Food & Drink – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to the conversation at a fast-food restaurant and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What size fries does the customer order?
(A) Small
(B) Medium
(C) Large
2 Why doesn’t the customer buy a drink?
(A) He thinks they are too expensive.
(B) He already has some water with him.
(C) He only wants to drink coffee.
3 Where is the customer going to eat his food?
(A) In the restaurant
(B) At his office
(C) In his car
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Medium
- Explanation: The customer clearly says, “Just a medium, please.” Option (C) is the trap; he mentions that he usually gets a large, but he changes his mind because he isn’t very hungry. Option (A) is a plausible size but is rejected.
2 (B) He already has some water with him.
- Explanation: When the cashier asks if he wants a drink, he replies, “No, thanks. I already have a bottle of water in my bag.” Options (A) and (C) are plausible reasons to refuse a drink at a fast-food place, but neither is mentioned in the conversation.
3 (A) In the restaurant
- Explanation: The cashier asks, “Is that for here or to go?” and the customer answers, “I’ll eat it here,” meaning inside the restaurant. Options (B) and (C) are traps; these are places he might take the food if he ordered it “to go,” but he decides to stay.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Cashier: Welcome to Burger Town. Are you ready to order?
Customer: Hi, yes. I’d like a cheeseburger, please. And some fries.
Cashier: Sure. Would you like small, medium, or large fries?
Customer: Well, I usually get a large, but I’m not that hungry today. Just a medium, please.
Cashier: Okay, one cheeseburger and a medium fries. Do you want to buy a drink with that?
Customer: No, thanks. I already have a bottle of water in my bag.
Cashier: Alright. Is that for here or to go?
Customer: Oh, I’ll eat it here.
Cashier: Great. That will be $7.50, please.
Listening 2
Listen to the telephone conversation between a customer and a restaurant receptionist, and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What time is the customer’s final reservation?
(A) 7:00
(B) 8:00
(C) 9:00
2 Where does the customer want to sit?
(A) In the middle of the room
(B) By the window
(C) Near the front door
3 Why does the customer agree to come at a different time?
(A) Because the restaurant closes at seven.
(B) Because his friends are arriving late.
(C) Because he wants to get a window seat.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) 8:00
- Explanation: The customer agrees to the new time at the end, saying, “So, eight o’clock is fine.” Option (A) is the trap; 7:00 is the time the customer originally wanted, but he changed his mind. Option (C) is a plausible time for dinner but is never mentioned in the audio.
2 (B) By the window
- Explanation: The customer clearly asks for “a quiet table by the window.” Option (A) is a trap; the receptionist offers a table “in the middle of the dining room,” but the customer rejects it. Option (C) is a plausible restaurant area, but it is not mentioned.
3 (C) Because he wants to get a window seat.
- Explanation: The customer explains his decision to change the time by saying, “We really want the window seat.” Options (A) and (B) are logical reasons to change a dinner reservation, but neither is mentioned in the conversation.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Receptionist: Good afternoon, Blue Ocean Restaurant. How can I help you?
Customer: Hi, I’d like to book a table for four people this Saturday evening.
Receptionist: Certainly. What time would you like to come in?
Customer: Seven o’clock, please. And could we get a quiet table by the window?
Receptionist: Let me check… I’m sorry, all our window tables are booked at seven. But we have one available at eight o’clock. Or, I can give you a table in the middle of the dining room at seven.
Customer: Hmm… We really want the window seat. So, eight o’clock is fine.
Receptionist: Perfect. A window table for four at eight o’clock. See you on Saturday!
Listening 3
Listen to the conversation between a customer and a supermarket employee, and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where can the customer find the cheese?
(A) In aisle one
(B) In aisle four
(C) Near the entrance
2 Why is the butter in a different place today?
(A) Because they are cleaning the fridge.
(B) Because they are completely sold out.
(C) Because it is a new product.
3 What is the customer going to get first?
(A) Bread
(B) Butter
(C) Cheese
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) In aisle four
- Explanation: The employee clearly states, “The regular cheese is in aisle four.” Option (A) is the trap; aisle one is where the butter was moved to. Option (C) is also a trap; near the entrance is where the bakery (bread) is located.
2 (A) Because they are cleaning the fridge.
- Explanation: The employee explains the change by saying, “But we are cleaning the fridge in aisle four today. So, we moved all the butter…” Option (B) is a common supermarket problem but is not true here. Option (C) is plausible for a “special display” but is never mentioned.
