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 at a furniture store. The man works at the furniture store and the woman is a customer.


Section 1:

MAN: Hi, how can I help you?

WOMAN: Hi. I bought a table from your online store last week and it seems like it got a bit damaged during the delivery.

MAN: Ok. Is that the table there?

WOMAN: Yeah. We got a great deal and it’s of excellent quality. But when my husband started to assemble it, he noticed the damage. I really like the table, so I’d actually just like to exchange it. Here’s a copy of the invoice.

MAN: All right, let’s have a look here . . . Hmmm, I can see the scratch on the top. Were you home when it was delivered?

WOMAN: My husband was home, but he only noticed the damage after the truck had left. I tried to do an online return, but the instructions were confusing.

MAN: I’m sorry about that. Let me just open your file on the computer. The system is a little slow, so this might take a moment.


Now answer questions 1-3.

1- Why does the woman go to the store?
2- Which statement is true about the table?
3- Who is likely responsible for the damage to the table?

Section 2:

MAN: Alright. I just need a few more details from you. Did you pay with our store credit card?

WOMAN: No, I paid with my debit card.

MAN: That’s too bad. If you’d used our credit card, you could’ve received a 15% discount. We also offer an extended warranty on all items purchased with this card, which includes free delivery on your replacement table. The standard warranty doesn’t cover that.

WOMAN: That sounds great! Can I apply for a store credit card here?

MAN: I’m afraid you can only apply online. When you go to our home page, you’ll see an image of a credit card and next to it there’s a button that says ‘apply’. Just click on that and fill out the details.

WOMAN: All right. How long before the card arrives?

MAN: You’ll get it in the mail in about 10 business days.


Now answer questions 4-6.

4- How does the woman feel about the store credit card?

5- What is true about the store credit card?

6- What will the woman likely do about the credit card?


Section 3:

MAN: Okay. I checked and it seems like we don’t have the exact same table in stock, my apologies. We have this circular one, which is easy to assemble. Another option is this brown one. It’s more of an office desk, but it’s solid wood.

WOMAN: The brown one is nice, but it’s not really what I need. How much is that glass one?

MAN: It’s almost the same price as the one you bought. It’s a very popular style.

WOMAN: Yeah, it’s pretty nice, but I still prefer the table I got; it’s a nice rectangular wooden table with a drawer. I’m going to shop around; if I can’t find the one I originally bought anywhere else, I’ll come back for this glass one.

MAN: No problem, I will hold it for you until the end of today.

WOMAN: Sounds good. Thank you.


Now answer questions 7-8.

7- Which one does the woman like most?
8- What will the woman likely do next?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman at a hotel. The woman works at the hotel, and the man is a customer.

WOMAN: Welcome to the Ocean Breeze Hotel. How may I help you?

MAN: Hi. Can I please get two rooms together for tonight? Side-by-side together with a connecting door. My name’s Hank Gruber.

WOMAN: Let me see what we have available. We don’t have rooms with connecting doors, but we do have a suite that includes two bedrooms. It also has two bathrooms and a kitchen. That’s probably your best bet.

MAN: That might be convenient, but we don’t need a kitchen. How much does the suite cost?

WOMAN: It’s $350 for one night, plus taxes. I do have two separate rooms on the sixth floor. Each of these rooms would be $150 plus taxes. Would you prefer these?

MAN: Well, the kids are young teenagers, so we want them where we can see them. Would the four of us fit in one of those rooms?

WOMAN: There are two queen-size beds in each room, and the bathroom is quite large. For two additional people it would be $25 extra per person.

MAN: Well, we may as well go for the suite, then. It’s not much more, and then we can keep an eye on our kids. What about restaurants? Is there something in the hotel?

WOMAN: We have complimentary breakfast every morning. For dinner this evening, you should try the Breeze Bar and Grill which serves a variety of food, including burgers and fries. I’m sure everyone will find what they like on the menu.

