Holiday Experiences – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to a conversation between two colleagues about a holiday. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What did Tom plan to do on his holiday?
(A) Go swimming and sunbathing.
(B) Read books in his room.
(C) Visit a museum.
2 Why didn’t Tom go to the beach?
(A) The beach was too crowded.
(B) It rained heavily for three days.
(C) He was too tired to walk outside.
3 What did Tom actually do during the weekend?
(A) He walked outside in the rain.
(B) He went swimming.
(C) He stayed in his hotel room.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) Go swimming and sunbathing.
- Explanation: Tom says, “I planned to go swimming and sunbathing every day.” Option B is the trap: reading books is what he actually did, not what he planned to do. Option C is a plausible rainy day activity but is not mentioned in the audio.
2 (B) It rained heavily for three days.
- Explanation: Tom explicitly states, “…unfortunately, it rained heavily for three whole days!” Option A is not mentioned. Option C is a trap: he says “I couldn’t even walk outside” because of the bad weather, not because he was tired.
3 (C) He stayed in his hotel room.
- Explanation: Tom says, “So, I just stayed in my hotel room and read books all weekend.” Option A is the trap: he explicitly says he “couldn’t even walk outside.” Option B is the trap: he planned to go swimming, but he didn’t do it.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Woman: Hi Tom. You’re back from your beach holiday! Did you get a nice tan?
Man: Oh, don’t ask. It was a complete disaster. I planned to go swimming and sunbathing every day.
Woman: Oh no. What happened?
Man: Well, unfortunately, it rained heavily for three whole days! The wind was terrible, too.
Woman: That’s awful! So you didn’t go to the beach at all?
Man: No. I couldn’t even walk outside. So, I just stayed in my hotel room and read books all weekend.
Woman: Well, at least you got some rest!
Listening 2
Listen to a conversation between a doctor and a patient. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where did the patient actually eat her last dinner?
(A) At the hotel restaurant.
(B) At a street market.
(C) At the airport.
2 Why didn’t the patient eat at the hotel?
(A) The food was too expensive.
(B) The restaurant was closed.
(C) The restaurant was full.
3 When did the patient start feeling sick?
(A) While she was eating the seafood.
(B) Right before she went to the airport.
(C) After she arrived home.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) At a street market.
- Explanation: The patient explicitly says, “So, I bought some grilled seafood from a street market instead.” Option A is the trap: she “planned” to eat at the hotel, but she didn’t. Option C is a trap: the airport is where she went later, not where she ate dinner.
2 (C) The restaurant was full.
- Explanation: The patient explains her change of plan by saying, “But it was full.” Option A and Option B are plausible reasons for not eating at a hotel restaurant, but they are not mentioned in the audio.
3 (B) Right before she went to the airport.
- Explanation: The patient states, “…right before I went to the airport, I started feeling very sick.” Option A is the trap: she said the food was “delicious” while eating it, so she didn’t feel sick then. Option C is a plausible time but is not mentioned in the script.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Doctor: Good morning. How can I help you today?
Patient: Hi, doctor. I have a terrible stomachache. I just came back from my holiday in Thailand.
Doctor: Oh, I see. What did you eat yesterday?
Patient: Well, for our last dinner, I really planned to eat at the hotel restaurant. But it was full. So, I bought some grilled seafood from a street market instead.
Doctor: Did it taste okay?
Patient: Yes, it was delicious! But a few hours later, right before I went to the airport, I started feeling very sick.
Doctor: I understand. It sounds like food poisoning. Let me give you some medicine.
Listening 3
Listen to three friends talking about a backpacking trip. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where did Alex and Ben want to go at first?
(A) To a tiny village.
(B) To the Blue Lake.
(C) To a farmer’s house.
2 Why did they get lost?
(A) They couldn’t find the bus station.
(B) They lost their paper map.
(C) They got on the wrong bus.
3 Why couldn’t they use the map on Alex’s phone?
(A) The phone had no battery.
(B) There was no phone signal.
(C) The phone was broken.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) To the Blue Lake.
- Explanation: Alex clearly states, “We wanted to go to the famous Blue Lake.” Option A is the trap: “a tiny village” is where they actually ended up, not where they wanted to go. Option C is a trap: the farmer helped them at the end, they didn’t plan to go to his house.
2 (C) They got on the wrong bus.
- Explanation: Ben explains, “we took the wrong one! It was the number 15.” Option A is a trap: they “waited at the station”, so finding it wasn’t the problem. Option B is a trap: they tried to use a map on the phone, not a paper map.
