Practice Test A - Listening Transcripts - Close
Practice Test B - Listening Transcripts - Close

Practice Test A - Listening Transcripts

Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman in a health club. The woman provides customer service; the man is a customer.

Section 1:

MAN: Excuse me, before I leave, could you take a look at my account and see how many cardio classes I have left?

WOMAN: Sure. Do you have your membership card?

MAN: Here it is. I joined this health club a couple of months ago, but haven’t been keeping track of how often I come.

WOMAN: No worries, I can look it up. Let’s see . . . You have 5 classes left. Did you know we have a special promotion this month? If you buy a 20-class package, you get a 10% discount.

MAN: Hmm. I already get a 15% student discount. Can I add it on to that?

WOMAN: Oh, no, sorry, the current promotion can’t be combined with any other discounts.

MAN: Oh, well. Thanks and have a great day!


Now answer questions 1-2.

1- What does the man want?
2- What discount does the woman offer the man?

Section 2:

MAN: Hi again. Hey, I must be having bad luck. I was on my way home and once it started raining I discovered that I’d forgotten my umbrella. Do you have a lost and found bin? I think I might have left my umbrella in the locker room.

WOMAN: Sure, we have a lost and found. What does your umbrella look like?

MAN: It’s black, the kind where the stem collapses and it becomes really small. The handle is wooden. It’s the Bay brand. It might have the brand logo on the handle, I don’t remember.

WOMAN: Let me check . . . Wow, umbrellas seem to be a commonly forgotten item! But I think I found yours!

MAN: Oh that’s great! Thank you!

WOMAN: You’re welcome! See you next time!


Now answer questions 3-5.

3- Why does the man return to the health club?
4- What does the umbrella look like?
5- Which statement is most likely true?

Section 3:

MAN: Hey, it’s me again. Sorry, I see you’re closing in a few minutes!

WOMAN: No worries. It always takes a while for the last class to leave, and it takes an hour to clean-up after that. What can I do for you?

MAN: Sorry, but I think I took the wrong umbrella!

WOMAN: What? Really?

MAN: Yeah! Are you sure there weren’t two black Bay umbrellas in the lost and found? Mine has a rip in the fabric, near the top. But the one you gave me doesn’t have a rip. Here, see? I don’t feel right taking it.

WOMAN: Wow, what are the chances of that happening? Okay, let me go check the lost and found again. I didn’t really look that carefully because I thought for sure that one was yours.

MAN: Yeah, if you could check that would be fantastic.

WOMAN: One second . . . [Pause] Wow, you’re right! I can’t believe there were two umbrellas exactly the same. Let’s open this one. Yep, it’s got a rip at the top!

MAN: That’s the one! Here, I’ll trade you.

WOMAN: It’s a deal. See you next time! Just press the buzzer to unlock the door on your way out.


Now answer questions 6-8.

6- Why does the man apologize to the woman?
7- Why does the man return the item?
8- What will most likely happen next?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a conversation. The conversation is between two servers at a restaurant. The woman is having a problem at work.

MAN: Hey, I haven't seen you before! You must be new here. My name's Jonathan. How do you like it here so far?

WOMAN: I'm Anna, nice to meet you. Yes, I just started this afternoon. It’s . . . it’s okay.. Have you worked at this restaurant long?

MAN: Two years now, but I only work 4 days a week. I really enjoy it. But you . . . you don’t sound like you’re having much fun.

WOMAN: This is my first time waitressing and I'm afraid I'm not very good. I just spilled wine on a customer a couple of minutes ago! The guy was really upset, and I didn't know what to do, so I just ran off! What do I do now?

MAN: Aww, that's okay, everyone makes mistakes, even experienced servers! Don't be so hard on yourself. Don't worry! Just go back and apologize and bring him another glass of wine, and tell him dessert will be free.

WOMAN: What about his shirt? It's got a huge red wine stain on the arm. I heard him tell his date that he can't go to the opera with a ruined shirt.

MAN: Hmm. I'll tell you what, I'll go talk to him with you. We’ll tell him the restaurant will reimburse him for his shirt. But first, we should tell Laura, the manager, what happened.

