Practice Test A - Listening Transcripts - Close

Practice Test A - Listening Transcripts
Voice1:

MAN: Welcome to Lifestyle Exclusive. What can I help you with?

WOMAN: Hi. I’m Sylvia. I’m looking for the guy who is in charge of the men’s clothing section.

MAN: I see. That’s John, but I’m afraid he’s on leave for a few days.

WOMAN: Ah, oh, I have to return this shirt. I purchased it for my husband two weeks ago, but unfortunately, it didn’t fit him well.

MAN: Can I see the receipt? I’d have to check the records to see if you’re a registered customer.

WOMAN: Yes. Here it is. I bought it on Saturday. It was my husband’s birthday, but the armhole of the shirt is too loose, and the cuffs don’t fit well.

MAN: I can see from the records that you are a regular buyer. You bought the shirt on February 23, isn’t it? But it wouldn’t be possible for us to take it back. The company gives only a week to return if there’s actually an issue.

WOMAN: I get it. But regular customers like myself should be given some leeway. I mean, I’m ready to get it replaced. I’ve been away from the city for a fortnight, and I just had no time to come visit.

MAN: I understand your point, but we’re bound by the rules of the company. The thing is that everything goes on records, and there’s nothing I can do beyond my power to help you.

WOMAN: Is there anything that can be done? What do you suggest?

MAN: I suggest you drop a mail to our manager. Such grievances are handled only as per his discretion. You can simply explain the thing. The company gives a special registration number to every customer, which you need to mention in the mail.

WOMAN: Alright. Can I have his email address as well as my customer registration number?

MAN: It’s [email protected]. Your registration number is 1844564. Have you noted them down?

WOMAN: Yes. Thank you for your help. How long does it usually take for him to reply?

MAN: It takes him a minimum of four to five hours to reply. From what we know, since the mailbox is often filled with many queries and other messages, at times, it takes a couple of days too.

WOMAN: Alright. I guess I’d just rush and send him the mail.

Voice2:

MAN: So have you sent him the mail?

WOMAN: Well, yes. Surprisingly, he replied in a few minutes. Thankfully, it was positive, and he has asked me to avail of the special scheme related to replacement. Let me check the name. It is, Winterpenanza.

MAN: I’m sure he must have dropped us the mail regarding this. I’ll just check the mailbox.

WOMAN: Sure.

MAN: Yes. I’m glad your problem is solved. You could hand over the shirt to me, and I’ll show you a few which you could take back. But I also need to explain to you the winter bonanza offer.

WOMAN: That’s great. Yes. Please do.

MAN: Well, this scheme is especially for our regular customers who have problems with their recent purchase and come to return the article. We’d replace your item and then let you buy an additional one of your choice at half the original price.

WOMAN: Ah, that’s appreciable. For replacing this shirt, I was wondering if if I can get the same design in a smaller size. I like the shirt, but the fitting is not suitable.

MAN: I’ve to check. This collection has been quite popular among men. Last weekend, most of the shirts got sold.

WOMAN: In case it’s not there, I’d replace it with another one.

MAN: Oh, well. I’m sorry, but shirts with this pattern have just run out of stock. But don’t worry, we’ve another range of the same brand. I’m sure you’ll like that one.

WOMAN: Certainly. Take your time. There’s no rush.

Voice3:

MAN: So here’s a similar collection. The difference is basically in the style of the collar, and it’s got fancier buttons.

WOMAN: This one looks festive. Have you got the blue one of size forty four? I’m sure my husband would like it.

MAN: Yes. It’s here. I just send it to the counter. What would you like to buy under the scheme?

WOMAN: I had decided to visit the store next weekend for buying a funky shirt for my brother. He’s going to The Bahamas for a vacation next month, and I want to present him with something peppy, colorful, and, of course, wearable. I guess I’ll just buy it now.

MAN: Oh, well. You’re lucky that we’ve just put the special beach party collection on display. Although we’re not offering a discount on fresh stock, you get it at 50% off.

WOMAN: I must say the collection is indeed attractive. It suits the occasion. I guess it’d be perfect for him, especially the one with the design of a shark.

MAN: Should I send it to the counter and get it added to your bill?

WOMAN: What does it cost anyway?

MAN: Well, the original price is $50, but under the offer you’d pay just $25. I think that’s a great deal, isn’t it?

WOMAN: I’m glad that the company values customers like us. Thank you for all your help.

