Listening 2026-05 Test 17

Section 1. You will hear a woman talking to an estate agent on the phone. First you have some time to look at questions 1-7 on page 2. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first. Here since the State Agents can help you. Yes, good morning. I'd like to register with your agency. Oh, yes. Okay. Did you want to rent a property or buy one? Buy. Okay. Right. I'll just get a registration form. Right. So, in which area are you hoping to find a property? In the Huddersfield area. The buyer is looking for property in the Huddersfield area. So, Huddersfield has been written in the space. Now, we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1-7. Here since the State Agents can help you. Yes, good morning. I'd like to register with your agency. Oh, yes. Okay. Did you want to rent a property or buy one? Buy. Okay. Right. I'll just get a registration form. Right. So, in which area are you hoping to find a property? In the Huddersfield area. Fine. I'll just take some personal details, if I may. You are? Mary King. Fine. And can I have your present address, please? It's 59, Franklin Avenue. Is that spelled L-I-N at the end? No, it's F-R-A-N-K-L-Y-N. All right. Okay. And the town? Barnsley. Right. And do you happen to know your postcode? It's T-Y-12, 6 or S. Is that T for Tango? Yes, it is. Fine. Now, obviously, I'll put you on our mailing list for property details. But sometimes, we might want to contact you quickly. So, can you give me a phone number? Yes, my number's 0194-28536. And is that daytime or evening, or both? No, it's an office number, so from 8 in the morning to 3.30. Do you need an evening number as well? No, not really. Thanks. Okay. Well, now I'll take some details about the kind of property you're looking for. Was it a house or a flat? House. Okay. Any particular kind? Yes. I don't really like modern houses very much. I'd like something traditional, really. Yes. Okay. And how big? Three bedrooms? Four bedrooms? Yes. That sort of size. I wouldn't want anything with less than three, I think. Right. Got that? Er, anything else as far as the property itself is concerned? I'd really like to find somewhere with central heating. I know a lot of those cottages still just have fireplaces, but I don't really want that. And those electric heaters are very expensive to run. You're right. They are. Okay. I'll make a note of that. Anything else? What about outside? Do you need a garden, for example? Well, that'd be nice, but it's not essential. But one thing I really must have is a garage. I know that a lot of older places don't have one of those either, but... Well, that's true, but we'll do our best. I've made a note. Right. And what about the location? If possible, I'd like something in a village, but not too far away from the town. Right. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 8-10 on page 3. Now listen and answer questions 8-10. Now what about the price? What's your budget? I could go up to £120,000, not more, but if I can get something suitable for less, I'd rather, of course. And will you be applying for a loan from the bank to help cover the cost? I've already done that, and the banks approved it. Oh, good. Could you just give me a few details? What's the name of your bank? York. Right. And which branch is that? It's in Park Square. I used to live in that area, and then when I moved, I kept my account there. That's excellent. You'll be able to go straight ahead then. That's a real advantage when you're bidding for property. Now we've got a few things on the books already that you might be interested in. Shall I put the details in the post? Well, actually, I can collect them myself. My office is quite near yours. That would probably be easier. That is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. version 30677 You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in four parts. Write all your answers in the listening question booklet. At the end of the test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. Now turn to part 1 on page 2 of your question booklet. Part 1 You will hear a telephone conversation between a customer and the manager of a house sitting agency. First you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6. Hello Osha's sitters, Adam here. Oh hello. My husband and I are going on a trip overseas and we'd like someone to stay in our house and look after it while we're away. Is that something you can help us with? It most certainly is we can take care of all the arrangements for you. Okay, great. Now can I just get some contact details from you for the form? Your name is Jenny. Jenny Hall. Thank you. Now what's your address? 14 Grey Street. Is that G-R-E-Y or G-R-A-Y? A-Y. Right. And what's the suburb? Greenfield. Oh I know it. And if I can just get a contact telephone number? I'll give you my mobile number. That's probably the best one to use. It's 0491 577 248. Thanks. Now when did you want the house sit at the start? We're flying out on the 25th of September but my brother will be in the house for a few days until the 28th. So from the 29th of September please. I'll note that down and how long do you want the house sit at full? Well I'll be attending a training course in Paris for two weeks but we're also going to visit my niece in Singapore on the way home to Australia for a few days. So shall I put down three weeks? That sounds about right. I think four would be too long. Sure. Now Jenny can you tell me more about the features of your house? This helps us to match house sitters and homeowners. Sure. What do you want to know? Does the house have air conditioning? No. We don't like using it. We prefer the fresh air. But last year we did put in a pool. Very nice. And are there any other attractive features? Is your house near a beach for example? No not really. We're about an hour's drive away but we are close to a station so it's handy for anyone getting into work and so on. Okay great. Now if our house sitter has their own transport is there any space for them to park? Well we won't be taking our car but it's a large double