Listening test

This week, a trip to a crowded and noisy Oxford Street in London's West End to see the pop group Westlife turn on the Christmas lights.

Before you listen to the programme look at the comprehension questions below. You will hear the answers in the programme. You can try to answer them by following the link to the quiz in the Extras section.

1: How many shops are there in Oxford Street?
2: How many lights are there in this year's display?
3: How many people attended the ceremony to turn on the lights?
4: How many people visit Oxford Street in the 6 weeks before Christmas?

Click on the link and listen carefully to the audio:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1128_london_life/page50.shtml

Words and expressions from the programme

a shopaholic
someone who loves to shop

to turn up
to attend, to go to

Example:
Only 2 people turned up to my party.

to turn on
to make a machine or device work by using a switch

Example:
These days you can turn on most televisions by using a remote control.

the high street
a general expression for the main shopping street in a city or town

to congregate
For (many) people to meet or gather together in a particular place

Example:
A large crowd congregated in the town square to hear the mayor speak.

a retail store
a shop