MAN: You’re welcome. Have a great day ahead.

Voice4:

WOMAN: Hi, Jay. How are you?

MAN: Oh, hi, Stephanie. I’m actually not that well. I’m a bit restless as I’m not very positive that my leave application will be approved this time.

WOMAN: Ah, yes. I remember you were talking about it yesterday, weren’t you? You you for your brother’s wedding next month, isn’t it?

MAN: Exactly. It’s Kyle’s wedding, and I’ve already promised him that I’ll be at the wedding. In fact, my entire family is going to be there.

WOMAN: I see. Did he talk to the manager? What’s causing the delay?

MAN: Well, I’m working on this overseas project now, and the management wants me to be present during the client meeting next month. And Kyle’s wedding is on the same day in New York.

WOMAN: Are you handling the project alone? Wasn’t Gabriel involved in it too? I mean, there must be an entire team that you must be supervising.

MAN: Yes. I have a team, but I’ve been given this responsibility to present the entire thing to the client as I’m the project lead. I wish there could be a way out.

WOMAN: For how long you’d be away?

MAN: I’d be busy for the whole week, I guess, as we plan to tour New York and the wedding ceremony would be during the weekend.

WOMAN: I think you must go, But I would suggest you refer Gabriel to the manager and let him know that he could handle the presentation, or perhaps if the date of the meeting could be postponed.

MAN: That’s unlikely to happen. I guess I’d have to talk to Gabriel and make sure he is prepared. Only then could I approach the manager.

WOMAN: Don’t worry. I’m sure it’d be all sorted.

Voice5:

MAN: Hello. Welcome to Skylark Antique House. May I help you find anything?

WOMAN: Well, yes. Where can I find things to decorate the interior of my house?

MAN: It’s on the Second Floor, ma’am. Come with me. Are you looking for something specific?

WOMAN: Well, you see, I’ve recently moved to a new house. I’m looking for unique artifacts for the living room. I’ve been visiting various antique stores since this morning, but I haven’t been able to find anything eye-catching.

MAN: I can now understand your confusion. Antiques at times can actually confuse a lot. Plus, it’s so important to find the right one depending on the interiors and decor. But I must say you’re lucky to have come this time as there’s a special collection of Chinese vases that you’d love.

WOMAN: I’m a bit half hearted about Chinese art. I mean, at times, I find them so repetitive. There’s this floral art that one gets to see each time one comes across these vases. On some, you have those Chinese mythological characters.

MAN: I second you on that one. But here’s something different, something you mustn’t have seen before. This is a unique gold beading engraved in the porcelain. This, it belongs to the South Chinese tribe, one of the oldest in China. It’s special because it takes a lot of labor to actually develop the entire thing together.

WOMAN: This does look impressive. I remember the last time I bought a Chinese vase. It had a detailed floral work on it, but very soon I got bored of it. And later on, I kept it in the shed. I feel like I wasted those $150 that I spent on it.

MAN: Oh, that’s sad. But I’m sure this one is surely going to add value to your interiors. Interesting thing is that this is one unique piece that has been imported from South China, and, honestly, it has been placed for display today itself. So not many visitors have got to see it.

WOMAN: Okay. I see. I guess I’ll buy this one. I’d like to know the price. And, also, do you have any of those beautiful wall hangings that might be of interest to me? Being an interior decorator myself, I’m quite picky about these things.

MAN: The vase would cost $200. I’d advise you to visit the store the day after tomorrow as we’ve ordered unique wall hangings from Italy. Knowing your preference, I think they’d be of your interest.

WOMAN: Alright. I’d like you to pack the vase for me now. Thank you for your help.

Voice6:

MAN: After going missing for nearly two days in a rugged, wooded area of Northern California, 2 young sisters were found safe on Sunday.

Humboldt County Sheriff William Hansel said that boot prints and granola bar wrappers helped the search team find the girls, ages five and eight, one point four miles south of their home on Sunday morning.

Caroline and Leila Carico were last seen on Friday afternoon outside their Benbow home, about 200 miles northwest of Sacramento. Honsal expressed at the press conference that he finds this really unbelievable. He added that there could not have been a better outcome than what they had achieved that morning.

He quoted it as an absolute miracle, although the girls were dehydrated and cold. The sheriff furthered that local agencies and the national guard had searched for the sisters for forty four hours using helicopters and tracking dogs.

