English Listening Exercises for B1 – Relationships

1. Listen to the story. Put the pictures in the correct order.

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Show answers

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

Transcript

It was a hot African day and I stopped to have a rest under a tree. I took off hat and put it down on the ground. Then I lay down and I soon fell asleep. While I was asleep, a monkey took hat. When I woke up, I put out hand to pick up hat, but it wasn’t there. Then I heard a noise in the tree above me. I looked up and I saw the monkey. It was holding hat. I started to climb up the tree but the monkey just jumped up to a higher branch, so I gave up and climbed down the tree again.

I sat down to think, and I noticed that the monkey sat down, too. I stood up and the monkey stood up, too.

‘Ah-hah,’ I thought. I put hand in pocket, took out a handkerchief and put it on head.

The monkey put on hat, too. Then I took off the handkerchief, and the monkey took off the hat. Then I threw down the handkerchief on the ground. The monkey threw down hat. When the hat landed on the ground, I quickly bent down and picked it up. Then I put it on and walked away. After a while, I looked back. The monkey was still sitting in the tree.

2. a   Listen and match the pictures. There is one picture in column B that is not needed.

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b   Look at the pictures again. Write what the people say.

1) I’ll check emails before we have dinner.

2) I ________ before ________

3) I ________ when ________

4) I ________ while ________

5) I ________ as soon as ________

6) I ________ after ________

Show answers

a

2) f   3) g   4) b   5) a   6) d

b

2) I’ll have a shower, I get home

3) I’ll recharge phone, I go to bed

4) I’ll listen to some music, I do homework

5) I’ll take the dog for a walk, it gets dark

6) I’ll meet friends, I have piano lesson

Transcript

1) What’s the time? Oh, half past five. I’ll check emails before we have dinner.

2) Well, I’ve finished homework. I’ll take the dog for a walk before it gets dark. Come on, boy.

3) Oh, battery’s nearly gone. I’ll recharge phone when I go to bed.

4) There’s nothing on TV this evening. I’ll listen to some music while I do homework.

5) Phew, it’s hot today. I’ll have a shower as soon as I get home.

6) I probably won’t be here for lunch. I’ll meet friends after I have piano lesson.

3. a   Listen to a radio phone-in programme about parents and teenagers. Match the names to the correct problems. There are two pictures that are not needed.

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p>b   Listen again. Complete the sentences with the correct names.

1) _____ has been on a date before.

2) _____ doesn’t go out very much now.

3) __ Ned__’s parents are worried about drugs.

4) _____ wants to go shopping with her friends.

5) _____ thinks he should lie to his parents.

6) _____’s parents lost a friend in a road accident.

7) _____ is embarrassed when friends suggest going out.

8) _____ doesn’t want to hurt her mother’s feelings.

Show answers

a

1) e   2) d   3) c   4) b

b

1) Rita   2) Adam   4) Cass   5) Ned   6) Rita

7) Adam   8) Cass

Transcript

1)

Presenter And our next caller is Ned. What’s your problem, Ned?

Ned Hi. Well, maybe it isn’t a problem. I don’t know. You see, some of friends are going to a music festival, and I want to go, too. But I haven’t said anything to parents yet, because I’m sure they’ll say ‘No’. There was something on the news about a music festival last summer, and I can remember dad saying: ‘There’s always trouble at those festivals – with drugs and things like that! The police should stop them.’ Should I just lie and say that I’m going to stay at friend’s house – and then go to the festival?

2)

Presenter Now let’s talk to Cass. What do you want to say, Cass?

Cass I’ve got a problem with mum. When I was younger I always enjoyed going shopping with her – especially when we went to buy clothes. But now I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to go shopping with friends, and I want to choose own clothes. But I don’t want to hurt mum’s feelings. How can I tell her?

3)

Presenter OK. Now here’s Adam.

Adam Hi. problem is that I like to go out with all friends on Fridays and Saturdays, but parents always say that I have to be home before 10 o’clock. And we don’t live near the town centre, so I have to get a bus at ten past nine. All friends stay later – till 11 or 11.30. It’s become really embarrassing, so now when someone says ‘Do you want to go out this evening?’ I usually say ‘No’, and I just stay at home and watch TV.

