Learning languages – A2 English Listening Exercise

1 (B) On Saturday mornings.

• Explanation: Sarah says, “I had to sign up for the Saturday morning class instead.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. She wanted the Tuesday evening class, but it was “completely full,” so she couldn’t take it. Option (C) was never mentioned.

2 (B) Learn grammar from a book.

• Explanation: Sarah says, “I thought we would just learn basic grammar and vocabulary from a book.” This was her expectation.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The teacher makes them speak all the time now, but this is not what she expected to do. Option (C) was not mentioned.

3 (B) She finds it tiring but helpful.

• Explanation: She says the class is “really tiring,” but she also notes a positive result: “my pronunciation is getting better” (which means it is helpful).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Mark is the one who says learning from a book “sounds boring,” Sarah doesn’t say the current class is boring. Option (C) is wrong because she explicitly says the class is “a little bit” difficult, not easy.

Mark: Hey Sarah! How is your new Spanish class going?

Sarah: Oh, hi Mark. Well, it’s okay. Um, I originally wanted to take the evening class on Tuesdays.

Mark: Yeah?

Sarah: But unfortunately, it was completely full. So, I had to sign up for the Saturday morning class instead.

Mark: That’s too bad. Is the class difficult?

Sarah: A little bit. I thought we would just learn basic grammar and vocabulary from a book.

Mark: That sounds boring.

Sarah: Yeah, but actually, the teacher makes us speak all the time! It’s really tiring, but I guess my pronunciation is getting better.

1 (B) Translate an email he received.

• Explanation: Tom says, “I just got this email… Can you translate it for me?”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. Tom needs help with an email, but he needs Lisa to translate an email he already received, not write a new one. Option (C) was not mentioned.

2 (C) Confirming Tom’s hotel room.

• Explanation: Lisa says, “I thought they were just writing to confirm your room,” and Tom agrees by saying, “Yeah, me too!”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The email actually is about his credit card not working, but the question asks what they originally thought the email was about before reading it carefully. Option (B) is plausible but not mentioned.

3 (A) Call the hotel.

• Explanation: Lisa tells Tom, “So, you have to call them and give them another card number.” Tom then confirms, “I’ll call them now.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. Tom mentions that he “wanted to practice my speaking,” but this is just a frustrated comment about the situation, not the solution to his hotel problem. Option (C) is a plausible guess for a credit card issue, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

Tom: Hey Lisa, are you busy? I need your help.

Lisa: Not really. What’s up?

Tom: Well, um, I just got this email from the hotel in London. But my English isn’t great. Can you translate it for me?

Lisa: Sure, let me see… Hmm. I thought they were just writing to confirm your room.

Tom: Yeah, me too! Is there a problem?

Lisa: Unfortunately, yes. Your credit card didn’t work. So, you have to call them and give them another card number.

Tom: Oh no! I wanted to practice my speaking, but not like this! I’ll call them now.

1 (A) He forgets new vocabulary.

• Explanation: Alex explicitly states his problem at the beginning: “how do you remember all these new English words? I always forget them!”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. The word “bus” is mentioned later in the audio, but it is where Emma studies, not a problem that Alex has. Option (B) was never mentioned.

2 (C) By writing them on paper.

• Explanation: Emma says, “I used to write every word on paper ten times.” “Used to” means she did this in the past.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. Emma uses flashcards on her phone now, but the question asks how she studied in the past. Option (A) is a mix of distractors.

3 (B) Download a new app.

• Explanation: At the end of the conversation, Alex decides to change his method and says, “I’ll download a flashcard app tonight.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. Writing words is what Alex currently does, but he decides to stop doing it because it takes too much time. Option (C) is a trap because the audio mentions digital flashcards (“on my phone”, “app”), not paper ones.

Alex: Hey Emma, how do you remember all these new English words? I always forget them!

Emma: Well, I used to write every word on paper ten times.

Alex: Really? I do that too, but it takes so much time.

Emma: I know. It got really boring. So, I stopped doing that. Now, I use flashcards on my phone. It’s much faster.

Alex: Flashcards? Do they work?

Emma: Yes! I review them on the bus every morning. You should try it.

Alex: Good idea. I’ll download a flashcard app tonight instead of writing them down.

1 (B) Sydney, Australia.

• Explanation: Chloe clearly says her final decision: “So, I’m going to Sydney, Australia instead.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. Ben asks if she is going to London, and she says “I wanted to” (in the past), but she changed her plan. Option (C) was never mentioned.

2 (C) Because the plane tickets cost too much.

• Explanation: Chloe explains her reason for not going to London: “but the flights were way too expensive.” (Plane tickets = flights).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Ben actually says, “I know you love the UK,” so she definitely likes it. Option (B) is a plausible guess but was not mentioned in the audio.

3 (A) She will travel around.

• Explanation: Chloe states her weekend plans clearly: “…but I’ll travel around on the weekends.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is the trap. Ben asks if she will study all the time, but she says “No, definitely not.” She only has classes from Monday to Thursday. Option (C) is not mentioned.

Ben: Hey Chloe! Do you have any plans for the summer?

Chloe: Yeah! I want to practice my English, so I’m going to study abroad.

Ben: That’s great! Are you going to London? I know you love the UK.

Chloe: Well, I wanted to, but the flights were way too expensive. So, I’m going to Sydney, Australia instead.

Ben: Australia is amazing! Are you going to study all the time?

Chloe: No, definitely not. I have language classes from Monday to Thursday, but I’ll travel around on the weekends. I really want to see the kangaroos!

1 (B) Practicing for a language class.

• Explanation: David says, “Are you ready to practice our French role-play for tomorrow?” They are students doing an assignment.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap. The audio mentions “customer,” “waiter,” and “food,” which are related to a restaurant, but they are only practicing (role-play), not actually eating at one. Option (C) was not mentioned.

2 (B) Mia.

• Explanation: Near the end of the conversation, Mia confirms the final plan: “So, I will be the customer.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is the trap (The Twist). David says, “I wanted to be the customer,” but he changes his mind when he realizes it is too difficult for him. Option (C) was not mentioned.

3 (A) He doesn’t know the words for food.

• Explanation: Mia reminds David that the customer has to order five dishes, and David admits he didn’t learn the food vocabulary (“I only know how to say ‘hello’ and ‘water'”).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. Reading from the textbook is what he will do as the waiter, not the reason he rejects the customer role. Option (C) is a plausible guess for a restaurant context but was not mentioned.

David: Are you ready to practice our French role-play for tomorrow?

Mia: Yes! I’ll be the customer, and you can be the waiter.

David: Actually, I wanted to be the customer. I didn’t memorize the waiter’s questions yet.

Mia: Really? But the customer has to order five different dishes. Did you learn all the food vocabulary?

David: Oh, no… I only know how to say “hello” and “water.”

Mia: Right. So, I will be the customer. You be the waiter and just read the questions from the textbook.

David: That sounds much easier. Thanks, Mia! Let’s start.