General Listening Quiz

Listen to the recording and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Ted: So, Susan, do you have anything planned for this Saturday?

Susan: Uh, I’m kind of busy. Why do you ask?

Ted: Oh, I was wondering if you’d like to get together and do something, like catch a movie or take a walk down by the lake.

Susan: I’d love to, but I’m really going to be busy all day on Saturday.

Ted: What do you have going on that day?

Susan: First, my mom asked me to help clean the house in the morning, and then I have a dentist appointment at 12:30. I can’t miss that ’cause I’ve canceled twice before.

Ted: Well, what about after that?

Susan: Well, I’m going to be running around all day. After the dentist appointment, I need to meet Julie at 2:00 to help her with her science project that’s due on Monday morning at school.

Ted: Okay, but are you free after that?

Susan: Hardly. Then I have to pick up my brother from soccer practice at 4:30, and my mom asked me to cook dinner for the family at 5:30. I feel like a slave sometimes. Then, I have to clean the dishes and finish reading my history assignment. Who knows how long THAT’ll take.

Ted: Wow, sounds like you’re going to have a full day. Hey listen, why don’t I come over later in the evening, and we can make some popcorn and watch a movie.

Susan: Oh, that’d be great, but our TV is broken.

Ted. Huh. Well, let’s just play a game or something.

Susan: Sounds good, but give me a call before you come. My mom might try to come up with something else for me to do.

• kind of  (phrase): a little 
  – I’m kind of concerned about Kim. She never relaxes and is so busy with school
• wonder (verb): to have interest in knowing; to think about something 
  – I wonder if Steve is going to come eat tonight. Do you know his plans?
• catch a movie (verb): watch a movie at a theater 
  – We caught a movie last night, but it wasn’t very good.
• ’cause (adverb): short for because
  – I can’t go tonight with you ’cause I’m not feeling well. Sorry.
• cancel (verb): to stop doing or planning to do something
  – Sorry, but I need to cancel our date. I need to take my brother to the hospital.
• due (adjective): expected to happen 
  – My school tuition is due on Friday.
• hardly (adverb): certainly not; also, almost not
  – A: You really like sushi, don’t you. > B: Hardly. If I try to eat it, I get sick.
• work like a slave (expression): work very hard for someone else
  – My brother works like a slave to earn money for school.
• come up with (idiom): to think of something
  – Have you come up with an idea for tomorrow’s activity?