money (“Even five dollars”).

Announcer: Good evening, listeners. You are tuning in to Hope FM. Tonight, we are pausing our regular music program to talk about a truly heartbreaking situation. As many of you have seen on the local news, the recent storms have completely destroyed several villages in the northern region.

While adults are struggling, it is the children who need our empathy the most right now. Hundreds of young kids have lost absolutely everything—their toys, their schoolbooks, and their warm beds. They are currently sleeping in temporary shelters, feeling scared, cold, and confused. It is absolutely devastating to imagine our own families going through this kind of disaster.

We cannot just stand by and do nothing. These children urgently need basic supplies like blankets, clean water, and dry clothes. I am asking everyone listening tonight to show some compassion. Please visit our radio station’s website to make a small financial contribution. Even five dollars can buy a hot meal for a hungry child. Let’s come together and bring a little hope to their lives.

1 (B) A brief feeling of strong happiness.

• Explanation: The speaker defines joy as a “sudden rush of intense pleasure” that “fades away quickly.” Option (B) correctly paraphrases this. Option (A) is a trap because it describes contentment, not joy. Option (C) is not mentioned in the audio.

2 (C) It is a lasting feeling of being fulfilled with life.

• Explanation: The speaker describes contentment as a “deeper, more long-lasting sense of satisfaction with your life.” Option (C) uses synonyms (“lasting feeling”, “fulfilled”) to paraphrase this. Option (A) is a trap because the speaker explicitly says, “It doesn’t mean you’re smiling every second.” Option (B) is a trap that describes joy, not contentment.

3 (A) Developing a stable sense of life satisfaction.

• Explanation: The speaker states that “according to psychologists, we should really focus on building contentment,” calling it a “stable foundation.” Option (A) paraphrases this idea perfectly. Option (B) is a trap because the speaker mentions people do chase short moments, but psychologists advise against making it the main focus. Option (C) is false because the audio says contentment helps us get through difficult times, not avoid them.

Speaker: Good morning, everyone. Um, today for my presentation, I’m going to talk about the psychology of happiness. Well, we often use the word ‘happiness’ to describe two very different feelings: joy and contentment. So, what’s exactly the difference?

Um, joy is that sudden rush of intense pleasure you get from, you know, a specific event. Like, winning a game, eating a delicious piece of cake, or finding money in your pocket. It’s a fantastic feeling, but it fades away quickly. You can’t really be in a state of joy all the time.

On the other hand, contentment is… well, it’s a deeper, more long-lasting sense of satisfaction with your life. It doesn’t mean you’re smiling every second of the day. It means you feel a quiet sense of peace about your relationships, your goals, and who you are.

Many people spend their whole lives chasing those short, thrilling moments of joy, thinking that’s true happiness. But, according to psychologists, we should really focus on building contentment. It’s the stable foundation that helps us get through the difficult times, um, even when we aren’t feeling particularly joyful.

1 A

• Explanation: The critic says, “At first, I thought it was going to be just another typical romance.” Option A paraphrases “typical romance” as “ordinary love story.” Option B is incorrect because she explicitly says it is not an uplifting experience. Option C is a trap; the movie is about a family (father and daughter), but it is not a documentary.

2 C

• Explanation: The critic mentions that the scene left the theater “absolutely speechless” and that she could hear people “sniffing” (crying). This matches Option (C) Option A is a trap because she mentions “dramatic arguments” as something the film does not rely on. Option B is a trap because she talks about her own feelings after she “left the cinema,” not that the audience walked out early.

3 B

• Explanation: At the end, the critic says, “…if you appreciate deeply moving storytelling, it’s a true masterpiece.” Option B paraphrases this perfectly. Option A is the exact opposite of her advice (she says she wouldn’t recommend it for a fun night out). Option C is wrong because she specifically states the pacing is “a bit slow,” not fast-paced.

Movie Critic: Welcome back to ‘Cinema Talk’. Today, I’m reviewing the new drama, Autumn Leaves. Well… if you’re planning to see this film, you should definitely bring a box of tissues. At first, I thought it was going to be just another typical romance. But, honestly, it completely caught me off guard.

The story follows a father trying to reconnect with his daughter. It doesn’t rely on big, dramatic arguments to make you feel something. Instead, it’s the quiet, simple moments that really get to you. There’s a scene near the end that left the entire theater absolutely speechless. I mean, I could hear people sniffing all around me. I actually felt a lump in my throat, and the lingering sadness stayed with me long after I left the cinema.

Now, the pacing is a bit slow in the first half, which might bother some viewers, but the emotional payoff is entirely worth it. It’s not exactly an uplifting experience, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you just want a fun night out. However, if you appreciate deeply moving storytelling, it’s a true masterpiece.