MAN: Oh yeah, that sounds great. What about parking? Oh, and I think you have a pool, right? The kids would love to play around in the pool for a while.

WOMAN: Here’s a parking pass to put on your vehicle dashboard. The parking area is behind the hotel. Actually, I’m sorry but the pool is closed this week for repairs. Instead I can provide free movies and internet games on your TV if you like. Your children might like that.

MAN: Well, the pool would tire them out more, but we’ll accept your offer anyway. Sign us in for one night in that suite!


Now answer questions 1-5.

1- Why is the man talking to the woman?
2- Why does the man want two rooms together?
3- What kind of room does the woman suggest?
4- What was the man wishing his children could do?
5- How does the man feel about the hotel?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You are about to hear a conversation between a man and a woman. The man is a lifeguard, and the woman is asking him about swimming lessons.

WOMAN: Hi! I just moved to this neighbourhood and I’m excited that there’s a city aquatic centre right here! I’ve never learned how to swim and I’d like to take lessons.

MAN: Great! My name’s Matt. I’m a lifeguard here and I teach swimming lessons! What’s your name?

WOMAN: I’m Andrea. Nice to meet you! How do I begin swimming lessons? I’m a bit nervous.

MAN: Nice to meet you too! Don’t worry, everyone is nervous at first. What level of class you start in will depend on your comfort level. Let me ask you a few questions. Are you comfortable putting your face under water and holding your breath?

WOMAN: Yes, I’m pretty comfortable doing that. I can hold my breath under water in the bathtub.

MAN: Great! That’s a good first step. Can you blow bubbles with your face in the water, without getting water up your nose?

WOMAN: Yes! . . . I can do that.

MAN: Perfect. Are you comfortable floating in water?

WOMAN: No, definitely not. I fell out of a boat when I was a child and was a bit traumatized. That’s why I have always been scared of water. But I’ve always wanted to learn how to swim, and now is as good a time as any to face my fear!

MAN: I agree! Swimming can be really fun if you feel safe in the water. I’m going to recommend you start in Adult Beginner Level One classes. They run on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings. You can do anywhere from one to three classes a week, for forty-five minutes each. I teach the Saturday evening classes.

WOMAN: I can do Wednesdays and Saturdays, so that works perfectly. What will I need to bring?

MAN: You’ll need a swimsuit that you can move comfortably in, a towel, and 25 cents for the lockers in the changeroom. I’d also recommend swim goggles, which we sell here. If you want to protect your hair from the chlorine, we also sell swim-caps.

WOMAN: Great! I don’t have a swimsuit yet, but I’ll go buy one.

MAN: Excellent! Let’s get you signed up for classes!


Now answer questions 1-6.

1- Where do the swimming lessons take place?
2- Why does the woman want to learn to swim?
3- Why is the woman nervous?
4- Why does the man ask the woman so many questions?
5- Why is the woman afraid to swim?
6- When will the woman take classes?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news story about something surprising found by a couple in Kelowna.

Last Friday night, a Kelowna couple found a surprise while clearing the attic of their heritage house.

Alex and Rebecca Castillo found a paper wasp nest in the attic. The nest was built by stinging insects that chew on wood fibre, mix it with their saliva, and spew out a substance they use as a building material.

But this was no ordinary wasp nest. It was bright red, blue, and yellow, looking more like a pinata or party balloon than a nest. To solve the mystery, the Castillos didn’t have to look far. In another room of the attic, they found four dusty boxes of old superhero comic books, which the wasps had used as raw material. Most of the comics had been chewed to shreds, but several were still sealed in their original plastic packaging.

The Castillos brought the unharmed items to a collector's shop and were told that one, a rare 1952 Superman comic in mint condition, is worth $1,600 dollars. Resolved to continue working on their house, the Castillos are now deciding whether to keep the item or sell it on eBay.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion among three business associates, two women and one man. They work at a bookstore.

Naomi: So, the first thing on our agenda is the storefront window. The two of you have some concerns?

