Predictions – A2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to two students talking after a math test. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What kind of score does Tom predict he will get?
(A) A failing score.
(B) An average score.
(C) A perfect score.
2 Why didn’t Tom answer the last few questions well?
(A) He didn’t have enough time.
(B) He thought they were too easy.
(C) He found them impossible to do.
3 What is Lucy’s problem at the end of the conversation?
(A) She forgot to bring her calculator.
(B) She missed a question on the back of the test.
(C) She answered the first part completely wrong.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (B) An average score.
- Explanation: Tom explicitly says, “I predict I will just get an average score, like a C.”
- Trap: Option (A) is a “Person Trap” because Lucy is the one who originally predicts she will fail. Option (C) is the opposite of what he predicts (he says “I won’t get an A”).
2 Correct Answer: (C) He found them impossible to do.
- Explanation: Tom says, “…but the last few questions were impossible.”
- Trap: Option (B) is a trap because the first part was easy, not the last part. Option (A) is a plausible reason for not finishing a test, but it is never mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: (B) She missed a question on the back of the test.
- Explanation: Tom asks about the question on the back, and Lucy panics: “The back? Oh no! I didn’t look at the back!”
- Trap: Option (C) is a trap because Lucy actually says she answered the first part “okay”. Option (A) is not mentioned in the audio at all.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tom: Phew! That math test was terrible, Lucy.
Lucy: I know! It was so hard. I’m definitely going to fail.
Tom: Really? I don’t think I’ll fail, but I won’t get an A. I predict I will just get an average score, like a C.
Lucy: Why do you say that?
Tom: Well, the first part was quite easy, but the last few questions were impossible.
Lucy: Yeah, maybe you’re right. I answered the first part okay too. So, we will probably both get a C.
Tom: I hope so. Oh, by the way, what did you write for the big question on the back of the paper?
Lucy: The back? Oh no! I didn’t look at the back! I’m definitely going to fail now!
Listening 2
Listen to the conversation between a store manager and an employee. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What was Anna planning to do on Saturday at first?
(A) Clean the back room.
(B) Organize the front shelves.
(C) Go to the city festival.
2 What does Mr. Davis predict for the weekend?
(A) They will run out of snacks.
(B) They will have a lot more customers.
(C) The store will close early.
3 What does Anna have to do immediately?
(A) Move drinks to the front shelves.
(B) Clean the storage room.
(C) Order more bottled water.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (A) Clean the back room.
- Explanation: Anna clearly says, “I was planning to clean the back room on Saturday.”
- Trap: Option (B) is the manager’s new instruction, not her original plan. Option (C) is a trap because the “city festival” is mentioned, but she is not going there; she has to work.
2 Correct Answer: (B) They will have a lot more customers.
- Explanation: Mr. Davis predicts, “I think we will have twice as many customers as usual.”
- Trap: Option (A) is a trap. They mention “snacks”, and they actually run out of “water”, but the manager doesn’t predict running out of snacks. Option (C) is not mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: (C) Order more bottled water.
- Explanation: Because they are almost out of water, Mr. Davis tells her to “Call the supplier and order more water immediately”.
- Trap: Option (A) is the classic “Twist” trap. Moving drinks to the front shelves was the plan just a few seconds ago, but the manager changes his mind and says, “We’ll do the shelves later.” Option (B) is the rejected plan from the beginning of the conversation.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mr. Davis: Anna, the city festival is this weekend. I predict we are going to be very busy.
Anna: Yes, Mr. Davis. I was planning to clean the back room on Saturday. Should I still do that?
Mr. Davis: No, we won’t have time for cleaning. I think we will have twice as many customers as usual.
Anna: Okay. So, what should I do instead?
Mr. Davis: I need you to bring all the extra drinks and snacks from the storage to the front shelves.
Anna: Sure. Oh, wait… I just checked. We are almost out of bottled water!
Mr. Davis: Good catch! Call the supplier and order more water immediately, please. We’ll do the shelves later.
Listening 3
Listen to the conversation between two office workers. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What do the workers predict about Mr. Smith at first?
(A) He will be a fun manager.
(B) He will make them work late.
(C) He will give them more money.
2 What is Ben’s plan before he reads the email?
(A) To buy coffee for Alex.
(B) To leave the office early.
(C) To clean his desk.
3 What does Mr. Smith actually want to do tomorrow?
(A) Buy coffee for the team.
(B) Cancel the Friday lunches.
(C) Check everyone’s desks.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (B) He will make them work late.
- Explanation: Ben clearly says, “I predict we will have to work late every day.”
- Trap: Option (A) is a trap because this is how they feel at the end of the conversation, not their first prediction. Option (C) is a positive thing, but they were predicting negative things.
2 Correct Answer: (C) To clean his desk.
- Explanation: Ben is worried about the strict boss, so he says, “I’m going to clean my desk right now so it looks tidy.”
- Trap: Option (A) is a “Person Trap” – the boss is going to buy coffee, not Ben. Option (B) is not mentioned in the audio.
3 Correct Answer: (A) Buy coffee for the team.
- Explanation: Alex reads the email from the boss, which says, “I will buy coffee for everyone!”
