Practice English Listening B1+ Exercises – What should I buy?

A

She doesn’t know what gift to get her friend.

B

1   by typing in her email address

2   a mug

3   to look for a coupon code

A B

Ahmet:   Hey, Lan. Are you working through lunch?

Lan:   Oh, no. I’m not working. I have to get a gift for a friend, and I’m trying to figure out what to get her.

Ahmet:   Is she in the States?

Lan:   Yeah, that’s why I want to get it while I’m here—so I don’t have to pay shipping from Vietnam.

Ahmet:   That makes sense. Do you have any idea what she wants?

Lan:   No! That’s the problem!

Ahmet:   I see. You could try checking for a public wish list. Some people have one.

Lan:   What do you mean?

Ahmet:   Here, look. “Find wish lists.” Click there. There should be a place where you can put in her email address to see if she has a public list of the things she wants.

Lan:   Really? Oh, I see… No, she doesn’t have one.

Ahmet:   Oh well, it was worth a try.

Lan:   I don’t know what to get her.

Ahmet:   What kinds of things does she like?

Lan:   She loves rock climbing, but I don’t know anything about that.

Ahmet:   Rock climbing? I know! Why don’t you do a search for “gifts for rock climbers.”

Lan:   Great idea! OK. So here, have a look. What do you think of this mug?

Ahmet:   I like that! It looks cool. It’s pretty expensive, though. I usually buy what’s on sale.

Lan:   Oh, me too! I never pay full price for anything. But, you know, it’s my friend’s birthday. I can’t tell her to wait for the sale!

Ahmet:   Good point. You might want to try looking for a coupon code. There may be one somewhere.

Lan:   Oh, good tip! You’re just full of good shopping ideas, aren’t you?

Ahmet:   What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.

C

Lan:   I have to get a gift for a friend, and I’m trying to figure out what to get her.

Ahmet:   Is she in the States?

Lan:   Yeah, that’s why I want to get it while I’m here—so I don’t have to pay shipping from Vietnam.

Ahmet:   That makes sense. Do you have any idea what she wants?

Lan:   No! That’s the problem!

Ahmet:   I see. You could try checking for a public wish list.

A

Yes, she can, but only for store credit.

B

1   to ask if Lan can exchange the watch or get a store credit

2   that Lan can have a store credit

3   She’s going to buy something with her store credit.

A B

Lan:   Hi. I was wondering if I could return this watch. I bought it here a couple of days ago.

Sales associate:   That shouldn’t be any problem. Is it defective?

Lan:   No, no. I just… I just changed my mind about it.

Sales associate:   OK. Do you have your receipt?

Lan:   Yeah, I do And the tags are still attached.

Sales associate:   Hmm, unfortunately, you bought this during our red tag sale, and that means all sales are final.

Lan:   Well, do you think I could just exchange it? Or get a store credit?

Sales associate:   I don’t think so. It’s store policy.

Lan:   Are you sure? I bought a lot of things here that day. Do you think you could make an exception?

Sales associate:   Well… I’m not allowed to, but I can ask my manager.

Lan:   That would be great!

Sales associate:   OK, just a minute.

Sales associate:   OK. My manager said that you can have a store credit.

Lan:   That’s great, thank you so much!

Sales associate:   Here you go. Your credit is on the card.

Lan:   Fantastic!

Sales associate:   And there’s no expiration date, so you can use it at any time.

Lan:   Oh, I’m going to use it right now.

Sales associate:   Perfect. Thanks for shopping at RJ’s. Have a nice day.

Lan:   You too.

C

Lan:   Hi. I was wondering if I could return this watch. I bought it here a couple of days ago.

Sales associate:   That shouldn’t be any problem. Is it defective?

Lan:   No, no. I just… I just changed my mind about it.

Sales associate:   OK. Do you have your receipt?

Lan:   Yeah, I do. And the tags are still attached.

Sales associate:   Hmm, unfortunately, you bought this during our red tag sale, and that means all sales are final.

Lan:   Well, do you think I could just exchange it? Or get a store credit?

A

b

B

1   a specific purchase

2   buy something

C

1 a, b   2 a, b, c, d   3 c, d

Men, Women, and Shopping

They say, “Men like to buy. Women like to shop.” What exactly does that mean? Do you believe it? Generally, could it be true?

Well, we can look at market research that has shown that men are usually more goal-oriented, meaning they focus on making a specific purchase when shopping. They need a product, they go to the store, they find it, they buy it, end of story. In general, research shows that men shop because they need to, and many don’t enjoy it.

Women, however, are more likely to enjoy the experience of shopping, searching out the perfect item. It’s also a social activity. Many women get together with friends to go shopping, whereas men more often shop alone. And who knows, perhaps because they enjoy the shopping process, women are more particular, are more willing to spend time looking for deals, and more likely to use coupons to save money. Here’s another thing: women are more likely to make impulse purchases, that is, to buy something they hadn’t planned on buying.

