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 two people at a retail store. The man works there; the woman is a customer.


Section 1:

MAN: Hi, how can I help you today?

WOMAN: I just rented a studio apartment, and I’d like to paint the room.

MAN: Oh, your landlord will let you do that?

WOMAN: Excuse me?

MAN: When my brother moved into a rental apartment, he wanted to repaint the place too, but he had to get permission from his landlord first. The good thing was that the landlord paid for it. Usually, they're responsible for maintenance and repairs.

WOMAN: Oh, I didn’t know that. I guess I’d better ask first then.

MAN: Might be a good idea. Is there anything in the apartment that you want the paint to match? You could always bring in a chair, but a cushion would be easier!

WOMAN: Actually, I’d like the paint to match the curtains. My grandmother made them, so I don’t want to replace them. Great suggestion! Thanks!


Now answer questions 1-3.

1- Why does the woman go to the store?
2- Who is probably responsible for maintenance and repairs?
3- What will the woman likely bring if she returns?

Section 2:

MAN: You’re back! With curtains! Oh, I can see why you don’t want to replace them!

WOMAN: Do you think we can match this shade of blue?

MAN: Yes, but are you sure you want to do that? If the walls are the same colour, you won’t really notice the curtains.

WOMAN: Oh, good point. So . . . um . . . how about THAT colour?

MAN: The light green? I was thinking you might want white or beige.

WOMAN: Ugh—too much like my parents’ house! No, actually, with the light green and blue, the room will look like the ocean, near where I used to live. I miss it a lot, how the bright sun made the water look different shades of blue . . .

MAN: Then the light green is a perfect choice! Now you’ll also need a roller, a pan, some masking tape for around the windows, and a brush. You can get those today. Do you need a drop cloth?

WOMAN: What’s that?

MAN: It’s a big piece of cloth to cover the floor. Your landlord might have one though. He might also have a ladder, so let’s wait until later for that as well.


Now answer questions 4-6.

4- What does the man think about the curtains?
5- What does the woman think about her parents’ house?
6- What might the woman purchase next time?

Section 3:

WOMAN: Hi, my landlord says he does have a drop cloth, but he doesn’t have a step ladder. Actually, he does, but it fell apart. So he told me to buy a new one, and he’ll pay for it. He says he has an account here—Anthony Dillon?

MAN: Okay . . . let’s see . . . yes, he does have an account, and it’s all paid up. Good. I’ll have one of our standard six-foot step ladders delivered tomorrow! So you’re all set!

WOMAN: Great! He’s happy that I’m going to paint the room. He even said he’d come help if it’s too difficult to do on my own.

MAN: I think he should, since technically you’re doing his job for him!


Now answer questions 7-8.

7- Why does her landlord want to buy a new ladder?
8- How does the interaction end?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman about making plans for lunch.

MAN: Hey Aleya, how’s your morning going?

WOMAN: Not bad. I’m just finishing this monthly report. There’s so much information to gather.

MAN: Well, a bunch of us from our department are going out for lunch today. Why don’t you take a break and come with us? It’ll do you good to get out of the office for a bit.

WOMAN: Oh, thank you. That sounds wonderful. Where are we going?

MAN: Do you like Italian food? There’s a really great place, Mario’s, a couple of blocks from here. They have the best pasta in town, and their garlic bread is amazing.

WOMAN: I’ve never been to an Italian restaurant. I don’t eat out very often. The customs and food here are quite different from my home country. Thank you so much for inviting me. I love trying new things.

MAN: I hope you like it. Our team eats there at least once a month. There’s also a great sushi place nearby that we go to all the time. You’ll have to come with us next time.

WOMAN: It’s so interesting that you go to a restaurant so often. The boss is so kind. My former boss never invited us out for meals.

MAN: Just so you know, everybody pays for their own meal. The company would go bankrupt if they paid for all of our lunches all the time!

WOMAN: Sorry, I didn’t know. I thought when you invited me that it was paid for. In my home country, the boss pays, or the person who invites pays. I’m a little embarrassed now . . .

