If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the text.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
petrol – the liquid used to supply power to engines in cars
91 octane petrol – one kind of petrol. Octane is a chemical substance in petrol and is used as a measure of its quality
diesel – a type of heavy oil used instead of petrol, especially in trucks and buses
announce – to officially tell people something, especially a plan or decision
benefit – in this context, money provided by the government to people who are sick, unemployed, or have little money
superannuation – in New Zealand, money provided by the government to people aged 65 and over
eligible for – if you are eligible for something, you are able or allowed to do it
fuel – petrol or diesel
enquiry (plural, enquiries) – a request for information about something
registration – the act of making an official record of something. Car registration – making an official record of a car after buying it
rebate – an amount of money that is paid back to you, usually because you have paid too much
incentive – something that encourages you to do something
scrap – to decide not to use a plan or system, or to get rid of something
lag behind – to move or develop more slowly than others
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- What two things are happening as a result of petrol prices rising?
- What is the average price for 91 octane petrol?
- What is the average price for diesel?
- What did the Government announce on Tuesday?
- Which groups on limited incomes will not be eligible for this support?
- Fill in the gaps: Public transport use was up _______ percent in Auckland, _______ percent in Wellington, _______ percent in Christchurch, and _______ percent in Dunedin, compared to previous weeks.
- What is the situation in smaller towns?
- How many new EV registrations were there in the week ending 22 March? And how many were there in the same week last year?
- Why have EV sales fallen in the past two years?
News story
Petrol prices are continuing to rise in New Zealand due to the war between the United States and Israel and Iran. As a result, more people are taking public transport, and interest in electric vehicles is growing.
The average price for 91 octane petrol is now $3.43, 13 cents more than last week. The average price for diesel is $3.45, almost double the price of about a month ago. The Government announced on Tuesday that more than 140,000 working families with children will get an extra $50 per week, through the Working for Families scheme. These are low- to middle-income workers. However, other groups on limited incomes, such as low- to middle-income workers without children, people on benefits, and those receiving superannuation, are not eligible for this support.
Because using a car is becoming more expensive, more people are taking the bus or train in the main centres. Public transport use was up 7 percent in Auckland, 3 percent in Wellington, 2.2 percent in Christchurch, and 4 percent in Dunedin, compared to previous weeks. However, in smaller towns in New Zealand there is no public transport available, and so people living outside the main centres still need to use their cars. They often have to drive long distances as well, so their fuel costs are increasing significantly.
Another alternative to petrol cars is of course electric cars. Car dealers have reported that they have been receiving more enquiries about electric vehicles (or EVs for short) since the war began. There were 1,033 new registrations of these vehicles in the week ending 22 March, compared to only 225 in the same week last year. Trade Me also reported that in the first half of March, there were 125,000 searches for EVs, compared with 50,000 in the first half of February.
Sales of electric vehicles have fallen in the past two years. The previous Government introduced a scheme called the Clean Car Discount, which gave rebates of thousands of dollars to people who bought an EV. This was an incentive to buy electric rather than petrol cars. However, the current Government scrapped the scheme at the end of 2023. As a result, EV sales fell from 26,000 in 2023 to 9,000 in 2025. Now, New Zealand is lagging behind other countries in the transition to EVs. Only one in nine vehicles sold here is electric, compared to the global average of one in four.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. What two things are happening as a result of petrol prices rising?
More people are taking public transport, and interest in electric vehicles is growing
b. What is the average price for 91 octane petrol?
$3.43
c. What is the average price for diesel?
$3.45
d. What did the Government announce on Tuesday?
More than 140,000 working families with children will get an extra $50 per week, through the Working for Families scheme
e. Which groups on limited incomes will not be eligible for this support?
Low- to middle-income workers without children, people on benefits, and those receiving superannuation
f. Fill in the gaps: Public transport use was up 7 percent in Auckland, 3 percent in Wellington, 2.2 percent in Christchurch, and 4 percent in Dunedin, compared to previous weeks.
g. What is the situation in smaller towns?
There is no public transport available, so people living outside the main centres still need to use their cars. They often have to drive long distances as well, so their fuel costs are increasing significantly
h. How many new EV registrations were there in the week ending 22 March? And how many were there in the same week last year?
1,033; 225
i. Why have EV sales fallen in the past two years?
The current Government scrapped the Clean Car Discount, which gave rebates of thousands of dollars to people who bought an EV.