3.4 Listening Tarea 4: One Conversation, Seven Sentences to Complete
Key Takeaways
Tarea 4 has seven items: candidates complete seven short sentences about one conversation of 160–185 words by choosing from a box of eight options.
In the Modelo 0 the box has nine letters (A–I) including the example, and the sentences are numbered 19 to 25.
The Modelo 0 gives 30 seconds to read the sentences before the conversation starts, and 45 seconds at the end to complete the answer sheet.
The whole conversation is played, then repeated, with 10 seconds after each hearing.
The box often contains near pairs such as caro and barato or coche and autobús, so the gap depends on the speaker's exact statement.
Understanding Tarea 4: Completing Sentences about a Conversation
Tarea 4 closes Prueba 2. You hear one conversation of 160 to 185 words between two people about familiar, everyday topics. The skill tested is understanding names, words and phrases in slow, clearly articulated speech. On the page you have seven incomplete sentences and a box of options; you choose the option that completes each sentence.
| Exam Parameter | Tarea 4 Specification |
|---|---|
| Items | 7 (Modelo numbering 19–25) |
| Input | One conversation of 160–185 words, personal domain |
| Options | A box of eight options for the seven sentences (nine letters in the Modelo 0, including the example) |
| Unused options | 1 |
| Repetitions | The whole conversation is played twice |
What the Modelo 0 Shows
A man, Paco, talks with a university classmate about his home city. The box contains short words and phrases such as grande, monumentos, turistas, el museo, el palacio, caro, barato, autobús and coche. The sentences follow the conversation: what the city has, what tourists go to see, what Paco likes best, what is far from the centre, whether eating out is cheap or expensive, how you get to the centre and how Paco usually travels to his city.
Two traps are built in. First, caro and barato are both in the box, and only the speaker's words decide the gap. Second, autobús and coche are both there: in the Modelo, the bus is how you get to the centre, while Paco travels to his city by car because the bus ticket is more expensive. The same word can belong to one sentence and not to another.
The Timing Inside the Recording (Modelo 0)
- Ahora tiene 30 segundos para leer las frases: 30 seconds of reading time.
- The whole conversation, then 2 seconds, Seleccione las opciones correctas and 10 seconds.
- The whole conversation again, then 10 seconds.
- Complete ahora la Hoja de respuestas: 45 seconds.
Step 1: Use the 30 Seconds to Predict
Read the seven sentences and decide what kind of word each gap needs:
| Sentence frame | What the gap needs | Candidates in the box |
|---|---|---|
| La ciudad tiene muchos ___. | a plural noun | monumentos, turistas |
| Comer en la ciudad es ___. | an adjective about price | caro, barato |
| Se puede ir al centro en ___. | a means of transport | autobús, coche |
| A Paco le gusta ___ de su ciudad. | a place with an article | el museo, el palacio |
Grammar narrows the choice to two or three options; the conversation decides between them.
Step 2: First Hearing, Follow the Order
The sentences normally follow the order of the conversation. Keep your eyes on the sentence you are working on and write a provisional letter as soon as you hear the information. If you miss one, move on: the second hearing is your chance to fill it.
Step 3: Second Hearing, Check the Pairs
On the second hearing, check every gap where the box has a near pair. Listen for contrasts such as pero, más caro, lejos versus cerca, and normalmente.
Everyday Topics and Phrases to Know
Tarea 4 conversations are about familiar topics: a city or neighbourhood, a house, a trip, the weekend, work or studies, family and shopping. Recognise these frequent exchanges:
- Place: ¿Dónde está? — Al lado del río. Está lejos / cerca del centro.
- Opinion: ¿Qué tal...? — Muy bien. Es pequeño, pero tiene mucha luz.
- Transport: ¿Cómo vas? — Voy en bicicleta / a pie / en metro.
- Price: ¿Es caro? — Pagamos seiscientos euros al mes. Para el centro es barato.
- Plans: ¿Cuándo...? — El sábado veinte, si no llueve.
Prices are said as seis euros con cincuenta (6.50 euros) or simply seis cincuenta, and céntimos is often left out.
Practice Conversation (about 170 words)
Marta: Hola, Javier. ¿Qué tal tu piso nuevo?
Javier: Muy bien. Es pequeño, pero tiene mucha luz y una terraza.
Marta: ¿Y dónde está?
Javier: En el barrio de Triana, al lado del río. Es un barrio muy tranquilo.
Marta: ¿Vives solo?
Javier: No, vivo con mi primo Raúl. Él es cocinero y trabaja por la noche.
Marta: ¿Y cómo vas a la oficina? ¿En metro?
Javier: No, el metro está lejos de mi casa. Voy en bicicleta; son quince minutos.
Marta: ¿Y el alquiler es caro?
Javier: Pagamos seiscientos euros al mes entre los dos. Para el centro de Sevilla es barato.
Marta: ¿Hay tiendas cerca?
Javier: Sí, hay un mercado muy bueno. Los sábados compro allí la fruta y el pescado.
Marta: ¡Qué bien! ¿Y cuándo hacemos una fiesta en tu terraza?
Javier: El sábado veinte, si no llueve. ¿Vienes?
Marta: ¡Claro!
Box: A) pequeño, B) tranquilo, C) su primo, D) metro, E) bicicleta, F) barato, G) el mercado, H) el sábado veinte
- El piso de Javier es ___. → A
- El barrio es ___. → B
- Javier vive con ___. → C
- Javier va a la oficina en ___. → E (not D: el metro está lejos)
- Para el centro, el alquiler es ___. → F (Marta asks ¿es caro?, but Javier says es barato)
- Javier compra la fruta en ___. → G
- La fiesta es ___. → H
Option D (metro) is the unused distractor: it is mentioned, but rejected.
How do candidates answer DELE A1 Listening Tarea 4?
They write down seven words they hear in the conversation
They match seven speakers to seven announcements
They answer seven questions with three picture options each
They complete seven short sentences by choosing options from a box
In the practice conversation, Marta asks «¿Y el alquiler es caro?» and Javier answers «Pagamos seiscientos euros al mes entre los dos. Para el centro de Sevilla es barato.» Which option completes 'Para el centro, el alquiler es ___'?
barato, because that is Javier's own answer
caro, because Marta uses that word
seiscientos, because that is the number
pequeño, because the flat is small
What is the most useful thing to do during the 30 seconds before the Tarea 4 conversation starts?
Translate the instructions word for word into another language
Read the seven sentences and predict the kind of word each gap needs
Look back at the pictures from Tarea 1
Fill every gap at random so that no answer is left blank
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.