Practice English Listening A2 Exercises – Getting organised

A

1   internet access, late arrival, a swimming pool

2   Yes.

B

1   Nothing – it’s included in the room rate.

2   Around 10 pm.

3   Single.

4   10th November

5   Three

RECEPTIONIST   The Sun Hotel. How may I help you?

LEONARDO   Hello, is that reception?

R   Yes, it is. Can I help you?

L   Yes. I’ve seen your website and I’d like to just check a couple of things.

R   Yes. Go ahead.

L   Erm, your website says you have Internet access in each room. Is it wireless?

R   Yes, it is.

L   And is Internet access included? Or is there an extra charge for that?

R   No. It’s included in the room rate.

L   OK, and, erm, I’ll probably arrive quite late, around 10 pm. Is that all right?

R   Yes. We have twenty-four hour reception.

L   That’s good. And another thing, er, does the hotel have a swimming pool?

R   Yes, and we also have a fitness room.

L   OK, well, that sounds fine. Erm, could I book a room then, please?

R   Yes, just a moment … For what dates, please?

L   I’d like to book a single room for three nights, from the tenth of November.

R   Certainly. And what’s your name, please?

L   It’s Leonardo Barreiros, B-A-double R-E-I-R-O-S.

R   Thank you, Mr Barreiros, and can I take your credit card number?

L   Er, yes, it’s a Visa card, number four one three nine, one one …

C

1   a map

D

1 13th   2 passport   3 Leonardo   4 1406   5 11.00

RECEPTIONIST   Good evening.

LEONARDO   Hello. I have a reservation. My name’s Leonardo Barreiros.

R   Sorry, could you spell your surname, please?

L   B-A-double R-E-I-R-O-S.

R   Thank you. Yes, that’s fine, Mr Barreiros. Three nights, yes?

L   That’s right. I’m leaving on the 13th, Saturday.

R   Can I see your passport, please?

L   Here you go.

R   And could you fill in this registration card?

L   Right … Here you are.

R   Thank you. Here’s your passport and the key to your room. It’s room number fourteen oh six, on the fourteenth floor.

L   Thanks, and, uh, do you have a map of the city?

R   Yes, here you are. There’s also an information folder in your room.

L   Thanks. Oh, ah, what time is breakfast?

R   It’s from 6.30 to 10 am, in the dining room.

L   And what’s the check-out time?

R   It’s eleven am.

L   Right.

R   Would you like some help with your suitcase?

L   No, thanks. That’s fine.

R   All right, Mr Barreiros. The lift is over there. Enjoy your stay.

A

b (They arrange to meet for lunch.)

B

Thursday, 1 o’clock, Petronas Towers (by the main entrance of Tower 2)

C

6.30, Friday evening (for dinner). Same place as above.

A B

MIN   Hello? Min Ang here.

LEONARDO   Hello, Min. It’s Leonardo.

M   Leonardo, hi! How are you feeling? Did you have a good flight?

L   Yes, it wasn’t bad, thanks. Listen, Min, when are you free? What are you doing on Friday evening? Are you free then?

M   Er, Friday’s difficult. I’ve got to work late. But, erm … I’m free on Wednesday evening.

L   Sorry, but I don’t get there till about ten, so …

M   OK, well, what about lunch on Thursday … or Friday?

L   I can’t on Friday, but Thursday … hmm, well, I’m meeting a colleague at one but I can rearrange it, no problem. So, could we meet at one o’clock?

M   Yes, one o’clock’s fine.

L   And where should we meet?

M   Well, how about at Petronas Towers? My office is near there. Let’s meet by the main entrance of Tower Two.

L   OK, that sounds good. I’ll see you on Thursday then.

M   Great. There’s so much to talk about …

C

LEONARDO   Hello.

MIN   Hello, Leonardo. It’s Min. I’m really sorry but I can’t make it tomorrow. I’ve got meetings all day now.

L   Oh … OK.

M   But I’m free in the evening.

L   Ah … I’m busy tomorrow evening.

M   Oh, no! When exactly do you leave Kuala Lumpur?

L   My flight leaves on Saturday morning at 11.15. You’re working late on Friday, right?

M   Yes, but … well, I guess I can take some work home … Yes, OK, let’s meet on Friday evening.

L   Are you sure? Great! And let’s have dinner.

M   That would be lovely.

L   So, we’re still meeting at Petronas Towers, right? Let’s say at 6.30.

M   OK, 6.30, Tower Two, main entrance. See you then.

A

They arrange to go to a (music) festival.

They arrange to meet at Hana’s Café on Saturday at 12.30, then see Ladysmith Black Mambazo at 3.30.

B

Akio has to work on Saturday. He plans to go on Sunday afternoon.

Jason is seeing his mother on Sunday. He plans to go on Saturday afternoon (as before).

A

JASON   Are you doing anything this week?

AKIO   Not much. Why?

J   Well, it’s the festival and there’s a group I’d really like to see. My friend can get me free tickets.

A   Yeah? Which group?

J   Ladysmith Black Mambazo. You know, from South Africa. Do you fancy going too?

A   Yeah, I’d love to. They’re fantastic. When is it?

J   Well, it’s most of the week. I can do Thursday or Friday evening. What about you?

A   Oh, sorry. I can’t make it on Thursday or Friday. I’m working both nights.

J   Can you make Saturday?

A   Yeah, yeah. I’m off on Saturday.

J   Me too. OK, they’re performing twice on Saturday, at 3.30 and 8.00.

A   Ah, can you do 3.30? The afternoon’s best for me.

J   Yeah, and we could have lunch first at Hana’s Café at 12.30. It’s close to the festival hall.

A   Hana’s Café? Nice place. OK, I’ll see you there.

B

AKIO   Jason, listen. I’m sorry but I can’t make it on Saturday. Marianne just asked me to work from 2.00 till 10.00.

JASON   That’s too bad.

A   Yeah, I’m really sorry. Can we postpone?

J   Well, the thing is, Sunday’s the last day.

A   Well, can you do Sunday afternoon?

J   No, I can’t, actually. I’m seeing my mum. I’m free in the evening, though. Hold on, I’ll just check the programme … Where is it? … Ah, here it is. Oh, no! Sunday afternoon’s their last performance!

A   Really? Well, I’ll have to go then. Can I still have one of your free tickets?

J   Well … yeah, I suppose so. I’m going to go tomorrow then … by myself.

A

1 Alexei   2 Ae-Young   3 Martin

B

1 Martin   2 Ae-Young   3 Martin   4 Alexei

MARTIN   Erm, I’m a student at a Université Bordeaux but every summer I go to England and get a job in, uh, a café or a pub, or something … and I need English for these jobs. My speaking’s OK but, uh, I find listening kind of difficult so I try to listen to other people’s conversations … and, yeah, I chat with the people I work with, usually after work, and when they say something I can’t understand, I say, ‘Wait! What did you say? Say it again. What does it mean?’ and I try to use the expression myself. And then the next time I hear that expression, I know it.

ALEXEI   I travel to the States a few times a year, so it’s important for me to understand English well … especially, like, restaurant conversations or hotel conversations – checking in, room service and, erm, what else … oh, buying tickets. You know, things like that. So before I go to a restaurant or station, I think about what I want to say, what they’ll probably say and … sometimes I check a phrase book. You know, I play everything and then when I get there, I can understand things better and answer better. It usually works quite well.

AE-YOUNG   Well, I use the Internet for listening practice. I like to know what’s happening in other countries, so listen to the news in English on my computer – the BBC World Service or CNN or something – and write down useful and important words just for one news story … one’s enough. Then I listen again and I write more words, then I listen again. Each time it gets easier to hear.