3 (B) There was no phone signal.
- Explanation: Ben says, “But there was absolutely no signal!” Option A and Option C are plausible reasons for a phone not working on a trip, but they are not mentioned in the audio.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Chloe: So, how was your backpacking trip to the mountains?
Alex: Oh, it was crazy! We wanted to go to the famous Blue Lake.
Ben: Yeah, we waited at the station and got on the number 5 bus. But actually, we took the wrong one! It was the number 15.
Chloe: Oh no! Where did it take you?
Alex: To a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. And the worst part? We tried to use the map on my phone…
Ben: But there was absolutely no signal! We couldn’t call anyone.
Chloe: That’s scary! How did you get back?
Alex: Well, a kind farmer drove us back in his truck. We were so lucky!
Listening 4
Listen to a conversation between two friends about a hotel. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 What did Emma think about the hotel before she arrived?
(A) She thought it was beautiful and clean.
(B) She thought it was extremely dirty.
(C) She thought it was very expensive.
2 What was the actual problem with Emma’s room?
(A) It was too small for her.
(B) It had old trash under the bed.
(C) It didn’t have a nice view.
3 How did the receptionist react when Emma talked to her?
(A) She said sorry to Emma.
(B) She gave Emma a new room.
(C) She was very rude.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) She thought it was beautiful and clean.
- Explanation: Liam says the pictures look “beautiful” and “clean”, and Emma replies, “I thought so, too!”. Option B is the trap: “extremely dirty” is the reality of the hotel, not what Emma thought before she went there. Option C is a plausible expectation for a hotel but is not mentioned.
2 (B) It had old trash under the bed.
- Explanation: Emma explicitly states, “There was even old trash under the bed!” Option A and Option C are plausible problems for a hotel room, but they are not mentioned in the audio.
3 (C) She was very rude.
- Explanation: Emma says, “…she was really rude to me.” Option A and Option B are traps: Emma “expected her to say sorry” and she went down “to ask for a new room”, but the receptionist didn’t do either of those things.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Liam: Hey Emma. I’m looking at hotels for my trip to the coast. Have you heard of the Sunrise Hotel?
Emma: Oh, Liam, don’t book that one! I stayed there last week.
Liam: Really? But the pictures on the internet look so beautiful. The rooms look very clean.
Emma: I thought so, too! But actually, my room was extremely dirty. There was even old trash under the bed!
Liam: Ew, that’s terrible. What did you do?
Emma: I went to the receptionist to ask for a new room. I expected her to say sorry, but she was really rude to me. She said it wasn’t her problem.
Liam: Wow. Okay, I will definitely find another place to stay.
Listening 5
Listen to a telephone conversation between a husband and wife. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C) for each question.
1 Where is the husband right now?
(A) On the plane.
(B) At a hotel.
(C) At the airport in Paris.
2 Why did the husband miss his flight?
(A) Because there was bad weather.
(B) Because he fell asleep.
(C) Because he arrived at the airport late.
3 When will the husband fly back home?
(A) Later today.
(B) Tomorrow morning.
(C) Tomorrow night.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) At the airport in Paris.
- Explanation: The husband clearly states, “I’m still at the airport in Paris.” Option A is the trap: his wife asks “are you on the plane yet?” because that was her expectation, but he isn’t. Option B is a trap: his wife tells him to “find a hotel” at the end of the call, but he is not there yet.
2 (B) Because he fell asleep.
- Explanation: The husband explains what happened: “…But unfortunately, I fell asleep!”. Option A is the trap: the wife asks if it was “because of the bad weather,” and he “thought it was delayed,” but the real reason he missed the plane was falling asleep. Option C is a plausible reason for missing a flight but is never mentioned.
3 (B) Tomorrow morning.
- Explanation: The husband says, “Now I have to buy a new ticket for tomorrow morning.” Options A and C are plausible times to book a new flight but are not mentioned in the audio.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Wife: Hello? Honey, are you on the plane yet? I’m ready to pick you up soon.
Husband: Hi, Sarah. Um… I have some bad news. I’m still at the airport in Paris.
Wife: Paris? Why? Was your flight delayed because of the bad weather?
Husband: Well, I thought it was delayed! I looked at the screen, so I sat down in the waiting lounge to read a book. But unfortunately, I fell asleep!
Wife: Oh no! So you missed your flight?
Husband: Yes. When I woke up, the plane was already gone. Now I have to buy a new ticket for tomorrow morning.
Wife: Oh dear. Well, find a hotel to rest and call me later.