Geography – A2 English Listening Exercise

1 (B) New Zealand

• Why B is correct: The man explicitly says, “I was actually trying to find New Zealand…”
• Why A is a trap: Australia is mentioned immediately after, and it becomes the main topic of the conversation, but it wasn’t what he was looking for at first.
• Why C is wrong: Europe is just mentioned by the woman as an example of connected countries.

2 (A) It is a very large island.

• Why A is correct: The man says it’s “huge” and “completely surrounded by water,” and agrees when the woman calls it a “giant island.”
• Why B is a trap: The woman says she used to think it was connected to other countries like in Europe, but the man corrects her.
• Why C is wrong: It is in the ocean, but the speakers emphasize that it is “huge” and “giant,” not small.

3 (C) Japan

• Why C is correct: The man uses the “Twist” technique: he wanted to go to Australia, but because of expensive flights, he says, “So, I decided to visit Japan instead.”
• Why A is a trap: He wanted to go to Australia, but changed his plans (a classic A2 distractor).
• Why B is wrong: New Zealand was only mentioned at the beginning when looking at the map; it was never part of his travel plans.

Man: Hey, Sarah, look at this world map.

Woman: Oh, cool. Um, what are you looking at?

Man: I was actually trying to find New Zealand, but my eyes went straight to Australia. It’s just huge!

Woman: Yeah, it really is. You know, I always thought it was connected to other countries, like the places in Europe.

Man: Well, no. It’s completely surrounded by water, right in the middle of the ocean.

Woman: Wow, so it’s basically a giant island?

Man: Exactly! I really wanted to travel there next summer, but the flights are just too expensive. So, I decided to visit Japan instead.

Woman: Ah, that sounds like a fun trip anyway!

1 (B) Relax on the beach.

• Why B is correct: The man clearly states his plan at the beginning: “I really want to visit the beach. We can just relax on the white sand…”
• Why A is a trap: Going to the mountains is what the woman wants to do, not the man.
• Why C is wrong: Staying at home is never mentioned in the conversation.

2 (A) She thinks the weather is too hot.

• Why A is correct: The woman directly gives her reason: “The south is too hot right now.”
• Why B is a trap: “Last year” is mentioned in the audio, but the man says they went to the mountains last year, not the south.
• Why C is wrong: The cost of hotels or being expensive is not discussed.

3 (C) To a lake.

• Why C is correct: This is the “Twist” of the A2 level. They argue about the beach and the mountains, but then the woman suggests “Lake Serenity instead,” and the man agrees (“Let’s book a hotel there”).
• Why A & B are traps: Both the beach and the mountains are discussed for most of the conversation, but they are rejected in the end.

Man: Summer is coming soon. Let’s travel to the south! I really want to visit the beach. We can just relax on the white sand and swim in the warm water.

Woman: Oh, I don’t know. The south is too hot right now. I’d rather go up to the mountains in the north. The climate is so cool, and I love walking among the tall trees.

Man: But we went to the mountains last year! I want to do something different.

Woman: True… Well, what if we visit Lake Serenity instead? It has water for you to swim in, and it’s surrounded by nice forests.

Man: You know what? That’s a great idea. It’s a perfect compromise. Let’s book a hotel there.

1 (B) France

• Why B is correct: The girl clearly tells her brother at the beginning: “you are looking at France right now.”
• Why A & C are traps: Scotland is mentioned right after as the boy’s second guess. England is where London actually is, but it wasn’t where the boy looked first.

2 (A) Next to a river.

• Why A is correct: The girl points out the River Thames and confirms that London is “built along that river.”
• Why B is a trap: The coast is mentioned, but the girl says she used to think it was on the coast (a classic A2 distractor using past belief vs. present reality).
• Why C is wrong: Mountains are not mentioned in the conversation at all.

3 (C) She thought it was on the coast.

