Listening Strategy
Notice the way that speakers emphasise certain words to stress an alternative or to correct what someone has said:
‘Would you like a double room or a single room?’
‘A double room, please.’
‘Does the plane arrive at nine?’ ‘No, it arrives at five.’
‘Dave’s in Paris.’ ‘No, he isn’t. He’s in Rome.’
1. Read the Listening Strategy. Then listen and underline the stressed word in the sentences below.
1 Actually, I ordered the chicken pasta.
2 I need two seats near the front of the plane.
3 No, there’s a bus to the cathedral.
4 I’d rather go to the castle first.
5 The market is very touristy.
2 I need two seats near the front of the plane.
3 No, there’s a bus to the cathedral.
4 I’d rather go to the castle first.
5 The market is very touristy.
2. Listen again. Decide which sentence came before each sentence in exercise 1: a or b. Only one option makes sense with the stressed words.
1 a Here’s your chicken curry, madam.
b Here’s your vegetable pasta, madam.
Actually, I ordered the chicken pasta.
2 a I’ve booked you two seats near the middle of the plane..
b I’ve booked you a seat near the front of the plane.
I need two seats near the front of the plane.
3 a Do we have to walk to the cathedral?
b Is there a bus to the palace?
No, there’s a bus to the cathedral.
4 a Let’s go to the castle later.
b Let’s go to the museum first.
I’d rather go to the castle first.
5 a The market is a good place to visit, isn’t it?
b The whole city is really touristy, isn’t it?
The market is very touristy.
b Here’s your vegetable pasta, madam.
Actually, I ordered the chicken pasta.
2 a I’ve booked you two seats near the middle of the plane..
b I’ve booked you a seat near the front of the plane.
I need two seats near the front of the plane.
3 a Do we have to walk to the cathedral?
b Is there a bus to the palace?
No, there’s a bus to the cathedral.
4 a Let’s go to the castle later.
b Let’s go to the museum first.
I’d rather go to the castle first.
5 a The market is a good place to visit, isn’t it?
b The whole city is really touristy, isn’t it?
The market is very touristy.
3. Read the mini-dialogues and underline the word you need to stress in each of B’s lines.
1 A Did you get a new smartphone for your birthday?
B No, I got a new camera for my birthday.
2 A Did you have a good time in Egypt last month?
B We went to Morocco last month.
3 A Did you book a double room for three nights?
B No, I booked a single room for three nights.
4 A Shall we go by taxi or by bus?
B Let’s go by taxi.
5 A I think the zoo is closed in December.
B No, I checked – it’s open in December.
B No, I got a new camera for my birthday.
2 A Did you have a good time in Egypt last month?
B We went to Morocco last month.
3 A Did you book a double room for three nights?
B No, I booked a single room for three nights.
4 A Shall we go by taxi or by bus?
B Let’s go by taxi.
5 A I think the zoo is closed in December.
B No, I checked – it’s open in December.
4. Listen and check your answers to exercise 3.
5. Listen to a true story. Look at the map and identify the route Sandy Valdivieso and her husband flew. Is it 1, 2, 3 or 4?
1 They flew from A to B to C to D.
2 They flew from A to C to D to B.
3 They flew from A to C to D to C to B.
4 They flew from A to C to D to C to A.
2 They flew from A to C to D to B.
3 They flew from A to C to D to C to B.
4 They flew from A to C to D to C to A.
6. Listen again. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1 Sandy Valdivieso and her husband wanted to visit Africa, not Asia.
2 Their journey went wrong because an employee made a mistake at the airport in Istanbul.
3 Their journey went wrong because an employee made a mistake at the airport in Istanbul.
4 They saw the location of the plane on a map while they were flying.
5 They were in Bangladesh for more than twelve hours.
6 Turkish Airline don’t agree that they made a mistake.
2 Their journey went wrong because an employee made a mistake at the airport in Istanbul.
3 Their journey went wrong because an employee made a mistake at the airport in Istanbul.
4 They saw the location of the plane on a map while they were flying.
5 They were in Bangladesh for more than twelve hours.
6 Turkish Airline don’t agree that they made a mistake.