Listening: Active Listening Strategies (incl. Note-taking & Summarizing - Basic) B1 - Lesson 2: Taking Simple Notes (key words, numbers, names) from Short Talks

B1 Active Listening: Taking Simple Notes from Short Talks

Welcome! In this lesson, we will practice a very important academic and professional skill: note-taking¹. This means quickly writing down the most important information while you listen, so you can remember it later.

1. How to Take Good Notes

The secret to good note-taking is not to write full sentences. You don't have time! Instead, you should listen for and write down only the key information².

• Focus on: Names, Numbers, Places, Dates, and Key Topic Words.
• Use Abbreviations³: Write shortened versions of words to be faster. For example: `with` ➜ `w/`, `number` ➜ `#`, `and` ➜ `&`, `important` ➜ `imp.`.

2. Practice 1: A Phone Message

Get a pen and paper. Listen to this phone message. Your goal is to write down the caller's name, the company name, and the phone number to call back.

"Hi, this is a message for Mr. Kim. My name is David from Angkor Tours. Please call me back when you have a moment. My phone number is 092 555 123. Thank you."

Now, look at your notes. Were you able to capture the key information?

Click to See Example Notes

Your notes might look something like this:

• Caller: David
• Company: Angkor Tours
• Phone #: 092 555 123

3. Practice 2: A Mini-Lecture

Now, let's try a slightly more complex talk. Your goal is to note the main topic, two main examples, and a key date.

"Good morning. Today's topic is the history of the Khmer Empire. We will focus on two major achievements⁴. The first is the construction of Angkor Wat, which was built in the 12th century. The second is the complex water management system they created. This system was essential for agriculture."

Compare your notes with these example notes. Did you identify the key points?

Click to See Example Notes

Your notes might look something like this:

• Topic: Khmer Empire History
• 2 big achievements:
  1. Angkor Wat (12th century)
  2. Water system (for agriculture)

Final Quiz: Take Notes

Get your pen and paper ready. Listen to this short announcement about a change to a meeting. Write down the key details to answer the questions below.

Announcement: (Listen to the audio)

Now, use your notes to answer:

1. What meeting was changed?
2. What is the new location?
3. What is the new time?

Click to Show Answers

Answers: 1. The weekly marketing meeting. 2. The main office. 3. 4 PM today.

Homework Task

1. Note-taking from a Weather Report: Find a short English weather report on YouTube. Listen to it one time. Try to write down: the city, the temperature, and the general weather (e.g., sunny, rainy, cloudy).

2. Summarize from Your Notes: Look at the notes you took during today's lesson. Without listening to the audio again, try to re-create one of the talks in your own words. Can you do it? This is the first step to summarizing!

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Note-taking (noun) - Khmer: ការកត់ត្រា - The practice of writing down important pieces of information in a systematic way. ↩
2. Key Information (noun phrase) - Khmer: ព័ត៌មានសំខាន់ៗ - The most important facts or details in a speech or text. ↩
3. Abbreviation (noun) - Khmer: ពាក្យកាត់ - A shortened form of a word or phrase (e.g., 'info' for 'information'). ↩
4. Achievement (noun) - Khmer: សមិទ្ធិផល - A thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage, or skill. ↩