Mental Health – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: B

• The Key: John says, “what if the clients hate the proposal?” This is paraphrased perfectly as “afraid that the customers will dislike their business idea.”
• The Trap (A): The “opening slide” is mentioned, but John says he can’t remember it because of his panic, not that he forgot to prepare it (Mentioned but wrong context).
• Plausible Trap (C): Shaking hands and a racing heart can be caused by too much coffee, making this a plausible real-world guess, but it is never mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: A

• The Key: Sarah tells John to “step away from the door for a second” before they start the breathing exercise. This matches “Move away from the entrance of the meeting room.”
• The Trap (B): “Counting to four” is mentioned, but it is for his breathing rhythm, not for drinking water (Mentioned but wrong context).
• The Trap (C): Sarah mentions that he knows the “material” very well, but she never tells him to read or review it again (Mentioned but rejected).

3 Correct Answer: C

• The Key: John says his “heart is still racing, but maybe a little less.” This perfectly matches the description that his “heartbeat is slightly slower, though still fast.”
• The Trap (A): John feels a bit better and eventually agrees to go in, but he is certainly not “completely relaxed and excited” (Too extreme/False).
• Plausible Trap (B): Wanting to go home is a very common reaction to a panic attack, but John never suggests canceling the meeting after Sarah helps him.

John: Sarah, I can’t do this. I’m going to ruin the whole presentation. My hands are shaking, and my mind just went completely blank!

Sarah: Hey, John, look at me. It’s just a normal meeting, okay? You’ve practiced this a dozen times.

John: But what if the clients hate the proposal? I… I can’t even remember the opening slide. I think I’m having a panic attack.

Sarah: Okay, let’s just step away from the door for a second. We’re not going in there until you’re ready. I want you to try something with me. We are going to do some deep breathing.

John: Breathing? I am breathing!

Sarah: I mean controlled breathing. Close your eyes. Inhale slowly through your nose while I count to four. One, two, three, four. Now hold it… and let it out through your mouth.

John: Okay… my heart is still racing, but maybe a little less.

Sarah: Let’s do it two more times. The clients can wait an extra minute. You know this material better than anyone else in the building. You’re going to be brilliant.

John: Thanks, Sarah. Alright. I think I’m ready to go in now.

1 Answer: (B) To say sorry for her recent behavior.

• The Key: Sarah says “I wanted to apologize” and “I didn’t mean to snap”, which means she is saying sorry for how she acted (her behavior).
• The Trap (A): The script mentions the “client presentation”, but she didn’t ask Mark to help her with it.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): They talk about the manager later, but she didn’t come to complain about him.

2 Answer: (A) She has too much work to do.

• The Key: Sarah mentions “pulling late nights to finish the client presentation” and Mark says she has “heavy workloads”. This means she has too much work.
• The Trap (B): Sarah mentions she hasn’t been “sleeping well” (a health-related issue), but this is a result of the stress, not the main cause.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): She mentions a “client presentation”, but she never says she argued with the client.

3 Answer: (A) Ask for more time to finish her task.

• The Key: Mark asks, “Have you thought about talking to the manager to extend the deadline?”. “Extend the deadline” means asking for more time.
• The Trap (B): Mark invites her to “grab a coffee later” as a friendly act to relax, not as a solution to help her stay awake for work.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): Taking time off is a logical solution for stress, but Mark did not suggest this in the conversation.

Sarah: Hey Mark, do you have a minute? Um… I wanted to talk to you about yesterday’s meeting.

Mark: Oh, hi Sarah. Sure. Is everything alright?

Sarah: Well, I wanted to apologize. I know I was quite short with you when you asked about the project update. I really didn’t mean to snap.

Mark: Ah, don’t worry about it. I figured you were just under a lot of pressure.

Sarah: Yeah, it’s been overwhelming. I’ve been pulling late nights trying to finish the client presentation, and honestly, my stress levels are through the roof. I haven’t even been sleeping well.

Mark: I completely get it. When we have heavy workloads, it’s easy to feel burnt out. Have you thought about talking to the manager to extend the deadline?

Sarah: I considered that, but I decided to just power through. Anyway, I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you. Thanks for being so understanding.

Mark: Anytime. Just remember to take a breather. Let’s grab a coffee later, on me.

Sarah: I’d love that. Thanks, Mark.

1 Answer: (A) She is worried about an important test.

• The Key: Clara says, “I have a huge exam next week, and the stress is just… it’s too much.” (huge exam = important test).
• The Trap (B): Clara mentions she is studying “History”, but she never says she lost her book.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): She mentions there are “too many people in this carriage”, but she doesn’t state that she hates traveling by train in general.

2 Answer: (B) He offers her his place to sit.

• The Key: When David notices Clara is unwell, he says, “Here, please take my seat” (take my seat = offers his place to sit).
• The Trap (C): David asks her to find three “blue” things later in the conversation, but he doesn’t ask about her favorite color, and it’s not the first thing he does.
• Plausible but not mentioned (A): Giving water is a common way to help someone, but David does not do this in the audio.

3 Answer: (B) To help her shift her attention.

• The Key: David tells Clara to find blue things because “It helps ground your mind.” This means he wants to distract her from her panic and help her focus on the present environment (shift her attention).
• The Trap (A): They talked about her “History” studies right before this, so students might connect the two ideas incorrectly.
• The Trap (C): Clara mentions David’s “jacket” is blue, but David didn’t play this game just to show off his clothes.

