1. Skills
  2. Listening
  3. B1 listening
  4. The weekend

The weekend

A hiker on a mountain

Listen to the conversation about plans for the weekend and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise before you listen. Then do the other exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation

Do this exercise before you listen.

Remote audio URL

Transcript

Girl: So, have you got any plans for the weekend?

Boy: Yeah, me and my mates are going to this activity centre in the mountains.

Girl: Oh, yeah?

Boy: You can do all kinds of things. It's a new centre; it sounds great. We're going to go dirtboarding …

Girl: What's that?

Boy: It's like skateboarding or snowboarding. You have a board, or deck, to stand on and wheels. They're pretty strong because you go down rough mountain tracks on them. Steep, rough mountain tracks.

Girl: Sounds a bit risky. Have you done it before?

Boy: No, but I've done similar things. Anyway, we're also going to go canyoning. Before you ask, that's when you jump and swim down a river canyon. You have to use ropes and special equipment. And maybe we'll go white water rafting too.

Girl: Phew. It sounds far too difficult to me.

Boy: They have lots of things that you could do too. Like zip-wiring, you know when you go along a wire through the trees or down a mountain.

Girl: Go down a mountain on a wire!

Boy: It's really easy, and exciting too. You just have to hold on and enjoy the ride. Or there's bungee jumping.

Girl: Jump off a bridge on a long elastic band! Me? You've got to be joking! Anyway, I'm going away this weekend too, thank you for asking.

Boy: I was going to ask. So where are you going?

Girl: Paris! I'm so excited!

Boy: Paris, wow!

Girl: Yeah, it'll be brilliant! We're going to do all the sights, like go up the Eiffel Tower and take a boat along the River Seine and see the old parts of the city. It looks so beautiful in the photos. And then there are all the art galleries. You know how much I like art. I can't wait to go round the Louvre and see all those famous paintings.

Boy: I think the famous Impressionist paintings are somewhere else.

Girl: Yeah, I know, they're in the Musée d'Orsay. We're going there too. And then I want to go to the Rodin Museum and see that famous statue, you know, The Thinker. And of course, if we're in Paris, we'll have to go shopping. Or look at the shops, at least. And then there's the restaurants. Just think, French food!

Boy: You've got a lot planned for one weekend.

Girl: Oh, we're going for four days, actually.

Boy: Oh, four days, very nice. And who are you going with?

Girl: Oh, just a friend.

Worksheets and downloads

The weekend - exercises2.09 MB
The weekend - answers2.06 MB
The weekend - transcript251.4 KB
Discussion

Whose weekend would you prefer? The boy's or the girl's? Why?

Language level
B1 English level (intermediate)
Topics
extreme sports
travel
free time
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Comments

Submitted by pomelo on Mon, 03/06/2023 - 14:47

I would prefer to stay at home:)))

Submitted by TNO on Sun, 07/24/2022 - 08:33

From my perspective, both of them are fantastic and fascinating to go on a trip as a weekend vacation, which makes me confused between them to pick only one from two since if I consider the boy’s weekend plan, there are a good number of various kinds of exhilarating and natural activities that can provoke us to loosen up and kick back during our weekends, reducing our a great amount of stress suffer from our academic subjects and society, therefore, this will be an excellent idea to ease our stress and ought to go them. Furthermore, I have never heard about some of the activities he mentioned in the recording like dirt boarding and canyoning in more details, which I am willing to go straight away after I have listened to their conversation and I presume they will be thrilling experiences for me who haven't tried them on yet. And then I would like to take up and get out of zip wiring and bungee jumping, which can give me extraordinary experiences and feelings like an adventure, wheras the most I would like to go is white water rafting and canyoning owing to my preference for related water activities. Thereby, all of them are perfectly fit with my likes and can not undertake any more with his one for any reason. Nonetheless, if I regard the girl's plan, I would say it is worth enough to select for enthusiasts who prefer to travel around and explore new things in a city like magnificent Paris even though for me who is not into an exhibition of paintings, galleries, statues and art as a not art aficionado like her. To sum up, I would prefer only the boy's excellent weekend plan rather than the girl's one even if some of the activities like looking around the old parts of the city, going up the famous and historic Tower, taking a boat along the River, going shopping and lastly eating out at restaurants of the girl's plan.

Submitted by 01Aras on Tue, 06/07/2022 - 10:51

I would choose the men's weekend

Submitted by Fadikly on Thu, 06/02/2022 - 17:41

i would prefee boys’ plan. i really want climbing mountain. its very dangerous but its not matter for me

Submitted by goksu on Thu, 06/02/2022 - 12:28

I would choose the men's plan because I love nature

Submitted by lucalvesilva on Sat, 05/14/2022 - 11:24

I would prefer the girl's. I would love to go to Paris once I've never been there. I would be able to practice my french as well.

