Practice 1

Listening 1.1
Listen to Robert and his mum talking about Robert’s day. Choose the best answer to
complete each sentence. Circle A, B or C

1. Robert _______________ .
A. is good at maths
B. isn’t good at maths
C. loves maths
2. Robert had a maths test _______________ .
A. in the morning
B. in the afternoon
C. in the evening
3. Robert usually _______________ .
A. likes pizza
B. doesn’t like pizza
C. likes chocolate
4. The pizza was _______________ .
A. hot
B. cold
C. very good
5. Robert usually has PE on a _______________ .
A. Monday
B. Tuesday
C. Wednesday
6. Robert didn’t have PE today because _______________ .
A. there was an exam in the gym
B. he had a maths exam
C. he went home

Listen again and complete each gap with ONE word you hear.

Mum: Hi, Robert. What was your day like? You don’t look very happy.
Robert: Hi Mum. I’m not very happy. I had a very (1)____________ day at school.
Mum: Oh – why? What was the problem?
Robert: Well, first I had a maths (2)____________. You know I’m not good at maths! Then
it was lunch.
Mum: Oh! What did you have for lunch?
Robert: I had (3)____________.
Mum: Hmm. That’s good. You like pizza.
Robert: I didn’t like this pizza – it was (4)____________!
Mum: Oh no! What did you do after lunch? You usually have PE on a (5)____________.
You love PE.
Robert: We didn’t have PE today. We couldn’t have PE because there was an exam in the gym!

Building Skills for VSTEP – Listening - Level B1- LHT Page 1

Listening 1.2
Listen to Jake and Anna talking about what Jake wants to spend his money on. Choose the
best answer. Circle A, B or C.

1. Which item does Jack choose?

A. T-shirt
B. jeans
C. trainers
2. Which item does Jack choose?
A. laptop
B. e-book
C. camcorder
3. Which item does Jack choose?
A. white T-shirt
B. green T-shirt
C. red T-shirt
4. Which item does Jack choose?
A. book
B. comic
C. laptop
5. Which item does Jack choose?
A. chocolates
B. flowers
C. necklace
6. Which item does Jack choose?
A. dictionary
B. trainers
C. sweater

Listen again and complete each gap with ONE word you hear.

1
Jake: Hey, Anna. What do you think of these jeans?
Anna: They look a bit too (1) ____________, don’t they? I think you need a (2) ____________
size. Oh, look Jake – these ones are smaller and they’re much nicer too. What do you think?
Jake: Oh yeah, they’re much better.
Anna: And they’re only thirty pounds so they’re (3) ____________ too! Bargain!
2
Anna: Your laptop is broken isn’t it Jake?
Jake: Yeah. It was old and too big anyway. I really want a (4) ____________ one.
Anna: This one’s small and light – hmm, and it’s a nice (5) ____________ too!

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Jake: Nine hundred pounds is too (6)____________. This one’s smaller than my old one and it’s
only three hundred pounds.
3
Jake: I need a new T-shirt for PE. Can we go in here, Anna?
Anna: Oh, okay. What about this one?
Jake: Hmm, I don’t know. I don’t like (7)____________ . It’s a bit (8)____________. What about
this?
Anna: Ew, (9)____________! I don’t like it!
A: Well, I like it! How much is this T-shirt, please?
4
Jake: I need something to (10)____________, now that my laptop’s (11)____________.
Anna: What about this?
Jake: The Titanic Adventure! That looks like a really (12)____________ book – thanks Anna!
5
Jake: It’s Mum’s birthday on Saturday. Do you think she’d like this (13) ____________?
Anna: It’s nice. But this one’s even (14) ____________ and it’s a bit bigger too!
Jake: I don‘t know. The smaller one’s (15)____________. It’s her favourite colour, too! I think I’ll
take this smaller one, please.
6
Anna: Jake, I think you need new (16)____________ .
Jake: OK Anna, what about these ones?
Anna: Oh, yes they’re really (17)____________ !
Jake: Could I (18)____________ these on? How much are they?

