Future Tech – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: (A) Their physical shape and comfort.

• Explanation: The reviewer says the “biggest advantage is definitely the physical design” because they are “lightweight” and “fit perfectly.” This is a paraphrase of physical shape and comfort.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. The manufacturer claims the speed is immediate (“zero delay”), but the reviewer explicitly rejects this, saying there is actually a delay. Option (C) is a plausible tech feature, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (C) There is a short pause before hearing the words.

• Explanation: The reviewer complains about a “noticeable lag of about two seconds.” “A short pause” is a paraphrase of a lag/delay.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The battery is mentioned, but the speaker says it is “decent” (lasting six hours), not running out quickly. Option (B) is also a trap; he states that they “fit perfectly in your ears,” so they don’t fall out.

3 Correct Answer: (B) Businesspeople attending global conferences.

• Explanation: At the end, the host warns that “corporate professionals shouldn’t rely on them for important international meetings.” Option (B) is a direct paraphrase of this warning.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The reviewer actually thinks they are a “fun gadget for basic tourist needs,” so travelers can use them; they don’t need to avoid them. Option (C) is plausible for language devices but is never mentioned.

Tech Reviewer: Welcome back to ‘Tech Today’! I’m your host, and today we’re looking at the highly anticipated ‘Lingo-Buds’. These are wireless earphones that claim to translate 20 different languages in real-time. Basically, you just wear them, and when someone speaks Spanish or Japanese, you hear it in English instantly.

I tested them on my trip to Europe last week. The biggest advantage is definitely the physical design. They are incredibly lightweight, and, um, they fit perfectly in your ears, unlike the bulky older models from last year. The battery life is also decent, lasting about six hours on a single charge.

However, they aren’t perfect. While the manufacturer says the translation has zero delay, I actually experienced a noticeable lag of about two seconds. It makes natural conversations, well, a bit awkward. Also, the software struggles with heavy regional accents.

Overall, at $150, they are a fun gadget for basic tourist needs, but corporate professionals shouldn’t rely on them for important international meetings just yet.

1 Correct Answer: (B) It uses visual equipment and reads product codes.

• Explanation: The commercial states that the fridge features “internal cameras” (visual equipment) and a “built-in barcode scanner” (which reads product codes).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The speaker mentions keeping “vegetables cold,” but this is just a basic function of a normal fridge, not how the smart fridge identifies products. Option (C) is a plausible smart feature (voice recognition), but it is never mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (A) It buys replacements from a nearby market without your help.

• Explanation: The voice-over says the fridge “automatically connects to your local grocery store’s app and schedules a delivery.” Option (A) is a strong paraphrase of this automated purchasing process.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. The audio mentions a “shopping list,” but explicitly states that “You don’t even have to write a shopping list,” meaning it does not create one for you to read. Option (C) is plausible for an alarm system but is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (C) They can set a financial limit using the monitor.

• Explanation: The advertisement explains that you can “adjust the maximum weekly budget directly on the digital screen.” “Set a financial limit” is a synonym for adjusting the budget, and “monitor” is a synonym for the digital screen.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The speaker says you can turn the “auto-purchase feature off,” not the internal cameras. Option (B) is plausible in real life to stop payments, but it is not the solution provided by the product.

Voice-over: Are you tired of waking up, pouring a bowl of cereal, and then realizing you have no milk left? Well, say goodbye to those frustrating mornings with the new Glacier Smart Fridge.

This isn’t just a place to keep your vegetables cold. The Glacier Smart Fridge features advanced internal cameras and a built-in barcode scanner. Every time you put an item inside, the appliance logs it. When it notices your essentials—like eggs, butter, or milk—are running extremely low, it takes action. You don’t even have to write a shopping list! The fridge automatically connects to your local grocery store’s app and schedules a delivery right to your front door.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What if it orders too much?” Don’t worry. You can easily adjust the maximum weekly budget directly on the digital screen, or just turn the auto-purchase feature off completely.

Upgrade your kitchen today. Visit our website to find a retailer near you and never run out of your favorite foods again!

1 Correct Answer: (A) Prepare their electronic passes for checking.

• Explanation: The announcer tells passengers to have their “digital tickets ready for scanning.” “Electronic passes” is a paraphrase for digital tickets, and “checking” means scanning.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. The train will “depart in exactly five minutes,” so they must board now, not wait for five more minutes. Option (C) is a plausible travel requirement, but ID cards are not mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (B) Because the vehicle moves at an extremely high speed.

• Explanation: The announcer says it is required to fasten safety harnesses (seatbelts) because the train “travels at speeds of over 600 kilometers per hour,” which means it moves at an extremely high speed.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The announcer explicitly calls it a “short 20-minute journey,” so it does not take a long time. Option (C) is plausible, but track repairs are never mentioned in the audio.

3 Correct Answer: (B) They can get free medicine from the overhead bins.

• Explanation: The announcer says that if you experience motion sickness (feel unwell), “complimentary water and medication are available in the storage compartment above your head.” “Free medicine” means complimentary medication, and “overhead bins” are storage compartments above your head.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The audio mentions the storage area, but explicitly states that “eating is not permitted,” so you cannot buy food. Option (C) is a plausible action on a normal train, but it is not mentioned here.