- Trap: Option (B) is the classic A2 “Twist” trap. Canceling lunches was just Alex’s bad prediction earlier, not what the boss actually does. Option (C) is related to Ben’s fear, but the boss never says he will check desks.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Alex: Did you hear about our new manager, Mr. Smith? He starts tomorrow.
Ben: Yes. I heard he is very strict. I predict we will have to work late every day.
Alex: Me too. He looks so serious in his photo. I think he will cancel our Friday team lunches.
Ben: That’s terrible. Well, I’m going to clean my desk right now so it looks tidy. I want him to be happy.
Alex: Wait, look at this email! It’s from Mr. Smith. He says: “Hello team, let’s meet at the cafe tomorrow morning. I will buy coffee for everyone!”
Ben: Wow! So he isn’t strict at all. He sounds really fun! I guess I don’t need to clean my desk today!
Listening 4
Listen to the conversation between two coworkers. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What time does Lisa predict they will finish the work?
(A) 6:00 PM
(B) 7:30 PM
(C) 9:00 PM
2 Why does Mark think they will leave at 7:30 PM?
(A) Because he is going to work very fast.
(B) Because he has a meeting with the boss.
(C) Because there are only a few files left.
3 Why do they decide to go home early at the end?
(A) They finished all the work very quickly.
(B) They got an email saying they can finish it tomorrow.
(C) They are too tired to work anymore.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (C) 9:00 PM.
- Explanation: Lisa clearly says, “I predict we will be here until 9:00 PM tonight.”
- Trap: Option (A) is a trap because 6:00 PM is the current time, not the predicted time. Option (B) is a “Person Trap” because 7:30 PM is Mark’s prediction, not Lisa’s.
2 Correct Answer: (A) Because he is going to work very fast.
- Explanation: Mark says, “I think we will finish faster than that. I’m going to work really fast.”
- Trap: Option (B) is not mentioned in the audio (the boss only sends an email later). Option (C) is incorrect because Mark explicitly says “Look at all these files” at the beginning, meaning there are a lot of files, not just a few.
3 Correct Answer: (B) They got an email saying they can finish it tomorrow.
- Explanation: Lisa reads an email from the boss: “He says we don’t need to finish these files today. We can do them tomorrow morning!”
- Trap: Option (A) is the “Twist” trap. They planned to work hard to finish, but they didn’t actually finish the files; they just stopped working. Option (C) is a plausible reason in real life, but it is not the reason mentioned in the conversation.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mark: Look at all these files on the desk, Lisa. We have so much work to do.
Lisa: I know. It’s already 6:00 PM. I predict we will be here until 9:00 PM tonight.
Mark: 9:00 PM? No way. I think we will finish faster than that. I’m going to work really fast. We will leave by 7:30.
Lisa: Well, I hope you are right. But wait… did you see this new email from the boss?
Mark: No, what does it say?
Lisa: He says we don’t need to finish these files today. We can do them tomorrow morning!
Mark: That’s great news! So, let’s just pack our bags and go home right now.
Lisa: Sounds good to me!
Listening 5
Listen to three students talking about their group project. Choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What does Tom predict about their grade at first?
(A) They will get an A+.
(B) They will get a bad grade.
(C) They will fail the project.
2 Why does Sarah think the teacher will love the presentation?
(A) Because David is a very good speaker.
(B) Because they practiced for a long time.
(C) Because they have good information and pictures.
3 What is the big problem at the end?
(A) They forgot to finish the slides.
(B) David lost his bag with their work inside.
(C) Tom deleted the file on the computer.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Correct Answer: (A) They will get an A+.
- Explanation: Tom is very confident and says, “I’m sure we will get an A+ for this project.”
- Trap: Option (C) is a trap because Tom says “we are going to fail” at the very end of the audio, but the question asks what he predicts at first. Option (B) is not mentioned.
2 Correct Answer: (C) Because they have good information and pictures.
- Explanation: Sarah says, “We have beautiful pictures and a lot of good information. I think Mr. Harris is going to love it.”
- Trap: Option (B) is a trap because David mentions they “practiced a lot”, but Sarah specifically gives the pictures and information as the reason the teacher will love it. Option (A) is not mentioned.
3 Correct Answer: (B) David lost his bag with their work inside.
- Explanation: David realizes his mistake and says, “I left it [my backpack] on the bus this morning! My USB drive is inside it!”
- Trap: Option (A) is a classic “Twist” trap. They actually did finish the slides (David says “Yes, we are!”), but they lost them. Option (C) is a plausible tech problem, but it is not what happened in the story.
AUDIO SCRIPT
David (Leader): Okay team, we practiced a lot today. I predict our science presentation tomorrow will be amazing!
Sarah: I agree! We have beautiful pictures and a lot of good information. I think Mr. Harris is going to love it.
Tom: Yeah, I’m sure we will get an A+ for this project. Are we totally finished now?
David: Yes, we are! I just saved all the slides on my blue USB drive. We are perfectly ready.
Sarah: Great! Let’s pack our things and go home. Wait… David, where is your backpack?
David: Let me check. Oh no… I left it on the bus this morning! My USB drive is inside it!
Tom: What?! We don’t have the presentation anymore? I change my prediction… we are going to fail!