Listening practice
A Team Meeting: B2 Listening
A manager and a developer deal with a project that is running late.
- Age
- Ages 18+
- Level
- B2
- Skill
- Listening
- Time
- 30 min
- Format
- Interactive
- Listening
- Dialogue
The voice is your device's built-in speech synthesis, not a recording, so it sounds different on every phone, tablet and computer. Dialogues use two voices where the device has them. The transcript is always one tap away.
1. Before you listen
Read the question, then listen to the whole script once and choose the answer.
2. Listen
Play the whole script or one line at a time. Try the questions before you open the transcript.
Transcript
- Manager:Line 1 · Transcript hidden
- Developer:Line 2 · Transcript hidden
- Manager:Line 3 · Transcript hidden
- Developer:Line 4 · Transcript hidden
- Manager:Line 5 · Transcript hidden
- Developer:Line 6 · Transcript hidden
- Manager:Line 7 · Transcript hidden
- Developer:Line 8 · Transcript hidden
- Manager:Line 9 · Transcript hidden
- Developer:Line 10 · Transcript hidden
- Manager:Line 11 · Transcript hidden
3. Listen for detail
Listen again and answer the five questions.
4. Dictation
Play each sentence and type the missing words. Capital letters and punctuation don't matter.
- 1.Are we still for the end of the month?
- 2.We've finished the main booking screen, but the payment system is taking .
- 3.It's not something we .
- 4.I can ask Maria whether she can .
- 5.I'll need to the client first, though.
5. Your turn to speak
Your project is late. In pairs, one of you explains the problem and the other asks questions. Agree on one solution and a new plan.
Printable worksheet
The tasks, the transcript and an answer key on a separate page.
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A. Before you listen
What is the main problem in the meeting?
- ☐ a) A team member is leaving
- ☐ b) The project is behind schedule
- ☐ c) The client has cancelled the project
B. Listen for detail
- Which part of the app is taking longer than planned?☐ a) The payment system☐ b) The main booking screen☐ c) The gift card feature
- Why is it taking longer?☐ a) The developer was ill☐ b) The client changed the design☐ c) The payment provider changed its security rules
- With help from the testing team, Ben might only need ten days.☐ a) True☐ b) False
- The manager says the launch date can easily be moved.☐ a) True☐ b) False
- What does Ben suggest?☐ a) Moving the launch date☐ b) Rebuilding the main booking screen☐ c) Launching without the gift card feature
C. Dictation: write the missing words
- Are we still for the end of the month?
- We've finished the main booking screen, but the payment system is taking .
- It's not something we .
- I can ask Maria whether she can .
- I'll need to the client first, though.
D. Speaking
Your project is late. In pairs, one of you explains the problem and the other asks questions. Agree on one solution and a new plan.
Transcript
Manager: OK, let's start. Ben, where are we with the new booking app? Are we still on track for the end of the month?
Developer: To be honest, I don't think we are. We've finished the main booking screen, but the payment system is taking much longer than we planned.
Manager: What's causing the delay?
Developer: The payment provider changed their security requirements two weeks ago, so we've had to rebuild part of the checkout. It's not something we could have predicted.
Manager: Fair enough. So realistically, how much more time do you need?
Developer: I'd say two weeks. Maybe ten days if we can get someone from the testing team to help us.
Manager: I can ask Maria whether she can spare someone. But the client has already announced the launch date, so moving it isn't really an option.
Developer: In that case, could we launch without the gift card feature? It's the least used part, and we could add it in an update a few weeks later.
Manager: That's not a bad idea. I'll need to run it past the client first, though. Can you put together a short summary of what would be ready on launch day?
Developer: Sure, I'll send it over this afternoon.
Manager: Great. Let's catch up again on Thursday.
Key phrases are in bold.
Answer key
- A. b) The project is behind schedule
- B. 1 a) The payment system · 2 c) The payment provider changed its security rules · 3 a) True · 4 b) False · 5 c) Launching without the gift card feature
- C. 1 on track · 2 much longer than we planned · 3 could have predicted · 4 spare someone · 5 run it past