MAN: Don’t worry about it. In Canada, it’s pretty casual. We always pay for ourselves unless someone specifically says they’ll treat you, and that doesn’t happen very often. Maybe on your birthday, but that’s about it.

WOMAN: I’m so glad you told me. I would have felt really bad if I had eaten and then not paid. It’s very different, but I will get used to it.


Now answer questions 1-5.

1- Where are the man and the woman?
2- Why is the woman invited out to lunch?
3- What is the woman’s opinion of Italian food?
4- Why does the woman think the boss will pay for lunch?
5- What is the woman’s decision about going for lunch?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation that takes place in a woman's home.

WOMAN: Hi Harry, thanks for coming by. You’ve done great work for us before, and now we have a few more jobs we’d like you to do: painting a wall, replacing floor tiles, and changing cupboard handles. What do you think?

MAN: Sounds good. Let’s start with the tiles. Where are they going?

WOMAN: In the kitchen. We got a really good deal on these peel-and-stick ones. I love the colour! Do you think these will work on the kitchen floor?

MAN: They’re good quality and durable, so you made a good choice. What does the floor surface look like? Can I see it?

WOMAN: Sure, follow me. See, there’s some old ripped flooring here. I was hoping you could just put the tiles on top of the old floor here, and match them with the rest of the floor.

MAN: That’s going to be a problem. I’ll have to remove that old flooring, or the new tiles won’t join properly with the rest of the floor. The kitchen floor isn’t that big. Why not replace the whole floor with these new tiles? Then it will look really professional. I think you bought enough tiles, but I’ll measure later to check that out.

WOMAN: Oh, we didn’t think about that. What a good idea!

MAN: Okay, so what do you want me to paint?

WOMAN: Just this one wall where I’ve filled the holes. I learned how to do that from my dad who enjoyed repairing walls. Do you think it needs to be sanded before you paint? I’m concerned about the dust because I need to make dinner each night.

MAN: Yeah, it definitely needs sanding. My electric sander has a dust catcher, though. Have you already bought the paint?

WOMAN: Yes, we picked it up yesterday when we bought the handles. These are the new handles for the cupboard doors. They’re so pretty that I just couldn’t resist buying them! Will they fit these doors OK?

MAN: Yeah, they’ll go on just fine. Okay, this should take me two, maybe three days. When would you like me to start?

WOMAN: Is tomorrow too soon? I’ll be so glad to finally have this work done!

MAN: No problem. I’ll just take those measurements and draw up an estimate. I’ll give it to you in about ten minutes.


Now answer questions 1-6.

1- Why is the man visiting the woman?
2- What is the woman’s plan?
3- What did the woman do by herself?
4- Why does the man suggest putting new tiles on the whole kitchen floor?
5- What is the woman worried about?
6- When will the man be finished?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news story about the effect of recent storms on a community.

Over the past few weeks, storms near Fredericton have damaged many homes and other structures.

One resident, Jila Amini, had recently installed a large children’s slide in her garden so that her son and daughter could play outside. Jila woke up last Tuesday morning to discover that the rain and mud had carried her slide down her hilly backyard and into the neighbourhood park. After talking to the town council, Jila discovered that the council was already planning on buying a new slide for the park. The council suggested that Jila leave her slide in the park, and they offered to replace Jila’s slide at the council’s expense. Jila agreed.

Three nights later, another thunderstorm knocked down an old oak tree in the same park. The tree fell directly on the slide, crushing it beyond repair. The townspeople have decided to make the best of the situation. Led by local artist and wood carver Eddy Galen, a team has started a project to build a new children’s climbing structure in the park using wood from the fallen oak tree. When the project is completed, these terrible storms will have benefitted everyone.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion among three colleagues. There are two women and one man. They are at a break room at their workplace.

Tia: Let's enjoy our coffee break as long as we can. These new changes at work are giving me a headache.

Richard: Why are they making the changes?