Medical personnel checked on the girls, and officials gave them water, food, and warm clothes. According to Hansel, wilderness survival training the sisters learned at their four h club helped them survive uninjured.

Some community members expressed their amazement in responses to a photo the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook. The photo shows a firefighter kneeling and talking with one of the girls, clad in pink boots and dirty jeans.

Video:

MAN: Hi guys. It’s great to have you here. So, we’ve to decide where to hold the students’ outing. Last time it was at the planetarium, so this time it’s definitely going to be something different.

WOMAN1: Yep.

MAN: So any suggestions?

WOMAN1: Well, I think the amusement park would be a great choice since the students of primary school age, they look for entertainment and fun. I guess last time they were just bored. I mean, they were complaining about the tours of the planetarium, as a lot of them just didn’t expect that kind of trip.

WOMAN2: Ah, yes. Even my group was not happy, though I’ve got another suggestion. I think the wildlife sanctuary would be a nice option too. I’m sure the students would be interested to see all the unique creatures.

MAN: Well, I think both options seem to be great places to take students to, but we need to consider a few things first. The cost that the school would have to bear, the time it would take to reach there, and of course the activities that students would indulge in.

WOMAN1: We’ve, we’ve got around 50 students. The amusement park gives a special concession for student trips. Last year when we went there, we were offered 40% off on each entry ticket, although the students had to buy the midday snacks themselves.

WOMAN2: But the wildlife park is hardly 20 miles away. It won’t take much time to reach there, and they offer midday snacks as well. They’ve got banana pie, chocolate cookies, and hamburgers. I’m sure this would be the best deal.

MAN: What about the entry ticket, Clarisse?

WOMAN2: I think they don’t give concessions. I’m not sure if they’d negotiate it, but there’s no harm in trying. I’ve got the manager’s contact number with me.

WOMAN1: In that case, we need to see both options. I think it would be good to send an email to the Wildlife Park Authority. We can always get their details online. What do you think, Richard?

MAN: Yes. Both the options can be considered. But I guess midday meals are a must. In case we decide to take the students to the amusement park, we can hire a caterer. It’s not necessary to ask students to bring their own meals.

WOMAN2: And what about transportation? Is it going to be the school bus?

MAN: Probably. That would save the cost and it is the best option to take 50 students comfortably without any hassles. But sometimes bus drivers are not available. I guess we need to check that or else we need to reserve a private bus service.

WOMAN1: Do we need to tell the students anything? I’m sure they must be waiting for more information from us.

WOMAN2: But let’s finalize things first. There’s so much to find out and zero down to one thing.

MAN: Exactly. So I guess we need to contact the manager of the wildlife park and find out if some concession could be possible. Also, school transportation needs to be informed in advance. Once the costs are clear, we’ll go ahead with the trip.

Voice7:

MAN: Are we allowed to say anything? In a democratic society like Canada, freedom of speech and expression is a must. However, there has been a debate about whether we are allowed to say anything we want anytime.

Supporters of freedom of speech argue that an individual has the ultimate right to say anything he wants, while others believe there should be some restrictions. People from different walks of life, especially youngsters, have taken part in this debate.

Caroline Abigail, a senior credit manager at the Bank of Nova Scotia, quoted freedom of speech as one of the most fundamental rights guaranteed by the Canadian constitution.

She added that opinions can be held, expressed, and imparted as per one’s discretion. Though people should ensure that the reputation rights and freedoms of other persons and their private lives are not harmed.

Freedom of speech is in fact freedom from the absolute control of the government. That is people have the right to express themselves and have the government not punish them for it.

She emphasized the freedom of media and said that the press should be able to run without censorship or restraint by the government. In a similar tone, Nicholas Trammell, a hotelier from Winnipeg, categorically stated that people should be responsible for their words.

He believes that no one should be intimidated on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law. He furthered that the free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious rights of man.

Every citizen may accordingly speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law. Therefore, the state would have to set limits on this hypothetical freedom.

Nadia Khan, an economics graduate from the University of British Columbia, argued that Canada is a society where democracy is based profoundly on the rights of people to express how they feel.

She believes that it is a basic human right in all free societies and that it plays a vital role in the lives of people, especially how a country’s ministers take decisions for society.

In every country, she added that there is a different culture that shapes the society, And when people are insecure, they become emotional and will fight to protect their rights. Sometimes, such disagreement may lead to social unrest, which as a result can disrupt the economy.

Our society as such is where freedom of speech should only be allowed according to certain norms and values.