Mental Health – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: A

• The Key: Alex says people might think “writing in a diary is just an activity for teenagers”. This is paraphrased in option A as “mainly suitable for young people”.
• The Trap (B): Alex mentions that he bought a “cheap notebook”, which means it is not expensive. The cost of the notebook is not the common belief he mentions (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (C): Believing journaling is a waste of time is a plausible opinion for busy people, but Alex does not state this in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: Alex says that writing his worries down seemed to “empty them out of my head” and it felt like he had “organized a very messy room”. This is paraphrased as removing “stressful and confusing thoughts from his mind”.
• The Trap (A): Work is mentioned (“a really demanding period at work”), but writing helped him clear his mind to sleep, not solve his actual office problems (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (C): A friend is mentioned as the person who gave the advice, but Alex didn’t use journaling to communicate with that friend.

3 Correct Answer: C

• The Key: Alex says they will explore “how dedicating just ten minutes a day to writing can help you manage daily anxiety”. “Ten minutes a day” is paraphrased as “brief, daily writing”, and managing anxiety matches “improve emotional well-being”.
• The Trap (A): The words “writing” and “ten minutes” might make listeners think of writing a book quickly, but the podcast is about mental health, not becoming an author (Plausible but not mentioned).
• The Trap (B): Alex tells the listeners to “grab a cup of tea” at the very end, but this is just a friendly suggestion to get comfortable, not the main topic of the episode (Mentioned but rejected as the main topic).

Alex: Welcome back to Mind Matters, everyone. I’m your host, Alex. Today, we’re diving into a very simple, yet powerful habit: journaling. Now, I know what you might be thinking—writing in a diary is just an activity for teenagers, right? But honestly, it’s an incredible tool for your mental health.

Let me share a quick personal story. A few years ago, I was going through a really demanding period at work. My mind was constantly racing, and I just couldn’t fall asleep at night. A friend suggested I try putting my thoughts on paper before bed. I wasn’t convinced at first, but I went out, bought a cheap notebook, and gave it a try. To my surprise, just the physical act of writing down my worries seemed to empty them out of my head. It felt like I had finally organized a very messy room.

In this episode, we are going to explore how dedicating just ten minutes a day to writing can help you manage daily anxiety and track your emotional growth. So, grab a cup of tea, make yourself comfortable, and let’s get started.

1 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: Michael says that “All the money raised… will go directly to funding local counseling services.” This is paraphrased perfectly as “collect financial support for therapy programs.”
• The Trap (A): The word “marathon” is mentioned, but Michael explicitly says “this isn’t a full marathon” (Mentioned but rejected).
• Plausible Trap (C): Riverside Park is where the run takes place, and cleaning up the park is a common community event, but it is not the purpose of this specific event.

2 Correct Answer: C

• The Key: The experts will teach “practical techniques for managing daily stress”, which matches the phrase “show people how to handle everyday pressure.”
• The Trap (A): The audio mentions that private therapy can be “expensive” (high fee), but states that these specific workshops are “completely free of charge” (Mentioned but wrong context).
• The Trap (B): Michael specifically tells the listeners, “You don’t need to bring any special equipment” (Mentioned but rejected).

3 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: Michael tells the listeners to “visit our station’s website” for registration details, which is paraphrased as “going to the radio program’s website on the internet.”
• Plausible Trap (A): Calling the community center is a logical way to register for a community event, but it is not the method given in the announcement.
• The Trap (C): Saturday is mentioned as the day of the charity run, not the day you should visit the radio station (Mentioned but wrong context).

Michael: Good morning, listeners! You’re tuned in to City Radio 99.5. Next week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and our local community center has organized some fantastic events to get everyone involved and break the stigma.

First up, on Saturday morning, there will be a 5-kilometer charity run through Riverside Park. Now, this isn’t a full marathon, so you don’t need to be a professional athlete to participate. All the money raised from the entrance tickets will go directly to funding local counseling services.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, the community center is hosting a series of wellness workshops. While private therapy can be quite expensive, these particular sessions are completely free of charge. Psychology experts will be there to teach practical techniques for managing daily stress and improving your overall sleep quality. You don’t need to bring any special equipment or previous experience—just yourself and an open mind. For more details on how to register for either event, please visit our station’s website. Let’s support each other and build a healthier community!

1 Correct Answer: A

• The Key: Emma says people might automatically think of “expensive sports or complex crafts”. This is paraphrased as “High costs and complicated activities”.
• The Trap (B): “Staring at screens” is mentioned in the audio, but it is what people do during their stressful daily lives, not what they think a hobby is (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (C): Believing hobbies are just for kids is a common misconception, but the speaker never mentions children in her speech.

2 Correct Answer: C

• The Key: The speaker explains that when you focus on planting a flower or mixing colors, “you are living in the present moment”. This perfectly matches option C (“stay focused on the current moment”).
• The Trap (A): The word “work” is mentioned, but hobbies are meant to help you “disconnect” from work worries, not solve them (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (B): Meeting new friends is a real benefit of many hobbies, but Emma only talks about the mental benefits of focusing your mind, not social benefits.

3 Correct Answer: A

• The Key: Emma says “you only need about twenty minutes a day to see the positive effects”. “Twenty minutes a day” is paraphrased as “a short amount of time… every day”.
• The Trap (C): A “master artist” (professional artist) is mentioned, but Emma explicitly says “It is not about becoming a master artist” (Mentioned but rejected).
• Plausible Trap (B): Waking up earlier is common time-management advice for busy people, but the speaker does not suggest this.