Station Announcer: Attention all passengers. This is a station announcement for the Maglev Express, Service 805, traveling to the Capital City. The train is currently boarding at Platform 4 and will depart in exactly five minutes. Please ensure that you have your digital tickets ready for scanning before entering the capsule.

Once you are inside the cabin, please find your designated seat immediately. Because this magnetic levitation train travels at speeds of over 600 kilometers per hour, it is strictly required that you fasten your safety harness before departure. Do not stand or walk in the aisles while the train is in motion.

If you experience any motion sickness, complimentary water and medication are available in the storage compartment above your head. We remind you that smoking and eating are not permitted during this short 20-minute journey. Thank you for choosing the Hyperloop network, and we wish you a pleasant and incredibly fast trip to the capital.

1 Correct Answer: (B) By using a network of objects in space.

• Explanation: The reporter states that the tractor relies on a “complex satellite system.” Satellites are a network of objects in space.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. The audio explicitly says the tractor “doesn’t need a human at the steering wheel,” meaning a person is not steering it. Option (A) is a plausible way for a machine to move, but it is not mentioned in the report.

2 Correct Answer: (C) It has the ability to operate continuously all day and night.

• Explanation: The reporter explains that the machine can “work 24 hours a day without taking a single break,” which is a paraphrase of operating continuously all day and night.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. While it might be true in real life that robots save money on labor, the reporter never mentions the cost of the tractor versus workers. Option (B) is a trap because the audio mentions working 24 hours, not finishing the job in a few hours.

3 Correct Answer: (B) They are providing liquid hydration and nutrients to the crops.

• Explanation: The drones are “spraying precise amounts of water and liquid vitamins” where the plants need them. “Providing liquid hydration and nutrients” is a strong paraphrase of this action.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The reporter mentions taking pictures, but explicitly says they “aren’t just taking pictures of the scenery.” Option (C) is a trap because the reporter mentions “birds” and a “loud buzzing sound,” but the drones are not there to scare birds away.

TV Reporter: Good evening, everyone. I’m reporting live from Greenfield Farms, but surprisingly, you won’t see any traditional farmers out here today. Instead, we are looking at the future of agriculture, where autonomous machines are doing most of the heavy lifting.

Right now, just behind me, a massive driverless tractor is gathering the summer wheat crop. It doesn’t need a human at the steering wheel. Instead, it relies on a complex satellite system to navigate the fields, meaning it can work 24 hours a day without taking a single break.

And, um, if you look up at the sky, you’ll probably hear a loud buzzing sound. Those aren’t birds or airplanes; they are commercial flying drones. But they aren’t just taking pictures of the scenery. They are actually spraying precise amounts of water and liquid vitamins exactly where the growing plants need them most.

Well, this automated technology is definitely transforming how we produce our food. Back to you in the studio!

1 Correct Answer: (A) They take too much time to recharge.

• Explanation: The CEO says that we all hate “waiting for hours plugged into the wall.” “Take too much time to recharge” is a paraphrase of this idea.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. The CEO actually states the opposite, saying that smartphones have become “incredibly powerful.” Option (C) is a plausible complaint about modern phones, but the CEO never mentions the price.

2 Correct Answer: (B) In exactly two minutes.

• Explanation: The speaker announces that the battery goes from zero to a hundred percent in “exactly 120 seconds.” 120 seconds is the exact same amount of time as two minutes.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The CEO mentions “hours” when talking about how long old batteries take to charge, not the new one. Option (C) is a trap because the process is very fast (washing your face), but the exact time is 120 seconds, not under one minute.

3 Correct Answer: (C) It will hold its maximum power for ten years.

• Explanation: The CEO guarantees the battery will maintain its maximum capacity for a “full decade.” A decade means ten years.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The CEO mentions “two years” (twenty-four months), but that is how long traditional batteries last before they start dying, not the Nova Cell. Option (B) is also a trap. He says you will probably buy three new phones before replacing the battery, but he does not promise it will literally “outlast three generations” as a technical feature.

CEO: Good morning, everyone! Thank you for joining us today. For the past decade, our smartphones have become incredibly powerful, but there is one thing that always slows us down. Yes, the battery. We all hate waiting for hours plugged into the wall, right? Well, today, I am thrilled to introduce the ‘Nova Cell’. This isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a revolution.

Imagine this: you wake up, realize your phone is completely dead, and you have a meeting soon. With the Nova Cell, you just plug it in, go wash your face, and, um, by the time you dry off, it’s ready. That’s right, it goes from zero to a hundred percent in exactly 120 seconds.

And what about longevity? Traditional batteries start dying after two years. But we have used a brand-new material. The Nova Cell is guaranteed to maintain its maximum capacity for a full decade. You will probably buy three new phones before you ever need to replace this battery! Thank you, and welcome to the future of energy.