New

LISTENING Level 2
Completing sentences
Examination training 1 INFORMATION

QUESTIONS What do I have to do in this type of listening test?

You are given some sentences with words missing. You have to listen to the recording and
complete the sentences according to what you hear.
What does this type of activity test?
It is often used to check that you have understood specific information in the recording.
It can also be used to test that you have understood the topic, the main ideas, and/or that
you have understood the attitude of the speakers.
How should I approach this type of test?
Here are some useful techniques for approaching this type of test. You may not need to
use all of them every time but it will be useful to be familiar with them all.

TECHNIQUES
FIND OUT WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS

How many sentences will you have to complete? How many words can you put in each
space? How long is the recording? How many times do you hear the recording?

READ THE SENTENCES BEFORE YOU LISTEN TO THE RECORDING

You usually get a minute or two to look at the questions before you hear the
recording. Use this time. It can help you predict what you are about to listen to. This
will make it easier when it comes to completing the sentences.

PREPARE TO LISTEN
When you have read the questions, you will have an idea what you are going to listen
to. Think about the topic: what might the speakers say and what vocabulary might
they use?

LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS WHILE YOU LISTEN

Continue to look at the questions while you listen. This will keep your mind focused
on what you are listening for.

CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

If you hear the recording twice, use the second listening to get any answers you missed
the first time and also to check the answers you did get the first time.

www.oup.com/elt/teacher/headway Headway © Oxford University Press 2003 PHOTOCOPIABLE

 New
LISTENING Level 2
Completing sentences
Examination training 2 PRACTICE

Find out what the 1 Look at the instructions for question 4. Answer these questions.
procedure is.
1 How many times will you hear the recording?
2 How many words can you put in each space?

Read the sentences 2 Look at the sentences in question 4. Answer these questions.
before you listen to
the recording. 1 What do you think Mister Higgins is?
2 Look at sentence 4. What about the house might have influenced the Higgins’
decision to do what they did?
3 What would they have needed from the bank? What would they have had to do in
order to get what they needed?
4 Do you think they enjoyed the first year?
5 Which sentence might have a number in the answer?

Prepare to listen. 3 You already know a little bit about the recording from looking at the sentences.
Tick (✔) the words below which you think you might hear in the recording.
 gastronomic  cook  cuisine
 holiday  wine  demonstration
 meat  inedible  translation
 converted  reservation  police

Look at the 4 Listen to the recording and complete the sentences below. You may use up to
questions while you three words to complete each sentence. You will hear the recording twice.
listen.
1 Lyon is famous for its fine … .
2 The Higgins chose to live in Lyon because it is in the EU but also near … .
3 The Higgins gave … to some French friends for dinner.
4 Their house used to be … .
5 Monsieur Dufour, the bank manager, granted … for a loan.
6 When passers-by saw the rebuilding work, they … it.
7 When Mister Higgins opened, they had … .
8 Throughout the first year they were exhausted but there were … .
9 During the first year they earned … each.

Check your answers.

www.oup.com/elt/teacher/headway Headway © Oxford University Press 2003 PHOTOCOPIABLE

 New
LISTENING Level 2
Completing sentences
Examination training 3 KEY

This task is based on T4.4 in New Headway Upper-Intermediate.

1 1 twice
2 up to three

2 1 a restaurant/something open to the public

2 It used to be something to do with food – possibly a restaurant (but actually a
bakery).
3 a loan. In order to get a loan you need to apply for one.
4 probably
5 Sentence 9 probably has a sum of money in it.

3 Possible answers are below but accept any answer that come with a credible reason.

✔ gastronomic 
✔ cook 
✔ cuisine
 holiday 
✔ wine  demonstration

✔ meat 
✔ inedible 
✔ translation

✔ converted 
✔ reservation  police

4 1 restaurants
2 Geneva
3 meat loaf
4 a bakery
5 their application
6 couldn’t believe
7 a party
8 some wonderful moments
9 £2 a week

www.oup.com/elt/teacher/headway Headway © Oxford University Press 2003 PHOTOCOPIABLE