CEFR C1 • Business English
A Media Interview With a CEO: ESL Listening Dialogue (C1)
A C1 English listening dialogue. A journalist challenges a CEO about a product recall. Use it for listening practice, role play or homework, and generate the audio in a US, UK or Australian accent.
Dialogue Script (2 speakers)
Journalist: Thank you for joining us. Your company is recalling two hundred thousand heaters. What went wrong?
CEO: A small number of units have a fault in the power switch. Customer safety is our absolute priority.
Journalist: With respect, you knew about this fault in March. Why wait until October?
CEO: We needed to understand the scale of the problem before acting.
Journalist: Isn't that evading the question? Customers were at risk for seven months.
CEO: <short pause> You're right, and I take full responsibility. We should have acted sooner.
Journalist: What are you doing to make sure it doesn't happen again?
CEO: We're commissioning an independent safety review, and we'll publish the results in full.
Journalist: So, full transparency?
CEO: Full transparency. Customers deserve nothing less.
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Key Vocabulary
recall
When a company asks customers to return a faulty product.
to take responsibility
To accept that something is your fault.
to evade the question
To avoid answering directly.
transparency
Openness and honesty.
Comprehension Questions
- Why is the company recalling the product?
- How does the journalist challenge the CEO?
- What does the CEO promise at the end?
Tip: after you generate the audio, open its Lesson view for a printable transcript, vocabulary list and quiz with answers.
How to Use It in Class
- Before listening: pre-teach the key vocabulary and ask students to predict what happens.
- First listen: students answer the comprehension questions without the script.
- Second listen: give out the script and have students underline useful phrases.
- Speaking: pairs role-play the dialogue, then change one detail and improvise.
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