Practice Listening English Exercises for A1 – Vacations

Getting Ready

When do you use these words? Write them in the correct lists. Then add your own words to each list.

not bad

wonderful

very disappointing

so-so

awful

all right

nothing special

terrific

fantastic

really great

pretty boring

terrible


Didn’t like it

Liked it a little

Liked it a lot

fantastic

Show answers

Didn’t like it: awful, pretty boring, very disappointing, nothing special, terrible

Liked it a little: all right, not bad, so-so

Liked it a lot: really great, fantastic, terrific, wonderful

Listening 1

These people didn’t have a good vacation. What did they do? Listen and circle the correct answer.

1)  a went away

b stayed home

2)  a went to Hawaii

b went to Okinawa

3)  a went away

b stayed home

4)  a invited relatives to stay

b visited relatives

5)  a went to the beach

b went to the country

6)  a went skiing

b stayed home

7)  a went skiing

b stayed home

8)  a went to Las Vegas

b went to Los Angeles

Show answers & Transcript

1) b   2) a   3) b   4) b   5) b   6) a   7) b   8) a

Transcript

1)

A: Did you have a good vacation?

B: Not bad. I decided not to go away. I just stayed home and watched TV.

A: You call that a vacation?

2)

A: How was your vacation?

B: So-so

A: Where did you go?

B: I went to Hawaii.

A: And?

B: Well, I went for the sunshine, but it rained every day! So I couldn’t get a tan.

A: Hey. That’s tough!

3)

A: How was your vacation?

B: Very disappointing.

A: Oh, what did you do?

B: Nothing. I stayed home and helped father fix his car.

A: Oh, no!

4)

A: Did you do anything interesting on your vacation?

B: Mmm. Well, I went out of town for a few days. I visited brother and his family.

A: Did you have a nice time?

B: It was terrible. The kids were fighting all the time.

5)

A: When did you get back from your trip?

B: Last week.

A: So did you go to the beach? 

B: Not this time. I rented a house in the country. It was really quiet and peaceful. And really boring! And the birds woke me up at six o’clock every morning.

6)

A:   What did you do on your vacation? Did you stay home?

B:   No, I went skiing.

A:   Really. Did you have a good time?

B:   It’s was great – until I broke leg!

7)

A:   How was your vacation?

B:   Vacation? Oh, that!

A:   Did you go to the beach?

B:   No, I had to stay home and study for exam.

A:   Sounds awful.

B:   It was. And I failed the exam!

8)

A:   Did you go to California for your vacation?

B:   No, I went to Nevada.

A:   To Las Vegas?

B:   Yeah, Las Vega.

A:   That’s great. How was it?

B: It was all right until I spent all money!

Listening 2

Task 1

Did the people enjoy their vacations? Listen and check (✓) the correct answer.

1) yes

no

2) yes

no

3) yes

no

4) yes

no

5) yes

no

6) yes

no

7) yes

no

8) yes

no

Show answers

1) no   2) yes  3) no   4) no

5) yes   6) no   7) yes   8) yes

Task 2

Listen again. What word completes each statement? Write the correct letter.

1) The weather was ____

2) the people were ____

3) The ski trip was ____

4) Their trip to France was very ____

5) Her trip to the beach was ____

6) The hotel wasn’t ____

7) The shopping in Thailand was ____

8) His vacation was too ____

a fantastic

b terrible

c disappointing

d nice

e clean

f awful

g short

h terrific

Show answers & Transcript

1) b   2) d   3) f   4) c   5) h   6) e   7) a   8) g

Transcript

1)

A: Did you have a nice vacation?

B: It was nothing special. The weather was terrible.

A: That’s too bad.

2)

A: Did you enjoy your trip to Vancouver?

B: Yeah, it was fantastic. The people are so nice.

3)

A: How was your ski trip?

B: Awful.

A: Why?

B: There was no snow!

4)

A: So how was your trip to France?

B: Very disappointing. It was so crowded everywhere. We couldn’t even get a hotel room.

A: That’s too bad. You should never go in July.

B: Now you tell me!

5)

A: When did you get back from the beach?

B:  Last weekend. I had a terrific time. I swam every day and I learned how to windsurf.

A: Great!

6)

A: Did you have a nice vacation?

B:  It was terrible. The food was awful. And the hotel wasn’t clean at all.

A: Oh, that’s too bad.

7)

A: So how was your trip to Thailand?

B:  I had a wonderful time. The shopping was fantastic. And the people were great.

A: Sounds like you had fun.

B:  I did.

8)

A: Did you have a great vacation?

B: Really great! But it was too short.

A: Really. How long was it?

B: Only a month.

A: A month! You’re lucky!

Listening 3

Task 1

People are talking about their vacations. Listen and number the pictures.

img

Show answers

a 6   b 4   c 3   d 1   e 2   F 5

Task 2

Listen again. Are the statements true or false? Check (✓) the correct answer.

True

False

1) He learned to water ski very slowly.

2) It was cold at night.

3) The museums were interesting.

4) The weather wasn’t good.

5) She went to France.

6) They had a comfortable trip.

Show answers & Transcript

1) False   2) True   3) False

4) False   5) False   6) True

Transcript

1)

A:  Is this you?

B:  Yes, it is.

A:  Wow! It looks really fun, but hard. How do you stay on them?

B:  In the beginning, you don’t. You fall off all the time. But you learn pretty quickly. I had a wonderful time.

2)

A: What are you doing here?

B:  friends and I went camping. It was really great. But it got very cold at night. This is how we kept warm.

3)

A: What did you do?

B: Oh, I went sightseeing and visited all the museums.

A: Oh, that sounds interesting.

B: Actually, it was pretty boring. I hate museums.

4)

A: Oh, this must have been a wonderful vacation.

B: Yes, it was fantastic. The weather was perfect. And the water was so clear.

A: Wow. Look at you. You’re all red.

B: Yes, I got a terrible sunburn.

5)

A: What are you doing here?

B: Oh, I took a cooking course in Italy.

A: Terrific. So what can you make now?

B: Spaghetti and meatballs!

6)

A: Did you travel the whole way in this?

B: Yes, we did. It was really very comfortable to travel in. We slept in it, too.

Conversation Corner: Talking about vacations

Task 1

Listen to the conversation. Write the missing words.

A:   How was your vacation, Julia?

B:   It was great! I ________ a ________ with some friends at the beach.

A:   That sounds like fun!

B:   It was. I __________ ____ the beach every morning, and I learned to windsurf.

A:   Nice. Did you stay at the beach the whole time?

B:   No, we visited a cute town nearby. We __________ ____ souvenirs and ate ice cream.

A:   Sounds wonderful.

B:   It was. In fact, I’ve ________ I ________ to live near the beach!

Task 2

Practice the conversation with a partner. Be sure to pronounce the past -ed verb endings correctly.

Show answers & Transcript

A: How was your vacation, Julia?

B:  It was great! I rentedhouse with some friends at the beach.

A: That sounds like fun!

B:  It was. I walkedon the beach every morning, and I learned to windsurf.

A: Nice. Did you stay at the beach the whole time?

B:  No, we visited a cute town nearby. We shoppedfor souvenirs and ate ice cream.

A: Sounds wonderful.

B:  It was. In fact, I’ve decidedwant to live near the beach!

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