telc B2 listening: the three parts and exercises with answers
The telc B2 listening part takes about twenty minutes and has three parts; all 20 items are true/false. The biggest difference from B1: no text is played a second time. Below you will find a strategy and a worked example for each part.
By Olcay Sari, founder of Level Exams
Last updated: 2026-11-12
The listening part (Hörverstehen) is worth 75 points and belongs to the written exam. The recording plays without a break: instructions and reading time are part of it, and you cannot pause or rewind.
All three parts are played only once. What decides B2 listening is therefore reading the statements before the recording starts and deciding while you listen; leaving something for a second play is not an option.
The three parts at a glance
| Part | What you hear | Items | Plays | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hören Teil 1: News broadcast | Short radio news items; one statement for each | 5 | 1 | 25 |
| Hören Teil 2: Radio interview | An interview with an expert or with someone who has an unusual job; the statements follow its order | 10 | 1 | 25 |
| Hören Teil 3: Short announcements | Five short texts: station and shop announcements, voicemail message, radio notice; one statement for each | 5 | 1 | 25 |
Hören Teil 1: News broadcast
You hear a radio news broadcast: short items one after another. There is one statement for each item and you decide whether it is true or false. News items are dense: who, what, when, how much.
The statements usually generalise or change one detail of the item: for everyone, immediately, completely. If you hear an exception or a limit in the item (adults only, from July), compare the statement with it.
Worked example: Hören Teil 1
Task: Sie hören eine Nachricht aus einer Nachrichtensendung nur einmal. Ist die Aussage richtig oder falsch?
Sie hören: „Der Stadtrat hat gestern Abend beschlossen, die Eintrittspreise für die städtischen Schwimmbäder zum ersten Juli anzuheben. Erwachsene zahlen künftig fünf Euro statt bisher vier Euro fünfzig. Für Kinder und Jugendliche bleibt der Preis unverändert. Die Stadt begründet den Schritt mit gestiegenen Energiekosten.“ Aussage: Der Eintritt wird für alle Besucher teurer.
- Answer: falsch. The price rises only for adults: “Für Kinder und Jugendliche bleibt der Preis unverändert.”
- The generalisation “für alle Besucher” in the statement is the trap itself.
- The item contains four pieces of information (decision, date, price, reason); the statement targets only one.
Hören Teil 2: Radio interview
You hear a radio interview and decide whether the statements are true or false. The statements follow the order of the conversation; this part has the most items.
The interview is played once and it is long. Use the reading time to mark the keywords of the statements; while listening, keep your eye on the next statement. Speakers often correct the expected answer: “Interessanterweise nicht …, sondern …”.
Worked example: Hören Teil 2
Task: Sie hören ein Interview im Radio nur einmal. Sind die Aussagen 1 und 2 richtig oder falsch?
Moderatorin: Frau Doktor Albers, Sie erforschen, wie Menschen in Großraumbüros arbeiten. Was stört dort am meisten? Frau Albers: Interessanterweise nicht der Lärm an sich, sondern Gespräche, die man halb versteht. Unser Gehirn versucht automatisch, den Sinn zu ergänzen, und das kostet Konzentration. Moderatorin: Helfen Kopfhörer? Frau Albers: Kurzfristig ja. Auf Dauer isolieren sie die Leute aber voneinander, und genau den Austausch wollte man mit solchen Büros ja fördern. 1. Am störendsten ist für die Beschäftigten ein hoher Geräuschpegel. 2. Frau Albers hält Kopfhörer langfristig für problematisch.
- Statement 1: falsch. What disturbs is “nicht der Lärm an sich”, but conversations you half understand.
- Statement 2: richtig. Headphones help “kurzfristig”, but “auf Dauer isolieren sie die Leute”.
- Both answers come with a correction: “nicht …, sondern …” and “kurzfristig …, auf Dauer aber …”.
Hören Teil 3: Short announcements
You hear five short texts: an announcement at a station or airport, a notice in a shop, a voicemail message. There is one statement for each, and it asks for one piece of information.
Read the statements as early as you can; the seconds left at the end of the previous part are valuable for this. Announcements usually tell you what to do: where to get off, which train to change to, whether your ticket is valid.
Worked example: Hören Teil 3
Task: Sie hören eine Durchsage nur einmal. Ist die Aussage richtig oder falsch?
Sie hören: „Sehr geehrte Fahrgäste, wegen einer technischen Störung endet dieser Zug heute bereits in Fulda. Reisende nach Würzburg und München steigen bitte in Fulda in den Intercity auf dem gegenüberliegenden Gleis um. Ihre Fahrkarten behalten ihre Gültigkeit.“ Aussage: Fahrgäste nach München müssen eine neue Fahrkarte kaufen.
- Answer: falsch. “Ihre Fahrkarten behalten ihre Gültigkeit”: no new ticket is needed.
- The announcement gives three facts: the train ends in Fulda, passengers change to the train on the opposite platform, tickets stay valid. The statement asks about the last one.
- Recognising formal wording such as “behalten ihre Gültigkeit” is the key to B2 announcements.
Five habits for texts you hear only once
- Use the reading time to mark the keyword of each statement and any generalising words (alle, immer, nur, sofort).
- Decide straight away while listening and move on to the next statement; there is no going back.
- If you miss a statement, guess and let it go; do not lose two more items over one you missed.
- Briefly note numbers, dates and place names.
- Leave no item blank: with true/false a guess is right half the time.
How is it scored?
Each item in Teil 1 and Teil 3 is worth 5 points and each item in Teil 2 2.5; each of the three parts adds up to 25 points, and the total is 75.
One statement on a news item or an announcement is worth as much as two statements on the interview.
Listening counts towards the 225 points of the written exam; you need at least 135 of them to pass.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for a second play: at B2 there is none in any part.
- Letting the reading time pass without reading the statements.
- Marking a generalising statement (alle, immer) as “richtig” without listening for the exception.
- Dwelling on a missed item and missing the next ones too.
- Missing the speaker's correction in the interview: “nicht …, sondern …”.
- Leaving an item blank.
Sample question paper (PDF) and mock exam
More practice: the telc B2 page has sample questions with answers that you can do without signing in, and a sample exam (question paper with answers) as a PDF; both are free.
Frequently asked questions
›How long is the telc B2 listening part?
About twenty minutes. The recording sets the time; when it ends, the part ends.
›How often are the texts played in telc B2?
Number of plays: Teil 1 1, Teil 2 1, Teil 3 1. The second play you get at B1 does not exist at B2.
›How many questions are there, and are they all true/false?
Yes. There are 20 statements in total, and for each you mark “richtig” or “falsch”.
›How does telc B2 listening differ from B1?
The number of parts and the item type are the same. The difference is in the repeats and the texts: at B2 nothing is played twice, the first part is a news broadcast and the speech is at natural speed.
›Can I pause or rewind the audio?
No. As in the real exam, the recording in the Level Exams mock exam plays without a break.
›Is there a PDF or sample exam for telc B2 listening?
Yes. The telc B2 page has free sample questions with answers and a sample exam as a PDF. For the full exam routine, use the free online mock exam.
Do the listening part as in the exam
In the free telc B2 mock exam the listening part plays as in the exam: every text once, with the reading time inside the recording. The result shows the correct answer for every statement.