4)

Presenter And our last caller for now is Rita. What do you want to say, Rita?

Rita Hello. I want to go out on a date. That isn’t really a problem. I’ve been out with boys before and parents don’t mind. But now a boy has asked me out on a date, and the problem is that he rides a motorbike. parents hate motorbikes. One of their friends was killed in a motorbike accident, so you can understand it. I really like this boy and I’ve promised that I won’t go on the motorbike, but parents say that I can’t go out with him.

4. Listen and complete the sentences.

1) I went to the kitchen ____________ a sandwich, but there ____________ bread.

2) I made an appointment ____________ the doctor, but then I ____________ it.

3) I sat down ____________ TV, but I ________

4) I phoned grandma ____________ Happy Birthday, but she ________

5) I went on the Internet ____________ some tickets for a concert, but they ________

6) I went to the park ____________ tennis, but it ________

7) I went to the shop ____________ some milk, but it ________

Show answers

1) to make, wasn’t any

2) to see, forgot

3) to watch, fell asleep

4) to say, wasn’t in

5) to book, were sold out

6) to play, started raining

7) to buy, was closed

Transcript

1) I went to the kitchen to make a sandwich, but there wasn’t any bread.

2) I made an appointment to see the doctor, but then I forgot it.

3) I sat down to watch TV, but I fell asleep.

4) I phoned grandma to say ‘Happy Birthday’, but she wasn’t in.

5) I went on the Internet to book some tickets for a concert, but they were sold out.

6) I went to the park to play tennis, but it started raining.

7) I went to the shop to buy some milk, but it was closed.

6. a   Listen to Ella’s problem. Tick (✓) the correct answers.

1) Why has she got a problem?


a She had a party when her parents were away.

b She’s in trouble at school.

c She’s got important exams soon.

d She wants to go on a date.

2) Which of these things does she say she can’t do?


a listen to music

b play computer games

c use her mobile

d go out with her friends

e send emails

f watch TV

g take the dog for a walk

h stay up late

b   Complete the advice with these phrases.

It’s never a good idea        advice to you

A lot of young people        I think you should

I’m sure        you also need a break        Try

Dear Ella,

1) __ A lot of young people__ have problems with their parents at this time of year. 2) _____ to show your parents that you’re going to work hard. 3) _____ make a revision plan and show it to your parents. And tell them that 4) _____, so that you can relax. 5) _____ they’ll agree that you can’t spend every night in your room! 6) _____ to have an argument immediately before an exam, so 7) _____ is to make your plan and discuss it with your parents as soon as possible.

Show answers

a

1) c ✓

2) b ✓   d ✓   e ✓   f ✓   h ✓

b

2) Try

3) I think you should

4) you also need a break

5) I’m sure

6) It’s never a good idea

7) advice to you

Transcript

Hi. I’m Ella. This is problem. I’ve got exams at school next month and they’re very important. The problem is that parents think that I should stay at home and study all the time. They say that I can’t go out with friends until after the exams. I can’t watch TV and I have to go to bed early every night – including weekends. At least they haven’t taken mobile away, so I can talk to friends. But I can only use the computer for revision – so no emails or computer games.

I know these exams are important, but I feel like I’m in jail. I really miss friends, and if I don’t go out soon, I’ll go crazy. Help!

7. Listen to Suzie describing a scene. Tick (✓) the things that she mentions.


a a dog barking

b the sun shining

c two boys playing with a kite

d a girl riding a horse

e something burning

f a man talking on a mobile

g someone singing

h the wind blowing

Show answers

a ✓   c ✓   d ✓   e ✓   f ✓   h

Transcript

I’m in our kitchen. I’m making breakfast. I’ve just put some toast in the toaster. And now I’m looking out of the window while I wait for it. The window’s open and I can feel the wind blowing in face, but it isn’t cold. There’s a park opposite our house and I can see a girl riding a horse. And there are two boys playing with a kite. It’s going very high in the wind. There’s a man talking on a mobile. He’s talking very loudly. I can hear him. I can hear a dog barking, too. And now I can smell something burning. Oh no. It’s toast. I forgot about it!

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