Listening Item Writing

Group Task: Each item writer will write 8 questions for this task across the different CEFR Levels for this
part (Listening). We need to test direct explicit meaning as well as implied pragmatic ones.

 Task 1: three questions (Specs below, please vary length/ difficulty ranging mostly from A2 – B1)
 Task 2: three questions (Specs below, please vary length/ difficulty ranging mostly from B1 – B2)
 Task 3: 2 questions (Specs below, please vary length/ difficulty ranging mostly from B2 – C1)
* Task three can be used to determine students who can be exempted from both Foundation and Degree English.

Please send your questions embedded in a Word document along with the Listening Transcript.

Please do not use an AI generated Question.

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Task 1:

Man: My friend Ahmed eats a ton but never gains weight, even though he's getting older.
Woman: Lucky him. I hardly eat anything, but still have to watch my weight. I try to make it fun
with different salads and stuff.
Man: That’s tough! I usually eat whatever I want and still maintain a stable weight, but my wife
knows when I’ve been eating too much junk.
Woman: I wish I could eat junk food and not gain weight, but that's not how it works for me!

A man and a woman are talking about eating food and weight gain. The man ___.

eats a lot of junk food.

rarely eats food.

gains weight easily.

generally eats as he likes.

(2)

Woman: Sorry I’m late! The roads were absolutely chock-a-block.

Man: Oh, I know. They’re always going on about getting more people to use public transport, but the
fares are ridiculously high.

Woman: Exactly! It’s like they want us to use public transport, but make it so expensive that driving still
seems like the cheaper option.

Man: And don't even get me started on the timetables. Half the time, the buses or trains are either late
or packed full, and you can’t even get a seat.

Woman: Ugh, tell me about it! Last week, I stood for the entire hour-long journey to work. By the time I
got there, I felt like I’d already run a marathon.

Man: Same here. I’ve started leaving the house half an hour earlier just to avoid the rush. But that
means waking up earlier, and I’m not a morning person.

A man and a woman are talking about the traffic in a crowded city. Who is the woman referring to
when she says, “they want us to use public transport”?

The government

The public

The bus companies

The employees

(3)

Woman: I keep trying to avoid plastic bags, but it’s tough. They’re just so convenient.
Man: Yeah, even though we know they’re bad for the environment, it’s hard to break the habit.
Woman: Exactly. And sometimes I forget my reusable bags at home, and I feel so guilty having
to take plastic.
Man: I try to keep a few in my car, but half the time, I forget to bring them into the store. It’s
not as easy as it sounds!
Woman: Same here. I think it’s just going to take time to really shift to alternatives. Old habits
die hard.
Man: True, but we’ve got to start somewhere. Every little effort counts, even if it’s not perfect.

A man and a woman are talking about plastic bags. Why does the woman feel guilty?

She tries to avoid use plastic bags.

She forgets to bring reusable bags.

She keeps the bags in her car.

She likes to use plastic bags.

Task 2:
(1)
Conversation: Looking for a new apartment
WOMAN: Hello, I’m Fatema. Have a seat and tell me what kind of apartment you’re
looking for. Is it just for you?
MAN: Well, that depends on what’s available. I’d really rather live alone, but if I don’t
see anything that works, I could share a bigger place with a friend of mine.
WOMAN: OK. First, tell me what you have in mind.
MAN: The most important thing is the location. I want to be in the city, preferably in
this neighborhood, so I can walk to the university and to the metro station. I
don’t have a car.
WOMAN: OK, then you don’t mind if there’s no parking space.
MAN: Exactly. But I want a secure building. I also want it to have a living room, a
dining room, one bedroom, and, of course, a modern kitchen and bathroom. I
don’t really need all the bells and whistles, but I would like to have a balcony.
WOMAN: And what is your budget? I mean, what monthly rent are you thinking
about, including utilities?
MAN: I’m hoping to find something for about BD 150 a month.
WOMAN: Look, I can tell you right now there are no decent apartments in this area
under BD 250 a month—and none of them have dining rooms or balconies.
There are modern, secure buildings that are actually near the bus station—but they’re
at least 20 km away from the university.
MAN There’s no way I’m going to live way out there. Do you think you could find a
two-bedroom place closer in for, say, BD 200 a month? Something I could share
with my friend?
WOMAN: Let me do a little research this morning and see what I can find.

