Personality & Behaviour – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 B (She seemed too proud.)

• Explanation: In the audio, Sarah says, “At first, I actually thought she was a bit arrogant.” The word “arrogant” means feeling too proud or acting better than others.
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap. “Outgoing and talkative” (friendly) is how Mark described Emily, not Sarah’s first impression.

2 A (She feels uncomfortable in large crowds.)

• Explanation: Sarah explains that Emily is “incredibly shy around big groups.” Option A is a perfect paraphrase of this phrase.
• Trap Alert: Option B is a trap because the audio mentions her job as an “accountant”, but it does not say she was tired from it. Option C is never mentioned.

3 C (Practical and humorous.)

• Explanation: After washing dishes together, Sarah realizes Emily is “down-to-earth” (which means practical and sensible) and “quite funny” (which means humorous).
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap because it repeats the exact words Mark used before the party, which Sarah disagreed with.

Leo: Hey, Sarah. How was the dinner party at Mark’s house last night?

Sarah: Oh, it was pretty good. I finally met his new girlfriend, Emily.

Leo: Really? What’s she like? Mark told me she was super outgoing and talkative.

Sarah: Well, um, to be honest, I didn’t get that impression at all. At first, I actually thought she was a bit arrogant because she hardly spoke to anyone during the meal.

Leo: Oh no. That doesn’t sound like Mark’s type at all.

Sarah: But, you know, after dinner, we ended up in the kitchen washing dishes together. It turns out she’s not stuck-up in the slightest. She’s just incredibly shy around big groups. Once it was just the two of us, she was really down-to-earth and actually quite funny.

Leo: Ah, that makes sense. Some people just take a while to warm up to strangers. Did she say what she does for a living?

Sarah: Yeah, she’s an accountant. She seems very sensible and reliable. I think Mark is lucky to have her.

1 C (Ben is messy and makes too much noise at night.)

• Explanation: Alex complains about Ben “playing video games with the volume way up” (noise) and leaving “dirty plates” and “clothes scattered” (being messy).
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap. Although they mention headphones, Ben says he wears them “most of the time,” so it is not true that he never wears them. Option B is plausible for roommates but is not mentioned in the audio.

2 A (He has had too much university work to do.)

• Explanation: Ben says he is “overwhelmed with assignments lately.” The phrase “overwhelmed with assignments” means having too much university work.
• Trap Alert: Option B is a trap. Ben says he planned to wash the dishes “tonight,” not that he cleaned them “last night.” Option C is incorrect because he doesn’t deny the mess.

3 B (By following a regular routine for doing housework.)

• Explanation: At the end, Alex suggests, “Let’s try to stick to a cleaning schedule.” A “cleaning schedule” is paraphrased in the answer as a “regular routine for doing housework.”
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap. Ben agrees to “keep it down after 10 PM” (be quieter), but he does not promise to stop playing video games entirely. Option C is not mentioned.

Alex: Hey Ben, do you have a minute? We need to talk about our living situation.

Ben: Uh, sure. What’s up? Is something wrong?

Alex: Well, yeah. To be honest, it’s getting really hard for me to focus on my studies. You’re always staying up super late, playing video games with the volume way up.

Ben: Oh, come on. I wear headphones most of the time!

Alex: Not always. And it’s not just the noise. Look around the apartment. There are dirty plates left on the coffee table, and your clothes are scattered all over the sofa. It’s incredibly untidy.

Ben: I was planning to wash those dishes tonight! I’ve just been overwhelmed with assignments lately.

Alex: I get that we’re both busy, but we need to share the responsibility of keeping the place decent. It’s driving me crazy.

Ben: Hmm… I guess I haven’t been very considerate. I’m sorry, Alex. I’ll make an effort to clean up after myself and keep it down after 10 PM.

Alex: Thanks, I’d really appreciate that. Let’s try to stick to a cleaning schedule, okay?

1 B (Organize a large celebration with a lot of people.)

• Explanation: Mia says, “we should throw him a huge bash. We could invite everyone…” The phrase “huge bash” and “invite everyone” means organizing a large celebration.
• Trap Alert: Option C is a trap. Going to an Italian restaurant is Sam’s idea later in the conversation, not Mia’s initial (first) idea. Option A is not mentioned.

2 A (They believe David prefers peaceful settings nowadays.)

• Explanation: Tom mentions David is “introverted” and “exhausted,” and Sam says he “prefers small, quiet groups.” Option A is a good summary of these points.
• Trap Alert: Option B is a trap. Although the office and coworkers are mentioned, nobody says David dislikes them; he just shows a different personality at work. Option C is a logical real-life reason but is never spoken about in the audio.

