Practice English Listening B1 Exercises – I need a hero

1   Bill Gates

2   Pope John Paul II

3   Madonna

4   Giorgio Armani

5   Jackie Onassis

6   Martina Navratilova

7   George Clooney

8   Maria Callas

It’s 12.00 noon and so it’s time for today’s competition. Today the topic is ‘Heroes and Icons’. As usual, the rules are very simple. I’m going to give you eight clues and you have to identify the people. If you know all the answers, send them to me straightaway by email. The first person who sends me the correct answers wins a prize. Today’s prize is two plane tickets to … the Big Apple, New York!

OK, so let’s get started with those clues. I’ll say each one twice only. And remember, I always give you the first letter or letters of the word I’m looking for. Today they are all people’s names.

Let’s start with an easy one. Two letters, B and G. It’s a man who’s probably the richest man in the world, the founder of Microsoft. That’s BG, the man who started Microsoft.

Number 2. Two letters again, J and P, although this isn’t the name he was born with. A man whose humanity made him an icon for millions of people all over the world. This religious leader was born in Poland but he died in Rome in 2005.

Number 3 begins with M, just one word. It’s the name of a woman who has had a lot of different jobs. She’s been an actress, she’s even written children’s books, but she’s most famous as a singer. One word beginning with M.

And number 4. This time it’s a man, and the letters are G and A, though many people just know him by his surname, He’s an Italian designer, whose clothes are considered among the most elegant in the world, and whose name is also on perfume bottles everywhere. G and A, for an Italian fashion designer.

On to number 5. Two letters, J and O. It’s the name of a famous American woman, whose first husband was president of the USA and whose second husband was a Greek millionaire. Although she died in 1994, she is still admired for her style all over the world. Two letters, J and O.

And number 6. It’s a woman again and the letter are M and N. She’s the woman who changed the shape of women’s tennis, and is possibly the greatest female player of all time. She was born in Prague but later became a US citizen. M and N for the greatest ever woman tennis player.

Number 7 is an American actor. He was born in Kentucky in 1961 and he is often called the most attractive male actor in Hollywood today. He first became famous in a TV hospital drama in which he played the part of a doctor. His first name begins with G and his surname with C. So that’s a Hollywood actor, G and C.

And finally, number 8. Two letters, M and C. She was born in Greece and died in Paris, and she is the woman whose voice is familiar to lovers of opera all over the world. Nicknamed ‘La Divina’ her life was tragic, but her voice will never be forgotten. MC, la Divina.

So, if you think you’ve got the eight correct answers, email them to me now at this address, Guessthenames@BT.com, that’s Guessthenames@BT.com. And the first person with the correct answers will win those two tickets to New York.

Time for some music.