Workdays have a rhythm. You settle into your desk, open your laptop, check your messages. But every once in a while, something breaks that routine completely. A power cut, a commotion outside, sirens in the distance. Suddenly the whole office is off-script.
This upper-intermediate listening exercise puts you right in the middle of one of those days. You will practice describing unexpected events, cause-and-effect relationships, and workplace vocabulary that goes well beyond the basics. Listen to the audio first, then work through the script and vocabulary below.
Video Lesson
Romanized Script
Mêua-waan bpen nèung nai wan thîi bplàek thîi-sùt nai Office. Thúk-yàang bpòk-gà-dtì, jon brà-maan dton-thîang fai-dàb.
Rao gâw-loey dtâwng tham-ngaan dooi-mâi-mii Computer láe Internet. Sǎam chûa-mong dtàw-maa, fai glàb maa bpòk-gà-dtì.
Dtàe yang mii ìik ná, rao dâi yin sǐang baang-yàang dang mâak.
Rao sǒng-sǎi wâa man kheue arai, láe-gâw dâi rúu wâa mii rót-chon thîi sìi-yâek-fai-daeng glâi gàb Office rao.
Sǐang rót-chùk-chěrn láe sǐang khon raw nai rót-dtìt, tham-hâi rao Focus ngaan mâi-dâi loey.
English Translation
“Yesterday was one of the strangest days at the office. Everything was normal until around noon, when the power went out.”
“We had to work without computers or internet. Three hours later, the power came back to normal.”
“But there was more. We heard some kind of very loud noise.”
“We wondered what it was, and then found out there was a car crash at the traffic-light intersection near our office.”
“The sound of ambulances and people waiting in traffic made it impossible for us to focus on work at all.”
Vocabulary Focus
| Thai | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| แปลก | bplàek | strange, unusual |
| ปกติ | bpòk-gà-dtì | normal, usual |
| สงสัย | sǒng-sǎi | to wonder, to suspect |
| สี่แยก | sìi-yâek | intersection |
| รถฉุกเฉิน | rót-chùk-chěrn | ambulance |
| โฟกัส | focus | to focus, to concentrate |
แปลก
bplàek
strange, unusual
ปกติ
bpòk-gà-dtì
normal, usual
สงสัย
sǒng-sǎi
to wonder, to suspect
สี่แยก
sìi-yâek
intersection
รถฉุกเฉิน
rót-chùk-chěrn
ambulance
โฟกัส
focus
to focus, to concentrate
Vocabulary in Context
เรื่องนี้ฟังดูแปลกมาก
Rûeang níi fang duu bplàek mâak
This story sounds very strange.
วันนี้อากาศปกติดี
Wan-níi aa-gàat bpòk-gà-dtì dii
Today the weather is normal.
ฉันสงสัยว่าเขาไปไหน
Chǎn sǒng-sǎi wâa khǎo bpai nǎi
I wonder where he went.
ไปรอที่สี่แยกใกล้บ้าน
Bpài raw thîi sìi-yâek glâi bâan
Go wait at the intersection near the house.
รถฉุกเฉินมาถึงในห้านาที
Rót-chùk-chěrn maa thǔeng nai hâa naa-thii
The ambulance arrived in five minutes.
ฉันโฟกัสกับการทำงานไม่ได้เลย
Chǎn focus gàb gaan-tham-ngaan mâi-dâi loey
I can't focus on working at all.
Grammar Focus: ทำให้ (tham-hâi)
The pattern “ทำให้” (tham-hâi) means “to cause” or “to make.” It links a cause to its effect in a single sentence. Put the cause before ทำให้ and the result after it.
ฝนตกหนักทำให้รถติด
Fǒn dtòk nàk tham-hâi rót-dtìt
Heavy rain caused traffic jams.
ไฟดับทำให้เราต้องหยุดงาน
Fai dàb tham-hâi rao dtâwng yùt ngaan
The power outage made us stop working.
ข่าวร้ายนี้ทำให้เธอร้องไห้
Khàao ráai níi tham-hâi thoe ráawng-hâi
This bad news made her cry.
การออกกำลังกายทำให้สุขภาพดี
Gaan àawk-gam-lang-gaai tham-hâi sùk-khà-phâap dii
Exercising makes health better.
เสียงดังทำให้เรานอนไม่หลับ
Sǐang dang tham-hâi rao naawn mâi-làp
The loud noise caused us not to sleep.
Comprehension Questions
- What happened around noon at the office?
- How long did the power outage last?
- What caused the loud noise they heard?
- Where did the car crash happen?
- Why couldn't they focus on work after the power came back?
Practice Tips
- Watch the video once without pausing. Focus on catching the overall situation before worrying about individual words.
- On the second listen, follow along with the romanized script. Pay attention to how tham-hâi connects causes and effects.
- Try building your own sentences with ทำให้. Think of three things that happened to you this week and describe the result they caused.
- Cover the English translation and see how much you can understand from the romanization alone.
Ready for more structured listening practice at this level? Nariss's video courses cover upper-intermediate topics with full audio, scripts, and exercises. Or continue practicing with the next listening exercise on online advertising.