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Listening 1.3

Listen to a radio interview. Choose the best answer to compete each sentence. Circle A, B or
C.
1. __________ will like the headphones.
A Teachers
B Dentists
C Doctors
2. The fridge plays music when it is getting __________ .
A full
B empty
C dirty
3. The 3D TV doesn’t have a __________ .
A plug
B remote control
C power switch
4. The dishwasher has a __________ on its front door.
A TV screen
B radio
C picture
5. Lisa thinks the dishwasher __________ very well.
A will sell
B won’t sell
C won’t wash the dishes
6. The microwave __________ when the food is ready.
A plays music
B speaks to you
C makes a funny noise

Listen again and complete each gap with ONE word you hear.
Ben: Hello and welcome to ‘Future Shop’, the radio programme where we look at
the gadgets of the future! We have a few different gadgets to look at today,
don’t we, Lisa?

Lisa: Yes, we do, Ben! Let’s look at these headphones first of all. We'll all have
headphones like these in the future! You probably have headphones for
listening to music and playing computer (1)____________, don’t you?

Ben: Yes, that’s right. I do.

Lisa: Do you think you maybe play your music a little too loud?

Ben: Yes, sometimes. That’s true.

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Lisa: Well these very special headphones are for you, Ben. If you’re playing your
music too loudly, they automatically turn down the (2)____________ . Ear
doctors across the world will love these headphones!

Ben: Amazing! Now, what about this wonderful fridge?

Lisa: It doesn’t look anything (3)____________ to me.

Ben: Well, let me tell you that these fridges are going to be in every house in the
year 3000. The fridge remembers all your favourite (4) ____________: milk,
chocolate, cheese, whatever. Then when your fridge is getting
(5)____________ it plays some music and a red light comes on with a picture
of the thing you need!

Lisa: Wow! I want one of these fridges!

Ben: Well Lisa, you can’t have one now, I’m afraid. They won’t be in the shops for
another few years!

Lisa: Aw! Well, take a look at this 3D TV.

Ben: Where’s the plug?

Lisa: It doesn’t have one! You don’t need to plug it in. It also makes special
(6)____________ , so if you’re watching a TV programme about cooking
you’ll smell the food too!

Ben: I like that idea! It’s making me feel (7)____________ just thinking about it.
Well, our next gadget is this very special (8)____________ .

Lisa: Hm . . . What’s this on the front?

Ben: It’s a television (9)____________ . While you wash your dishes, you can
watch all of your favourite programmes too!

Lisa: I don’t think that’s a very good idea! Who wants to stand up and watch the
TV? That won’t sell very well. I prefer this (10)____________. I’m going to
buy this as soon as it gets to the shops. It plays music when your food is ready.

Ben: Now, that does sound like a good buy. I think I’ll get one too – do you know
how much it costs?

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Practice 2

Listening 2.1
Listen to the conversation. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence. Circle A,
B or C

1. Simon is the boy who __________.

A. lives near Jane
B. plays chess really well
C. has a cat
2. Simon was walking his dog near Jane’s house when __________.
A. the dog ran away
B. the dog met a cat
C. he met Jane
3. Simon was starting to leave the park when __________.
A. he saw his dog
B. he saw his teacher
C. he found a necklace
4. His dog found a __________.
A. necklace
B. coin
C. comic
5. The necklace was __________.
A. clean and new
B. old and dirty
C. beautiful
6. Simon took the necklace to __________.
A. Jane
B. his teacher
C. his mum

Listen again and complete each gap with ONE word you hear.

Speaker: Hi Jane!
Jane: Hi. Did you hear about Simon?
Speaker: Simon? No. Is that the boy who lives near you?
Jane: No. Simon’s the boy who’s really good at (1) ____________.
Speaker: Oh, yes. I know who you’re talking about! So what happened with Simon?
Jane: Well, he was (2) ____________ his dog near my house when the dog ran away. He (3)
____________ after his dog but she was running very (5) ____________.
Speaker: Did he find her?

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Jane: His dog ran into the (5) ____________ which is near the (6) ____________. Simon
looked for a long time, and he was starting to (7) ____________ the park when he saw his
dog. His dog was carrying a very old and dirty (8) ____________ in her mouth.
Speaker: Ew, yuk!
Jane: Yes, but it was a really old necklace! He took it to his (9) ____________. It’s (10)
____________ millions of pounds!
Speaker: Wow!

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Listening 2.2
Listen to Chloe’s conversation with Scott about the school bicycle club. Choose the
correct answer.