Submitted by DanOrtiz on Fri, 10/08/2021 - 23:59

I liked the conversation, both plans sound great, my ideal weekend would be to go on a trip to a country with a lot of nature like Switzerland, I would love to know Switzerland and get lost myself in nature
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Submitted by Elpro202 on Thu, 07/29/2021 - 01:06

Neither. I prefer gonna the beaches and do trekking through the trees on the nature. You know, I'm not the kind of person that loves risky adventures. In a lower level I love do trekking and walk in general. I rather enjoy the nature and pass a great and peaceful time than have got a high level of adrenaline and pulse.
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Submitted by Andrii on Fri, 04/30/2021 - 15:38

I'd prefer the boy's weekend because I don't really like visiting museums.
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Submitted by ABM on Mon, 11/16/2020 - 10:23

I prefer the boy's weekend because the actvites are more exciting than the girl's , the sports are more risky and adventurous
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Submitted by ABM on Mon, 11/16/2020 - 10:18

I prefer the girl's weekend because I haven't been to Paris and I wish to go to Eiffel Tower
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Submitted by Xuka on Tue, 09/01/2020 - 08:20

I prefer the boy's weekend although I'm a girl. I love outdoor and close to nature activities such as trekking, climbing, canyoning, etc. But to take part in these sports requires you have good health, strong persistence, and some techniques. Through these activities, we also have opportunities to socialize, gain the understandings of teamwork, problem- solving skills as well as learn important lessons about disciplines, self- esteem, and mutual respect. There are so amazing and a lot of funs.

Submitted by rumaysa on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 06:46

I would prefer to go to the boy's weekend coz there are lots of dangerous things and of course, I love risky events. However, there both of them are amazing themes to talk about!

Submitted by Mamou1 on Fri, 07/24/2020 - 09:45

sincerely it difficult for me to chose which weekend I prefer because the two are really amazing and exiting and you can have a lot of fun. But I think I'm going to chose the boy's weekend even if I'm a girl because 4 days in Paris sound really small for doing all your plan. Visit ,shopping , there is a many place to see. And I really want to experience the dirt-boarding and canyoning it's sound's really amazing and you can have a lot of fun so for a weekend I prefer the Boy's weekend.

Submitted by BibekSanjeev on Sun, 07/19/2020 - 16:05

The boy's one, because even if I will mostly be scared it'll be fun.

Submitted by KJs on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 04:21

I prefer the boy's weekend. I love nature and outdoor activities.

Submitted by LovelyGirl on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 02:26

I prefer the girl's weekend. I am afraid of dangerous sports.

Submitted by atykho on Tue, 05/19/2020 - 12:22

I would prefer the girl's weekend. The boy's one is quite dangerous and risky for me. It's true that in Paris there a loads of things to see and to visit. And 4 days is even not enough to do everything.

Submitted by Doge on Fri, 05/15/2020 - 07:07

Basically i would choosethe boys weekend plan, because i like sports and nature.

Submitted by Niriamcar on Sat, 05/09/2020 - 07:51

I prefer the girl's weekend because I love travelling a lot. In fact, that's the thing that I most enjoy in the world. I don't like the extrem sports too. I'm not brave enough.

Submitted by francesca_m on Fri, 03/13/2020 - 11:14

I prefer the girl's weekend because I love traveling. I like to see monuments, visit museums and learn about new cultures. I have never been to Paris and I hope to go there one day!

Submitted by giusy_r on Thu, 03/05/2020 - 17:40

I'd prefer the girl's weekend because i don't like extreme sports
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Submitted by Manonblack on Wed, 07/31/2019 - 14:47

I prefer the boys' weekend because it sounds more exciting! Once I went to a tyrolese and I loved it. Oh, the nature around me, the wind against myself, it was marvelous! But Paris sounds good too, well, not much like the boys' sports

Submitted by regis on Tue, 11/27/2018 - 22:10

I prefer the boy´s weekend, because I like more the activitys like climb mountains etc

Submitted by naturegirl on Sat, 10/27/2018 - 16:54

I prefer the boy’s weekend because I like extreme sports. For example I think horse riding is extreme sport (I do it every week) because you can fall and break leg or arm or what worse your backbone. I go hiking in the mountains with my parents so I’d love to try dirtboarding on a hike. I like kayaking but I’ve never tried canoeing on mountain rivers.
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Submitted by mirajp on Mon, 05/28/2018 - 19:16

I'd prefer the boy's activities because I like thrills and it would be for me a new experience !

Submitted by MissesS on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 08:26

I'd choose the boys' weekend!
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Submitted by bilko on Sat, 03/03/2018 - 18:42

I would prefer the boy's plan. Because the activities that he mentioned are quite interesting and more funnier than the girls choice. But honestly, i am afraid of doing extreme sports...

Submitted by ropey84 on Fri, 02/16/2018 - 22:29

I obviously prefer the guy's weekends because I like extreme activities and I love sports so that's why I like the boy's option

Submitted by mardy on Tue, 01/30/2018 - 18:25

Certanly, i prefer boy's weekend. Why? The answer is simple) Most of boys prefer active rest and so, they prefer climbing, jumping, swimiming and etc, rather then walking through the streets or shopping. In my opinion it's more for girls) p.s. except those who are fond of art and France, in particular Paris ;)
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Submitted by Martin159 on Tue, 01/23/2018 - 02:42

I would prefer to stay at home actually.

Submitted by Chocolate (not verified) on Tue, 09/01/2015 - 10:38

I prefer the girl's weekend because Paris is beautiful :)
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