College Roommates - Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Level	Topic	Speakers	Length
Intermediate	College Roommates	Man – Man	01:26

Pre-Listening Exercise

What are three qualities you look for in a college roommate (or a roommate at any time in your life)? Why are these qualities important to you?

Agree or Disagree? Let’s Spark Some Conversation!

These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, moving, and talking! The goal is to explore ideas, share opinions, and get ready for the next part of the lesson.

In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way? Then, pair students with members of the other group and have students explain their reasons. Rotate partners for more practice.
In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms. What do others think? Do you agree or disagree with them?
For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate. This helps you get ready to speak and join real conversations in English. Consider recording your ideas and check your progress.

Having a roommate in college is an important part of the experience.
Roommates should always become friends, not just people who share a space.
It is better to live with a stranger than with a close friend.
Roommates should split everything 50/50, from rent to cleaning duties.
Sharing a dorm room helps students learn important life skills.
It is fair to change roommates if you don’t get along.
Quiet roommates are easier to live with than outgoing ones.
Living alone in college is better than sharing a room.
Roommates should always respect each other’s schedules.
Conflicts between roommates make students stronger in the long run.

Idioms

“be at home with” = feel comfortable with something
“My Japanese roommate is really at home with the culture here in the United States.”

“squeaky clean” = someone is very good and honest and never gets into trouble
“My roommate is squeaky clean. He never does anything dishonest, and he always stays out of trouble.”

Listening Exercise

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

Vocabulary Practice

Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:

Mixed-Up Sentence | Sentence and Vocabulary Matching

Post-Listening Exercise

What are some positive reasons for having roommates from other countries? Are there any possible challenges? If so, what are they? Explain your ideas.

Online Investigation

Finding a good roommate can be difficult because there are so many things to think about. What is the person like? How well will the roommates get along? Do they share the same interests? Now, more and more websites can help you with this search, but you need to know what to look for in a quality service. Search online for a company that helps you find roommates and answer these questions:

How does the website help you search for compatible people in your area?
How much does the service cost to search for roommates and to leave your own profile?
How does the website keep your information private?
What reviews can you find about the service?

See Listening Script

Back to Intermediate Quizzes

General Listening Quiz