Social Media – B1 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
Listen to a conversation between a customer and a cashier at a restaurant. For each question, choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What does the customer mistakenly think is enough to get the cheaper price?
(A) Writing a positive review on the internet.
(B) Being a subscriber to the restaurant’s online profile.
(C) Taking a photograph of the promotional poster.
2 What must the customer include in his online post?
(A) A specific keyword with a symbol.
(B) A short video showing the restaurant staff.
(C) A direct link to the restaurant’s website.
3 Why does the cashier ask the customer to change his post settings?
(A) Because his internet connection is too slow to upload it.
(B) Because he typed the restaurant’s name incorrectly.
(C) Because the staff cannot verify the post if it is hidden.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Answer: (B) Being a subscriber to the restaurant’s online profile.
- Explanation: The customer asks, “I already follow your restaurant’s page… Does that count?” This means he thinks being a subscriber (following the page) is enough. Option (A) is not mentioned. Option (C) is a trap; the customer mentions seeing a “poster,” but he doesn’t need to take a photo of it.
2 Answer: (A) A specific keyword with a symbol.
- Explanation: The cashier tells him to add their “special hashtag” (#TastyBites), which is a specific keyword with a symbol. Option (B) is a trap; he needs to take a photo of his food, not a video of the staff. Option (C) is never mentioned.
3 Answer: (C) Because the staff cannot verify the post if it is hidden.
- Explanation: The cashier explains that if the account is private (hidden), their “system can’t detect the post” to give the discount. Therefore, it needs to be “visible to everyone” (public). Options (A) and (B) are plausible problems when posting online, but they are not the reason mentioned in the audio.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Customer: Hi, I’d like to get the check, please. By the way, I noticed the poster outside mentioning a 10% discount. How can I get that?
Cashier: Hello! Yes, it’s our new social media promotion. You just need to do a quick check-in.
Customer: Oh, I already follow your restaurant’s page on my account. Does that count?
Cashier: Not quite. You actually need to snap a photo of your food, share it on your profile, and make sure to add our special hashtag, #TastyBites.
Customer: Alright, give me a second. I’m uploading the picture to my private account right now.
Cashier: Um, actually, your post needs to be visible to everyone. If your account is private, our system can’t detect the post to give you the deduction.
Customer: Oh, my bad. I didn’t realize that. Let me switch the settings to public… Okay, there you go!
Cashier: Great, I see it on our screen now. Your total was $20, so with the reduction, it comes down to $18.
Listening 2
Listen to a phone conversation between a customer and a spa receptionist. For each question, choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 Why is Mark calling the spa?
(A) To cancel his Friday massage reservation.
(B) To verify the details of an online booking.
(C) To complain about a delayed response to his message.
2 What time is Mark’s actual appointment?
(A) 4:00 PM
(B) 4:30 PM
(C) 5:00 PM
3 Where does the receptionist advise Mark to park his vehicle?
(A) Along the street in front of the spa.
(B) In a public parking lot down the road.
(C) In a designated area beneath the facility.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Answer: (B) To verify the details of an online booking.
- Explanation: Mark says he is calling to “double-check my appointment” which he booked “through your Facebook page” (online booking). Option (A) is a trap; he mentions Friday, but he wants to confirm the appointment, not cancel it. Option (C) is not mentioned.
2 Answer: (B) 4:30 PM
- Explanation: Mark explains that they agreed to “push it back to 4:30 PM” because the earlier time was full, and the receptionist confirms this updated time. Option (A) is a trap; 4:00 PM was his original request and the time the receptionist mistakenly read first, but it was fully booked. Option (C) is never mentioned.
3 Answer: (C) In a designated area beneath the facility.
- Explanation: The receptionist tells him to use the “underground garage” (which means an area beneath the facility). Option (A) is a trap; Mark says he parked on the street “last time,” but the receptionist tells him “please don’t do that” because of pavement repairs. Option (B) is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Receptionist: Good morning, Lotus Spa, Sarah speaking. How can I help you?
Customer: Hi, I’m calling to double-check my appointment. I actually booked it through your Facebook page last night. The name is Mark Davis.
