Listening/Oral Comprehension Test

10th grade 2021/2022

Name: _________________________________
Listening / oral comprehension: _____/ 30
Number: __________ Class: __________
Date: ________________
Your teacher, ____________________

Listening Comprehension

Exercise 1
You will hear an interview with an exchange student

1. Choose the correct option (A, B or C) according to what you hear. 6x1=6/ _____

1.1 Emma’s favourite country to study abroad in was

(A) France.
(B) Spain.
(C) the United Kingdom.
1.2 Emma was ________ when she went to study abroad.
(A) 15
(B) 16
(C) 17
1.3 Emma says the main reason for problems between host families and students is
(A) the feeling of not being safe.
(B) having different cultures.
(C) not speaking to each other.
1.4 The most significant challenge Emma faced at school was
(A) adjusting to the school system.
(B) speaking a new language.
(C) not having any friends.
1.5 In Emma’s opinion, the most important advice for exchange students is
(A) to always ask for help.
(B) to accept new opinions.
(C) not to think they are silly.
1.6 Emma recommends exchange programmes mostly because
(A) students may learn fantastic things.
(B) students really live in the host country.
(C) they last for more than just a few days.
 Exercise 2
You will listen to three teenagers talking about the benefits of studying abroad.

2. Who says what? Write S (for Sabrina), H (for Hannah) or J (for Joaquim). 7x2=14/ _____

a) You fully immerse yourself in the host country’s culture and traditions. ...........
b) You meet lifelong friends and explore new interests. ...........
c) You learn real-life English. ...........
d) You become more open-minded. ...........
e) You have the opportunity for top-quality education. ...........
f) You may get new job opportunities by learning new languages. ...........
g) You gain a new perspective on the host country when you visit it as a local. ………

Exercise 3
You will listen to three teenagers answering the question “ Is learning languages important?”

3. Fill in the gaps with the missing words. 10x1=10/

_____
Mark
Well, I think learning languages is really important. When we learn languages, we see the world from a
different perspective and that is really good. I’d like to learn Japanese. I like manga, you see, so it would be
really nice to travel to Japan and learn the language 1. _______________! Actually, I think that’s the only
way of really learning a language well! 2. _______________ programmes or studying 3. _______________
can also be a good way of learning different languages.
Beatrice
My parents have always told me I should learn languages because they give us an 4. _______________
when applying for university or when we are looking for a job. English is my 5. _______________ language,
but I also speak Portuguese and Italian. I still want to learn Spanish and French. These languages are similar,
so I don’t think it will be that hard. I’m planning to go on an exchange programme to Italy. We learn so
much more than just languages when we do it: we become more 6. _______________ and responsible.
Jonathan
Learning languages is definitely important. We are now living in the communication age. Being able to 7.
_______________ yourself and to make yourself understood is essential nowadays. Unfortunately, in
England, people don’t give 8. _______________ languages the importance they deserve. I had to join a
private school to learn French. There are other ways of learning languages, of course. For example,
nowadays, we can easily use the Internet or download apps that help us learn or 9. _______________
languages. I would really like to study abroad in the future. That way I’d open up my 10. _______________.
ANSWER KEY
Ex. 1
1.1 – a; 1.2 – b; 1.3-c; 1.4 – A; 1.5 – b; 1.6 – b

Ex. 2
a) Sabrina;
b) Hannah
c) Hannah
d) Joaquim
e) Sabrina
f) Hannah
g) Sabrina

Exercise 3
1. first-hand; 2. Exchange; 3. abroad; 4. advantage; 5. native; 6. independent; 7. express; 8. foreign; 9.
improve; 10. horizons