Tia: Management said that business has grown so much in the last year that they had to hire a lot of new staff. I guess we can't move, so they are making major changes to this old space to accommodate more staff.

Alice: The new plan, called office hoteling, isn't unique to us. As a matter of fact, it’s been proven to work extremely well. If you think of our office like a hotel, the idea might come clearer. We reserve a desk before we come to work, and then we check in when we arrive.

Richards: That's an interesting comparison. But I don’t see how these tiny desks work compare to a spacious, comfortable hotel room.

Alice: Well, the idea is that many of us aren't in the office every day. Therefore, there are temporary space assignments, like people using a hotel. Those working 9–5 in the office every day still keep their desk, like before. I think it’ll be fine; we just need to get used to it.

Tia: I heard that very few people have private offices now. Instead, we will need to book a small seminar room if you're meeting with a client. This will require considerable advanced planning.

Richard: So, what do you do if a client drops to consult with you and there’s no seminar rooms available? It’ll take considerable time to adjust our work habits to those kinds of changes.

Alice: Well, the other interesting change is that once you check in for a desk, you sign up for a laptop for the rest of the day. We can now access our email on any laptop.

Richard: What I don't like is that these shared desks are basically just bare cubicles. You can't personalize the space or store your own work files. And what about telephones? I don’t see telephones at each desk.

Tia: I don't understand how this new phone system works, although I know we can't have a phone at our desk anymore. It's considered too disruptive to others. But what I will miss most is being together with our team and learning from each other.

Alice: Yeah, well, there certainly will be a lot of changes. Maybe having coffee like this together when the three of us are in the office is a good idea. Maybe we should invite some of our other team members to join us—so they can cope, too.

Richard: That’s a great idea! Let's do it.

Tia: We'll do team-texting to set up meetings!


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a report about health care in Canada.

As many opinion polls over the years have shown, when asked what makes Canada special, the Canadian health care system is often the most cited reason. For over fifty years, Canada has relied on a system of health care that is government run and free to all Canadians. Private, for-profit health care is only allowed in very few circumstances. When it comes to health care, money will not buy better doctors or a better hospital. Everyone uses the same services.

Canada’s health care system is generous, effective, and, most believe, equitable. However, the system is not without its critics. The cost to the government is, of course, huge and this cost is funded by the Canadian people in the form of taxes. While few have argued against the health system itself, arguments against the tax rates required to support the system are not uncommon.

The main criticism of the system, however, is not its cost, but its exclusivity. In almost all cases, the only health care services available are government services. Why can’t individuals that can afford to pay for health services go to private clinics? If this were allowed, not only would they get faster, more efficient service, but they would remove themselves from the government system. Everybody would benefit from shorter wait times. Canada is one of the few industrialized countries to effectively ban private medical treatment. Most countries in Europe and Asia support mixed systems where individuals can choose between public and private options.

Many in Canada are opposed to a mixed system in which more wealthy citizens receive different—and perhaps—better health care. The fear is that once the wealthy leave the public system, they will be even less motivated to pay the taxes required to maintain the public health care system. Moreover, there is a moral issue at stake: Is it right that some people in society receive better health care than others?

Those who support a mixed system also say they see a moral issue. In a free country such as Canada, people should have the right to choose where they go for their health care.

Compromise solutions have also been suggested. Perhaps private practices could be allowed for screening, but not for treatment. People could have private medical tests, X-rays or ultrasounds, but they would have to get treatment in the public system.

The debate will continue for years to come. However, there is little evidence that the health system will change in the near future. Canadians are proud of their health system and change to that system is likely to be slow in coming.

Practice Test B - Listening Transcripts

Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

You will hear a conversation between two people, a man and a woman, who are at a dogsled tour business.


Section 1:

WOMAN: Hello, is this where I can book a dogsled ride?

MAN: It is! Are you looking to ride as a passenger, or would you like to drive your own?

WOMAN: I can drive my own dogsled? But . . . I don’t know how . . .

MAN: Our dogs are very well trained. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

WOMAN: Okay, sign me up! For the drive, not the ride, that is.