Nathan: Yes, we’ve been concerned about the message we’re sending. For six of the last eight weeks, we’ve been featuring a romance title. But we carry many other genres of fiction. We also carry non-fiction.

Tasha: Not only that, but we had fifty copies of the same title in the window. I mean, if we want to feature romance, we should have fifty different titles, one copy of each. Otherwise, it’s psychological manipulation.

Naomi: Yes, but the publisher of Love Wins paid us for exclusive use of that window. That’s why we displayed only that title.

Nathan: You’ve been using our window for advertising? Since when?

Tasha: Oh, I don’t like that at all! I agree with Nathan. I mean, what’s in our window should represent what’s on our shelves. Alternatively, we should put all our best books in our window.

Nathan: Isn’t it our ultimate goal to stay in business? By attracting new customers? I mean, sure, by increasing advertising on one title we will increase sales of that title, but . . .

Naomi: We need the advertising revenue. It’s as simple as that.

Tasha: No, I don’t think it is. I mean, if you are selling our store front display to the highest bidder, I’m afraid that we’re heading in a really bad direction! People will start thinking of us as the romance bookstore! And they won’t think of us when they want to buy literary fiction or nonfiction!

Nathan: We’ll start losing customers. And, therefore, we are going to start losing revenue. Couldn’t we, say, have three different bookshelf levels in the window? We could have one for literary fiction, one for genre fiction, and on the last one, we could put non-fiction.

Naomi: Why can't we do that? Because no one will pay to have one copy of a book in a window!

Tasha: Yeah, but that’s my point. Our storefront window shouldn’t be for sale! The people who come to this mall do a lot of window browsing. We should be using it to draw them into the store, by showing them what’s inside.

Nathan: Would you be willing to try my idea for two months? Just to compare statistics—we could look at how many people come in, we could look at sales, and so on, and then we could come back and revisit the issue.

Tasha: Keep in mind that we’re competing with other bookstores. I mean, there are two others right here in this mall. And people expect the stock in the window to represent the stock in the store.

Naomi: But publishers pay so much money . . . Okay, let's try it. For a couple of months. And then we’ll see.


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a presentation about video games.

As video gaming rises in popularity, the debate about its benefits and risks rages on. Reviled by some as a cause of poor grades and aggressive behaviour in children, video gaming is now just as likely to be touted as a way to develop important skills and facilitate learning.

Psychologist Thomas Moreau sees a link between lower grades and frequent, unrestricted recreational video gaming. In his study of 1,500 students ages 8 to 18, those who devoted less time to video gaming boasted consistently higher academic achievement. Moreau is quick to add that these findings should be interpreted cautiously, since academic underachievement and the inclination to play video games could both stem from an unknown cause. Moreau applies similar reasoning to his previous research correlating video gaming and aggression. Moreau can’t say that one causes the other; both might be attributable to a third factor. Thus, for Moreau it’s too soon to say that video games pose a risk to children's thoughts and emotions, but he does note that 85% percent of video games include violence, and children tend to mimic what they see.

Forty-year-old Mike Hornvelt is no child, but he’s an avid gamer. A University of Toronto professor specializing in the history of Canadian education, Dr. Hornvelt believes video games teach people how to learn. Hornvelt says video games engage players in a problem-solving cycle. Hypothesis, experimentation, and eventual deduction are involved as players try different options in an effort to solve a challenging problem. Hornvelt says he enjoys collaborative multi-player games, especially entrepreneurial business startup and management simulations, and he insists that they’ve helped him develop skills such as teamwork, mediation, and self-assessment.

Where Moreau and Hornvelt see eye to eye is the claim that video gaming can become habit forming. Moreau points out that the average North American student plays nearly 10,000 hours of video games by the time they graduate college. Even Hornvelt admits that he himself has fallen prey to the lure of interactive technology. The former compulsive 25-hour-a-week gamer now observes a strict weekly limit: four hours, weekends only.

