French

Finding the way

This Revision Bite will give you practice in listening to and understanding French about finding the way.

Listening question: Finding the way

Here is a typical listening exam multiple choice question.

Question

Listen

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Print this page or write the question numbers on a piece of paper, then listen to the audio and tick the correct boxes or jot down your answers.

Answer

Listen out for:

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In this question you don't have to understand the name of the place being mentioned - just listen out for the directions.

Listen out for:

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There are extra details here that you don't need to answer the question correctly, just listen out for the means of transport.

Listen out for:

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Even if you are not sure what 'église' means, you can still work out the answer because you don't hear 'poste' or 'stade' mentioned, words which are similar to the English.

Listen out for:

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When you look at the pictures you have to choose from, you will realise that it is vitally important to listen out for the number of the street being mentioned - first, second or third.

Listen out for:

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Listen out for:

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When you've finished move on to the next page to see how you did.

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Excusez-moi, savez-vous où se trouve la mairie?
Excuse me, do you know where the town hall is?
Oui, c'est dans le centre-ville. Prenez ici à droite.
Yes, it's in the town centre. Turn right here.
Comment puis-je me rendre au centre-ville, s'il vous plaît?
How do I get to the town centre please?
C'est tout près d'ici - vous pouvez y aller à pied.
It's really close by - you can go on foot.
Pardon monsieur. Où est l'arrêt d'autobus?
Excuse me sir, where is the bus stop?
C'est là-bas, à côté de l'église.
Over there, next to the church.
Est-ce qu'il y a une banque près d'ici?
Is there a bank near here?
Oui. Allez tout droit et prenez la troisième rue à droite.
Yes, go straight ahead and take the third street on the right.
Ici, à gauche, c'est le vieux château. Il date du seizième siècle.
On the left here lies the old castle. It dates from the sixteenth century.
Combien coûte un carnet de tickets de métro, s'il vous plaît?
What does a book of tickets for the tube cost, please?
Ça coûte quinze euros.
It costs 15 euros.

Use the five minutes reading time before the audio is played to look carefully at the questions. This will give you a chance to predict the vocabulary you have to listen out for, and it is a good idea to make a note of it then on the exam paper (it is OK to write notes on the paper, but obviously not in the spaces provided for your answers). For example, in question 1 of the revision bite, the multiple-choice answers show you it is important to listen out for the directions, rather than the place someone is asking the way to.
Even if you are not sure, you should always write an answer because you have a one in three chance of scoring the mark!

Now try a Test Bite.