Listening - Upper-Intermediate

• There are 7 conversations to listen to during the listening session ranging from around 2 to 5 minutes in length.
• The worksheets follow in this order. Please do them in this order.

1. Haven't we met before?
2. Camping under the stars.
3. So, what's the matter?
4. Friday night mishaps.
5. A healthy lifestyle.
6. Money matters.
7. Exotic animal kingdom.

• For each conversation there are 5 multiple choice questions to answer.
• After you have tried the questions once, please record your score out of 5 on each worksheet before you do anything else.
• If you want to go back and listen again to the passage or check the tape script or do the text completion exercise for each conversation, you should do this after you have completed all 7 worksheets.
• Write your name in the space below and please give this handout back to the teacher at the end of the session. If you wish to keep any of the worksheets, please ask the teacher for a copy.
• You may want to note down the Website address below for more practice later.

Further activities

If you would like to do more work on any of the listening passages at a later date, click on the "Text Completion Quiz" towards the bottom of each page.

More Listening

Try this Website for more listening practice like the conversations listed above.
http://www.esl-lab.com/

Student's Name: __________________________________

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Haven't we met before?

This is a short conversation between a man and a woman who are meeting for the first time.

Key Vocabulary

The following vocabulary is used in this conversation.

• on the tip of one's tongue (idiom): to be at the point of remembering something
  - Oh, what is her name again? It's on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it.
• memorable (adjective): worth remembering
  - College graduation was a real memorable experience for me.
• major (verb, also noun): have as your main field of study
  - My brother wants to major in education.
• overseas (adverb): in a foreign country
  - My family lived overseas for several years.
• mull over (verb): think over
  - My brother wants to mull over different job offers before he makes a decision.

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/small/smallrd1.htm Think about the pre-listening question for a minute. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   Feel free to listen to the conversation again. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

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Camping Under the Stars

This short listening passage is a conversation between a man and a woman about going camping.

Key Vocabulary

The following words are used in this conversation.

• Nonsense (noun): untrue or incomprehensible statement or idea
  - Stop talking nonsense and tell us exactly what happened.
• spoil (verb): ruin; frustrate; block; prevent
  - I hope this bad weather doesn't spoil our picnic this afternoon.
• porch (noun): a small area just outside the front door of homes where you can sit and relax
  - Let's go sit on the porch and enjoy the cool evening breeze.
• head down (verb): go down
  - I'll head down to the store after dinner to pick up some milk.
• make the best of it (verb phrase): do what you can under the circumstances
  - We've had to make the best of it ever since dad died last year.

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/camp/camprd1.htm Think about the pre-listening questions for a minute. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   Feel free to listen to the conversation again. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Go to Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

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So, what's the matter?

This short listening passage is a conversation between two friends about the state of health of the man.

Key Vocabulary

• scheduled (verb): an activity or event has been planned to happen at a certain time.
  Your appointment has been scheduled for next Tuesday.
• stuffy (adjective): in this context it means blocked - not able to breathe easily through the nose,
  I have a stuffy nose in spring when lots of flowers are in bloom.
• To stay off one's feet (verb phrase): to rest
  I've been advised to stay off my feet until my sprained ankle gets better.
• Herbal medicine (noun): medicine made from herbs.
  I've tried western medicine and I'm still not better so now I'm trying herbal medicine.
• To be up and dancing around in no time (verb phrase): to be better.
  The doctor said that if I do everything she has advised, I should be up and dancing around in no time.

 

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/sick1/sick1.htm Think about the pre-listening questions for a minute. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   Feel free to listen to the conversation again. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Go to Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

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Friday night mishaps

This short listening passage is a conversation between two friends about some 'mishaps' that occurred while the wife of one of the men was away.

Key Vocabulary

• mishaps (noun): accidents
  - There were a few unfortunate mishaps while we were on vacation.
• horsing around (verb phrase): playing around or wasting time
  - Hey! Stop horsing around and get to work.
• to pull something over someone's eyes (verb phrase): to deceive or hide the truth
  - Don't even try pulling something over my eyes. I'll be watching you very carefully.
• in hot water (prepositional phrase): in bad trouble
  - Oh no, you broke the window! You're going to be in hot water when mom gets back from the store.
• digging yourself out of something (verb phrase): trying to explain or justify the causes of a situation
  - There's no way you're going to be able to dig yourself out of this one. It was your fault, so just admit it.

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/night/nightrd1.htm 1. Think about the pre-listening questions for a minute. 2. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. 3. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. 4. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   5. Feel free to listen to the conversation again. 6. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Go to Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

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A healthy lifestyle

This listening passage is a conversation between a husband and wife about the fact that the husband is now rather unfit and doesn't really pay attention to his diet. He eats a lot of junk food.