MAN: And would you like the hour-long trip or the overnight trip?

WOMAN: The hour-long trip please.

MAN: That’ll be $75 then. Will you be paying by credit card?

WOMAN: Yes. Just give me a second to find it. It always gets lost at the bottom of my purse. Ahh, here it is.

MAN: Thanks . . . Now we just need you to read and sign this waiver. Hm . . . I’m afraid your credit card has been declined.

WOMAN: Oh. I’m sorry—I forgot I put several souvenirs on it last night. Here, try this card instead.


Now answer questions 1-2.

1- What is the main purpose of this interaction?
2- What is the problem with her payment?

Section 2:

WOMAN: Wow! The dogs are big! Are they friendly?

MAN: Absolutely . . . they’re real people-pleasers! Ok, now, step onto the sled, yes, like that, and hold on to the handles. Good. Now bend your knees a little bit, and move from side to side, that’s right. That’s what the ride will be like.

WOMAN: How do I tell the dogs where to go?

MAN: You won’t need to. They’re trained to run on the track around the lake.

WOMAN: Around the lake? What if they run onto the lake? I don’t want to fall through the ice!

MAN: Don’t worry . . . even if the dogs did run onto the lake, its frozen solid.

WOMAN: I don’t know . . . even if ice looks frozen there can still be thin patches.

MAN: Well, yes . . . But on this lake, heavy trucks regularly drive over even the thinnest areas . . . so I’m pretty sure it is safe enough for you and few dogs

WOMAN: Okay . . .

MAN: But if you’re ever nervous and want to stop or slow down, just step with both feet onto the brake.


Now answer questions 3-5.

3- What is the woman’s main concern?
4- How does she stop the dogsled?
5- Why does the man joke about thin ice?

Section 3:

WOMAN: Wow! That was amazing! But someone on a snowmobile followed me around the whole time—it was loud!

MAN: That was me! We do that for the drive-your-own rides. Just in case.

WOMAN: Oh . . . I guess I should say thank you then, but, well, the noise.

MAN: Yes, the noise really does carry. If you come back again, maybe you would prefer the dogsled ride. Without the snowmobile, it’s a lot more peaceful.

WOMAN: Yes, l’ll definitely consider that. Do you by any chance have a special rate for groups? My daughter’s eighth birthday is coming up . . . she and her friends would love this.

MAN: Of course! Come inside and we can discuss the prices.


Now answer questions 6-8.

6- Why did the man follow her?
7- Why did the woman mention the snowmobile?
8- What would the woman likely tell others about her experience?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a telephone conversation between a woman and a customer.

WOMAN: Hello, may I please speak to Manaz?

MAN: Manaz isn’t home at the moment. Can I take a message?

WOMAN: I’m calling from The Gazette. Manaz was a subscriber last year, and we’re now offering a special promotion for our former customers.

MAN: Oh, I see. Well, Manaz will be home later this afternoon . . .

WOMAN: It is a very good deal we are offering. Perhaps you would also be interested. Can I tell you a little bit more about it?

MAN: Well, I’m a little bit, um . . . busy . . . but -

WOMAN: It will only take a few minutes!

MAN: Sure. I guess so.

WOMAN: Wonderful! What we’re offering is daily delivery of The Gazette for the price of the weekend papers only. What that means is you’ll get seven days of delivery, for the price of just two days! So today, for a limited time only, it's a weekly cost of only $3.75. That’s a 50% discount off our normal price of $7.50.

MAN: That does sound like a good deal . . . and I do enjoy reading the free Gazette articles available online. It might be nice to have access to the whole newspaper though . . . instead of just one article from each section. But, I’m always wary of promotions that are for a limited time only. When will the price go up? And can I cancel when it does?

WOMAN: I understand your concerns. The price will go up after three months, but you can cancel at any time. You’ve really got nothing to lose by trying it out.

MAN: Hmm . . . You’ve almost convinced me, but I’d like to talk to Manaz first and we’ll decide together. Can you call us back later this week?

