Listening: Listening for Specific Information A2 - Lesson 1: Extracting Details from Short Announcements (e.g., platform numbers, flight times)

Listening Detective: Finding Specific Details

CEFR Level A2

Lesson Goals

In this lesson, you will practice being a "listening detective." You will learn how to listen for and extract specific details (like names, numbers, and places) from short public announcements.

How to Listen for Details

Listening for specific information is different from listening for the gist. Here, you need to find small, exact pieces of information. The most important strategy is to read the question before you listen.

If the question asks for a "time" and a "platform number," then you know your two listening targets. When you hear the announcement, your brain can focus only on finding a time and a platform number, and you can ignore the other words. This makes listening much easier!

Key Tip: Know Your Targets

In announcements, the "targets" are usually the same types of information. When you practice listening, train your ears to catch:

• Numbers: Times (2:30 PM), dates (June 5th), flight/platform numbers (PG906, Platform 4), prices ($15).
• Names: People (Mr. Tanaka), places (Bangkok, Siem Reap).
• Locations: Places within a building (front entrance, second floor, Gate 7).

If you know what kind of words to listen for, finding them is much easier.

Practice Activities

Let's practice being a detective. For each announcement, read your targets first, then listen and find the information.

1. Announcement 1: Train Station

   Your Targets: The destination and the platform number.

   "The next train to arrive at platform 4 is the 10:30 AM service to Bangkok."
   • A) Bangkok, Platform 10
   • B) Bangkok, Platform 4
   • C) Bangkok, Platform 30
   Show Answer

   Answer: B) The destination is Bangkok and the platform is 4.

2. Announcement 2: Airport

   Your Targets: The flight number and the departure gate.

   "This is the final call for passengers on flight PG906 to Singapore. Please proceed immediately to gate number 7."
   • A) Flight PG906, Gate 7
   • B) Flight PG907, Gate 6
   • C) Flight PG609, Gate 7
   Show Answer

   Answer: A) The flight is PG906 and the gate is 7.

3. Announcement 3: Supermarket

   Your Targets: The special offer item and the department.

   "Good afternoon, shoppers. For the next hour, we have a special offer on fresh mangoes in our fruit and vegetable department on the second floor."
   • A) Fresh apples in the fruit department.
   • B) Fresh mangoes on the first floor.
   • C) Fresh mangoes in the fruit and vegetable department.
   Show Answer

   Answer: C) The special offer is on mangoes in the fruit and vegetable department.

Vocabulary

• Detail (noun) [ព័ត៌មានលម្អិត]

  A single, small fact or piece of information.

• Extract (verb) [ដកស្រង់]

  To pull out or find specific information from a larger text or speech.

• Announcement (noun) [សេចក្តីប្រកាស]

  A formal public statement that gives people information.

• Platform / Gate (noun) [វេទិកា / ច្រកទ្វារ]

  The place where you wait for a train (platform) or an airplane (gate).

Your Mission

Time to use your detective skills in the real world!

1. YouTube Detective: Search on YouTube for "airport announcements English". Listen to one or two. Can you extract a destination city, a flight number, or a gate number? Write down any detail you catch!
2. Create an Announcement: Imagine you work at the bus station in Siem Reap. Write and record a short announcement for a bus going to Phnom Penh. You must include the bus company name, the departure time, and the platform number.