Listening: Listening for Specific Information A2 - Lesson 2: Answering Wh- Questions about Short Stories or Descriptions

Listening for Details with 'Wh-' Questions

CEFR Level A2

Lesson Goals

In this lesson, you will learn to listen for specific information in short stories by understanding and answering "Wh-" questions.

Understanding "Wh-" Questions

When we listen, we need to know what information to look for. "Wh-" questions give you a target. They tell you exactly what kind of detail to listen for in a story.

• Who? asks about a person or people.
• What? asks about a thing or an action.
• Where? asks about a place or location.
• When? asks about a time or a date.

By knowing these, you can focus your listening to catch the correct details.

Key Tip: Read the Questions First!

Here is the most important strategy for this type of listening: Always read the questions BEFORE you listen.

If you read the questions first, you create a "mission" for your brain. You know exactly what information you are hunting for. For example, if a question starts with "Where...?", you know you need to listen carefully for the name of a place.

Practice Activities

Listen to the stories in the audio player. Read the questions for each story first, then listen for the answers.

1. Story 1: The Tuk-Tuk Driver
   "There is a man named Dara. He is a tuk-tuk driver. Every morning, he drives his tuk-tuk to the Old Market. He waits for tourists there. He likes his job."

   Answer these questions:

   1. Who is the story about?
   2. Where does he go every morning?
   3. What is his job?
   Show Answers

   Answers: a. A man named Dara. b. To the Old Market. c. A tuk-tuk driver.

2. Story 2: The Student
   "Lina is a student at the university. Yesterday afternoon, she studied in the library for three hours. She studied for her English test."

   Answer these questions:

   1. Who is the story about?
   2. When did she study?
   3. What did she study for?
   Show Answers

   Answers: a. A student named Lina. b. Yesterday afternoon. c. Her English test.

3. Story 3: The Tourist
   "A tourist named Maria visited Angkor Wat yesterday morning. She took many beautiful photos of the temple because the weather was sunny."

   Answer these questions:

   1. Who visited Angkor Wat?
   2. Where did she go?
   3. When did she visit?
   4. What did she do there?
   Show Answers

   Answers: a. Maria. b. Angkor Wat. c. Yesterday morning. d. She took photos.

Vocabulary

• 'Wh-' Question (noun) [សំណួរ Wh]

  A question that starts with Wh- (or H) to ask for specific information (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How).

• Story (noun) [រឿង]

  A description of people and events, which can be real or imaginary.

• Character (noun) [តួអង្គ]

  A person in a story, book, or movie.

Your Mission

Now, practice this skill on your own.

1. Your Story: Think about your day yesterday. Answer these questions in full English sentences: Who did you see? Where did you go? What did you eat?
2. Listen to a Story: Find a short, simple story online (search for "A2 listening story" on YouTube). Listen one time and try to write down the answers to: Who is the main character? Where does the story happen?