Practice Test 1 – listening transcripts + Answer Keys and audio

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Tapescript: Listening Practice Test 1

Narrator: Here are some instructions regarding these Practice Listening Tests. In each Practice Listening Test on these two tapes you will hear a number of different recordings, and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions, and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only.

Each test is in four sections. Write all your answers on the Listening Module Answer sheet. At the end of the real test you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.

Prepare for IELTS Practice Listening Tests.This is tape 1. Practice Listening Test 1 .Turn to Section 1 of Practice Listening Test 1.

Section 1. Listen to the conversation between Bob Wills, who is a foreign student adviser at a language school, and Angela Tung, who is a student, and complete the form.

First you have some time to look at Questions 1 to 8 on the form now.

You will see that there is an example which has been done for you. The conversation relating to this will be played first.

Telephone rings

Bob: Hello, Foreign Student Adviser’s office. This is Bob Wills speaking. Can I help you?

Angela: It’s Angela Tung here. Bob. I’d like to make-a request for special leave. Can I do that over the phone? Bob: Hello Angela. You can make that request by phone – but I’ll have to fill the form out. Let me get the special leave form. Okay.Here it is. Tell me your student number, please.

Angela: It’s H for Harry 5712.

Bob: H 5712. Okay. What’s your address, Angela? Narrator: Angela’s student number is H5712, so that has been written on the form. Now we shall begin.

You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 8. Telephone rings

Bob: Hello, Foreign Student Adviser’s office. This is Bob Wills speaking. Can 1 help you?

Angela: It’s Angela Tung here. Bob. I’d like to make a request for special leave. Can I do that over the phone? Bob: Hello Angela. You can make that request by phone – but I’ll have to fill the form out. Let me get the special leave form. Okay.Here it is. Tell me your student number, please.

Angela: It’s H for Harry 5712.

Bob: H 5712. Okay. What’s vour address, Angela? Angela: I live at 10 Bridge Street, Tam worth.

Bob: 10 Bridge Street, Tamworth. And your phone number?

Angela: The telephone numbers 810 6745.

Bob: Thanks. What course are you doing?

Angela: I’m in the writing class.

Bob: Writing. Who’s your teacher this term?

Angela: Mrs Green – she spells her name like the colour.

Bob: Thanks. Hmm. When does your student visa expire?

Angela: Let me look. July 15.

Bob: July 15. Okay. Which term do you want to take leave?

Angela: Do you want dates?

Bob: First, I have to write a term number. When do you want to take leave?

Angela: In term one.

Bob: Okay. Term one. Now can you tell me what are the exact dates?

Angela: I’d like to be away May 31 to June 4.

Bob: Okay. I’ve got that. You’D miss four working days between May 31 and June 4. Is that right?

Angela: Only three. I’ll be away over a weekend.

I’D be back at my classes on June 5, so thahs three days away.

Narrator Look at questions 9 to 12.

Now listen to more of the conversation between Angela and Bob, and answer questions 9 to 12.

Bob: Why do you want to take leave, Angela?

Angela: I’m going to visit my aunt May. She’s my mother’s sister. She and her husband are my guardians while I’m here.

Bob: Where do they live?

Angela: About fifty kilometres from here, near Armidale.

Bob: Do you have to take so long if they live nearby? Angela: My mother is coming with me. She’s come for a holiday, so she wants to have some time with May, and I want to spend some time with my mother, too. Bob: Aren’t you going home soon?

Angela: I’ve applied to extend mv time here. I expect to go home in twelve months.

Narrator: That is the end of Section 1. You now have some time to check your answers.

Now turn to Section 2.

Section 2. You are going to hear a tape recording of instructions and advice which a woman caBed Martha has left for her friend John, who is coming to stay at her house and take care of it while she is away. First, look at questions 13 to 18,

As you listen to the first part of the talk, answer questions 13 to 18,

Martha; Hello, John. Welcome to the house. I’m really pleased that you can be here to look after my house while I’m away.

Here are some things you need to know about the house. Important stuff like when the garbage is collected. In fact, let’s start with the garbage, which is collected on Friday, Just wnte Garbage on the calendar on the days they take it away. Put it out on Friday everv week, that’ll be Friday 22nd, Friday 29th and Friday 5th. It’s a really good service. The trucks are quiet and the service is efficient. The bin will be put back outside the house empty. It’s a good idea to put it away quickly. This street can be quite windy. I once watched my next door neighbour chase her bin the whole length of the street. Every time she nearly caught up with it, it got away again. The waste paper will be collected this Tuesday, that S Tuesday 19th. There’s a plastic box full of paper in

the front room: please put it out on Tuesday. The truck will come during the day. If you don’t mind collecting old newspapers and other paper and putting them in the box I’ll put it out when I come home – the paper people only come monthly.

1 have some things to give to charity in a box in the front room. Would you put it out on Monday the 25th please? It’s a box of old clothes and some bed linen which I’ve collected, plus a few other bits and pieces. Be careful when you pick it up, because ít’s heavier than you might expect. The charity truck will come by during the day on the last Monday of the month.