WOMAN: Absolutely. I will call later this week. And who should I ask for when I call?

MAN: You can ask for either me or Manaz.

WOMAN: I don’t know your name.

MAN: Oh, of course, yeah. My name is Amir.

WOMAN: Thank you, Amir. I will be in touch later this week.


Now answer questions 1-5.

1- What does the woman want to sell?
2- Why is the woman offering Amir this promotion?
3- How does Amir feel about limited-time promotions?
4- Why does the woman say, “I don’t know your name”?
5- What content does The Gazette publish online?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman who work at a university. The man, who is the woman’s supervisor, has stopped to speak to the woman.

MAN: Cheryl, do you have a minute? You might not have heard, but the university has decided to rent out its classrooms to the public when not in use by a course. We’re hoping to raise funds for some much-needed renovations. Diane will continue to book the rooms for our courses, but I’d like you to handle queries from the community.

WOMAN: Sure. What’s involved? I’m not too familiar with the booking software. I’ve only used it once.

MAN: No worries. First, open the booking form, see? Just ask for their information and fill it in. The person’s name, address, phone number, etc.

WOMAN: That’s easy enough. Will they already know which room they want to book?

MAN: No, you’ll have to help them figure that out. Just open up the rooms list, here. It lists all the rooms, indicating size, location, and so on.

WOMAN: I think I’ll print that list and go check out the rooms around campus. It’ll give me a better idea of what to recommend.

MAN: Good idea. For example, if they’re going to give a lecture, they’ll want one of the auditoriums. If they’re holding a workshop, one of the classrooms. And, of course, some classrooms have tables and chairs that can be moved, others have desks bolted into the floor . . .

WOMAN: So, let’s say someone is holding a First Aid Certification course, they’d probably want a medium sized classroom and to be able to move the tables and chairs. I think I got it. When I walk around later, I’ll also make note of which rooms are near washrooms, which ones near a main entrance. You never know what people will want.

MAN: Excellent. Now the price list is here.

WOMAN: Do they send the payment to us?

MAN: No, once the booking form is complete, send a copy to them, and a copy to Michael, in Finance. He’ll send them an invoice . . . and follow-up if they don’t pay on time.

WOMAN: Okay, anything else? If what they want isn’t available, shall I suggest they contact the Community Center?

MAN: No. Tell them you’ll get back to them, then call Diane. She may be able to reschedule the class using the requested room. We really need the revenue, so I’d like to pursue that option first.

WOMAN: Okay, no problem!


Now answer questions 1-6.

1- Why does the man come speak to the woman?
2- What is likely true about the university?
3- What does the woman think might occur?
4- Why would she send a copy of the booking form to Michael?
5- If the room is already booked, what will the woman do?
6- How does the woman feel about the man’s request?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news story about a magician.

Street magician Carson Witt has been arrested and charged with stealing from his audiences. The 26-year-old performer has been traveling around Canada for the last four months, amazing people with his sleight of hand. One of his best-known tricks is to ask an audience member for a twenty-dollar bill, rip it into shreds, then pull the same bill unharmed out of an orange. Witt was performing at the Winnipeg Folk Festival when he got caught. Twelve-year-old Patricia Wu had the insight to take a picture of the serial number of her twenty-dollar bill with her dad’s cell phone before she handed it over to Witt. When he returned it to Patricia, she announced it wasn’t the same tracking number. She’d been doing a school project on counterfeit bills and noted that the new $20 bill didn’t have raised ink on the large number of the bill like it should have. She told her father, who alerted security. Witt was found with a stack of fake twenties in his possession. Although this does not happen regularly, police warn festival goers to be careful with their money.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion among three colleagues. There are two women and one man. They are in a meeting room at their workplace.

Eric: Hey Isabella, Marie. Sorry I’m late. Hey, I hear our company is thinking about having a fundraiser for the children's hospital. I hope so, as it's a great cause. I’m ready to get cracking!

