Practice English Listening B1 Exercises – What are your favorite things?

A

Su-min:   Hey, Mehmet. How are you?

Mehmet:   I’m good. Thanks. How’s the new project coming along?

Su-min:   It’s going really well. I’m learning so much, and everyone is so helpful.

Mehmet:   Yeah, we have a great group of people here.

Su-min:   I agree. I just met Flavio today. We had a long conversation about soccer.

Mehmet:   Oh, yeah? I didn’t know you were into soccer.

Su-min:   Oh, I love it! I watch all the Premiere League games.

Mehmet:   Me, too! Who’s your favorite team?

Su-min:   Manchester United.

Mehmet:   No way! Mine, too! Hey, we have something in common.

Su-min:   Sounds like it! I wonder what else we both like.

Mehmet:   Well, I like traveling. I love going to new places.

Su-min:   Really? Same here! Have you gone anywhere interesting lately?

Mehmet:   Yeah, last year, I went to Mexico for the first time. I love the culture and the food there. I have some pictures here.

Su-min:   Wow! That’s amazing. I try to go somewhere new every year. Like last year, I went to Japan and saw incredible art exhibits.

Mehmet:   Oh, just my news feed.

Su-min:   Ugh, politics?

Mehmet:   Oh, you don’t like politics? I love it!

Su-min:   Not me. I can’t stand all the arguing.

Mehmet:   That’s what I love about it.

B

Su-min:   I just had a great conversation with a colleague about soccer.

Mehmet:   Oh yeah? I didn’t know you were into soccer.

Su-min:   I love it!

Mehmet:   Me, too! We have something in common.

Su-min:   Yes, sounds like it. I wonder what else we both like.

Mehmet:   I like politics.

Su-min:   Not me. I can’t stand politics!

1 F   Mehmet likes Su-min’s bracelet

2 F   The personal message on Su-min’s bracelet is from her grandmother.

3 F   Mehmet thinks a gift like Su-min’s bracelet is a good idea.

4 T

A

Su-min:   I see you’re working late, too.

Mehmet:   Yeah. I was just emailing Claire about our design meeting tomorrow. Do you want to see some of the designs?

Su-min:   These look wonderful!

Mehmet:   Thanks. I’ve been looking at them for so long, I don’t know what looks good anymore. Anyway, I’ll figure it out. Hey, that’s a beautiful bracelet!

Su-min:   Thanks. My grandmother gave it to me. It’s one of the few pieces of jewelry that I wear.

Mehmet:   It must be very special to you.

Su-min:   It is. It was a graduation gift, it even has a message from her on the inside. It’s in Korean, and it says, “My dear Su-min. I’m so proud of you.”

Mehmet:   You know. I need a gift for my sister. It’s her birthday next week. I’d love to get her something like that. But I don’t know much about fashion or accessories.

Su-min:   What are you talking about? You have great style! Like your tie. It’s very cool. Where did you get it?

Mehmet:   I got it at a store where my cousin works.

Su-min:   Well, if you want, I can help you shop for your sister.

Mehmet:   Really? Thanks! Maybe tomorrow we can look online for a bracelet like yours.

Su-min:   Yeah, that sounds good!

B

Mehmet:   That’s a beautiful bracelet.

Su-min:   Thanks. It’s one of the few pieces of jewelry that I wear.

Mehmet:   Well, I really like it.

Su-min:   Thank you. By the way, that tie is very cool. Where did you get it?

Mehmet:   I got it at a store where my cousin works.

A

1 c   2 b   3 c   4 a

B

Hello, I’m Tina Winters, and welcome to Radio Hour. We’ve got a great show today.

We’re talking about memories. Now, if you’re like me, you’ve got closets full of old things. They may not be expensive or antique, but they’re important to you. On our last show, we asked you to look in those closets and tell us about something special you found. Today I’ll share some of your stories.

First up is Audrey from Chicago. Audrey wrote: “I found a shiny, metal keychain and it brought back a happy memory. When I was 8 years old, my dad took me to a fair. At the fair, there was a game. You had to kick a soccer ball into a goal to win a prize. All the kids waiting to play were older teenagers. I was embarrassed being in line with them because I was just a little kid. But, one by one, the others all missed! Then it was my turn. I kicked the ball and it went right into the net! My prize was the keychain. My dad had a huge smile on his face. I felt so proud.”

