Listening Exercises B1 – Gadgets and Machines

Exercise 1 

People are talking about these gadgets. Listen and number the pictures.

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Answer & Transcript

1.

Yes, these are great in the winter for keeping the place warm. It’s got a fan as well, so it warms the whole room. And the best thing is it’s so light. Pick it up and feel how light it is.

2.

These are really handy when you’re reading. You see, you put your book here. It even holds the pages down. And I love this. See, it’s got its own light for reading at night.

3.

If you listen to a lot of music, you really need one of these. It cleans off dust, dirt, and fingerprints, and gives you a much better sound from your CDs.

4.

Oh, this? Well, we have a Persian cat. She’s actually a show cat. She’s won quite a few medals this year. This is her carrier. We take her everywhere in it. nothing but the best for her!

5.

You keep this in the kitchen in case there is a power failure. It’s got a really strong light.

6.

This thing really comes in handy. I always carry it with me. I keep friends’ addresses and telephone numbers in it. You really should get one!

Exercise 2

Task 1

People are having problems using these machines. Listen and number the pictures.

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Task 2

Listen again. What is the problem with each machine? Circle the correct answer.

1.  a. She needs more film.

     b. The batteries are dead.

     c. It’s too dirty.

2.  a. He put in too much soap.

     b. He put in too much clothing.

     c. He put in too much money.

3.  a. There’s no dust bag.

     b. The dust bag is empty.

     c. The dust bag is full.

4.  a. She used the wrong paper size.

     b. She put in too much paper.

     c. She didn’t use enough paper.

5.  a. The dress is the wrong color.

     b. The needle is too big.

     c. The needle is to small.

6.  a. She put in too much sugar.

     b. She put in too much fruit.

     c. She put in too much ice.

Answer & Transcript

1.

A:   That’s funny. It isn’t working. I keep pushing the button, but it won’t take any pictures.

B:   Maybe you need more film.

A:   No, that’s not it. I put in a new roll of film this morning.

B:   What about the batteries?

A:   Hmm. I guess they’re pretty old.

B:   That’s the problem. The batteries are dead.

A:   That must be it.

B:   You should replace them.

2.

A:   This machine didn’t clean clothes very well. I had to wash everything twice.

B:   Really? Did you put a lot of clothes in there?

A:   Yeah. I filled it to the top.

B:   Oh, that’s the problem. You put in too much clothing.

A:   Really?

B:   Yeah. Do you see this line on the inside of the machine? You shouldn’t fill it above that line.

3.

A:   This thing is useless. I’ve done the living room floor twice, but it still isn’t clean.

B:   Have you checked the dust bag?

A:   The dust bag?

B:   Yes, everything it picks up goes into the dust bag inside. Here, let me check. You see, that’s the problem. The dust bag is full.

A:   Yeah. You’re right.

B:   You should replace the bag with a new one.

4.

A:   I think this machine is jammed. It won’t print any of documents.

B:   Let me take a look at it. Yes, it is jammed. The paper is stuck inside it.

A:   How did that happen?

B:   Let’s see. Ah! Here’s the problem. You used the wrong paper size.

A:   Oh. Sorry.

B:   Don’t worry about it. But you should use the right paper size next time.

5.

A:   Hey, what are you sewing?

B:   I’m making a dress for the party. Oh no, look! It’s all jammed up.

A:   You know what the problem is? This needle is too small for your fabric.

B:   Yeah. I guess you’re right.

A:   You should use a bigger needle.

6.

A:   This should make a great fruit drink. I love making these in the summer. Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound right. What happened?

B:   Did you put in a lot of ice?

A:   Yeah, I guess I did.

B:   That’s the problem. You put in too much ice, so the blades can’t move.

A:   Oh.

B:   You should use less ice next time.

Exercise 3

Task 1

People are talking about machines and appliances. Listen and match the products on the left with the features on the right.

1. flat screen TV ___ .

2. laptop computer ___ .

3. air conditioner ___ .

4. clothes dryer ___ .

5. dishwasher ___ .

6. lawn mower ___ .

a. You can adjust it with the remote control.

b. You can fit it in a small apartment.

c. You don’t have to rinse anything.

d. It weighs only one and a half kilos.

e. You can run it for an hour without adding gas.

f. You can hang it on the wall.

Task 2

Listen again. Are these statements true or false? Check the correct answer.

  True False
1.  You shouldn’t put it near a window.
2.  You should keep it in the case when you carry it.
3.  You should open the windows when you use it.
4.  You shouldn’t touch the lint filter.
5.  You shouldn’t put any soap in it.
6.  You shouldn’t put your hand under the machine.

Answer & Transcript

1.

