23 Listening

Before you listen

Complete the following to help you prepare for the listening:

1. In this section, you are going to listen to a radio news story about the construction at CDN Malls. You will also listen to a conversation between Raja and a customer who is not happy about the construction. Think about the following questions. Then discuss your answers.

a) What do you already know about the construction?

b) Why would this story be included in the news?

c) Who do you think the journalist will interview? Why?

d) What could CDN Malls do to improve the situation for customers?

e) What kinds of concerns can customers have when there is construction at a mall?

2. Discuss what the following words and phrases mean. Listen carefully for these words and phrases in the listening activities and think about their meanings.

Listening 1

Before you listen, read the questions in the After you listen section so you have an idea of keywords and information to listen for. Then listen to the radio news story and answer the questions that follow.

After you listen

Comprehension

Answer the questions.

1. What is the focus of the news story?

a) Customers are upset about the temporary closing of the West

b) Improvements that CDN Malls is making to the West

c) New technology that will be used in the West

2. What will the electronic parking monitor system do?

a) Monitor traffic into the parkade

b) Display available parking spots

c) Both a and b

3. Susan Granger says that

a) customers think these changes are a great idea

b) more customers will come to the mall in the future

c) none of the above

4. CDN Malls have closed mall entrances on the west side.

a) True

b) False

5. When will construction be finished?

a) In two months

b) On Saturday

c) At Christmas

6. How many parkades are at CDN Malls?                          

7. CDN Malls cares about customer experiences.

a) True

b) False

Vocabulary

1. Listen to Listening 1 again. Identify the words and phrases you heard in this listening. Talk about what the words and phrases mean. Compare them with the meanings you discussed in the Before you listen section.

2. Use a dictionary to look up the words and phrases you identified above. Write down their meanings. Some words may have more than one meaning. Be careful to select the meaning of the word as it is used in the listening.
3. Write sentences using the words you wrote meanings for. Talk about your sentences.

Listening 2

Before you listen, read the questions in the After you listen section so you have an idea of what keywords and information to listen for. Listen to Raja talking to a customer who is complaining about parking.

Then answer the questions that follow.

After you listen

Comprehension

Answer the questions.

1. Jessica drove to the mall via 4th Street.

a) True

b) False

2. Why was Jessica at the mall?                                                   
3. What was happening outside the mall?

a) People were redirecting traffic.

b) Everyone was honking and shouting.

c) Raja’s manager was talking to Jessica.

4. Raja handled the customer complaint correctly.

a) True

b) False

5. Why were customers so confused?                                  
6. Jessica would like the manager to call her.

a) True

b) False

Vocabulary

1. Listen to Listening 2 again. Identify the words and phrases you heard in this listening. Talk about what the words and phrases mean. Compare them with the meanings you discussed in the Before you listen section.

2. Use a dictionary to look up the words and phrases you identified above. Write down their meanings. Some words may have more than one meaning. Be careful to select the meaning of the word or phrase as it is used in the listening.

3. Write sentences using the words and phrases you wrote the meanings for. Talk about your sentences.

Discussion

Go back to the questions in the Before you listen section. Think about what you heard in Listening 1 and Listening 2. Discuss the answers to these questions:

• Did you correctly predict what the listening activities were going to be about?
• How did reading the questions ahead of time and thinking about what you were going to listen for help you understand?

Listening progress check

Read the comprehension questions first so you notice what you need to listen for.

Then listen to Sima give Raja some feedback about how he handled a customer complaint.

Comprehension

Answer the following questions:

1. What did Sima say to stop Raja from leaving work?                        
2. Sima talked with a customer about Raja.

a) True

b) False

2. Sima

a) is working later than Raja

b) is pleased with Raja’s customer service

c) both a and b

3. Where did Sima overhear the conversation between the two customers?

a) In the food court

b) At the Guest Services Desk

c) In the parkade

4. The customer said that

a) Raja made her feel happier

b) Raja fixed the problem

c) none of the above

5. The conversation between Sima and Raja was a positive one.

a) True

b) False

Vocabulary

Match each of the words or phrases below to its meaning.