Task 3:
(1)

The waves beat along the shoreline, a perfect rhythm. Water splashed among the rocks peeking above
the surface, the sea foam inching its way toward the sand. The beach was covered in rocks and dried sea
plants. The scene would have been beautiful, except for the traces of industry left there.

Among the rocky bed along the shore resMAN broken bottles, plastic bags and other debris. The once
white sand had a grey tinge from where an old pipeline was breaking down. The beach looked
abandoned and uncared for. Seagulls scrounged and searched through the litter hoping to find food, but
to no avail. Empty and broken shells covered the sand near the pipeline, leaving hints that this beach
once thrived but has since become lifeless. The dull, clouded over skyline only added to the darkness of
the scene.

It was all too much for him to take. It was too depressing and discouraging. That’s when he made a
promise. A promise that one day change would be made, this beach would be restored and beautiful
once again.

You will hear the description of a scene. What does the narrator describe?

A beautiful beach

A desolaMAN beach
A perfect beach

A depressed man

(2)
We walked through an ancient forest. The air was thick with the earthy fragrance of centuries-
old branches, decaying silently where they had fallen. The smell of composting life rose in
waves, like a dense cloud. Each towering tree we passed beneath felt like a watchful guardian,
silently standing guard over the groves. We ventured deeper into the tangled heart of this
primeval wood, hoping it would reveal its hidden mysteries. We reached a wide clearing where
the trees parMAN, revealing a speckled sky. The last of the morning stars glimmered like silver
pinpricks, sharp and bright. In the distance, a golden moon hung low, casting a honeyed glow
over the forest. We sat with our backs against a tree, its trunk burnt by lightning, and watched
as the moon slowly faded away. As if on cue, a bird's song broke the silence, soon joined by
others in a harmonious chorus. The melody was both haunting and uplifting, soothing the soul.
The sweet, sap-like fragrance of the forest enveloped us, offering a sense of peace and comfort.
When it was time to leave, I risked one last glance over my shoulder. In the full light of dawn,
the glade stood still, a perfect image frozen in time.

You will hear part of a person narrating a scene. What is the time of narration?

A scorching sunny morning

A dull golden evening
A starry midnight
A serene early morning

Set #7: A Piece of Cake

Dialogue

Jerry: I'm thinking about running a marathon. I have butterflies in my stomach

though. It's going to be difficult!
Linda: What? It'll be a piece of cake for you. You're as fit as a fiddle.

Jerry: I know I'm always cool as a cucumber when I start the race but then I get so
tired in the middle. I eventually get a second wind though.

Linda: Fingers crossed that you'll knock 'em dead. I'll come to cheer for you!

Jerry: What about you? Did the doctor give you a clean bill of health? You can train
with me.

Linda: I'm not quite back on my feet yet. Maybe in a few weeks, we can talk about
running together.

Set #9: Feeling Under the Weather

Dialogue

Jerry: I know, I know. My mom used to tell me to not be such a couch potato and
that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I wish that I'd listened to her! I'm feeling
worse for wear.

Linda: Keep your chin up! I know you're feeling under the weather but this too shall
pass.

Jerry: Thanks Linda, I appreciate you checking in on me every day.

Linda: It's the least I can do. You've helped me with so many things over the years.
Just don't kick the bucket on me, okay?

Set #13: You can't Judge a Book by Its Cover

Dialogue

Jerry: Have you met our new neighbor yet?

Linda: I talked to him last night but he's a hard nut to crack. He only gave one-word
answers to all my questions!

Jerry: Well, you can't judge a book by its cover. I'm sure we'll find out more about
him as time goes on. Maybe he's not that talkative.