garage. There'll be space for one more. Okay great. I'll note that down too. Before you hear the rest of the conversation you have some time to look at questions seven to ten. Now listen and answer a question seven to ten. And are there any special duties that you'll need the house sitter to carry out? Oh I don't know. What do people normally ask for? Well for example one common chore is looking after the garden. Oh yes we have an orange tree and an apple tree which are both watered automatically but we haven't connected the sprinkler to our lemon tree yet so they'll need to water that one. Sure. Now Jenny do you have any special requirements for your house sitter? Well I don't know if this is possible but I'd probably rather have a couple than someone who's single. The house might be a bit too big for just one person. Sure. Now many of our owners ask for sitters without children. What's your preference? Oh there's no problem. There's nothing they can break. What about smoking? Oh no. I can't stand the smell. Definitely not. Now how do I know that my house is going to be safe with the house sitters? Well we check all of our house sitters very carefully. They have to provide references but as well as that you can ask for a police check if you want to. Oh yes I'd like to do that please. Okay no problem. That's all I need for now. That is the end of part one. You now have one minute to check your answers to part one. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] Part two. You will hear a manager talking to staff of a graphic design company about the move to their new office building. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Part 1. You will hear a telephone conversation between a man and a bicycle rental shop assistant. Now look at the questions one to ten and answer all these questions. Hello, fast cycle rentals, this is Molly speaking. How can I assist you today? Hi Molly, I'm planning to explore the city over the weekend and thought renting a bike would be convenient. Could you tell me what options you have? Absolutely. For casual city rides we usually recommend the classic bicycle. It's a basic model, lightweight and easy to pedal on flat surfaces. Unless you're tackling hills or rough terrain, you won't need a mountain or hybrid bike. No, I'll just be sticking to the main roads and paths. The classic one sounds fine. Perfect. You're in luck. We currently have a promotional offer. The rental fee is £52 for the day, which is a reduction from our usual rate of £65. That's reasonable. Do I need to leave a deposit or anything like that? Yes, we do require a £40 deposit. It's fully refundable as long as the bike comes back undamaged. So you'd be paying £92 up front. But 40 of that comes back when you return it. Got it. And what's included in that price? Well, several things. First of all, we offer insurance that covers damage. So you're protected if the frame gets scratched or the gears get slightly bent. That won't apply to theft or major accidents, though. Only minor wear and tear. That's good to know. Is any safety equipment included? A helmet isn't part of the standard package, but you can rent one for £7 if needed. It's not mandatory, but we recommend it for your own safety, especially if you're riding in traffic. Right. I'll probably get one just to be safe. As part of the rental, we'll give you a city map, which marks all the cycle-friendly streets and scenic routes. Also, the bike will come with lights at both the front and rear. Very important if you're planning to ride in the evening. That's very helpful. Do you have anything for repairs in case something goes wrong? Yes, we do offer an optional repair kit. It's a small pouch with basic tools, a mini-pump, tire patches and a spanner. And we rent it out for just £3. It's particularly useful if you're riding outside the city centre. I'll take that, too, just in case. Do you offer any kind of loyalty scheme or return customer benefit? Actually, yes. If you rent from us again, we'll apply a reduction on your future hire. We really value returning clients. That's a great incentive. Also, what time do you close tomorrow? Normally, we shut the shop at 5.30, but tomorrow we'll be extending our hours and closing at 6.15 instead. We're expecting more visitors due to the local weekend market. Great. I'll try to come by before that. And what's your address? Sure. We're at number 28 Clifton Street. That's spelled C-L-I-F-F-T-O-N. It's just off the main square right next to the post office. You can't miss it. Perfect. Thanks so much for all the info, Molly. No problem at all. We'll have everything ready when you arrive. See you soon. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] --- Now turn to Section 2 on page 4. Section 2 You will hear a woman called Maxine giving a talk about her horse riding center to a group of people interested in learning to ride. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 17 on page 4. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 17. Good morning everyone and welcome to Pennyfield Horse Riding Center. My name is Maxine and I'm really pleased that you're interested in having horse riding lessons with us. I'd like to tell you a little about our operation, what we have to offer and where everything's located so later you can find your way around. Now, we've been in business since 1979 and since then we've trained hundreds of children and adults to be confident horse riders. We're not the biggest riding center in the area but we do offer a very wide range of services to suit most people's needs. Because we have a large indoor arena, the center is open in any weather. Our busiest time is the weekend but we also run sessions every weekday afternoon. We offer lessons for all abilities from absolute beginners to advanced riders though prices vary and jumping lessons for example cost a little more than beginners classes. We don't offer one to one lessons but we have so many groups running every day that we're sure to find a level that's right for you. Now, if you do decide to take lessons here, you have to register