General Listening Quiz

Having pen friends is a good way to meet people. What kinds of things would you write or talk about when introducing yourself to a friend for the first time? How do these topics change depending on the situation and the person to whom you are speaking (e.g., an older man on an airplane or a fellow student at a party)?

“hit it off” = get along well, become friends
“After the first couple of letters, I knew we would hit it off because we had so many things in common.”

“nothing to write home about” = not exciting or interesting
“My trip was nothing to write home about. I didn’t have much fun, and it was kind of boring.”

Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)

Here are some words that appear in the recording:

• originally (adverb): in the beginning, in the first place
  – My mom is originally from a small town in Texas.
• currently (adverb): now, at this time
  – She is currently working as a server at a restaurant.
• attend (verb): go to
  – I want to attend a school near my family.
• junior (noun): third-year student
  – He is only a junior, so he has another year to graduate.
• major in (verb): have as one’s main field of study
  – I’m thinking about majoring in restaurant and hotel management.
• cashier (noun): a person who receives and pays out money at a store
  – Kathy found a job as a cashier at a restaurant.
• grocery store (noun): supermarket
  – My brother works full time as the manager of a grocery store.
• hang out (phrasal verb): spend time with, socialize
  – We usually hang out with friends after school.

Introduce yourself to several people (e.g, classmates, coworkers, complete strangers) in different situations. Then, find a website where you can locate people with the same interests as your own. Consider writing someone as a way of communicating with a new friend.

What social media sites do you use to meet new friends and communicate with family?