WOMAN: Oh no . . . I’ll get fired! She's going to think I'm the worst waitress ever.

MAN: Laura's very understanding. Trust me, you won't get fired! She will make you practice carrying wine glasses, though. Actually, if this is your first time waitressing, I'm surprised she let you carry wine glasses at all!

Usually they train you for at least a week first. WOMAN: Another waitress just passed me a tray with wine glasses on it and asked me to take it to table five. She said she was too busy.

MAN: Oh, I see. She must not have known it was your first day! Anyways, let's go solve this situation. You’ll feel much better. It’ll be fine, you'll see!


Now answer questions 1-5.

1. How long has the woman been a waitress?
2. Why is the waitress apprehensive?
3. Why was the customer upset?
4. How does the man suggest they fix the problem?
5. What does the man think the manager will do?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation. A man is interested in painting and is at an art supply store.

WOMAN: Hi there! What brings you into Art Land today?

MAN: Hi! I'm looking to take up painting as a hobby and my grandson just gave me a gift certificate to this store. The problem is, I really have no idea where to start. I'm wondering if you could give me some advice.

WOMAN: Of course! That's what I'm here for. Well, let me start by asking you a few questions. Were you looking to enroll in our classes?

MAN: I have a lot of free time, so I figured I would try it on my own.

WOMAN: Certainly. Do you have ideas about what subjects you want to paint?

MAN: I think landscapes. We were looking at some old photographs on my birthday, and I thought it would be nice to recreate the rolling hills of the beautiful farm I grew up on in Manitoba. I’ve been living in Toronto for 5 decades now, and though I love city life and the downtown skyline, the memories of sunsets on the farm are still with me.

WOMAN: Wonderful! Well, the three basic types of paints are watercolour, acrylic, and oil. They are all suitable for landscapes. I would say watercolour is the hardest for a beginner to start with, even though it is the most affordable of them all.

MAN: I don’t think watercolour will be the one for me then. What’s the main difference between acrylics and oils?

WOMAN: The amount of time it takes for the paint to dry. Acrylic paints dry very quickly, within a matter of hours, whereas oil paints can take up to several days, even weeks to dry. A lot of our beginner students like acrylics because if they make a mistake they don't have to wait long to paint over it. However, that can also be frustrating, because it's hard to mix the colours you want when they dry so fast.

MAN: I see. Well, I don't think I'll mind fast-drying paints. I'll go for acrylics, then. What other kind of supplies will I need?

WOMAN: Do you think you’ll be painting indoors or outdoors?

MAN: Definitely outdoors. I’d like to paint landscapes while immersed fully in nature myself. I'm a big wilderness explorer.

WOMAN: Sounds lovely! And if you ever feel you need some extra help, we have painting workshops at a local farm not too far from the city, every last Saturday of the month. The workshop goes from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and participants enjoy a nice farm-style lunch meal.

MAN: Thank you. I’ll go at my own pace, but I’ll definitely consider it. It might be a nice way to learn, socialize, make new friends, and reminisce about my mother’s cooking.


Now answer questions 1-6.

1. Why is the man at the art store?
2. What is the man interested in doing?
3. Why does the woman advise against watercolour?
4. According to the woman, why is acrylic better than oil paint?
5. Why does the woman suggest the workshop?
6. What is the man planning to do?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news item about an unexpected event during a family trip.

A family driving near Banff, British Columbia, on a camping trip last weekend narrowly avoided crashing into a deer, only to hit a large pheasant instead. Banff is a nature reserve, home to thousands of wild animals including bears, deer, and countless game birds such as pheasant. Michael Jansen, who was driving at the time, said they were heading back to their campsite around dusk when they came around a bend of the highway and saw a deer trotting across the road. Jansen swerved successfully around the animal, but only a few seconds later a pheasant flew across the road in the opposite direction and hit the windshield. He pulled over to the side of the road as the deer ran into the forest unharmed. Unfortunately for the pheasant, the impact of the windshield killed it immediately. However, Jansen's daughter, Emily, who took a wilderness survival course last year, decided to make the best of the situation. She took the bird back to the campsite and roasted it with garlic and onions. "It's completely legal to eat roadkill in British Columbia," she explained. "Why waste perfectly good food? It's sad that we hit it, but at least it didn't go to waste."