Receptionist: Let me just bring up our system. Um… right, I see your messages. You’re scheduled for a deep tissue massage this Friday at 4:00 PM, correct?
Customer: Well, originally I requested 4:00 PM, but whoever replied to my direct message said that slot was fully booked. So, we agreed to push it back to 4:30 PM.
Receptionist: Oh, my apologies! Yes, the updated notes here say 4:30 PM. You’re all set.
Customer: Perfect. One more thing, where should I leave my car? I remember parking on the street last time I visited.
Receptionist: Ah, please don’t do that. The city is repairing the pavement this week. We now have a private underground garage right behind the building. Just pull in there, it’s completely free for our clients.
Customer: Excellent, I’ll head straight to the back then. Thanks for the heads-up. See you Friday!
Listening 3
Listen to a phone conversation between a customer and an online shop owner. For each question, choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 Why is the customer calling the shop?
(A) To return a piece of clothing she bought online.
(B) To ask about the availability of an item seen on a video feed.
(C) To complain about a late delivery from the boutique.
2 What is the problem with the navy blue coat?
(A) It is currently out of stock in the customer’s size.
(B) It is only available in a size small at the moment.
(C) It is much more expensive than the grey version.
3 What does the shop owner ask the customer to provide to reserve the item?
(A) Her credit card number.
(B) Her physical delivery address.
(C) Her social media profile name.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Answer: (B) To ask about the availability of an item seen on a video feed.
- Explanation: The customer says, “I’m watching your live broadcast… I wanted to know if you still have it,” which means asking about an item from a video feed. Option (A) is plausible for a shop but incorrect here. Option (C) is never mentioned.
2 Answer: (A) It is currently out of stock in the customer’s size.
- Explanation: The shop owner says the medium size (the customer’s size) “sold out”, which means it is out of stock. Option (B) is a trap; the owner mentions they have “large and extra-large left”, not small. Option (C) is never mentioned.
3 Answer: (C) Her social media profile name.
- Explanation: The shop owner asks, “If you give me your account name, I can set one aside for you.” An account name means a social media profile name. Option (B) is a trap; the customer says she will send her shipping address (delivery address) later, but the owner did not ask for it to reserve the jacket. Option (A) is not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Shop Owner: Hello, Bella’s Boutique hotline. How can I help you?
Customer: Hi, I’m watching your live broadcast on Facebook right now. You just showed a winter coat, the navy blue one. I wanted to know if you still have it in a medium so I can order it immediately.
Shop Owner: Let me check the system real quick. Um… I’m so sorry, but the medium sold out about five minutes ago. We only have large and extra-large left in that specific color.
Customer: Oh, that’s a shame. I really need a medium.
Shop Owner: Well, wait a second. We do have the exact same jacket in dark grey. It’s actually our best-seller and I have three mediums in stock right now.
Customer: Dark grey? Yeah, actually that sounds even better. It will match my black boots perfectly.
Shop Owner: Great choice! If you give me your account name, I can set one aside for you before the stream ends.
Customer: Awesome. My username is SarahK99. I’ll send my shipping address in a private message in a minute.
Listening 4
Listen to a phone conversation between a customer and a support agent. For each question, choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 What is the main reason for the woman’s phone call?
(A) To claim a computer she won in a recent competition.
(B) To inform the company about a deceptive online profile.
(C) To complain about a late delivery of her purchased goods.
2 What made the woman suspicious of the message she received?
(A) The sender requested money for transporting the item.
(B) The account’s image was completely different from the real one.
(C) The message was sent from an email address instead of Facebook.
3 What does Mark say the business will do next?
(A) Send a free laptop to the woman to thank her.
(B) Contact the local police to investigate the stolen credit card.
(C) Alert their followers about the situation on their main page.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Answer: (B) To inform the company about a deceptive online profile.
- Explanation: Lisa calls because somebody “copied your official page,” which means she wants to inform them about a deceptive online profile (fake account). Option (A) is a trap; the message claimed she won a computer, but she knows it is a lie so she is not calling to claim it. Option (C) is a trap; the words “shipping” and “delivery” are mentioned, but she is not complaining about a late delivery.
