The Sad Life of an Old Man

Listening audio
Listening level
Intermediate

The Sad Life of an Old Man

1. Choose the best answer (a, b or c) to complete each of the following statements.
(1) Linda, the main speaker, got to know the old man when ___________.

a. she was working in the borough in London b. she was taking care of the disabled people c. she was making a survey of the needs of disabled people
(2) To Linda's surprise, the old man ___________. a. lived in a very bad housing condition b. was locked up in a small, dark room c. lived in a large house
(3) The old man was very ____________. a. garrulous b. introversive c. discontent
(4) Linda was asked to visit the old man again by _____________. a. a message left in her house b. a phone call from him c. a letter from him
(5) The old man's father was _____________. a. very rich b. very poor c. quite well-to-do
(6) Linda felt helpless with the old man because he ____________. a. needed more care b. wanted to become richer c. wanted to be young again

2. Fill in the blanks according to the tape.
(1) Linda had prepared herself for
    a. any very bad
that disabled people might be in, and
    b. some quite bad
that they might have.
(2) The old man grumbled about
    a.
,
    b.
,
    c.
, and
    d.
.

3. Choose the best answer (a, b or c) to complete each of the following statements.
(1) The other woman thought the old man was extraordinary because ____________.

a. all the rooms in the large house were used by only himself b. he had shut up all the rooms except one or two c. he lived in a back room
(2) Linda told the old man _________ that they go back and see somebody a second time. a. it wasn't unusual b. it was very rare c. it was very often
(3) The house in which the old man now lived ___________. a. had been bought by him b. had been the family house c. had been inherited from his grandfather
(4) The old man cut himself off from his friends because _____________. a. he was too busy with his business to have time to keep in touch with them b. since his business began to flourish he had looked down on them c. he became a rich man and he was suspicious that every people who wanted to close to him was only for his money.

4. True or False Questions.
(1)
He was getting older and the condition of his health was worsened, so he had to give up his business.
(2)
He lived a sad life in his old age because after he gave up his business he was not wealthy any longer.
(3)
He was left completely alone and had lost everything, even his neighbours never visited him.

Listening answers

The Sad Life of an Old Man

1. Choose the best answer (a, b or c) to complete each of the following statements.
(1) Linda, the main speaker, got to know the old man when ___________.

a. she was working in the borough in London b. she was taking care of the disabled people c. she was making a survey of the needs of disabled people
(2) To Linda's surprise, the old man ___________. a. lived in a very bad housing condition b. was locked up in a small, dark room c. lived in a large house
(3) The old man was very ____________. a. garrulous b. introversive c. discontent
(4) Linda was asked to visit the old man again by _____________. a. a message left in her house b. a phone call from him c. a letter from him
(5) The old man's father was _____________. a. very rich b. very poor c. quite well-to-do
(6) Linda felt helpless with the old man because he ____________. a. needed more care b. wanted to become richer c. wanted to be young again

2. Fill in the blanks according to the tape.
(1) Linda had prepared herself for
    a. any very bad
that disabled people might be in, and
    b. some quite bad
that they might have.
(2) The old man grumbled about
    a.
,
    b.
,
    c.
, and
    d.
.

3. Choose the best answer (a, b or c) to complete each of the following statements.
(1) The other woman thought the old man was extraordinary because ____________.

a. all the rooms in the large house were used by only himself b. he had shut up all the rooms except one or two c. he lived in a back room
(2) Linda told the old man _________ that they go back and see somebody a second time. a. it wasn't unusual b. it was very rare c. it was very often
(3) The house in which the old man now lived ___________. a. had been bought by him b. had been the family house c. had been inherited from his grandfather
(4) The old man cut himself off from his friends because _____________. a. he was too busy with his business to have time to keep in touch with them b. since his business began to flourish he had looked down on them c. he became a rich man and he was suspicious that every people who wanted to close to him was only for his money.

4. True or False Questions.
(1)
He was getting older and the condition of his health was worsened, so he had to give up his business.
(2)
He lived a sad life in his old age because after he gave up his business he was not wealthy any longer.
(3)
He was left completely alone and had lost everything, even his neighbours never visited him.