3 (A) Bread
- Explanation: At the end of the conversation, the customer says, “I’ll get the bread first.” Options (B) and (C) are traps; cheese and butter are the main items she was looking for, but she decides to pick up the bread before getting them.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Customer: Excuse me. I’m looking for the dairy section. I need to get some cheese and butter.
Employee: Sure. The regular cheese is in aisle four, right next to the milk.
Customer: Aisle four. Great. And the butter is there, too?
Employee: Well, usually, yes. But we are cleaning the fridge in aisle four today. So, we moved all the butter to a special display in aisle one.
Customer: Oh, I see. Aisle one for butter, and aisle four for cheese. Oh, do you have any fresh bread?
Employee: Yes, the bakery is right behind you, near the entrance.
Customer: Perfect. I’ll get the bread first. Thanks for your help!
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation between a tourist and a street vendor, and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What kind of meat is inside the first dumpling the tourist points at?
(A) Pork
(B) Chicken
(C) Beef
2 Why does the tourist decide NOT to buy the first dumpling?
(A) He doesn’t like chicken.
(B) It is too spicy.
(C) It is too cold.
3 Which dumpling does the tourist buy at the end?
(A) The pork dumpling
(B) The chicken dumpling
(C) The beef dumpling
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) Chicken
- Explanation: The vendor clearly says about the first dumpling, “It has chicken and vegetables inside.” Option (A) is the trap; the tourist asks if it is pork, but the vendor says they don’t use pork. Option (C) is a trap; beef is in the second dumpling.
2 (B) It is too spicy.
- Explanation: The tourist says, “I really can’t eat spicy food,” and the vendor confirms the first dumpling is “a little spicy.” Option (A) is a trap; the tourist actually says “chicken is fine,” so the meat is not the problem. Option (C) is a plausible complaint about street food, but it is never mentioned.
3 (C) The beef dumpling
- Explanation: Because he cannot eat spicy food, the tourist accepts the vendor’s second offer and says, “I will take one of the beef dumplings, please.” Option (B) is the trap; it is the dumpling they talked about first, but he rejected it. Option (A) is also a trap; the vendor does not sell pork.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tourist: Excuse me, what is this? It looks really delicious.
Vendor: Hello! That is a traditional fried dumpling. Would you like to try one?
Tourist: Maybe. What kind of meat is inside? Is it pork?
Vendor: No, we don’t use pork here. It has chicken and vegetables inside.
Tourist: Oh, chicken is fine. But is it spicy? I really can’t eat spicy food.
Vendor: Ah, yes, this one is a little spicy. But don’t worry. I have another kind over here. It has beef and sweet potatoes, and it is not spicy at all.
Tourist: Great! I will take one of the beef dumplings, please.
Vendor: Coming right up!
Listening 5
Listen to the conversation between a customer and a waiter, and choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 How does the customer pay for the meal?
(A) With a credit card
(B) With cash
(C) With a mobile app
2 What is the problem at the restaurant today?
(A) They do not accept credit cards at all.
(B) The credit card machine is not working.
(C) They gave the customer the wrong bill.
3 What is already included in the final bill?
(A) A 10% service charge
(B) A free dessert
(C) A credit card fee
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) With cash
- Explanation: The customer pays with a “fifty-dollar bill” (cash) at the end. Option (A) is the trap; the customer originally wanted to pay with a credit card, but he couldn’t. Option (C) is a plausible modern way to pay, but it is never mentioned.
2 (B) The credit card machine is not working.
- Explanation: The waiter clearly states, “our card machine is broken today.” Option (A) is a trap; the restaurant does normally take credit cards, but they can’t today because of the machine. Option (C) is a common restaurant problem but is not mentioned here.
3 (A) A 10% service charge
- Explanation: When the customer asks about the tip, the waiter says, “Yes, a 10% service charge is already included.” Option (C) is a trap because they talk about credit cards earlier, but there is no fee for it. Option (B) is plausible but is not mentioned in the audio.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Customer: Excuse me, could we have the bill, please?
Waiter: Certainly, sir. Here you go. I hope you enjoyed your meal.
Customer: It was delicious, thank you. Um, do you take credit cards? I don’t think I have enough cash.
Waiter: Yes, we normally take credit cards. But unfortunately, our card machine is broken today. We can only take cash.
Customer: Oh no! Let me check my wallet again. Ah, luckily, I have a fifty-dollar bill. By the way, is the tip included in the check?
Waiter: Yes, a 10% service charge is already included. So your total is forty-five dollars.
Customer: Great. Here is fifty dollars. You can keep the change!