This flat screen TV works great if you take care of it properly. The image is sharp and the color is perfect. It’s really convenient because you can hang it on the wall – not like those old clunky TVs that were so big and boxy and took up half of the living room. Direct sunlight is not good for it, so you shouldn’t put it near a window.

2.

This is the latest model of laptop computer. Feel how light it is. it weighs only one and a half kilos. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Now, it’s pretty strong, but you still need to be careful with it. It comes with a nice protective case, so you should keep it inside the case when you carry it. You wouldn’t want to drop it. That could damage the screen.

3.

You’ll like this air conditioner a lot. You can adjust the temperature and the fan speed very easily, using this remote control. You should close all the doors and windows when you use it. It’s amazing how many people forget to do this and then wonder why it’s not cooling their house.

4.

This is the best dryer we have. It holds up to 3 kilos, but it’s not too big, so you can fit it in a small apartment. Now, you should always clean the lint filter before you use it. It’s very easy to clean. All you need to do is pull out the filter, empty it out, and then put it back in again. It’s really important to do it every time you use it. If you don’t, the dryer might get too hot and burn your clothes.

5.

This will get your dishes nice and clean. It’s very powerful, so you don’t have to rinse anything before you wash it. That’s the best feature. Now, remember, you shouldn’t put too much soap into it. If you use too much soap, your dishes will come out sticky.

6.

You’ll enjoy using this lawn mower. It has a big gas tank, so you can usually run if for about an hour without adding gas. You just have to be careful about one thing. You shouldn’t put your hand under the machine. That blade is very sharp, and you could really hurt yourself.

Exercise 4

People are describing their favorite gadgets and machines. Which gadget is each person describing? Listen and write the correct letter.

1. __ .              

2. __ .

3. __ .

4. __ .

5. __ .

a. dishwasher

b. flat screen TV

c.  laptop computer

d. camera

e. cell phone

Answer & Transcript

1) c   2) d   3) a   4) e   5) b

Transcript

1.

I just love this computer. It's so small and light. I can just slip it in briefcase and take it anywhere. I even carry it with me when I bicycle to the library, so I can work on things there, too.

2.

This is one of those new ones that doesn't need film. I just download the pictures right onto computer. I love it because I can see pictures right away! And if I take some bad pictures, I just delete them. Now everyone thinks I'm a great photographer.

3.

I'm so glad new apartment has one of these. In old place, I had to wash every dish self in the sink. Now I just put the dirty dishes in here, add some soap, press a button, and it cleans them automatically!

4.

I love this gadget. I talk on it during bus rides, on the train, in restaurants, and even when I'm walking down the street.

5.

I live in a very small apartment, so I love this gadget because it takes up almost no space at all. The screen is very light and thin, so you can hang it on the wall. I can watch the news as I cook or watch movies before bed.

Exercise 5

People are having problems using these gadgets or machines. What is the problem with each one? Listen and circle the correct answer.

1. Digital camera

a. He forgot to turn it on.

b. It needs more film.

c.  The memory is full.

2. Flashlight

a. The bulb is broken.

b. The batteries are dead.

c.  It's too dirty.

3. Rice cooker

a. He pushed the wrong button.

b. He put in too much rice.

c.  He put in too much water.

4. CD player

a. The CD is too dirty.

b. He didn't put in a CD.

c.  The volume is too low.

5. Dishwasher

a. She didn't rinse the dishes first.

b. She put in too much soap.

c.  She put in too many dishes.

Answer & Transcript

1) c   2) b   3) c   4) c   5) a

Transcript

1.

A:   Do you understand these new cameras? I can turn it on, but it won't let me take any pictures.

B:   Why don't you see what it says on the display screen?

A:   Good idea. Let's see … It says, “Memory card full.” Is that a problem?

B:   Yeah. It means the camera's memory is full. You'll have to erase some pictures.

2.

A:   Oh!

B:   What's the matter, Lisa?

A:   All I want is some light here. Can you help me get this flashlight to work?

B:   Hmm. I think the batteries are dead. Why don't you try replacing them?

A:   Oh, yeah. Good idea.

3.

A:   I promised wife we'd have rice with our dinner, but I can't get this rice cooker to work. It's taking a really long time to cook the rice.

B:   Let me look inside. Here's the problem. You added too much water. That's why it's taking so long.

A:   Oh. That makes sense.

4.

A:   I'm totally confused. I just want to hear new CD, but the CD player won't play it.

B:   I think I know what the problem is. The volume is too low. That's why you can't hear the music. Here, just push this button.

A:   All right. Thanks!

5.

A:   I washed these dishes in the dishwasher, but they're still dirty. It's really frustrating.

B:   Yeah. I'll tell you what the problem is. You didn't rinse the dishes first. It's an old dishwasher, so you have to do that.

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