A similar ability to self-regulate would be hard to find among children, Moreau notes, arguing that it is mostly up to parents to curb or even stop their child’s video game playing before it gets out of hand. Children’s brains are highly plastic, says Moreau, and excessive game playing at a young age could have lifelong impacts. He recommends that parents not let children under five play video games at all and says a limit of two hours a week is enough for everyone else.

Practice Test B - Listening Transcripts

Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman on a street next to some shops. The man is looking at his car and the woman is parked nearby.


Section 1:

WOMAN: Hey there, are you having some trouble with your car?

MAN: Yeah, it won’t start.

WOMAN: Maybe I could take a quick look at it for you.

MAN: Well . . . I don’t want to bother you.

WOMAN: Really, it’s no bother. I’m just meeting with two friends from work a bit later. Let’s see. Your oil seems fine and you have enough gas. How long have you been parked here? Did you leave anything on?

MAN: For the last several hours—actually, from eight this morning. Other than my front lights, I turned everything off. It’s strange; I’ve never had problems with this car since I bought it five years ago.

WOMAN: Alright, I think I know what your problem is. Since you left your front lights on, the car battery is now dead. The good news is that this is an easy problem to fix.

MAN: Really! That’s great because I don’t want to be late for a very important meeting—it’s with my son’s teacher.


Now answer questions 1-3.

1- What is this conversation about?
2- How long has the man owned his car?
3- What did the man forget to do?

Section 2:

WOMAN: I have some special cables called jumper cables that will join our car batteries together. When I start my car, electricity from my battery will travel to your battery.

MAN: Really? And that should be enough to get my car going again?

WOMAN: Hopefully. First, I’ll drive my car over here so our cars are facing each other. That way, the cars will be close enough for me to connect the cables.

MAN: Cool! I’m interested to see how this works.

WOMAN: Alright, I’ve connected the cables, now start your car.

MAN: Okay, let’s hope this works! Wow, it started! How did you know what to do?

WOMAN: Working on cars is my job. I’m a mechanic. Now just leave your car running for at least 15 minutes so your car’s battery has enough time to recharge. You can either wait at the gas station parking lot over there or start driving.

MAN: Okay, great!


Now answer questions 4-5.

4- Why does the woman have to drive her car?
5- What will the man most likely do next?

Section 3:

MAN: You know, my son wants to be a mechanic. He’ll be excited to hear that a real mechanic helped me. He’s a smart little guy.

WOMAN: Hm, that’s nice to hear. Tell him it’s a fun job.

MAN: I will. Now I need to get myself some jumper cables. And in case something else breaks down, are there some things you suggest I keep in my car? Maybe a repair manual, a gas can, some wiper fluid?

WOMAN: Those are all good things to have in your car. But most importantly, you should make sure you have a spare tire and some basic tools to change it. You can also go online and make your own list.

MAN: Sounds good. Oh, look at the time! I need to be at school soon. Thank you so much for your help.

WOMAN: You’re welcome!


Now answer questions 6-8.

6- Which item does the woman think is most important?
7- What is likely true about the man?
8- What does the woman recommend?

Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

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

MAN: Hey, Amber, I haven’t seen you for a while! How are you?

WOMAN: Actually, I was just thinking about that very thing—and I’m good: I have a good job, I have a good apartment, I’ve managed to figure out all the day-to-day things, but you know? I’ve been here six months now, and I haven’t really seen anything! I mean, I haven’t taken the time to see the city—I wish I were more organized with my time, and . . . I was wondering if you’d like to help me.

MAN: Help you see the city? Yes, of course, I’d love to do that! What would you like to see?

WOMAN: Well, I’m not sure. I mean, I don’t really know what my options are.

MAN: Okay . . . are you interested in arts and culture? We could go to art galleries and museums. Or we could go to a dance performance or see something at the theatre.

WOMAN: Well, I do like to dance—

MAN: So you want to do something rather than just see something? Okay, there are dance clubs, dance classes—or we could go hiking in the mountains or cycling on the islands. There’s so much we could do!