3 C (To have a meal with a few close friends.)

• Explanation: They agree to “book a table at that new Italian restaurant” for “just the four of us.” This matches having a meal with a few close friends.
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap because Mia originally wanted to invite people from the “office”, but they rejected this idea. Option B is plausible, but they decided to go to a restaurant, not his house.

Mia: Guys, David’s birthday is next Friday! I was thinking we should throw him a huge bash. We could invite everyone from the office. You know how outgoing and energetic he is!

Tom: Hold on, Mia. Are you sure about that? He used to be the life of the party, but lately, he seems much more introverted. He told me yesterday that he’s completely exhausted.

Sam: I agree with Tom. A massive crowd might just stress him out. He’s actually quite reserved when you get to know him outside of work.

Mia: Really? But he’s always telling jokes and chatting with everyone at the office!

Sam: That’s just his professional side. In his free time, he definitely prefers small, quiet groups. How about we just book a table at that new Italian restaurant downtown?

Tom: That sounds perfect. Just the four of us. It will be much more meaningful and relaxing for him.

Mia: Alright, I guess you guys are right. A private dinner it is. I’ll call the restaurant and make the reservation today.

1 B (He had a very good sense of humor.)

• Explanation: Chloe says that Mark was “hilarious” and they “laughed a lot.” Having a “good sense of humor” is a paraphrase of being “hilarious.”
• Trap Alert: Option A is the exact opposite of what happened (he didn’t ask her any questions). Option C is a trap because he did talk about his job, but Chloe did not enjoy this part; she complained about it.

2 A (He seemed to only care about himself.)

• Explanation: Chloe complains that he “never stopped talking about himself” and Ryan concludes that Mark is “self-centered.” Option A perfectly paraphrases this personality trait.
• Trap Alert: Option B is a trap because the audio mentions he was “incredibly polite to the waiter,” not impolite. Option C is incorrect because Mark talked confidently for two hours, so he was definitely not nervous.

3 C (To stop wasting her time on him.)

• Explanation: Ryan says that a person like Mark “probably aren’t worth your time.” This means Chloe should not continue dating him.
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap because Mark wants to meet this weekend, but Ryan advises against it. Option B is a plausible piece of advice in real life, but Ryan never suggests doing this in the conversation.

Ryan: Hey Chloe! How was your blind date with Mark last night?

Chloe: Well, um… it was a mixed bag. I’m not really sure what to think, to be honest.

Ryan: Oh no, that doesn’t sound very promising. Was he rude to you?

Chloe: No, he wasn’t rude exactly. He was actually incredibly polite to the waiter, which I liked. And he was hilarious! We laughed a lot during dinner.

Ryan: So, what’s the problem? He sounds pretty great.

Chloe: The issue is… he never stopped talking about himself. He talked about his new job, his car, and his gym routine for two hours. He didn’t ask me a single question about my life or my interests. I felt like I was just an audience, not a date.

Ryan: Ah, I see. That’s a bit of a red flag. He sounds quite self-centered. Do you think you’ll see him again?

Chloe: I don’t know. He texted me this morning asking to meet up this weekend. What do you think I should do?

Ryan: Honestly? If someone doesn’t show any genuine interest in getting to know you, they probably aren’t worth your time, no matter how entertaining they are.

1 C (He was frustrated due to his studies.)

• Explanation: Liam explains that he was “under so much pressure with my final exams.” The word “studies” is a paraphrase for “final exams.”
• Trap Alert: Option A is a trap. The “charger” was the trigger of the argument, but not the reason for his anger.

2 B (He is generally a very composed person.)

• Explanation: Sophie says, “You’re usually the calmest person I know.” The word “composed” is a B1-level synonym for “calm.”
• Trap Alert: Option C is a trap because he acted moody yesterday, but Sophie says that is not how he “usually” is.

3 A (Buy her a meal later today.)

• Explanation: Liam offers to “take you out for that pizza… my treat.” Buying someone pizza is a way of buying them a meal.
• Trap Alert: Option B and C are not mentioned as part of the apology, although they relate to the context of exams and the charger.

Liam: Sophie, do you have a second? I’ve been feeling terrible about how I acted yesterday.

Sophie: Oh, you mean when you yelled at me for just asking to borrow your charger? Yeah, that wasn’t very nice, Liam.

Liam: I know, and I’m really sorry. I was incredibly out of character. It’s just that… well, I’ve been under so much pressure with my final exams coming up next week. I haven’t slept more than four hours a night lately.

Sophie: I figured it was something like that. You’re usually the calmest person I know.

Liam: That’s no excuse, though. I was just so stressed that I lost my temper over nothing. I actually had a massive headache and I just snapped. I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you.

Sophie: Thanks for saying that. I was a bit upset, but I understand now.

Liam: To make it up to you, how about I take you out for that pizza you like this evening? My treat.

Sophie: Now that is an apology I can accept!