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion between three people who work together for the same company. They are members of the organizing committee and they’re meeting to discuss an important company event.

MAN 1: Well, thanks for being on time, folks. Our agenda today is pretty short: We’re just trying to decide on the venue for our company’s 20th anniversary celebration. Any ideas?

WOMAN: I’ve got a couple of places in mind. One’s smaller and one’s larger. It depends how many people we’re talking about. How many are coming?

MAN 1: Well, we’re up to a hundred maximum. Everyone’s allowed to invite their spouse or partner. Here’s the program as we know it: Starting at 7:00 p.m. wine, speeches, and maybe award presentations, followed at 8:00 p.m. by a buffet dinner. Starting at 9:30, there’ll be entertainment . . . ideally, a live band, if we can afford one.

MAN 2: Up to a hundred people . . . That’s quite a crowd. Obviously, we need space for everyone, but we don’t want to go over budget.

WOMAN: Well, I have got a few penny-pinching tricks up my sleeve. We could find a venue on a weekday . . . Monday through Thursday is cheaper. We can also find a place that’s out of town. Maybe even out in the suburbs. And, if worse comes to worst, we could always hire a DJ instead of a live band.

MAN 2: Also, we don’t need to go overboard on the menu. We could just order reasonably priced food that everyone will enjoy.

MAN 1: And we can always tweak the menu a bit, assuming the caterer will let us.

WOMAN: Yeah, I know a place called Griffin's that might be perfect. It’s in Wimberton.

MAN 2: Where’s Wimberton?

WOMAN: About 30 minutes east by car on Highway 18. Anyway, Griffin's is family owned, has great ambience, and fairly reasonable prices. They do group bookings as well. I know the manager. I might be able to talk him into giving us a discount.

MAN 1: Yeah, my concern would be the location. My brother retired and moved to Wimberton, and it’s impossible to get there by public transit. You know, we don’t want to say farewell to people as they’re getting behind the wheel after a few drinks. You know, we’d want to get them all to take taxis home, and then we’d have to reimburse them for the ride.

MAN 2: We don’t want to incur that expense!

WOMAN & MAN 1: Ditto here. Jinx!

MAN 2: Hey, how about The Red Door? It’s just two blocks north of here. It’s right on the subway line. I know their dining area seats over a hundred people. I’m pretty sure the owner can accommodate us price-wise . . . and he just hired the top chef in the city.

MAN 1: Sounds well worth checking out! Brian, could you contact the manager and get an estimate? Oh, better yet, get two: one for a Thursday and one for a Saturday. So, we’ll meet again next week and we’ll take it from there.


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a report about the use of uniforms in schools in Canada.

Asha Miller is a grade 11 student at Giles Secondary, a private school. She is pushing for her school to change their school uniform policy. Asha has recently started a petition protesting the school's mandatory attire. Her cause has attracted a large number of supporters within the student body, and also from some parents and school staff. At the same time, many among the student body, faculty, and parents are in favour of continuing the school tradition.

The debate about whether or not students should wear a uniform to school or not is quite common in Canadian private schools. Although a few public schools also require students to wear a school uniform, most public schools don’t require this.

One of the most common arguments for uniforms is that students will not be as distracted from their studies by fashion choices or peer pressure. Consequently, students focus on better grades and they are also easier to discipline. Uniforms are also thought to play a role in creating a sense of belonging and school culture that is important for cooperation and unity.

Critics, such as child psychologist Dr. Jason Ferguson, say there is no concrete evidence that links school uniforms to improved educational results. In fact, academic performance scores in schools that adopt uniforms and those that do not often average the same. Moreover, dissenters point out that students required to wear uniforms typically manage to fight the rules, and "individualize" their uniforms by wearing unique shoes or accessories. But perhaps the most damaging argument against uniforms is that they can discriminate against certain religions or cultures.

The school’s administration advocates that there is a middle ground. Uniforms can work with students' diverse cultural needs, if the school authorities consult parents about what is acceptable. Exceptions could be made, such as, for example, allowing Muslim girls to wear long loose trousers instead of skirts that might not provide adequate coverage.

Asha Miller thinks such accommodations don’t quite suffice, and she advances a different alternative. She is suggesting that uniforms be abolished in favour of a dress code that specifies the kinds of clothes that can be worn, including the length of dresses, amount of exposed skin, cleanliness, and so on. She argues this solution would address the concerns of all parties. Students wouldn’t feel constrained in how they express their identity and cultural beliefs; meanwhile, appropriate school attire and discipline would be maintained. She adds that adolescence is a particularly critical phase in a person’s life in which they are trying to figure out who they are and where they fit, and clothing choice is a way to truly express one’s interests and personality.

Practice Test B - Listening Transcripts

Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

You are about to hear a conversation between a man and a woman at a store. The man is a salesperson and the woman is a customer.

Section 1:

MAN: Can I help you find anything?

WOMAN: Yes. I'm looking for a Norgus. I just tried the outdoor supply store next door, but they’re sold out.

MAN: Hmm. I’m not familiar with Norgus. Is that a type of tent?

WOMAN: No, but you can use it while camping! You wear it on your head and it's got this wide brim to prevent sunburn. There's a zippered pocket inside for your credit cards. And, in a boating emergency, you can inflate it and use it as a flotation device.

MAN: Ohhhh, I've heard of those! They're those ones with the net you that you can pull down over your face to keep the bugs away. Let me just check my computer . . . No, sorry, we don't have them in the store, but you can order one online.

WOMAN: Your store online?

MAN: Yes, we have a wider selection of clothing online. This store is so small; we mainly carry sports equipment.

WOMAN: Okay, thanks!


Now answer questions 1-2.

1- What is the woman looking for?
2- What does the woman say about the product she wants?

Section 2:

MAN: Any luck with the Norgus hat?

WOMAN: Sort of . . . I started to order one, but I stopped before paying. Your store’s website charges $40 for the hat—which is a good deal!—but then they want $20 for shipping.

MAN: Well, you can get free shipping if you join our customer club.

WOMAN: Yeah, I saw that . . . But it costs $50 a year to join, so it's really not worth it for me. I don’t think I would use it that often.

MAN: Yeah, I see your point. What I would do is join the customer club, then buy your hat online and get the free shipping. There’s a 30-day free trial period, so after three weeks, you could cancel your membership. You won’t be charged—unless you wait too long.

WOMAN: I like that idea.

MAN: Yeah, why pay for a full-year membership if you only need it once?

WOMAN: Right. You know, I can order it right here from my phone . . .


Now answer questions 3-5.

3- What problem does the woman have now?
4- How much does the store charge for a Norgus hat?
5- Why does the man want to help the woman?

Section 3:

MAN: Success?

WOMAN: Yes! I just placed my order. And I texted my daughter about the free shipping.

MAN: Oh, great! Is she familiar with our store’s website?

WOMAN: Oh yeah! She texted me back saying that she used to have a membership, but it’s expired. She found a tennis racquet on the site that she wants me to order for her.

MAN: Well, why not? You get free shipping for now.

WOMAN: Yeah . . . but my daughter lives far away. Will the store ship my order to her for free?

MAN: Sure. Use your address for billing, and enter her address for shipping. It will still be free.

WOMAN: Great! My daughter will be thrilled!


Now answer questions 6-8.

6- Why is the woman happy?
7- How does the woman initially feel about shipping to her daughter?
8- What seems true about the woman's daughter?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a presentation between a man and a woman about volunteering.

MAN: Hi Shirin. Has the #8 bus gone by yet?

WOMAN: Hi Farhod. Not yet. It’s always late. Did you finish everything you needed to do at the office?

MAN: Yeah, I did at last. It took me most of the afternoon, though, so I missed the staff meeting. What did they talk about?

WOMAN: It was interesting for a change. There was a presentation on the importance of volunteering in the community. The speaker gave us a list of websites to check, and she mentioned a few organizations that are looking for volunteers. You know, I bet a lot of places are looking for a volunteer bookkeeper. You would be in demand!

MAN: Maybe, but I think if I spend my time volunteering, I’d prefer to do something where I help people. You know what I mean? Something meaningful and rewarding. Bookkeeping doesn’t use my people skills! My dream was to be a paramedic, but I don’t think there are volunteer opportunities on an ambulance.

WOMAN: The speaker said the hospital is looking for volunteer greeters, especially in the kids’ cancer center. I guess they welcome patients and caregivers, give them directions, and help keep the children busy. You’d be great doing that!

MAN: Hmmm, I don’t know. That could be stressful. I don’t have any training for helping sick people. Our kids are almost never sick! Did the speaker mention anything about volunteering at the library? I can see me doing that. I’m kind of a quiet, reserved guy anyway.

WOMAN: You underestimate yourself! You’re always very friendly, cheerful, and helpful at work, and you’re always willing to take that extra step to help someone. I think volunteering at the hospital would be perfect for you, as it would require people skills. You’d certainly get that good feeling of helping people!

MAN: Wow, that’s wonderful praise! Maybe you’d write a reference letter for me, then?

WOMAN: Sure! First thing tomorrow morning while you fill out the online volunteer application for the hospital. Oh, here comes the #8. Right on time for a change.


Now answer questions 1-5.

1. What is the relationship between the man and woman?
2. Where are the man and woman?
3. Where does the man think he would enjoy volunteering?
4. Why would the man be an excellent hospital volunteer?
5. Why might the man take the woman's advice?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation between two office employees, a man and a woman.

MAN: Hello, Ms. Green? I'm Robert. I've been told to report to you.

WOMAN: Oh hello, Robert. Yes, please, this way. This will be your workstation. Someone from Info Tech will be up later this morning to get you set up with your computer password and make sure that you can access all our basic programs.

MAN: Do you use Windows? Microsoft Office? I’m quite familiar with that operating system and those programs.

WOMAN: Yes, we do. There are also two other specialized programs you’ll be using, but Info Tech will show you how to access the self-study tutorials. In a couple days, I’ll check with you to see if you have any problems.

MAN: Thanks. I shouldn’t have any issues, though. I’ve done this type of work before.

WOMAN: That’s good to hear! Our supplies closet is at the end of the hall. Marie should have equipped your desk with everything you need, but if there is something missing, please go help yourself. Do remember to sign the sheet for everything you take.

MAN: Okay. If there’s something I need that isn’t in the closet, should I ask Marie?

WOMAN: Yes. If it’s not something she can provide, come see me. We may need to make a special request, though I can’t imagine you’ll need anything other than our usual supplies.

MAN: Got it. I doubt I’ll be needing anything else either.

WOMAN: You’re scheduled to see someone in Human Resources later this afternoon. She’ll walk you through all the paperwork to get you set up, direct deposit for payroll, as well as our various benefits. Most people find the information overwhelming, so feel free to take it home with you. You’ll want to think about the various options with respect to medical and pension.

MAN: I didn’t have any benefits at my last job, so I think I may indeed be overwhelmed. Thank you for your advice.

WOMAN: Lastly, we stagger our lunch hours so our department is always staffed. Are you okay with 12:30?

MAN: Yes, that’ll be fine. The lunch break is 45 minutes?

WOMAN: Yes. There’s a cafeteria on site, but for your breaks, if you want a snack, there’s a snack cart that comes around. You’ll know when it’s here—people rush out of their seats to get the good stuff! My personal favourite are their soft pretzels!


Now answer questions 1-6.

1. What best describes the woman's role?
2. What does the conversation imply?
3. When will Info Tech see the man?
4. What is true of the specialized computer programs?
5. What will the man likely do about benefits?
6. What is likely true about the woman?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news item about an education issue.

This fall, Cooper College will offer significantly more continuing education opportunities. According to Program Director Amy Buffer, the increase is due to the almost doubling of the city's population over the last five years. Not only are there far more qualified people to offer continuing education programs, she says, but there is an increased desire for them. The College will also introduce a new delivery format. Traditionally, programs were either full or half courses, lasting eight or four months, or they were week-long seminars. The College has plans, however, for more than sixty single-day sessions dedicated to diverse, but specific subject matters. Most professionals, Buffer says, neither need nor can afford an entire week of study. She mentions that while employers used to pay for such courses, the prevalence of contract employment has unfortunately meant the end of such employer-provided benefits. The sessions will be held not at the main campus or even one of its two satellite campuses. Instead, Buffer says, locations will be determined by the sessions themselves. For example, the digital photography session will be held at a local studio, and the business start-up session will be held at the local Chamber of Commerce.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion among three people. They are colleagues at work. They are having a conversation in the lunch room.

Mark: Hey, have you two heard that they’re thinking of changing our vacation policy?

Glenda: Changing it how? I hope they’re not thinking of reducing the number of days we get!

Trish: They’d better not be thinking that! I’ve worked here a long time in order to earn my three weeks’ vacation every year. I’ll sue if they suddenly say I can only have two weeks!

Mark: No, I don’t think they’re changing the total number of days that we’re entitled to. I believe they’re considering changing how many we can take at one time.

Trish: You mean I can’t take all my weeks at the same time? But one week isn’t long enough to go anywhere! Two weeks is barely long enough!

Mark: No, what they’re saying—or, at least, what I believe they’re saying—is you can’t just take a day here and a day there. You know how Phil takes all of his vacation days on Fridays? So he has three-day weekends all summer long?

Glenda: This new rule applies to any single days? But I often take my vacation days for when my kids are sick.

Mark: Well . . . I think what they’re saying is you have to take your vacation in minimum 5-day chunks—whole weeks. I sort of see what they’re saying. It’s a lot harder to cover one day than it is to hire a temp for a week or two.

Glenda: You’re right—a temp for a day doesn't help much. Still, I think we should be able to take our vacation days however we want.

Trish: I totally agree. Too bad we don't have a union. Do either of you want to come down to Human Resources with me to make a complaint?

Mark: No, don’t do that! I mean, at least confirm the change in policy first. At this point, it’s all just hearsay, rumours . . .

Glenda: I’ll come with you. I need those individual days for when my kids are sick!

Trish: I'm not sure your point is relevant. We’re all entitled to days off. What you do on those days shouldn't be considered any more important than anyone else's choices.

Glenda: I agree, in theory. But—you don’t have kids, do you? . . .


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a presentation about free trade.

Have you heard this crazy thing about free trade in Canada? It is actually easier for a winery in California to send a case of wine into Alberta than for a BC winery to do the same—all because of the existing trade agreement between the provinces, which has been in effect since 1995.

Despite the fact that 40% of Canada’s exports are actually to other provinces, the regulatory environment on trade is completely restrictive. And it’s not just wine and beer that have been affected. Everything from refrigerators to artisanal cheese has had barriers to their trade, from outright restrictions to enormous amounts of red tape.

In the previous trade agreement, the provinces had to list all of the trade items that were to be allowed to pass freely over the borders, and it was inevitable that some items were left off the list. Wine and beer, for example, have been left off the list since 1928, when a law was enacted that allowed provincial governments to control alcohol sales across their borders. Slow-moving change makes it understandable why these details have never come off the books.

On July 1, 2017, Canada’s 150th birthday, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, or CFTA, was brought into effect. It uses a “negative list” approach. Essentially, jurisdictions will lift all barriers to trade, but must now list specific exceptions.

Terry Witten, a prominent trade lawyer, says, “The solution is a modern and ambitious agreement, and one that will primarily reduce regulatory barriers. It promises to reduce or eliminate red tape for businesses, and this will allow for freer movement of workers in the trades and working across boundaries. Also, businesses can bid on work in different provinces.”

To others, the CFTA sounds better in theory. Instead of having to depend on a list of approved trade items, everything is fair for export, unless there’s a mention of it in the exceptions list. But in all the hype about how great this agreement is, no one mentions the fact that there are 160 pages of exceptions!

Because of this, some think that instead of just dropping regulations from almost 100 years ago, they’ve created more procedures and processes. In response to critics, the government has now created a CFTA working group to devise a solution. Sandy Ford, an activist and business owner, is skeptical. “This is really just creating one more step instead of simply lifting all restrictions,” she says. Really, in the end, all we can hope for is that a more liberal process will be forthcoming, because now it is only marginally better than it was before!