Linda: Maybe. But I felt frustraMAN talking to him for just a few minutes. Anyway, I'm
working on not burning bridges so I'll put my best foot forward!

Jerry: Good plan. You never know what may come. Let's invite him over for dinner
and see if he opens up.

Conversation: Getting acquainMAN

LAUREN: Hi—you must be Sarah. I can tell from your picture. I’m Lauren. Finally
we meet! So we’re going to be roomies this semester!
SARAH: Yes, I recognize you from your photo, too! I’m so glad to meet you in per-
son—and I see from your T-shirt that you like baseball. I’m a big fan, too!
LAUREN: Well, the T-shirt was a going-away present from my brother, who’s a base-
ball player. Look on the back—it has a photo of all the players on his team. They
actually won the city championship this summer.
SARAH: That’s awesome. I tell you, I’m not very athletic, but I love to watch base-
ball, even if it’s a Little League game. You could say I’m a professional spectator.
What about you, do you play a sport?
LAUREN: Yes, I play tennis. As a matter of fact, I have a scholarship, and I’m going
to play for the university. Now tell me, what else do you like to do?
SARAH: Well—what I like to do best is dance. I’m studying classical ballet, but I
also like to dance to popular music.
LAUREN: Cool. We have a lot in common. I like to dance, too. Think you’ll be up for
checking out the local clubs this weekend?
SARAH: Oh, yeah. And the restaurants, too. Speaking of which—are you hungry? I’d
love to grab a bite before it gets too late. I’m starving!
LAUREN: Are you kidding me? I’m always up for going out! How about trying the
place up the street? I’m kind of hungry for a good hamburger.

Later:
SARAH: Lauren, what do you think of our room?
LAUREN: To be honest with you, I really can’t stand that dark color on the walls. It’s,
like, really depressing. I prefer light colors. Plus, I’d like to change the rug and
the bedspreads. Do you like them?
SARAH: No, I agree with you. They’re horrible. With a couple of coats of paint and a
few small changes, we’ll make this room comfortable and cozy. Everybody will
want to hang out here.
LAUREN: Man, I’m so relieved! I think we’re really going to get along. I’m going to
call my mom right now and tell her how cool my new roomie is.
Conversation: Running into a friend
NICOLE: Hi, Jen. What’s up? I haven’t seen you for ages.
JEN: Nicole! Fancy running into you here. Do you have time for a cup of coffee?
NICOLE: Sure. We really need to catch up. Do you work around here?
JEN: At the dress shop across the street. I’m a sales assistant for the time being,
but I’m hoping they’ll promote me to buyer after I have some experience on the
floor.
NICOLE: Oh—I love that shop. Their clothes are so trendy and different from the
run of the mill. You look fantastic—I’ll bet their sales have gone up since you
starMAN working there.
JEN: Well—I try! The thing is, I enjoy the work, because I love the clothes, and I like
helping people find what works for them. It’s actually quite fulfilling.
NICOLE: Good for you. And I think the idea of becoming a buyer is great. Before you
know it, you’ll be working on your own designs. I remember how you used to
dream of being a fashion designer.
JEN: Yeah, and I think this is a step in the right direction. Now, what are you up to?
The last I heard, you were about to move across country. I hope you’re back to
stay!
NICOLE: As a matter of fact, I just got back a couple of months ago. I’m glad I went,
because now I know I really want to be here. I’m working as a waitress right now
but am hoping to get a teaching job. I’ve applied to most of the local school dis-
tricts so have my fingers crossed I’ll get something this fall.
JEN: What do you want to teach? I’ve heard there are openings for high school
teachers in Howard County.
NICOLE: No way! I haven’t even applied there. I’ll do it as soon as I get home. Man,
that’ll be awesome if they need a biology teacher. Thanks for the tip! Which re-
minds me—waiting tables isn’t all bad. On weekends I get pretty good tips. And
banking on the info you just gave me, I think I’ll follow you back to work and
splurge on a new dress!
JEN: Great. I already have in mind some things for you to try on.