Food & Drink – A2 English Listening Exercise

1 (A) Chicken soup

• Explanation: The customer clearly says, “I ordered the chicken soup.” Option (B) is the trap; mushroom soup is the dish the waiter brought by mistake. Option (C) is a plausible type of soup but is never mentioned in the audio.

2 (B) Because he doesn’t like mushrooms.

• Explanation: The customer explains his complaint by saying, “I don’t really like mushrooms.” Option (C) is a trap; the waiter mentions the word “table” (“I brought this to the wrong table”), but the customer does not want to move. Option (A) is a common restaurant complaint, but it is not mentioned here.

3 (B) A glass of water

• Explanation: At the end of the conversation, the customer says, “And could I also get a glass of water, please?” Options (A) and (C) are plausible things to ask a waiter for, but they are not mentioned in the dialogue.

Customer: Excuse me? I think there is a mistake with my order.

Waiter: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem, sir?

Customer: Well, I ordered the chicken soup. But you brought me the mushroom soup instead. I don’t really like mushrooms.

Waiter: Let me check my notes… Oh, you are absolutely right. I am so sorry. I brought this to the wrong table. Let me take that back and get your chicken soup right away.

Customer: Thank you. And could I also get a glass of water, please?

Waiter: Right away, sir.

1 (C) It is cold and salty.

• Explanation: The customer clearly states two problems: the fish is “completely cold” and “much too salty.” Option (A) is a common restaurant problem but is not mentioned here. Option (B) is a trap; the food has too much salt, not too much spice.

2 (B) Make a brand new fish.

• Explanation: The manager decides to “ask the chef to make a brand new fish.” Option (A) is the trap; the manager originally offered to heat the fish up, but changed the plan when he heard it was also too salty. Option (C) is a plausible food item but is never mentioned.

3 (C) A dessert

• Explanation: At the end of the conversation, the manager says, “I will bring you a free dessert after your meal.” Options (A) and (B) are plausible free items a restaurant might give, but they are not mentioned in the audio.

Manager: Good evening, sir. Is everything okay with your meal?

Customer: Actually, no. I’m sorry to complain, but this grilled fish is completely cold.

Manager: Oh, I apologize for that. Let me take it back to the kitchen and heat it up for you.

Customer: Well, it’s also much too salty for me. I really can’t eat it.

Manager: I am so sorry, sir. In that case, heating it up won’t help. Let me ask the chef to make a brand new fish for you, with less salt.

Customer: Thank you. That would be great.

Manager: And to make up for the mistake, I will bring you a free dessert after your meal.

Customer: Oh, that’s very kind of you.

1 (B) Coffee and a sandwich

• Explanation: The customer spills his coffee at the beginning, and later says, “I also dropped my sandwich on the floor!” Option (A) is a trap; coffee was the first thing mentioned, but it was not the only thing. Option (C) is a trap; water is a plausible drink but is not mentioned in the audio.

2 (B) The employee, using a mop

• Explanation: The employee tells the customer, “I will bring a mop and clean the floor right now.” Option (A) is the trap; the customer asks for paper towels to clean it himself, but the employee tells him not to touch it. Option (C) is plausible for a restaurant, but a separate cleaner is not mentioned.

3 (A) A new sandwich

• Explanation: When the customer says he needs to buy another sandwich, the employee replies, “I will get you a new sandwich for free.” Option (B) is a trap; coffee was spilled, so it is plausible he needs a new one, but the employee explicitly offers the sandwich. Option (C) is a trap using words mentioned earlier in the conversation.

Customer: Oh no! I’m so sorry! I just spilled my coffee all over the table and the floor.

Employee: It’s okay, don’t worry about it. Did it get on your clothes?

Customer: No, my clothes are fine, luckily. But it’s a big mess. Could you give me some paper towels so I can clean it up?

Employee: Please don’t touch it. I will bring a mop and clean the floor right now. You can just move to that clean table by the window.

Customer: Thank you so much. But wait, I also dropped my sandwich on the floor! I need to buy another one.

Employee: Oh, please don’t worry about that. I will get you a new sandwich for free.

Customer: That is very kind of you. Thanks again.

1 (B) Croissants

• Explanation: The customer says at the very beginning, “I would like to buy two croissants, please.” Option (A) is the trap; chocolate muffins are what she buys at the end, not what she originally wanted. Option (C) is a plausible bakery item, but it is never mentioned.

2 (A) They are all sold out.

• Explanation: The baker clearly states, “we are completely sold out of croissants today.” Options (B) and (C) are common problems when buying food, but they are not the reasons given in this conversation.

3 (C) Chocolate muffins

• Explanation: The baker suggests the chocolate muffins, and the customer agrees, saying, “I’ll take two of those instead.” Option (A) is a trap; the customer asks for plain bread, but the baker says they don’t have any left. Option (B) is a trap; she wanted croissants, but couldn’t get them.

Customer: Good morning! I would like to buy two croissants, please.

Baker: Good morning! I am so sorry, but we are completely sold out of croissants today. A large family came in and bought all of them earlier.

Customer: Oh no, that’s too bad. I really wanted them for breakfast. Well, do you have any plain bread?

Baker: We don’t have any plain bread left, either. However, we just baked some fresh chocolate muffins. They are still warm!

Customer: Hmm, chocolate muffins? Okay, that sounds delicious. I’ll take two of those instead.

Baker: Great choice! That will be four dollars, please.

1 (B) Butter

• Explanation: Tom looks in the fridge and says, “we are completely out of butter.” Options (A) and (C) are traps; cheese and milk are the items they did buy yesterday, so they are not missing.

2 (A) Oil

• Explanation: When Lucy hears there is no butter, she asks, “Should we just use oil instead?” Options (B) and (C) are traps using words mentioned earlier in the conversation, but they are not suggested as a replacement for butter.

3 (C) Go to the convenience store.

• Explanation: Tom solves the problem by saying, “I will run to the convenience store and buy some butter right now.” Option (A) is a trap; Lucy is the one mixing the cake, not Tom. Option (B) is also a trap; Tom rejects using oil because it “won’t taste good.”

Lucy: Tom, can you pass me the butter? I’m almost finished mixing the cake.

Tom: Sure. Let me check the fridge… Uh oh. Lucy, we are completely out of butter.

Lucy: What? Are you sure? I thought we bought some yesterday!

Tom: No, we only bought cheese and milk yesterday. We forgot the butter.

Lucy: Oh no, we can’t finish the cake without it. Should we just use oil instead?

Tom: No, oil won’t taste good in this recipe. Don’t worry, I will run to the convenience store and buy some butter right now.

Lucy: Thanks, Tom! Please hurry!