Listening Exercises - Advanced Level

Two friends plan a weekend trip to a cottage by the lake, sorting out food, transport, and who forgot the bottle opener last time.

Future plans and arrangements; informal suggestions

A newcomer to Calgary talks to a friend about finding a doctor, settling the kids into school, and preparing for his first Canadian winter.

Comparing experiences; giving advice and recommendations

Two friends discuss whether Tyler should quit his stable job to restore and sell furniture full-time.

Discussing risk and probability; financial language

Two friends plan the food, drinks, and setup for a tailgate party before a football game.

Planning and delegating; quantities and estimates

Two neighbours chat about their allotment plots, trading tips on tomatoes, slugs, and an absent plot-holder.

Giving and receiving gardening advice; present perfect for recent results

Two commuters on a delayed train compare notes on cancellations, season ticket costs, and the lack of remote working options.

Complaining and commiserating; expressing frustration

A radio host, a housing researcher, and a mortgage broker discuss why young Canadians are being priced out of the property market.

Cause and effect; economic and housing vocabulary

Two commentators discuss falling hockey participation in Canada and what it means for the sport's future.

Discussing trends and decline; cultural identity

An Indigenous artist talks about working with traditional materials, the pressure to represent her culture, and weaving endangered language into her art.

Art and identity; discussing representation and institutional expectations

A former content creator discusses burning out after four years online and what he now tells other creators as a coach.

Discussing burnout; digital media and audience vocabulary

Two true-crime podcast hosts examine the 1997 disappearance of a small-town librarian whose car was found twenty miles in the wrong direction.

Speculation and deduction; narrative sequencing in investigations

A journalist and a retail analyst discuss the decline of the British high street and why charity shops and cafes have replaced the shops that once anchored it.

Analysing causes; retail and urban planning vocabulary

A professional cook reflects on fifteen years in restaurant kitchens, from the worst service of her career to what keeps her coming back.

Descriptive narrative; sensory and workplace vocabulary

A woman describes leaving a well-paid consulting job after realising she had stopped caring about the work, and starting over as a high school teacher.

Extended personal narrative; corporate vocabulary and self-reflection

A man reflects on how Sunday mornings have changed over his lifetime, from church and closed shops to brunch culture and open laptops.

Comparing past and present; nostalgia and social change

A neuroscientist explains what happens in the bilingual brain, from how both languages compete for attention to whether bilingualism can delay dementia.

Academic and scientific register; explaining research findings