1. The cycling club is going on a trip ________.

A. Next Friday
B. next Saturday
C. next Sunday
2. They will cycle ________.
A. to a park
B. to the school
C. to the shops
3. The trip will take ________.
A. a few hours
B. half a day
C. all day
4. Chloe can’t cycle ________.
A. well
B. fast
C. slowly
5. Chloe learned to ride a bike ________.
A. last month
B. last year
C. two months ago
6. They have to take ________.
A. money
B. a packed lunch
C. some juice

Listen again and complete each gap with ONE word you hear.

Chloe: Hi, I saw the notice about the (1) ____________ club and I’m just phoning to find out
more . . .
Scott: Oh, hi! You’ve phoned at a good time because we’re planning a (2) ____________
trip for next Saturday. Do you want to come?
Chloe: Oh, that sounds (3) ____________ ! Where are you going?
Scott: We’re going to Greenham Park. It will be a long (4) ____________ and I think it will
take all day.
Chloe: Oh.
Scott: Is that okay?
Chloe: It sounds great. It’s just . . . I can’t cycle very fast. Last year I couldn’t even ride a

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bike. I only learnt last (5) ____________.
Scott: That’s okay, don’t worry at all! Some of us can cycle fast, and some are
(6)____________.
Chloe: Okay, then! Do I need to bring anything?
Scott: Bring a packed (7)____________ and some water. That’s all! Oh, and I’m Scott!
Chloe: My name is Chloe. See you on Saturday!

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Listening 2.3

Listen to 6 recordings. Choose the best answer to each question. Circle A, B or C.

1. Who has the boy bought the album for?

A. his dad
B. his friend Bob
C. himself
2. Where will the two friends go?
A. to see a band play
B. to Jack’s cousin’s house
C. to a clothes shop
3. Why does the boy have a notebook in his hand?
A. He’s directing the play.
B. He’s reviewing the play.
C. If he gets bored, he can draw pictures.
4. The two speakers
A. have seats in different parts of the theatre.
B. arrived at the theatre together.
C. will change seats.
5. Why has Julie bought the DVDs?
A. Because they’re expensive.
B. They’re for her mum’s birthday.
C. She likes looking at the pictures on the boxes.
6. How many tickets will the girl book?
A. one
B. two
C. three

Listen again and complete each gap with ONE word you hear.

1
Owen: I’ve just bought a new (1)____________ from the second-hand record shop.
Sophie: What is it?
Owen: It’s Bob Dylan.
Sophie: Who’s that? And why have you bought an album? Nobody buys albums
anymore!
Owen: It’s for my (2)____________. He isn’t very good at (3)____________ music
from the Internet and he prefers CDs.
2
Andrea: Hi Jack! Are you having fun?

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Jack: Um, yes. The music’s great but the (4)____________ isn’t very good, is it? I
thought it was going to be (5)____________ , but it hasn’t stopped raining
since we got here.
Andrea: We could go and buy some (6)____________ clothes. There’s a stall selling
jumpers and hats over there.
Jack: Mm. I don’t have that much money and those things look really
(7)____________. My cousin’s house isn’t far away though. Shall we go
there? Maybe we can borrow some warmer things from him.
Andrea: Good idea!
3
Emily: Hi, Andy. I thought it was you. Are you here to see the play too?
Andy: Yes. It looks good, doesn’t it? And the (8)____________ is really famous.
Emily: Why have you got a notebook in your hand? Are you worried you’ll get
bored?
Andy: I’m reviewing it for the school (9)____________.
Emily: Oh, I see.
4
Amy: Hi, Jim. Are you here to see the ballet?
Jim: Oh, hi, Amy. Yes, I am. Where are you sitting?
Amy: I’m sitting in the (10)____________ row. I’ve never been to a ballet before.
It’s so (11)____________!
Jim: Oh, you’ve got a great seat. You’ll be able to see everything from there.
Amy: I think it’s time to go in. I’ll see you after the (12) ____________.
5
Julie: I’ve just bought five DVDs for £2. What a bargain!
James: I’m not sure if it’s a (13) ____________, Julie. No one buys DVDs anymore,
that’s why they’re so (14) ____________.
Julie: Well, I like looking at the (15) ____________ on the boxes.

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6
Lucy: I’m so (16) ____________!
Nick: What is it?
Lucy: The Curly Gizmos are coming to play a (17) ____________ here in Falkirk. I
can’t wait to see them perform! I’m going to book a ticket right away.
Nick: The Curly Gizmos? No way! Can you book one for me, too? I’ll give you the
(18) ____________ back later.
Lucy: OK.

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