• Why C is correct: The girl says, “I thought it was on the coast when I was your age…”
• Why A is a trap: Scotland is mentioned in the audio, but that was the boy’s incorrect guess, not the girl’s past belief.
• Why B is wrong: The size of the city (small) is never discussed.

Boy: Hey, Emma, can you help me with my geography homework? I need to find London on this map of Europe.

Girl: Sure! Let’s see. Um, you are looking at France right now. London is not there.

Boy: Oh, I see. So, is it this big city up here in Scotland?

Girl: No, that’s Edinburgh. Look further down, in England. See this blue line? That’s the River Thames.

Boy: Oh, yes! And there is a city right next to it.

Girl: Exactly. I thought it was on the coast when I was your age, but it’s actually built along that river. That’s London!

Boy: Awesome, thanks! I’ll write that down.

1 (B) In a small town in a valley.

• Why B is correct: The woman explicitly states, “I grew up in a really small town. It’s located in a beautiful valley.”
• Why A is a trap: The man asks if she is from a “big city,” and later she says she wanted to move to one, but she didn’t grow up there.
• Why C is wrong: An island is never mentioned in the conversation.

2 (B) Green hills and a lake.

• Why B is correct: She describes her hometown by saying, “there is a huge, quiet lake. And it’s surrounded by green hills everywhere.”
• Why A is a trap: The man asks if it is near the “ocean” and mentions the “beach,” but the woman clearly answers, “No, we don’t have a beach.”
• Why C is wrong: A river and mountains are plausible geographical features, but they are not mentioned in the audio.

3 (B) She thinks it is a great place to relax.

• Why B is correct: The woman says, “But now, I think my hometown is perfect for relaxing.”
• Why A is wrong: She says it is quiet, but she doesn’t think it is boring; she loves going back there.
• Why C is a trap: She wanted to move to a busy city “when I was young,” which is a past desire, not how she feels now. (This uses the classic A2 past vs. present contrast).

Man: So, Anna, where are you from? Are you from a big city?

Woman: No, I grew up in a really small town. It’s located in a beautiful valley.

Man: Oh, a valley? Is it near the ocean? I love going to the beach.

Woman: No, we don’t have a beach. But there is a huge, quiet lake. And it’s surrounded by green hills everywhere.

Man: That sounds lovely! Did you like living there?

Woman: Actually, when I was young, I wanted to move to a busy city. But now, I think my hometown is perfect for relaxing. I love going back there.

1 (A) It is full of sand and very dry.

• Why A is correct: The woman reads directly from the postcard: “It is very dry and there is just sand everywhere.”
• Why B & C are wrong: The audio does not mention that the desert is green, wet, or windy. These are plausible geographical descriptions but not for this desert.

2 (B) It is freezing cold.

• Why B is correct: The postcard clearly states, “it gets freezing cold at night!”
• Why A is a trap: The audio mentions “extremely hot”, but that is the weather during the day, not at night. The man also mistakenly thought deserts were “hot all the time”.
• Why C is wrong: “Warm and relaxing” is not mentioned in the audio.

3 (C) Inside a hotel.

• Why C is correct: This is the A2 “Twist”. Because it was too cold, Mark says: “So, I had to sleep inside the hotel.”
• Why A is a trap: Mark says he wanted to sleep outside under the stars, but his plan changed because of the cold weather.
• Why B is wrong: A tent is a logical place to sleep in a desert, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

Woman: Hey, I got a postcard from Mark! He’s visiting the desert in Egypt right now.

Man: Oh, really? What does he say about it?

Woman: Let me read it to you. He says, “The desert is amazing! It is very dry and there is just sand everywhere.”

Man: I bet it’s incredibly hot there.

Woman: Well, listen to this part. He writes, “During the day, it is extremely hot. I actually wanted to sleep outside under the stars. However, it gets freezing cold at night! So, I had to sleep inside the hotel.”

Man: Wow, I didn’t know that. I always thought deserts were hot all the time.