2 Answer: (A) The sender requested money for transporting the item.
- Explanation: Lisa says they asked for her credit card details “to cover the shipping fee,” which means requesting money for transporting the item. Option (B) is a trap; she explicitly says the profile picture “looks exactly like yours” (not completely different). Option (C) is not mentioned.
3 Answer: (C) Alert their followers about the situation on their main page.
- Explanation: Mark states that the company will “publish a warning on our real feed immediately,” which means alerting their followers on their main page. Option (A) is not mentioned. Option (B) is a trap; Mark mentions “financial information” and “credit card,” but her card was not stolen and the police are not mentioned.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Mark: Hello, TechGear Support, Mark speaking. How can I assist you today?
Lisa: Hi Mark. Um, I’m calling because I think there’s a serious issue on Facebook. Somebody has copied your official page.
Mark: Oh, really? What exactly did this page do?
Lisa: Well, they sent me a direct message claiming I won a brand new laptop in your anniversary giveaway. But they asked for my credit card details to cover the shipping fee.
Mark: I see. Please do not give them any financial information. We would never ask our winners to pay for delivery. This is definitely a scam.
Lisa: I figured that. The profile picture looks exactly like yours, but the username has an extra letter at the end.
Mark: Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. We will publish a warning on our real feed immediately. Could you do us a favor and report that fraudulent profile to the platform?
Lisa: Already done. I blocked them, too.
Mark: Excellent. Thanks again for your vigilance.
Listening 5
Listen to a conversation between a tourist and a hotel receptionist. For each question, choose the correct answer (A, B, or C).
1 Why does the tourist need the internet connection?
(A) To book a different room with a better view.
(B) To share pictures of his accommodation online.
(C) To send a private message to the receptionist.
2 Which internet option should the tourist select?
(A) The public service available in the downstairs reception area.
(B) A high-speed connection that requires payment by the hour.
(C) The exclusive network designated for overnight visitors.
3 How will the tourist link the hotel to his social media update?
(A) By sending his pictures to their official Twitter page.
(B) By including their specific Instagram username in his post.
(C) By leaving a positive review on their main website.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 Answer: (B) To share pictures of his accommodation online.
- Explanation: The tourist says he wants to “upload some photos of the beautiful balcony view to my feed,” which means sharing pictures of his accommodation online. Option (A) is a trap; the words “room” and “view” are mentioned, but he is not trying to book a new room. Option (C) is never mentioned.
2 Answer: (C) The exclusive network designated for overnight visitors.
- Explanation: The receptionist tells him that because he is “staying with us” (an overnight visitor), he should choose the “Premium” network. Option (A) is a trap; she mentions the “Guest” network for people in the lobby (reception area), but he should not use that one. Option (B) is plausible for hotels, but not mentioned in the audio.
3 Answer: (B) By including their specific Instagram username in his post.
- Explanation: The tourist wants to “tag” the hotel, and the receptionist gives him their Instagram username (@GoldenSandsResort). Option (A) is a trap; she explicitly says they “used to” use Twitter, but they are active on Instagram now. Option (C) is a trap; he might give a positive review, but he is doing it on his own social media feed, not the hotel’s website.
AUDIO SCRIPT
Tourist: Hi there, excuse me. I just checked into room 305. The room is lovely, but I can’t seem to get my laptop connected to the internet. Could you help me with the Wi-Fi details?
Receptionist: Of course, sir. We actually have two networks. The “Guest” network is free for everyone waiting in the lobby, but since you are staying with us, you should choose the “Premium” network. The password is “OceanView2024” with a capital O and V.
Tourist: Ah, “Premium”. Let me try… got it! Thanks. I want to upload some photos of the beautiful balcony view to my feed right now. By the way, does the hotel have an official account? I’d love to tag you guys in my post.
Receptionist: We do! We used to just use Twitter for customer service, but nowadays we’re mostly active on Instagram. You can find us at @GoldenSandsResort.
Tourist: Perfect. I’ll make sure to mention you. Hopefully, it gets a lot of likes!
Receptionist: We really appreciate that! Have a great afternoon.