WOMAN: I don’t know how to choose—I suspect some things cost more than others. And certainly we should wait for good weather for the outdoor things. As for the arts and culture options, I guess it depends on what plays are being performed at the theatres . . .

MAN: Okay, I have an idea. There are a couple of excellent newspapers that list virtually everything there is to do and see in any given week. Why don’t we get this week’s issues and take a look?

WOMAN: Oh, that sounds like a perfect solution! And if you’re willing, maybe we can do something different each week. Because I don’t think I’m going to be able to choose just one thing!


Now answer questions 1-5.

1- What are the man and the woman discussing?
2- Why hasn’t the woman seen much of the city?
3- What is the man’s response to her invitation?
4- What is true of the woman?
5- How does the conversation end?

Part 3: Listening for Information

You will hear a conversation between two employees. The woman is asking the man about something at their workplace.

WOMAN: Ali, can you help me understand this job performance form? I’ve never done one of these before.

MAN: Sure, Faizeh. What would you like to know?

WOMAN: Well, the first question asks for a brief outline of significant accomplishments throughout the year, indicating why each accomplishment deserves special recognition. What is a “significant accomplishment”? Can you give me an example?

MAN: It’s something special you’ve done. It’s something over and above what you do on a day-to-day basis, something outside your job description. For example, at the bank we pretty much guarantee excellent customer service, but perhaps you do more than that. I bet you know many of your customers’ names, right? And call each one by name.

WOMAN: Of course. Don’t you?

MAN: I try, but I find it hard. So this is a significant accomplishment, being able to greet each person by name before they give you their bank card.

WOMAN: OK, I understand that one. Now, next question. There are sections about interaction with colleagues, responsibility, accountability, and so on. And we have to rate ourselves in each section by choosing one of four options: exceptionally well, very well, well enough, or not very well. How do we do this? If I choose too high, the manager will think I’m arrogant and over-confident. If I choose too low, she’ll think I don’t have enough ability or skill.

MAN: Yeah, this is a hard one. I usually rate myself “very well” for most of them, and perhaps one or two “exceptionally well” if I have good reasons.

WOMAN: So you don’t choose the two lower rankings for anything?

MAN: That’s right. I would hope that the manager would talk to me before performance evaluation time to discuss any poor performance she saw in my work. That kind of thing should be discussed when it happens.

WOMAN: That’s a good point. I’ll take your advice and choose the “very well” descriptor for everything. I haven’t been here long enough to be exceptional. I passed my probation period a few months ago, so I should be safe with these choices.

MAN: That’s a good way to describe it, as safe. The manager’s great at discussing your self-ratings, so don’t worry too much about it.

WOMAN: OK, thanks for your help.


Now answer questions 1-6.

1- Where do the man and woman work?
2- What does the woman want from the man?
3- Why can the man answer the woman's questions?
4- What does the man think the woman excels at?
5- On what basis does the man make his choices?
6- Why does the woman feel safe with her choices?

Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news story about building a house.

Area resident Beverley Camaro has built a house of straw.

Camaro moved into the area last year, and had been living in a trailer on a small plot of land in the countryside on which she intended to build a small house. Concerned about growing heating costs and increasingly colder winter temperatures, she spent a month researching heating and housing construction. She then came across an article about straw houses in a magazine. A few weeks later, she discovered a company that specializes in such construction. Six months later, she moved into her new house, made of straw.

Camaro explains that the house is just insulated with straw and many people have misconceptions about straw houses. For example, they are not more susceptible to fire than other homes. Although loose straw can be burned, the straw bales used in house construction are so compressed that there isn’t enough oxygen in them to burn. What’s more, straw bale houses are waterproof, according to Camaro, because the sturdy walls are plastered inside and out. Hers, she explained, are a lovely amber colour. The most important, due to the superior insulation value of straw, Camaro anticipates lower heating bills.


Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a discussion among three business associates, two men and one woman. They are meeting at their office.

Benjamin: So we have to figure out who to send to the training seminar in August. Any ideas?