• fridge (noun): short for 'refrigerator'
  - I think we need to buy a new fridge. The old one just doesn't cool properly.
• hon (pronoun): short for 'honey'
  - Hon. Could you wake me up early tomorrow morning?
• Humph: a word showing disbelief
  - Humph. There's no way you can lift all that weight!
• abandon (verb): in this case, 'give up' the idea
  - They had to abandon the plan to build a house due to a financial crisis.
• out of shape: in poor physical condition
  - I have to start exercising because I'm so out of shape.
• physical (noun): a medical examination
  - She had to have a physical before she joined the track team.
• cut back (verb): to reduce
  - I have to cut back on the fatty foods I've been eating.
• take up (verb): begin or start
  - He has decided to take up cooking in his spare time.
• cardiovascular system (noun): your body's blood circulation system including your heart, veins, and arteries
  - Running at least 30 minutes a day helps improve your cardiovascular system.

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/health/healrd1.htm Think about the pre-listening questions for a minute. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   Feel free to listen to the conversation again. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Go to Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

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Money matters

This listening passage is a conversation between a man and a woman about the man's spending habits and his lack of budgeting skills.

Key Vocabulary

• buck (noun): dollar)
  - Could you load me a buck or two until tomorrow?
• strapped for cash (idiom): have no money available)
  - He has been really strapped for cash because he last his job two weeks ago.
• pinch pennies (idiom): be careful with money)
  - That young couple had to pinch pennies so they can live.
• in the hole (idiom): in debt
  - My brother has charged so some many purchases to his credit cards that he now is the hole.
• make ends meet (idiom): make enough money to live
  - When I was a student, I had to work three part-time jobs make ends meet.
• land (verb): find
  - I need to land a good job where I can earn a lot of money.
• loaded (adjective): having a lot of money
  - Don't let him bum money off you because, in reality, he's loaded. His rich parents give him $2,500 in spending money a month!
• budget (noun): a financial plan of expenses and income
  - You should create a budget of your expenses.
• keep track of (idiom): keep a record of
  - Any business should keep track of its earnings.
• run out (phrasal verb): use up or exhaust
  - If you don't keep a budget, you might run out of money before your next paycheck.
• utilities (noun): services provided by gas, power, and water companies
  - The rent for this apartment includes the cost of utilities.
• pay through the nose (idiom): pay an excessive amount of money
  - Car insurance is so expensive that you have to pay through the nose to get any type of coverage these days.
• knack (verb): a special way or ability of doing something
  - My mother has a real knack for saving money on her low salary.
• blow (verb): spend thoughtlessly or wastefully; throw away
  - People sometimes blow money on things that have no lasting value.
• commute (verb): travel back and forth between work and home
  - I commute by bus everyday.
• curb (verb): lessen or reduce
  - Unless you curb your spending, you're going to run out of money before the week is over.

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/expense/expenserd1.htm Think about the pre-listening questions for a minute. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   Feel free to listen to the conversation again. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Go to Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

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Exotic Animal Kingdomm

This listening passage is an interview in which the Guest Speaker talks about a reptile called the bearded dragon.

Key Vocabulary

• originate (verb): start or come from)
  - From which region in Australia did the bearded dragons originate?
• essential (adjective): necessary or required)
  - Feeding your animals a healthy diet is essential to .
• raise (verb): bring up)
  - You should read some books before you raise bearded dragons.
• docile (adjective): gentle
  - Some kinds of lizards are very docile and are easy to handle.
• bask (verb): be exposed to, for example, sunlight
  - Some reptiles like to bask in direct sunlight to control their body temperatures.
• promote (verb): encourage, contribute to, or further
  - A healthy diet is one factor in promoting growth in all living things.
• arid (adjective): dry
  - These kinds of lizards tend to live in arid parts of the country.
• occasionally (adverb): from time to time
  - There are a number of animals that occasionally go without eating for long periods of time.
• mention (verb): make reference to, cite
  - This book often mentions the importance of keeping your pet's cage clean to maintain a healthy living environment.
• vital (adjective): critical or important
  - It is extremely vital that pet owners give their animals clean water every day.

The Activity Go to this Website for this activity: http://www.esl-lab.com/pets/petrd1.htm Think about the pre-listening questions for a minute. When you are ready, press the "Play" button and listen to the conversation. As you listen, choose your answers for questions 1 to 5. When you get your final score, please record it here: Total Correct: _______ / 5 (after the first listening)   Feel free to listen to the conversation again. If you would like to see the script, click on the "Go to Quiz Script" towards the bottom of the page.

 

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