Isabella: I’m glad to hear your enthusiasm! Yes, it’s our team’s turn to organize the fundraiser. Our manager thinks a worthy recipient is the children's hospital because some of the wards need refurbishing.

Eric: Hmm, that’s interesting. My wife’s a nurse there and she mentioned up-to-date equipment is a priority. But I’m not sure what equipment that is; I could check and find out.

Isabella: OK, why don’t we see about changing the purpose and aim at raising money for the children's hospital, but they can use it according to their priorities list. Is that better?

Marie: Yes, much better, Isabella, as that gives us more flexibility. Are we going to have a silent auction?

Eric: What’s a silent auction?

Marie: Well, it’s a lot less confrontational than a regular auction. Each item is numbered and displayed. And there's a starting price for each bid. If you're interested in the item, you put an amount down on a piece of paper—plus your name and phone number—and then fold the piece of paper in half, and put it into the bidding jar. The highest bid at the end wins.

Isabella: But I was thinking maybe we could change the bidding system. We could assign bidders a personal code number. They write their number, and their bid, on a chart next to the item that they want. Everyone would see the chart and the bidding amounts, but no names. The traditional silent auction drives me crazy because I never know how much to bid.

Marie: Although, I wonder if people will be inclined to bid less because they can see what everybody else is bidding. What I really like about a traditional auction is that if you’re really interested in an item, you just bid really high to ensure that you get it.

Eric: On the other hand, if two or three people want it, they can keep bidding higher and higher if they know the amount already bid.

Isabella: Exactly. And the revised system would save everyone a lot of time, too. We wouldn’t have to sort through all the bid papers. The highest bid would be crystal clear because we identify the winning bidder by checking our personal codes list. Then buyers pay for the item at the end of the evening, and they take it with them.

Marie: Well, do we have to make this decision ourselves, or could we consult the manager? I think we need a buy-in from everyone in order to make such a big change.

Isabella: I'll talk to the manager this afternoon. Let's meet at the same time tomorrow to start planning the details.

Marie and Eric: OK.


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a presentation about community development.

Good morning, and welcome to Monday’s edition of the Daily Buzz. This is Nadia Cooper reporting. Calgary city council is currently negotiating a controversial proposal in relation to the demolition of Henley Car Factory, an abandoned factory located at the east edge of town. Developer George Nelson, of Nelson Development Company, feels that the area has significant economic potential and has put forward a proposal to develop several apartment buildings and retail shops on the newly cleared land. Accordingly, he has requested that the area be rezoned for residential and retail space.

However, not all members of the community are happy with this request. Eleanor Wentworth, a high school teacher and mother of two, has spearheaded a campaign against further development in the area, stating that community, rather than economic interests should take precedence. She argues that the area is primarily composed of families with children who need a safe place to play and that, as it is, there is already insufficient green space. Furthermore, she emphasizes that they live in a tight-knit community and fears that a more densely populated neighbourhood could put this at risk, since living in a highly populated area often makes it less likely that one will know their neighbours. As such, Wentworth and her supporters would, instead, like to see the old car factory replaced by a large park.

Nelson has countered such criticisms by stating that his proposal does, in fact, leave adequate room for green space. Included in the proposal, is the cleaning up of Stanley creek, a nearby creek which has long been clogged with garbage. The rehabilitated creek would then be turned into a nature walkway for residents. Additionally, Nelson points out that the development of high-density apartment buildings actually helps preserve green space by preventing urban sprawl. Furthermore, with regards to retail operations, he plans for no more than four or five small, family-owned shops. This, he insists, would actually help to build community by maintaining a localized economy.

City Council member Emma Orr wonders if there is the potential for compromise within the opposing camps. She believes the factory area is large enough to hold both a medium-sized park as well as several apartment buildings or shops. Since the creek runs in a fairly straight line along the north side of the factory, she suggests that the park be built alongside the creek. This would maintain adequate green space for both a walking trail as well as a play area for children and youth. The rest of the land could then be rezoned for residential and retail purposes. She is currently discussing her proposal with both parties.