David: Excuse me, miss? Are you okay? You look a bit pale.

Clara: I… I don’t know. My chest feels really tight. I think I’m having a panic attack. There are just too many people in this carriage.

David: Okay, it’s alright. Just try to breathe with me. Here, please take my seat.

Clara: Thank you. I just need a minute.

David: Take your time. Deep breaths. In… and out. What’s your name, by the way?

Clara: Um, it’s Clara.

David: Nice to meet you, Clara. I’m David. Where are you heading today?

Clara: I’m going to the central library. I have a huge exam next week, and the stress is just… it’s too much.

David: Ah, exams can be incredibly tough. What subject are you studying? Let’s focus on that for a second.

Clara: History. I’m reviewing the 19th-century industrial revolution.

David: Fascinating topic. Now, look around and find three blue things in this train. It helps ground your mind.

Clara: Uh… that woman’s scarf, the train doors, and… your jacket. Wow, my heart is slowing down a bit. Thank you, David.

1 Answer: (C) She forgot to bring her pills from home.

• The Key: Emma says, “I left my anxiety medication on the kitchen counter at home.” Medication is another word for pills.
• The Trap (A): Sam asks if she checked her “suitcase,” but she didn’t lose it; she just couldn’t find the medicine inside it.
• Plausible but not mentioned (B): Feeling sick after a flight is a common travel problem, but it is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Answer: (B) Visit a local shop to buy more medicine.

• The Key: Sam says, “There’s a pharmacy just down the street… We can go there right now.” A pharmacy is a local shop for medicine.
• The Trap (A): Sam mentions “chamomile tea”, but this is his backup plan if the pharmacy doesn’t work out. He clearly says, “let’s try the drug store first.”
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): They talk about the doctor’s prescription she has on her phone, but Sam never suggests making a phone call to her doctor.

3 Answer: (B) They might not accept her medical paper.

• The Key: Emma asks, “What if they don’t accept foreign documents?” Her “doctor’s prescription” is the medical paper.
• The Trap (A): The pharmacy is actually very close (“just down the street from our hotel”), so distance is not her concern.
• Plausible but not mentioned (C): Worrying about the brand is a logical fear for a traveler, but Emma does not express this specific worry in the conversation.

Emma: Sam, I can’t find my pill organizer anywhere. I think I left my anxiety medication on the kitchen counter at home!

Sam: Oh no, are you sure? Have you checked the front pocket of your suitcase?

Emma: Yeah, I’ve emptied my whole bag. It’s definitely not here. I’m starting to freak out a little. What if my nerves get too bad during the trip?

Sam: Hey, take a deep breath. We’ll figure this out. It’s going to be okay. Um, do you have your doctor’s prescription saved on your phone?

Emma: I think so, yes. I have a picture of it in my email.

Sam: Great. There’s a pharmacy just down the street from our hotel. We can go there right now and see if they can give you a refill.

Emma: What if they don’t accept foreign documents?

Sam: If they don’t, we can try some natural ways to keep you calm, like getting that chamomile tea you love, or using some meditation apps. But let’s try the drug store first.

Emma: Okay. Let’s go see if the pharmacist can help. Thanks, Sam.

1 Answer: (B) They are highly stressed and fear extreme exhaustion.

• The Key: Lisa says she is “overwhelmed” and can’t handle “more stress.” Tom mentions “anxiety” and says they are going to “burn out” (extreme exhaustion).
• The Trap (C): The deadline is “Friday,” but nobody mentions working over the weekend. Students might guess this logically, but it’s not in the audio.
• Plausible but not mentioned (A): They are definitely not excited; they are panicked.

2 Answer: (C) Canceling a specific part of the original project.

• The Key: Ryan says, “We are dropping the video section entirely.” “Dropping” means canceling or not doing a specific part.
• The Trap (A): The “client” is mentioned as the one who shortened the deadline, but Ryan does not say he will ask them for more time.
• Plausible but not mentioned (B): Hiring more people is a good way to solve heavy workloads, but Ryan never suggests this.

3 Answer: (A) He will communicate with the client.

• The Key: Ryan says, “I will take care of all the client emails.” Sending and receiving emails means communicating with the client.
• The Trap (B): Designing graphics is Tom’s job (“Tom, you handle the graphics”).
• The Trap (C): Writing text is Lisa’s job (“Lisa, you write the text”).

Ryan: Hi everyone, thanks for joining. Um, I have some unexpected news. The client wants the marketing campaign finished by this Friday, not next Wednesday.

Lisa: What? This Friday? That’s impossible! I’m already feeling overwhelmed with the current workload. I can’t handle any more stress.

Tom: Yeah, Ryan. We’re going to burn out if we rush this. My anxiety is already acting up just thinking about it.

Ryan: I completely understand your frustration, and I don’t want anyone sacrificing their mental health for this. So, here’s the plan. We are dropping the video section entirely.

Lisa: Really? We aren’t doing the video?

Ryan: Exactly. We’ll focus only on the social media posts. Tom, you handle the graphics. Lisa, you write the text. I will take care of all the client emails so you two can focus without distractions. Let’s just take it one step at a time, okay?

Tom: Phew… okay. That sounds much more manageable. Thanks for having our backs, Ryan.

Lisa: Yeah, my chest feels lighter already. Let’s get to work.