If you want to use the library, you’ll find it on Darling Street I’ve left my borrower’s card near the telephone. It has a very good local reference section if you want to find out more about this city.

I’m sorry to say we don’t have a cleaner. Oh, yes! Filters! Please would you change the filters on the washing machine on the last day of the month, which is Sunday the 31st. We find that the machine works much better if we change the filters regularly. The gas company reads the meter outside the house, so don’t worry about that. I think that’s all the information about our calendar of events.

Narrator; Now look at questions 19 to 24. Circle the correct answer.

Martha: Well, John, I’m trying to think what else I should be telling you. As you know, I’m going to a conference in London. I hope to have a little time to look around. It’s a great city! I do hope I manage to get to at least some of the theatres and museums.

I’m looking forward to all the things I have to do at the conference, too. I’m giving a paper on Tuesday the 26fh and there are a couple of really exciting events planned later in the conference program. I hope to meet up with an old teacher of mine at the conference. She taught English Literature at my old high school and we’ve kept in touch through letters over the years. She teaches now at the University of Durham, and I’m really looking forward to seeing her again.

By the way, I expect you’re hungry after your trip. I’ve left a meal in the refrigerator for you. I hope you like cheese and onion pie.

Would you do me a favour please? I haven’t had time to cancel an appointment. It was made a long time ago and I forgot about it until this morning. ít’s with my dentist, for a check-up on Thursday the 28th. Could you please call the dentist on 816 2525 and cancel the appointment for me? Thanks a lot, John. One last thing. When you leave the house, make sure the windows and doors are shut, and set the burglar alarm. The alarm code number is 9-1-2-0 enter.

Have fun! ru see you when I get back. This is your friend Martha, saying goodbye.

Narrator: That is the end of Section 2. You will now have some time to check vour answers.

Now turn to Section 3.

Section 3. In this section vou will hear a discussion between a college receptionist, Denise, and a student named Vijay about learning a language. In the first part of the discussion they are talking about the course Vijay will study. First look at questions 25 to 29. Note

the examples that have been done for you,

Using no more than three words or numbers, complete the table.

Denise: Hello. May I help you?

Vijay: Hello. Is this the right place for me to register to study foreign languages?

Denise: Yes, it is. May I have your name please? Vijay: Vijay. My family name is Paresh.

Denise: Vijay Paresh. Okay. Do you have a telephone number?

Vijay: Yeh. 909 2467.

Denise: Thank you. Now, which language would you like to leam? We offer French, Italian,

Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Portugese …

Vijay: Ah. I’d like to leam Spanish, please.

Denise: Okay. Our classes are conducted in lots of different places. We have classrooms in the city and here in this building …

Vijay: What’s this building called?

Denise: This is Building A.

Vijay: I work near here, so it’d be best to study in Building A.

Denise: What time do you want to to come to lessons? They go on for three hours, and they start at 10.00 am, 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm.

Vijay: I wish I could come to the daytime lessons, but I can’t, so 6.00 pm please.

Denise: That’s our most popular time, of course. Umm. Have you ever studied Spanish before?

Vijay: No, I haven’t.

Denise: We describe our classes by level and number. Your class is called “Elementary One.” Vijay: Okay. When will classes start?

Denise: Elementary One begins – ah – just a minute -ah – it begins on August 10.

Vijay: Great! Now what else do I have to do? Narrator: Now look at questions 30 to 32.

Choose the appropriate letters A to D and write them in boxes 30 to 32 on your answer sheet. Listen carefully to the conversation between Denise and Vijay and Anne.

Denise: Well, let’s see. First, you have to go to … Anne: May I have a minute please Denise?

Denise: Of course, Anne. Excuse me for a minute, please, Vijay.

Anne: Did you file those forms for me last night? Denise; Ah. No. They’re still on my desk.

Anne: Oh, Denise, that’s simply not good enough! Denise: I’m really sorry, Anne, it won’t happen again. Anne: All right Denise. Go back to your customer. But please be more careful in future.

Narrator Now listen to the directions and match the places in questions 33 to 36 to the appropriate letters A to H on the plan.

Denise: I’m sorry Vijay. What were you saying? Vijay: I wanted to know what else 1 had to do. Denise: Oh, of course. Please go to the building on the other side of Smith Street. 1 want you to go to the reception area first. It’s just inside the door on the left as vou enter from Smith Street. Give them this form. Vijay: Okay. Do 1 pay my fees there?

Denise: No, but the fees office is in the same building.

Go past the escalators and you’ll see a games shop. –

It’s in the comer. The fees office is between the games 1 shop and the toilets. 1

Vij ay: Thanks. E r. Where can 1 buy books? 1

Denise: The bookshop is opposite the lifts. Ít’s right I next to the entrance from Robert Street.

Vi jay: Your offices are spread out!

