Intermediate Listening Power

Activity 1.

Listen to the file.

College Life

Activity 2.

Listening Comprehension. Answer the following questions.

1. What does the man want to do after he graduates?
A. He wants to become a teacher.
B. He hopes to go on to graduate school.
C. He'd like to work at a hotel.

2. What is the woman majoring in?
A. history
B. French
C. computer science

3. How does the woman pay for college?
A. She has a part-time job.
B. She received a scholarship.
C. Her parents are paying for it.

4. Where does the man work part-time?
A. at a bakery
B. in a library
C. at a restaurant

5. What thing did the man NOT say about his job?
A. His co-workers are friendly.
B. He works long hours.
C. The pay is okay.

Activity 3.

Listening to Details. Listen to the file for the last time and fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

Maria: Oh, hi Dave. Long time, no see!

Dave: Hi Maria. I was in the ⁽¹⁾, so I thought I'd drop by.

Maria: Come on in. [Thanks.] ⁽²⁾ a seat. Would you like anything to drink? I have Sprite or orange juice.

Dave: Sprite would be fine. So, how have you been?

Maria: Not bad. And you?

Dave: Oh, I'm doing okay, but school has been really hectic these days, and I haven't had time to ⁽³⁾.

Maria: By the way, what's your major anyway?

Dave: Hotel management.

Maria: Well, what do you want to do once you ⁽⁴⁾?

Dave: Uh... I haven't decided for sure, but I think I'd like to work for a hotel or travel ⁽⁵⁾ in this area.

Activity 4

Vocabulary. Read and study the following words.

• hectic (adjective): very busy
  - Life is always very hectic when you're trying to work and go to school at the same time.

• major (noun or verb): course of study
  - I'm thinking about majoring in computer science next year. (verb)
  - What is your major? (noun)

• land (a job) (verb): to secure, win, or get a job
  - It is becoming increasingly difficult to land a job in the field of language teaching.

• work (your way) through (school) (verb): think through, in this case, work while going to school to support yourself
  - Since my parents had no money, I had no choice but to work myself through school
  - Sometimes we just have to work through many new experiences before we understand the language and culture.

Activity 5.

Discussion. Answer the following questions related to the conversation.

• Whether you are trying to get an online MBA or just going to a local college, there are a number of things you have to consider including location, cost, and the reputation of school. What factor is most important to you?
  
• Finding the right school for you can be a long and complicated process, and school advertisements often make the process even more difficult. What advertising techniques do colleges and universities use to get the attention of prospective students?