Jennifer: Well, Cheryl is the one who will be using the new accounting software the most. I think we should send her.

Ian: But there will be others here who will need to use it as well, and Beth is a better teacher. If we send her, she’ll be able to hold in-house training sessions, and we’ll all be able to use it. It’s not enough just to bring back the materials. What do you think?

Benjamin: Actually, I was going to suggest we send Diane. She’s worked almost every weekend last month. That’s a lot of overtime. I think she’s entitled to a weekend in Vancouver!

Jennifer: But training seminars shouldn’t be considered holidays. If we want to reward Diane for her overtime, we should do it another way.

Ian: I agree about the training seminars. Also, yes, Diane did work a lot of overtime, but she did get paid for it. Isn’t that reward enough?

Benjamin: I suppose so. Okay, so it’s between Cheryl and Beth? Ian, what makes you say that Beth is the better teacher?

Ian: Well, whenever I have problems with any of the programs I’m using, I go to Beth for help, and she helps. She’s very good at explaining things.

Jennifer: That might be true. But you’ve never gone to Cheryl—how do you know she’s not just as good at explaining things?

Ian: People talk. Complain.

Jennifer: Ian! You know better than that! I believe Cheryl has a degree in education—she would be a good choice!

Benjamin: It is true that Cheryl’s never given any of our in-house seminars. Beth has. Why don’t we explain to Cheryl that we’ll base the decision off teaching skills, and if she can prove to us that she can pass the information along, we’ll send her to Vancouver.

Ian: That sounds fair. We’ll set up a training session for Cheryl to conduct. If she does a good job, she’ll get my vote. As you say, she will be the one using the accounting software the most.

Jennifer: But what will we ask Cheryl to teach us? Oh, I know! Head Office just sent a new policies and procedures manual. She could choose something . . .

Benjamin: Yeah! I’ll let her know tomorrow, and I bet she can figure something out in the next two weeks.


Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a presentation about using social networking sites in schools.

Today on Chat Radio: Should online social networking sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, be used in schools? Social networking sites, where users share messages, pictures, or videos with others, are an increasingly popular form of communication for both adults and children. In an effort to keep education relevant, many are asking whether such sites should, perhaps, be incorporated into school curricula.

For Sheena Bradley, CEO of LAB-Tech Industries, this question is easily answered. She argues that education is meant to prepare students for their future which will likely involve working with others via online platforms. For example, LAB-Tech uses an in-house social networking site called ThinkTank to encourage employee collaboration and the development of new ideas, something that has led to a substantial increase in productivity and innovation among employees. For Bradley, we are at the dawn of a new work culture where the innovative group is valued. Accordingly, she sees online social networking as a popular medium for acquiring the skills that today’s employers want: technological knowledge and the ability to work with others.

James Spadoni, a teacher at Crestview Secondary, agrees. However, while Spadoni is clear that online social networking should be incorporated into the curriculum, how to achieve this is less clear for him. Spadoni, being someone nearing sixty, did not grow up using computers. He thus struggles to learn how new technologies can be used to attain a pedagogical goal. Despite this challenge, Spadoni has found online social networking to be quite successful in the classroom. As part of last year’s final class project, Spadoni’s class used Twitter to share ideas and organize workflow. This proved particularly effective for shyer students who tended to feel more comfortable sharing ideas in an online environment.

Mandy Rainer, however, is not convinced. She wants her children to be learning at school, not playing around on the internet. She sees no need to include online social networking as part of the school curriculum, insisting that students already get enough exposure outside of school. For Rainer, who already struggles to get her kids off Facebook, children need less socializing, not more. Children need to learn to concentrate, to focus on a task, and to read without distraction. It’s Rainer’s opinion that social media and teamwork certainly won’t help students write their own research essays. To prepare for university and many professional careers, they must be able to work independently and rely on themselves.

Many parent groups agree with Rainer and would like to see social media and cellphones banned in the classroom. What do our listeners think? Call us and share your opinion.