Emma: Hello everyone, and thank you for joining me today. I want to talk about something we often forget when we are busy: hobbies. When I say the word “hobby”, you might automatically think of, well, expensive sports or complex crafts. But it doesn’t have to be. It can be simple things like painting or gardening.

You see, many of us spend our days staring at screens or constantly worrying about work. This continuous stress can really drain our energy. Having a personal interest gives your brain a chance to, um, completely disconnect. When you focus on planting a flower or mixing colors on a canvas, you are living in the present moment. It is a fantastic way to release emotional tension.

Some people tell me they simply don’t have time to learn something new. However, you only need about twenty minutes a day to see the positive effects. It is not about becoming a master artist or an expert; it’s just about giving your mind a safe space to rest and play. So, I encourage you to pick up a brush or a trowel this weekend. Your mental well-being will thank you.

1 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: The news anchor says that teens who spend more than three hours “scrolling through social media apps” are more likely to report “feelings of loneliness and sadness”. This is paraphrased as “spending heavy amounts of time on social networks increases negative emotions”.
• The Trap (A): Video games are explicitly mentioned, but the speaker says “it’s not playing video games that causes the most issues” (Mentioned but rejected).
• Plausible Trap (C): Sleep is mentioned at the very end of the broadcast, but the survey’s main discovery was about screen time, not a historical comparison of sleep habits.

2 Correct Answer: C

• The Key: The experts believe that looking at the “‘perfect’ lives of others online makes young people feel inadequate”. This perfectly matches the idea of comparing their reality to “unrealistic images of other people”.
• Plausible Trap (A): Cyberbullying is a very real problem that makes teenagers sad, but it is not the reason mentioned in this specific news report.
• Plausible Trap (B): Spending money or seeing advertisements is common on social media, but again, it is not mentioned in the audio.

3 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: Doctors recommend that parents establish “one hour of tech-free time right before bed”. This is paraphrased as “Create a short period without electronics before going to sleep”.
• The Trap (A): The speaker mentions “banning smartphones completely” (taking devices away entirely), but explicitly says doctors do not suggest doing this because it causes isolation (Mentioned but rejected).
• Plausible Trap (C): Talking to children is great parenting advice, but it is not the medical advice provided in this news bulletin.

Robert: Good evening. You’re listening to the Daily News update. Tonight, we look at a growing concern for parents: the mental health of teenagers. A newly published survey by the National Health Institute has revealed some worrying trends. Researchers asked over two thousand high school students about their daily habits, and the study found a clear link between screen time and emotional well-being.

Interestingly, it’s not playing video games that causes the most issues. Instead, the survey showed that teens who spend more than three hours a day scrolling through social media apps are twice as likely to report feelings of loneliness and sadness. Why does this happen? Experts believe that constantly looking at the “perfect” lives of others online makes young people feel inadequate.

To help solve this problem, doctors do not suggest banning smartphones completely, as that can actually make teens feel isolated from their friends. Instead, they recommend that parents establish one hour of tech-free time right before bed to improve both sleep quality and overall mood.

1 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: The instructor says, “If you notice any tightness, consciously lower your shoulders away from your ears.” This is paraphrased perfectly as “Dropping the shoulders to reduce tightness”.
• The Trap (C): The mouth is mentioned, but the instructor says to breathe in through the nose and exhale (breathe out) through the mouth. (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (A): Lying down is a common meditation position, but the audio specifically asks the listener to find a “seated position” (Not mentioned).

2 Correct Answer: C

• The Key: The instructor says that if your mind wanders to your to-do list, “do not judge yourself or get frustrated. Instead, simply observe those thoughts.” This is paraphrased as “Accept the thoughts without feeling upset or angry”.
• The Trap (A): “Perfect silence” is mentioned, but the instructor explicitly states that the practice is not about achieving perfect silence in your brain (Mentioned but rejected).
• Plausible Trap (B): It is a plausible reaction for a busy person to stop and work, but it goes completely against the goal of the meditation app.

3 Correct Answer: A

• The Key: The audio states that the pause is about “creating a small, safe space for yourself to recharge before stepping back into your busy life”. This matches the idea of recovering mental energy before returning to daily activities.
• The Trap (C): “Upcoming meetings” and a “to-do list” are mentioned, but only as examples of distracting thoughts, not the goal of the session (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (B): Meditation is often used for sleep, but the phrase “stepping back into your busy life” implies this is a daytime break, not a bedtime routine.

App Instructor: Welcome to your daily five-minute calm. Please find a comfortable seated position and gently close your eyes. Let’s begin by taking a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs completely… and slowly exhale through your mouth, letting go of any immediate tension.

As we continue to breathe naturally, shift your attention to your shoulders. Many of us carry our daily stress here. If you notice any tightness, consciously lower your shoulders away from your ears.

During this practice, it is completely normal if your mind begins to wander to your to-do list or upcoming meetings. When that happens, do not judge yourself or get frustrated. Instead, simply observe those thoughts, and gently bring your focus back to the sound of my voice and the rhythm of your breath.

Remember, this brief pause in your day is not about achieving perfect silence in your brain; it is about creating a small, safe space for yourself to recharge before stepping back into your busy life. Now, take one more deep breath in… and out. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes.