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. It takes place in the house that the man is renting from the woman.


Section 1:

WOMAN: Hello, Mr. Adler, you asked me to come over?

MAN: Yes, thanks, please come in.

WOMAN: What seems to be the problem?

MAN: Well, I know it’s sunny outside, but inside it’s so cold! I have both heaters turned on, but I’m still freezing. The house is small and I thought it would be easy to heat, but I see now that the ceilings are high. I turned the ceiling fan on, to push the hot air down, but it’s pulling the hot air up. I can’t figure out how to make it change direction.

WOMAN: You can’t. The fan is only for the summer. But this cold weather is very unusual. Normally, it’s warmer than this.

MAN: Do you know how long it will last?

WOMAN: They say only for a few days. Unfortunately, they’re calling for rain after that. But I can have some firewood delivered, if you like.

MAN: Um . . . Could you show me how to use the woodstove first?

WOMAN: Of course!

MAN: Okay . . . then, yes, I’d like some firewood delivered.

WOMAN: All right, but it probably won’t get here until tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll bring over another heater for you.


Now answer questions 1-3.

1- What is the man’s main complaint?
2- Which word best describes the woman?
3- What is the weather normally like?

Section 2:

WOMAN: Hello?

MAN: Oh, come in.

WOMAN: Here’s the extra heater. Where would you like it?

MAN: Right here in the living room is perfect. In the corner so I don’t trip over it.

WOMAN: Okay, this is the button to turn it on. And this—

MAN: —is the button to turn it off, yes, yes. And I see that I can set the temperature. And then it will shut off by itself, right?

WOMAN: Yes. Afterwards, when you don’t need it anymore, just put it away in the closet or something. It’ll be good to have an extra heater here.

MAN: Okay—and thanks for bringing it over so quickly.


Now answer questions 4-5.

4- What should the man do with the heater later?
5- What is likely true of the man?

Section 3:

WOMAN: The wood has been delivered, I see.

MAN: Yes, thank you. I asked them to stack it near the door.

WOMAN: Good. Okay, now before you light the fire, slide the damper—this handle—to the right to open the chimney. Otherwise, the house will fill with smoke.

MAN: Like this?

WOMAN: No, to the right.

MAN: Ah. And then I put some wood into the stove?

WOMAN: No, first, crumple up some newspaper . . . next you put in some small pieces of wood . . . and then you light it. Once there is a nice, small fire, you can put in bigger pieces of wood, one at a time, carefully. Make sure you always close the door though.

MAN: And when the fire is completely out, I turn the handle to close the chimney? To the left?

WOMAN: Yes, but just in case, I’ll come back later.


Now answer questions 6-8.

6- What is the purpose of the woman’s visit?
7- What did the man do wrong when he opened the chimney?
8- Why does the woman say she’ll come back later?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a phone conversation between a man and a woman.

MAN: Hi, can I help you?

WOMAN: Hi, this is Charlene at CableTron calling. We have an installation date for you.

MAN: CableTron! Great, finally! I’ve survived three weeks in my apartment without the internet, and I’m starting to lose my mind. Let me just log into my calendar here . . . hmm . . . Sorry, the internet is a little slow in this coffee shop.

WOMAN: It’ll be a lot faster in your home with CableTron. When you placed your service order, you said you were available in the mornings. Our installation technician will come to your house between 7:30 am and 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 10.

MAN: Oh no . . . that’s the day I’m supposed to bring my car to the auto shop for a mechanical check. I’m new to this province, and my car needs a safety inspection before I can register it in Ontario. Both have to be done by the 15th.

WOMAN: If you can’t take our April 10th appointment, the next available one will be April 18th. I’m sorry, but we’re unbelievably busy this time of year. Can you change your car appointment, by any chance?

MAN: Good question. Well, what do you think . . . Which do I need more urgently right now: the internet or my car?

WOMAN: I’m afraid you’re asking the wrong person! I’m a computer geek who doesn’t drive and rides her bike everywhere, so I know which one I’d pick. But I’m biased.

MAN: I’m guessing the mechanics have a bit more flexibility in their schedule than CableTron, so I’ll go for the internet installation. I’ll call the garage when I get off the phone. I’m pretty sure they can accommodate.

WOMAN: I hope so. But if you need to reschedule your CableTron installation, please call us 48 hours in advance. And by the way, welcome to the province of Ontario.

MAN: Thank you! I’ll see your technician on the 10th.


Now answer questions 1-5.

1- Who is the woman?
2- Why does the man have difficulty logging in?
3- What did the woman intend to do with this phone call?
4- Why does the phone conversation frustrate the man?
5- What does the man do in the end?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation where a woman gets information about student clubs.

WOMAN: Hi! I’m looking to start a college club and I was told that the Student Society office was the right place to ask.

MAN: I can definitely help you out with that. What kind of club are you interested in starting?

WOMAN: Well, I found a brochure of clubs around campus and I noticed there wasn’t a music club! I play guitar and I sing, and I thought maybe it would be fun to start a club so students could get together and make some music!

MAN: That’s awesome! Okay, let’s get you started. You will need ten students who support your club and will sign a petition to launch your club. There’s a special day next week . . . club day . . . where you can set up a table with posters or signs to gain students’ interest in your club.

WOMAN: That sounds fun! I’m sure I can get at least ten people interested. Is there funding for the club?

MAN: Yes, if you get ten signatures and start your club, the Student Society budgets $40 to new clubs and that money can be used towards anything, such as event planning or food. If you’re looking for additional funding, you could apply for a grant of up to $300.

WOMAN: Wow! Maybe in the future we could even put on a concert at the college pub or something. And where do clubs usually meet? Do they book rooms?

MAN: Clubs get the privilege of accessing a lot of college space, like any of the rooms or lecture halls. You could even hold club meetings outdoors! The only thing you’d have to be careful about is the noise level, as you’re going to be a music club. I’d recommend the Couch Lounge next to the college pub. You can be loud, and there’s even a piano there.

WOMAN: Great! Is there a form I need to fill out?

MAN: Ah yes. Are you going to be the president of the club? There can be up to three executives.

WOMAN: Just me for now!

MAN: Perfect. Fill out the form and get your ten signatures, then we can process your application.


Now answer questions 1-6.

1- Why does the woman want to start a music club?
2- What must the woman think about when planning their sessions?
3- What does the woman need to start a club?
4- What kind of event is the woman thinking of organizing?
5- Where do clubs usually meet?
6- Who will lead the club?

Part 4: News Item

You will hear a news item about urban wildlife.

A resident of Lethbridge, Alberta, has lost the use of his backyard due to a family of unexpected guests. Henry Chang says a pair of raccoons gave birth to a litter of baby raccoons in his storage shed, a wooden structure where he keeps his tools. Chang said that he hadn’t renovated the shed yet because it’s old and has a hole in the side. He guessed the raccoons thought it was a good place to raise a family. Chang soon discovered he could not enter his backyard at all, as parent raccoons are fiercely protective and aggressive when raising their young. On the bright side, however, Chang joked that he doesn’t have to tell his children to stop watching T.V. because they’re too busy watching the raccoon family from the living room.

Even so, Chang plans to fix the shed after the raccoons leave so that the same problem doesn't happen again next year. Local wildlife expert James Wade reminds residents that urban raccoons are very common, but certain steps can be taken to keep them out of our houses and backyards. Wade said the best approach was to block holes in places where raccoons may nest.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion among three people—one woman and two men. They are discussing a situation that is happening in the hospital gift shop.

Janet: Thanks for getting together today. We need to talk about the situation at the hospital gift shop. We need to understand exactly what's going on so we can report at the Hospital Auxiliary meeting next week.

Jason: What situation? I haven't heard anything.

Alec: Haven't you noticed that some of the stock has been disappearing more quickly than usual? If you check the sales records, sales haven’t been going up, if anything they’ve been going down lately.

Jason: How can that be? Doesn't everybody know that we’re a volunteer organization and that all the money we raise there goes to buying medical supplies?

Alec: Well, you'd think so! I mean certainly, the staff appreciate the work that we do. I'm positive it’s no one from staff involved.

Jason: So are you saying that somebody has stolen the stock? One of the volunteers? Or a customer? And that someone is stealing money from the cash register? That would have to be one of the gift shop volunteers, right?

Alec: It's just too dreadful to think about. But we have to decide what we’re going to do about the situation.

Janet: I think first we should compare the computer inventory with what we actually have in the store. That way, we can identify what's missing and how much money has actually been lost.

Alec: That's a good idea. You know, maybe it’s someone from staff who’s just taken something home on approval and forgot to pay for it. I mean, maybe that’s all that’s happening.

Jason: Well, there should be a record so that we can tell at a glance what hasn't been paid for yet and by whom.

Janet: There is—there’s a notebook. Maybe people have forgotten about it. You know what, we should just get rid of on-approval privilege. It’s always been a nuisance.

Jason: Maybe we should install a security camera. That way, if the problem continues, we can know exactly what’s happening, and we can involve the police. I could price some different cameras and then bring up the idea at the next meeting.

Alec: I can call all the volunteers who work in the gift shop and let them know to be more to watchful. That way, they’ll know that we are aware there’s a theft problem going on. If it is a volunteer involved, maybe that will resolve the issue.

Janet: First, let’s get the inventory done and see how serious the situation actually is. Maybe the shelves just look empty and it’s not as bad as we think it is. I can do it tomorrow morning.


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a presentation about options for acquiring a car.

Welcome, everyone, to today’s community centre workshop on purchasing a vehicle. Buying a car can certainly seem like a daunting task, but it’s not actually as complicated as it seems. The fact of the matter is, what you need really depends on why you need it. This morning we will explore three options to help you make your decision: buying a used car, buying a new car, and leasing a new car.

Business owner Jane Repton prefers to buy a used car because it’s the cheapest option. Not only is the vehicle itself cheap, but insurance for the vehicle will also be low-cost since you’d probably just get the minimum—the insurance required by law. Presumably you wouldn’t get replacement insurance: if the car is damaged beyond repair in an accident, you just get rid of it and buy another one. That being said, buying a used car can be risky because there’s no warranty: you’ll have to pay for any repairs yourself. And even Repton admits that used cars can be unreliable. She admits that she takes the bus to work more often than she’d like.

Car salesperson Ron McNab says that if you depend heavily on your vehicle, you should go with a new car. If you lease, there’s a limit of 20,000 kilometers annually; more than that and it’ll cost you. So McNab prefers to buy. Another advantage of buying new is that you know the vehicle’s history from day one, and you’ll be the one managing its long-term condition. McNab always chooses a new car. Yes, they’re more expensive than used cars, but it’s possible to get a car loan with no interest—‘zero-percent financing,’ they call it. Plus, with a new car, you can get up-to-date safety features and the best fuel economy.

On the other hand, lawyer Tom Purdy prefers to lease cars. He pays the monthly fee, and when the lease is up, he turns the car in and leases a new one. The reason he prefers to lease is because the company leasing the car looks after everything, including maintenance and repairs. All the driver has to do is get gas and pay the monthly premium. According to Purdy, it’s hassle-free driving. However, Repton and McNab agree that they would never lease, claiming that it takes a lawyer to understand all the legal jargon in the contract.

Practice Test B - Listening Transcripts

Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman in a pharmacy. The man is asking about eye drops. The pharmacist shows him different types of non-prescription drops.


Section 1:

WOMAN: Good morning. Can I help you?

MAN: I’m having a problem with my eyes. They are red and really itchy and driving me crazy. I’m wondering if you can recommend something.

WOMAN: I can see your eyes look really sore. Have you gone to your doctor?

MAN: No, not yet. I thought I’d get some drops to make the problem go away as quick as possible.

WOMAN: Well, we have over-the-counter eye drops that might help.

MAN: What does over-the-counter mean?

WOMAN: It means that the product doesn't require a prescription. Usually an over-the-counter product is much less expensive, but it can be just as good as the prescription.

MAN: That’s what I want. Which eye drops should I get?

WOMAN: Well, this brand is usually effective. But, it depends on what’s wrong with your eyes. If you have an infection, for example, you really should see your doctor.

MAN: OK. I’ll get these, but if they don’t help in a few days, I’ll see the doctor.


Now answer questions 1-3.

1- Why does the woman explain about over-the-counter products?
2- What advice did the woman give the man?
3- Why does the man buy over-the-counter eye drops?

Section 2:

MAN: Hi. I was here a few days ago and got some eye drops.

WOMAN: Yes, I remember. Did the drops help?

MAN: Not as much as I hoped, so I took your advice and went to the doctor. He gave me this prescription.

WOMAN: Do you have a health plan that covers your prescriptions?

MAN: No, I don't. So how much will these drops cost?

WOMAN: $30. These are really good eye drops. They should take care of your problem quite quickly.

MAN: Yeah, but $30 is a lot. The other eye drops were only $10 and they made my eyes feel a little better. Why is this prescription so much more expensive?

WOMAN: Well, I think it’s just the way pharmaceutical companies set their prices. However, your doctor knows the best medicine to solve your problem, so you can trust that these are excellent eye drops. I’ll have them ready for you in ten minutes.


Now answer questions 4-5.

4- Why does the man return to the pharmacy?
5- Why is the man upset about the price?

Section 3:

WOMAN: Your eye drops are ready. Use the drops every day for the next seven days. Put two drops in each eye three times a day. Try to space the time out evenly over the course of the day.

MAN: I can do that, no problem.

WOMAN: The easiest way to get the drops into your eye is to pull out the bottom eyelid and squeeze in the two drops. Then close the eye and rub very gently to move the drops around. Then do the other eye.

MAN: That sounds really hard, but I’ll give it a try. I don’t like anything getting near my eyes.

WOMAN: You should see a lot of improvement in two or three days. These are really good drops.

MAN: Great. Thanks for your help.


Now answer questions 6-8.

6- Which picture best fits the woman’s instructions?
7- Why does the man think the instructions are difficult?
8- Why does the woman tell the man how to use the eye drops?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman at a department store.

WOMAN: Wow, that was quite the lineup for Customer Service. I’d like to return this purchase and get my money back.

MAN: Sorry you had to wait so long. We’re short-staffed today, and the manager is off sick. Is there anything wrong with the printer?

WOMAN: No, it’s a great machine, and a really good deal too—an all-in-one printer, scanner, copier, and fax for about $90. What’s not to like? The thing is, I won’t really use it because my son just bought me one exactly like it.

MAN: So it’s not needed any more. Okay, our return policy is that we refund the purchase price of returned electronic devices if they’re brought back in new condition within 30 days. Do you have your receipt with you?

WOMAN: Right here—sorry, it got a bit crumpled in my wallet. I bought the printer on August 9th, just ten days ago. So it’s covered under your return policy, right?

MAN: Let’s take a look inside and see. All the original packaging is here . . . the serial number on the printer matches the one on the box . . . you’ve brought the instruction manual, USB cable, telephone line cord. Where are the ink cartridges?

WOMAN: They’re inside the printer. I installed them already. They work just great, and there’s still lots of ink in them.

MAN: No worries. We’ll take this printer back for you. If you give me your Visa card, I can reimburse you.

WOMAN: I see on the receipt that I was also persuaded to buy a one-year warranty for $10. And there was also some sort of $9 charge called an “Eco-Fee.” What’s that?

MAN: It’s a fee the government collects at all stores, province-wide, to help pay for recycling and safe disposal of electronic items. We’ll refund your Eco-Fee as well as the warranty. The $14 in sales tax will also be credited back to your account.

WOMAN: Wow, $90 for the printer . . . plus $33 in warranties, eco-fees, and taxes. That’s a lot of hidden fees. Now that I think about it, that purchase wasn’t such a bargain after all.


Now answer questions 1-5.

1- Who is the woman talking to?
2- What happened in this conversation?
3- Why does the man open the box?
4- What does the woman get?
5- What should the woman have done differently?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation where a man gets information about landscaping.

WOMAN: Hi. Welcome to King's Landscaping. What can I do for you?

MAN: Hi there! I'm having a problem with a tree in my backyard. I thought maybe I should ask an expert.

WOMAN: You’ve come to the right place! Our landscapers have over 20 years of experience. What seems to be the problem?

MAN: I have a very large maple tree, and I think it’s rotting. It has fungus growth all over the trunk and it has recently started to bend a little, like it’s falling over. It blocks a lot of light to my living room windows anyways, so I thought maybe now is the time to remove it.

WOMAN: Large fungus growth sounds like heart rot disease. That’s common in maple trees. It will decay maples from the inside out, often causing a hollow inside. I would recommend getting one of our tree removal experts to come look at it and give you a price estimate.

MAN: That's what I think, too. I have a neighbour who offered to remove it for free, but the tree is very close to a power line, so I don’t want any accidents. Also, there might be some difficulty with removing the tree. I live on a steep hillside overlooking a lake, and my backyard is quite small.

WOMAN: I agree with you. Removing trees around power lines can be dangerous and should only be handled by professionals. The space of the property shouldn't be a problem, though. We have several ways that we can remove a tree if there is limited space. We can saw it into many pieces, or if your property is close to the water, we can bring in a boat to haul the tree.

MAN: Oh, great. Now, what about the remaining stump of the tree? The tree is pretty big—I would say the stump is at least 3 feet in diameter.

WOMAN: We grind it down to the ground, and then you can just let lawn grow over it. Are you or any of your neighbours gardeners? We usually leave the wood chips from the stump to place around flowerbeds.

MAN: I'm not, but some of my neighbours are and I'm sure they would love that. Wonderful! Let's book a time this week for someone to come out and take a look.


Now answer questions 1-6.

1- Why did the man call the woman?
2- Why won’t the man allow his neighbour to help?
3- Which of the woman’s suggestions is the man most pleased with?
4- Why does the woman ask if the man and his neighbours are gardeners?
5- Why is the man happy that the tree will be cut down?
6- What decision do they make at the end of the conversation?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news item about a surprising book.

Recently, at a neighborhood yard sale, book enthusiast Dale Mackenzie discovered a literary treasure. At the yard sale, Mackenzie bought several books for just $5.00. When he returned home, he noticed that one of the books, an old copy of Emma by the famous English novelist Jane Austen, was a rare first edition of the novel. Curious about the value of the book, Mackenzie looked up an antique book dealer on the internet. “I thought the book might be worth about fifty dollars,” said Mackenzie. But, much to his surprise, he found out that a first edition of Emma, like the one he bought at the yard sale, was valued at approximately ten thousand dollars. Mackenzie plans to sell the novel through an internet auction site. He wants to donate half of the profits to the public library—which is in need of a new reading room. “I love books,” said Mackenzie, “and would really like to improve our public library so that other booklovers can have a quiet place to go and read.” With the remaining money, Mackenzie plans to take a vacation to Germany to visit one of the world’s largest annual book fairs.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a conversation among three employees, two men and one woman, in a company’s break room. They are discussing an issue at work.

Jake: Hey guys, have you seen next month’s schedule? It was posted last night.

Gene: Yeah, and I noticed that I’m scheduled for three weekends in a row. Same thing happened to me last month. I didn’t say anything about it because I didn’t want to rock the boat, but I really need a weekend off next month.

Jill: That doesn’t seem very fair. I wonder what’s going on with scheduling.

Jake: Well, maybe it’s because most of us and the other supervisors have children and you’re single, Gene. I mean, it can be really hard to work weekends when you have family responsibilities. My wife works most weekends—I have to be home.

Jill: But Jake, that’s not really fair. I mean, he probably has other responsibilities too. Just because he doesn’t have kids doesn’t mean he should work almost every weekend.

Jake: Listen, I wouldn’t be happy either. Have you talked to the boss about it, Gene?

Gene: Yes, but he said he can’t do much about it because it’s already been posted. It’s up to me to find someone to change with. He also said that because I have the most seniority, he likes to have me there on busy weekends. There’s a lot of sports equipment rentals and special orders and stuff, but you guys could totally handle that.

Jill: Yeah, I think any of us could cover the weekends. I actually think it would be good for us to get used to the busy weekend rush. It can’t be any busier than the mornings that we get stock. I mean, it took us hours to put away the hockey equipment and the snowboards last Wednesday!

Gene: I wanted to get away for a ski weekend with some friends next month. I wanted test out the downhill skis I bought here last week. Would someone be able to switch shifts with me? I would very happily do two evening shifts in exchange for a weekend shift.

Jake: I’m sorry, Gene. I would if I could, but I have family coming in, visiting next weekend and my wife’s working. And my son has a hockey tournament the weekend after that. I actually reserved these weekends off months ago.

Jill: I could switch shifts with you next weekend. Would you be willing to take two day shifts for me at the end of the month, though? My son has a field trip, and my daughter has a school play, and I’d really like to go!

Gene: Oh, thanks a million, Jill! I’ll go talk to Mr. Smith right now.


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a presentation about a city compost initiative.

Welcome to Chat Radio. On today’s agenda is the topic of green bins: are they a success or a failure? Started two years ago, the green bin program is a waste management strategy implemented to reduce the amount of garbage sent to municipal landfills. As part of the program, individuals are asked to separate their compostable waste, such as food and yard waste, into green bins provided by the city. The bins are collected on a weekly basis and, rather than taken to a landfill, are brought to a facility that turns the waste into compost. Although generally well received, the program has had its share of criticism

For example, for Judith Knightley, a busy mother of three, the green bins are a nightmare. Knightley complains that, not only is it time consuming to sort the copious amount of garbage produced by a large family, but the bins are also unsanitary, attracting both animals and bugs. Although the green bin is not obligatory, since the program began, regular garbage pick-up has been reduced to bi-monthly, leaving many, like Knightly, feeling forced into its use.

In contrast, Kirk Beauregard, an avid gardener, is thrilled with the city’s initiative. Beauregard, who, for many years, has composted his own garbage in a backyard composter, is glad to see the city catching up. He insists that composting is an easy way to turn waste into a valuable product, a product used by many farmers and gardeners in place of chemical fertilizers. While Beauregard acknowledges that backyard composting might not be enjoyed by everyone, he sees the green bin program as a way to make the composting of one’s own garbage accessible to everyone.

Councillor Trudy Volkov, on the other hand, argues, regardless of like or dislike, that the program was necessary. With the city’s rapid population growth, finding an economical way to manage the incredible amount of garbage being produced was essential. According to Volkov, city council was faced with two choices: either build a new landfill, or decrease the amount of waste brought to the current landfill. For Volkov, the green bin is a win-win solution. Not only is the waste diverted from the landfill, but it is converted into a useful product whose sale can help defray some of the costs of running the program.