SCRIPTS
Module 1, Unit 3 Step Up 10
Now that you are home, how do you feel about your exchange experience?
It was such an amazing experience that I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It was definitely
challenging at times, but I grew extremely much, very fast… I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity
because I learned so many things and met so many nice people.
Was it difficult to choose the country to study abroad?
Yes, it was a little bit difficult because I had to choose between the United Kingdom and Spain. To tell you
the truth, I always wanted to go to France, but my teachers told me they couldn’t accept any more
exchange students… Spain was also very appealing to me, but the language barrier made me choose the
United Kingdom.
How old were you when you went to the United Kingdom?
I applied for the exchange programme when I was 15. By the time I went to the UK, I was already 16 and
ended up becoming 17 shortly before returning home.
What can you tell us about living with a host family?
Living with a family you don’t know can be scary at first. Both you and the family may feel vulnerable.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard sad stories of families and students having problems because of cultural
differences. The most important thing to make sure is that families and students always tell each other how
they feel. If they do this, there won’t be any problems. For me, living with a host family was a really
fantastic experience. I just loved every minute I spent with my host family.
What challenges did you face at school?
It was not too easy making friends at the beginning because I had to become familiar with everything first.
The language wasn’t difficult, but it was still a challenge at the beginning as everything was in English.
However, what I found more difficult was adapting to the school system. The school system in the UK is a
bit different than in Finland. For example, I had a different class for each subject because we chose our
subjects ourselves. In Finland, you have one class for all subjects.
Did you feel supported by the staff?
Not at first, I have to say. Maybe it’s not their fault, but the application process was difficult. I felt I was
alone. However, I got a lot of information about the exchange before I left, so I knew what I was going into.
While I was there, I could always contact my area representative, if I had any problems, and that was really
nice.
What advice would you give exchange students?
I would first of all say, no matter what, have an open mind to new points of view. This will get you a long
way! And then just don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re in doubt of anything no matter how silly you
think it is.
Would you recommend an exchange to other people?
I have already recommended it to so many people! Being on exchange is a special thing, and you learn so
many wonderful things while you’re away. I was surprised at how much I learned. It’s something you can’t
just experience by going on holiday to the country for a few days. But the most amazing thing is actually
living there in the culture because it gives you a better understanding about the country and the people.
You see how other people live outside your own country.
Thank you, Emma!
https://myeducationuk.co.uk (adapted, accessed in January 2021)

2. Listen to three teenagers talking about the benefits of studying abroad.

Sabrina: By choosing to study abroad you will get to experience a country you may have never been to
before. And even if you’ve visited the country you want to study in, you’ll get to see it from a new
perspective. You’ll visit anything from the big tourist attractions to the ones that only locals know about as
you become immersed in the new culture. You’ll also get to see new perspectives and embrace your host
country’s culture. From new foods and traditions to traditional music and games, there’ll be a lot to learn and
explore. For me, a common reason for students choosing to study abroad is to experience a high standard of
education. Studying abroad means you can take advantage of the globally-recognised degrees in some of the
world’s highest ranking universities.
Hannah: For me, the major advantage of studying abroad is the opportunity to learn a new language, and
there’s no better place to learn than somewhere where the language is spoken every day in all aspects of life.
From ordering a coffee to writing an essay, you will quickly develop your language skills. Being able to speak
several languages can make you highly desirable to potential employers. Besides these advantages, studying
abroad is a fantastic opportunity to meet new lifelong friends from a variety of different backgrounds. With
your new-found friends, you can find new interests and try out new activities and new sports, check out new
entertainment and learn and travel together.
Joaquim: When studying abroad, you’ll develop the ability to
communicate across multiple language barriers in a range of different scenarios and you will have the
opportunity to create a global network of contacts. There are also plenty of personal benefits that come from
studying abroad. It puts you into an unfamiliar situation, where you won’t know anyone at first. You will
quickly become more independent, learning to rely on yourself rather than family for everything from cooking
and cleaning to managing your time and study plans. And it will help you open yourself up to different ways of
living and learning, accepting new ideas and perspectives thanks to the people you will meet from a diverse
range of backgrounds.
https://www.hollandisc.com (accessed in February 2021)

Exercise 3
Module 1, Unit 3, page 42 STEPUP

Mark
Well, I think learning languages is really important. When we learn languages, we see the world from a
different perspective and that is really good. I’d like to learn Japanese. I like manga, you see, so it would be
really nice to travel to Japan and learn the language first-hand! Actually, I think that’s the only way of really
learning a language well! Exchange programmes or studying abroad can also be a good way of learning
different languages.
Beatrice
My parents have always told me I should learn languages because they give us an advantage when applying
for university or when we are looking for a job. English is my native language, but I also speak Portuguese
and Italian. I still want to learn Spanish and French. These languages are similar, so I don’t think it will be
that hard. I’m planning to go on an exchange programme to Italy. We learn so much more than just
languages when we do it: we become more independent and responsible.
Jonathan
Learning languages is definitely important. We are now living in the communication age. Being able to
express yourself and to make yourself understood is essential nowadays. Unfortunately, in England, people
don’t give foreign languages the importance they deserve. I had to join a private language school to learn
French. There are other ways of learning languages, of course. For example, nowadays, we can easily use
the Internet or download apps that help us learn or improve languages. I would really like to study abroad
in the future. That way I’d open up my horizons.