Denise: Not as badly as they used to be. By the way, we offer very competitive overseas travel rates to our

students.

Vijay: Oh, I’d like to look into that.

Denise: of course. The travel agency is at the Smith Street end of the building, in die comer next to the insurance office.

Vijay: Thank you very much. Bye.

Narrator: This is the end of Section 3. You will now have some time to check your answers. Now turn to Section 4.

Section 4. You will hear an extract from a lecture on traffic management. Listen to what the speaker says, and answer questions 37 to 41. Fứst you have some time to look at the questions. Now listen carefully and answer questions 37 and 38. Tick all the relevant boxes in each column.

Tom Fisher: Good afternoon. I’m Tom Fisher, and I’ll be lecturing you on traffic management this term. Before we go any further, I thought you should look at the sort of problems we’ve inherited – and “inherited”, or received as a legacy born those before us is just the word for our situation. Many of our major cities were built long before the car was thought of, and the road system evolved from the goat tracks followed by the early inhabitants. These we can refer to as old-structure problems, and you can take the expression “old-structure’ to refer to problems which were in place before we saw the need to build efficient road systems.

Old-structure problems are easily demonstrated in London New York, Sydney and Paris. Let’s look at each city in turn. London has a most confusing road system, which is forgiveable because it’s a very old city. I’ll talk more about the ring roads later. New York is laid out on a grid which makes it easier to find vour way around, but it’s an enormous city and the sheer pressure of numbers strangles the roads. Sydney has narrow streets in the centre of the city, and the new road works are not keeping up. Paris has wide streets, but it’s still the victim of old-structure problems, like Rome and Edinburgh.

Tokyo is another city with old-structure problems compounded by a huge population, like New York. Cities which do not have these old-structure problems are Houston, Los Angeles and Dallas.

The thing which saves some of these cities is an effective public transport system, usually below ground. London has an old but effective underground train system known as the tube, and a comprehensive bus and train system above ground, Hong Kong has cheap, swift and effective public transport in the form of Mass Transit Railway, buses and ferries. Paris has the Metro underground railway which carries tens of thousands of people daily, and

a large bus system. New York has a comprehensive underground train system, but many people feel that it’s dangerous to ride on it – there have been some nasty attacks. However, the trains themselves are efficient, so we have to call it a good system. Sydney has a good public transport system, but only part of it is underground.

Narrator: Now answer questions 39 to 41. Write no more than three words for each answer.

Tom: Notably absent from this discussion of cities with good public transport are the cities I nominated previously as not having old-structure problems: Houston, Los Angeles and Dallas. Let’s start with Dallas, a very wealthy city in Texas which has grown up in an era when cars were considered to be essential to move about. It has an excellent road system, as does Houston, another new city with wise city leaders who insisted on good roads. However, the public transport system in both Houston and Dallas is extremely poor. As a result, travel in Dallas and Houston is easy except for peak hour, when a twenty minute run can expand to more than an hour in traffic jams. Los Angeles suffers from chronic highway blockages, despite efforts to encourage people to use public transport.

Cities with good road systems and no old-structure problems can use other methods to reduce the number of vehicles travelling together at peak hour. Flexi-time is one good method: offices open and close at different times so people are travelling to and from work at different times. Vehicles carrying more than one person can use special priority lanes which means they can travel more quickly. There are even systems to make peak hour car use more expensive, with electronic chips recording the presence of a vehicle in a given high traffic ares at a given time.

So, what can we do? The rest of this course will be devoted to looking at the conflicting demands of road users, and relating the use of the private car to other aspects of the economy. Over the next three weeks we’ll be discussing this in more detail… Narrator That is the end of Section 4. You now have some time to check your answers. That is the end of Listening Practice Test 1.

Answer keys:

Section 1 Questions 1-12

1. 10 Bridge Street

2. writing / writing dass

3. Mrs Green

4. Julv 15(th) / 15(th)JuIy / 15/7

5. 1 / one

6. May 31<st) / 31 (st) May / 31/5

7. June 4(th) / 4(lh) June /6/4

8. 3 / three (days)

9. A

10. C

11. B

12. B

Section 2 – Questions 13-24

13. garbage

14. garbage

15. garbage

16. paper

17. charity

18. filters

19. A

20. B

21. D

22. B

23. D

24. C

Section 3 – Questions 25-36

25. Spanish

26. Building A

27. 6 pm

28. Elementary 1 / one

29. August 10(th) / IQ(th) August / 10/8 “

30. D

31. C

32. D

33. A

34. D –

35. F

36. G

Section 4 – Questions 37-41

37. / for London, New York, Sydney, Paris, Tokyo

(All ticked- 1 mark, feieer or more – 0; some right/wrong – 0)

38. S lines for London, Hong Kong, New York, Sydney, Paris (All ticked= l mark, fewer or more – 0; some rivht/ivronv = 0)

39. (very) / (extremely) poor

40. at different times

41. special (driving / priority) lanes