News on the Local Radio
Do more with this exercise
A radio presenter reads the morning news for a small town. Listen to the three stories, then do the exercises.
Listen to the audio
Listen and answer the questions before reading the transcript.
Show transcript
mayor
the person who leads a town or citycracks
thin lines where something is broken but still in one pieceresidents
people who live in a placerepairs
work to make a broken thing good againmayor
the person who leads a town or cityshelter
a place where animals without a home can stayowner
the person that something belongs toshelter
a place where animals without a home can staystalls
small tables or shops where people sell things at a marketforecast
a report that says what the weather will be likeStalls
small tables or shops where people sell things at a marketPractice exercises
Listen and choose
Listen once or twice, then choose the best answer.
1.What will happen in the town centre?
2.What was found?
3.What did the police tell the residents to do?
4.What was damaged by the storm?
Choose the correct answer
Listen to the whole bulletin, then select the option that answers the question.
5.Why will the stone bridge be closed?
6.What did the woman say about the dog?
7.What does the animal shelter want people to do?
Right or wrong?
Listen to the bulletin and decide whether each sentence is correct.
8.The bridge will be closed for a month.
9.A woman found the dog in the park.
10.The weekend market will stay in its usual place.
11.The forecast says it will be dry on Saturday.
Listen and write
Listen to the sentence, then type what you hear.
12.Listen and write the sentence.
13.Listen and write the sentence.
14.Listen and write the sentence.
Frequently asked questions
What level is this listening practice?
It is written for B1 learners. The presenter uses reported speech, such as “the mayor said that…”, and passive forms like “was found” and “will be closed”.
How can I use this page to learn English?
Listen to the whole bulletin first, then check the glossary, answer the questions and write three sentences from the audio. Open the transcript at the end to check what you missed.
Can I slow the audio down?
Yes. Use the 0.75× speed button, or play one sentence at a time. The transcript is closed at the start so that you can listen first.
Answer key
1. Listening question 1: First, the old stone bridge in the town centre will be closed for two weeks.
Answer: A bridge will be closed
The presenter says, “First, the old stone bridge in the town centre will be closed for two weeks.”
2. Listening question 2: Next, a small brown dog was found in the park yesterday evening.
Answer: A dog
The presenter says, “Next, a small brown dog was found in the park yesterday evening.”
3. Listening question 3: Police told residents that they should use the new road near the station.
Answer: Use a different road
The presenter says, “Police told residents that they should use the new road near the station.”
4. Listening question 4: The woman in charge of the market told us that many stalls had been damaged by last night's storm.
Answer: Some stalls
The presenter says, “The woman in charge of the market told us that many stalls had been damaged by last night's storm.”
5. Why will the stone bridge be closed?
Answer: Workers found cracks in the road
The mayor said that workers have found cracks in the road.
6. What did the woman say about the dog?
Answer: It looked tired and hungry
The presenter says: She said that the dog looked tired and hungry.
7. What does the animal shelter want people to do?
Answer: Call if they have lost a dog
The presenter says: If you have lost a dog, please call the shelter before noon today.
8. The bridge will be closed for a month.
Answer: False
The bridge will be closed for two weeks, not a month.
9. A woman found the dog in the park.
Answer: True
A woman who was walking in the park heard the dog crying under a bench.
10. The weekend market will stay in its usual place.
Answer: False
The presenter says that the market has been moved to the sports centre.
11. The forecast says it will be dry on Saturday.
Answer: False
The forecast says it will rain until Sunday, so Saturday will not be dry.
12. Dictation 12
Answer: Good morning, and welcome to the Riverside local news at eight o'clock.
The presenter opens the bulletin with this greeting.
13. Dictation 13
Answer: Police told residents that they should use the new road near the station.
The sentence reports what police told residents to do during the bridge closure.
14. Dictation 14
Answer: She took it home and gave it some water.
The sentence uses two past simple verbs: took and gave.