Next is Larry from Phoenix, who described finding a set of playing cards. “I lived with six roommates in college. For some reason, we were really into playing cards. We played all the time, often until late at night. Now, when I hold the smooth, rectangular cards in my hand, I remember those good times with my old friends.”

Rita in Washington also wrote in. “I found an old, round hatbox at my grandmother’s house. Inside the box was an old-fashioned, silk hat. I asked my grandmother about it and she told me an interesting story. The hat belonged to my great-great grandfather. One day, in 1860, he was waiting for a train. He heard a crowd enter the station. As they passed, a voice said, “A most excellent hat, Sir.” He looked up to see the sixteenth president of the United States, President Abraham Lincoln! They were both wearing the same hat!

We’re going to take a break, but don’t go away. We’ve got some more great stories…

A

1 b   2 a

B

1   2   5   7   8   10

ARE YOUR CHOICES MAKING YOU HAPPY?

Certainly, we’ve all felt pleasure when we buy something new. However, research shows that these good feelings don’t actually last very long. For over two decades, Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University, has studied the connection between happiness and the choices we make. His studies included over 1,200 people living in the U.S. ranging in ages from 21 to 69. According to Gilovich, it is experiences, and not possessions, that make people the happiest. People report the most joy when they participate in interesting activities. They feel happy when they go to concerts, eat out, learn a new skill, or enjoy a hobby.

When we buy something like a new phone, we gain a physical object that we can enjoy for a long time. Experiences are temporary and leave us with nothing but a memory. So why do they make us happier? Gilovich suggests that our new possessions make us happy at first. But we soon begin to take them for granted, or we just get tired of them when they become old. With experiences that make us happy, the opposite is true. After the experience is over, the memory of it continues to bring pleasure. In fact, we tend to remember events more positively as time passes.

These kinds of experiences also lead to more happiness because we usually share them with other people. We organize events with our friends, and enjoying these experiences together builds a sense of community. And these connections to other people make us happy. In fact, research shows that there is a significant connection between friendships and happiness. People with a good network of close friends and family members are generally happier and more successful in life.

Finally, leisure activities help you relax and reduce stress. Participants in one study reported feeling less stress and greater happiness after enjoying a hobby. Not only did the activities make the people feel better, but they also brought immediate and lasting health benefits. Many participants experienced a lower heart rate and reduced blood pressure. This calming effect lasted for hours. Over time, reducing stress can lower the risk of heart disease, weight gain, and depression. According to these studies, the health benefits of experiences are both emotional and physical.

A

Answers will vary. Possible answer: She talks about things that are important to her.

B

1   She talks about a silver ring and an antique brown wood and metal box.

2   Her grandfather gave her the ring as a graduation gift. She bought the box when she was traveling in Japan with her family.

3   The ring has special memories of her graduation and her grandfather. The box has an interesting story and is an antique.

Hi, I’m Keiko. I want to tell you about two things that are important to me.

The first is this beautiful silver ring. It belonged to my grandfather, and he gave it to me when I graduated from high school. He passed away the year after I graduated, and the ring will always remind me of him.

The second thing that I really love is this box. There’s an interesting story about it. I was traveling with my family in Japan, and I found this brown box in a little shop. It is made of wood and metal, and it was dull and dirty. But it was very cool, so I bought it. When I got home and cleaned it, I saw it was really nice. I did some research on the Internet and found out it was an expensive antique.

1   where my sister works

2   that she got in New York

3   that belonged to Sue’s father

4   where they sell old jewelry

5   when you’re in town

6   who made these shoes

7   who made this bracelet

8   where she can buy a new pair

1 A:   What a nice ring, Grace! Where did you get it?

   B:   My husband got it for me. He bought it at the store where my sister works.

2 A:   Did you see Mary today? She was wearing really cool shoes!

   B:   Those are the shoes that she got in New York.

3 A:   Where did you get your watch?

   B:   This is the watch that belonged to Sue’s father.

4 A:   I love your earrings!

   B:   Thanks! I got these at a store where they sell old jewelry.

5 A:   I’d love to try that new restaurant.

   B:   Sure. I can take you any weekend when you’re in town.

6 A:   Do you know the designer who made these shoes?

   B:   No, I’ve never heard of him.

7 A:   The artist who made this bracelet is a good friend.

   B:   It’s beautiful!

8 A:   My sister lost her sunglasses. Do you know a shop where she can buy a new pair?

   B:   Sure. She should check out Wilson’s on Main Street.