Of course I’m not describing everyone; there have always been men who love to shop and women who hate it. But we can make these generalizations because market research surveys confirm them. However, when we begin to talk about why differences between men and women exist, there’s a lot more disagreement.

Some suggest that differences in female and male brains cause differences in shopping habits. Brain scans seem to confirm this. But it’s hard to make a connection between a laboratory brain scan and people’s actions in the real world. Some psychologists have said that the differences between men and women’s shopping habits are explained by our history of hunting and gathering.

There was a time when women searched for edible plants, while men focused on finding and killing animals and getting home before the meat went bad. The idea is that these ancient behaviors still influence us today. Does that make sense?

How true does that sound to you?

What we can agree on is that no matter what the brain scans say or what our ancestors did, traditional habits appear to be changing.

Researchers say that male shoppers, aged 18 to 24, behave differently than older males. Online, for example, while older men are more likely to quickly search for a specific item, younger men prefer to browse around the internet, often shopping for fun. This behavior is also true in the real world—younger men enjoy shopping more than older men do, and they are more likely to go shopping with friends. In addition, male shoppers are becoming more particular, for example, reading detailed product descriptions and customer reviews before making a purchase.

It’s likely shopping habits will continue to change. So, will market researchers still identify differences between male and female shoppers 20 years from now? And if our behaviors change, will our brain scans change as well? Ask me in 20 years.

A

c

B

1 b   2 c   3 a

What would you save?

When you hear about a tragic event, like a fi re or a flood, it’s natural to feel sad for the people involved. It’s also natural to think, “If this happened to me, what would I save?” Many people, like me, would take things that aren’t expensive or even very useful. Why? There are a few reasons.

It’s a part of me!

Sometimes, a possession has been around so long that it becomes an important part of the owner’s identity, representing their skills, goals, or experiences.

Jeremy “I am a professional photographer, and I own several expensive, modern cameras. However, I also have a much older camera—it uses film! My father gave it to me years ago when I said I wanted to become a photographer. I took it with me everywhere—it was like a part of my body! My first camera reminds me of when I decided what I wanted to be.”

Not “what” but “who”

An heirloom can have sentimental value because it connects us to a loved one who has passed away, becoming a sort of substitute for that person.

Sara “I have a teapot that used to be my grandmother’s. For many years, I would visit my grandmother on Sundays, and she would serve tea from this beautiful teapot. If I was feeling sad or angry about something, talking with my grandmother over tea always helped. She always said, ‘Tea makes everything better.’ My grandmother passed away two years ago. Now her teapot is on a shelf in my kitchen. It’s like a part of her is still with me.”

I remember …

Many times, we associate our things with a specific memory. Even if we can’t be in that place or time again, we go back there in our minds.

Dana “Five years ago, when I came home from work, I walked up to my front door and heard someone inside my apartment. I ran to the café next door and called the police. A police officer came to the café and said, ‘Come with me, please.’ We walked into my apartment and my friends jumped up and yelled, ‘Happy Birthday’ and put a paper crown on my head. I wasn’t being robbed—it was a surprise party! Every time I see that paper crown, I laugh.”

A

a description of a bicycle store

B

I’ve decided to open a store called Chain Reaction. It’s called Chain Reaction because it will be a bicycle store. The chain is what you call the metal links connecting the pedals to the back wheel, which make the bike move. It’s also called Chain Reaction for another reason.

A chain reaction is when one thing happens, and then another thing happens as a result. I think having bicycles can cause a chain reaction that leads to several positive effects. For example, one of the main reasons I want to sell bikes is that they can make people want to do more exercise. Then, as a result of getting more exercise, people will get healthier. It’s a chain reaction!

My store will have bicycles for everyone! Do you remember when you learned how to ride a bike? How exciting it was? Maybe you felt the wind on your face, and you felt like you were flying. Chain Reaction will help parents provide that experience for their children. Other people might be looking for a bicycle to ride themselves on the weekends or even to race in competitions. I’ll have bikes for them too.

To attract customers when I first open the store, Chain Reaction will offer coupon codes online. The store is also going to provide free events to the community, like classes about bicycle maintenance and safety.

And for people who enjoy cycling with a group, Chain Reaction will organize weekly bike rides around the city.

To make sure my customers receive quality service, they will always get personal attention in my store. There will be helpful employees to answer their questions and fix their bicycles quickly. If a customer is not completely satisfied with a purchase, our store policy will always make returns and exchanges easy so customers stay happy.

Whether you’re searching for your first bicycle or your fifth, I hope you’ll shop at Chain Reaction.

Thank you.