first. To do this you'll need to fill out a form which has questions about your contact details, your general health and any previous riding experience you have. There's no need to show certificates or anything like that because we like to assess your ability ourselves. We'll just assign you provisionally to one of our groups until we get the chance to do that. For registration purposes, you also need to make a one-off payment to use our riding gear. This is refundable, we don't actually charge you, it's only to cover us in case anything gets lost or damaged. You can book lessons over the phone or in person. Though we can't make promises, we'll offer you a choice of horses to ride and if you have a particular animal you like, we'll do our best to accommodate you. In payment, we can't take credit cards, but we do accept checks with a bank card. If you have to cancel your booking, please do it at least a couple of days ahead of time, otherwise a 50% cancellation fee will apply. Also, you may want to consider booking lessons in blocks of 10 since it's cheaper. Now, many of you are first-time riders and we know that you may be feeling a little nervous. Don't worry, all our teachers especially train to help you build your confidence. We suggest that you observe one lesson to see what's going on. There are plenty of other riders who feel the same as you, you'll soon start to relax. We're very happy for people to look on while you're having your lessons, but we do ask that you keep talking to a minimum. Spectators can take photos, of course, as long as there's no flash and please, we ask riders not to carry cell phones, even in your pocket. We've had quite a few going off and it frightens the horses. Now, you probably want to know what to wear. Most important is what you wear on your feet and legs, and we have a wide selection of boots for sale in our shop. It's well worth a visit. Younger riders especially love our range of stationary with the penny field logo on it. Sadly, we no longer sell clothing like sweatshirts and coats, but don't worry, just wear any warm waterproof jacket. And then I do just want to tell you about a new group we're starting on Thursday evenings called the Equis Club. This is for riders who are visually impaired or who have another type of handicap. We offer high levels of care and aim to take riders through all the levels right up to competition standard where appropriate. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 18 to 20 on Page 5. Now listen and answer questions 18 to 20. Now before I finish, the riding center is pretty large, so I'll just explain where all the key areas are. Looking at this plan, you can see that we're standing here in the stable block. Just in front of us, over the way, you can see the shop. Between that and the storeroom is the cafe. Then, as we look to the left of the storeroom next to the parking lot, there's the office where you make your bookings. Obviously, that's where you'll go to make arrangements for particular classes to fill in forms, etc. Nobody can go on a ride without going in there first. And looking at the other side of the shop, to the right of it, is the place where you wait to ride. It runs alongside the whole length of the field. Finally, you'll need to know where the bathrooms are. As you go out of this stable block, they're on the left next to the indoor arena. I hope that's clear. That is the end of section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Part 2 You will hear a supervisor at Holley's supermarket talking to a group of new employees. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14. Welcome to Holley's supermarket. I'm sure you'll all enjoy working in our dedicated team here. So what will you be doing? Well, we're open Monday through Sunday so you'll need to be able to work weekends as well as irregular weekday shifts. These sometimes start at 5 a.m. or finish at 11 p.m. Your duties will include checking and unpacking Laurie deliveries as well as working on the shop floor, stocking shelves and so on. But you'll only be required to do manual lifting if the goods are light. When the store is very busy you'll also have to assess changing priorities. For example, if there's a queue at the tills, you'll jump on a spare one to help. If you notice something's been spilt and the surface is a little bit wet, you'll get a mop to clean it up. No need to check with the manager first. Similarly, if bakery items are selling quickly, you'll help cook some more. And if a customer can't find, say, the apples, you'll instantly leave what you're doing and show them. But you'll still get time off to relax too, of course. We pride ourselves on a positive attitude here. A little small talk shows you're interested in the customers and are providing excellent service, just as long as you don't overdo it and keep another customer waiting. And always smile. It forces you to stay positive and being generally upbeat makes your whole team happy too. This increases efficiency and gives a good impression to customers. If it's quiet, help someone pack their bags. Customers really appreciate it, especially when they've bought more than they expected to. Staying calm is also a necessity. If a customer's unhappy for any reason, keep cool and call for a supervisor to help diffuse a situation if things are getting out of hand. Occasionally, when working tills, you'll find yourself waiting for someone to extract their wallet from the bottom of a cluttered bag, while a long queue of annoyed customers builds up. You have to make sure however hard it might be that you remain composed. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. So now let's look at the plan of the supermarket. Have you all got your plans? Okay, good. We'll start with the staff entrance. Today you came in through the customer entrance, clearly marked on the bottom of your plan, but in future you'll enter through the door in the top left hand corner of the diagram. Please don't confuse this with the emergency exits in the top right hand corner and bottom left. It's very important that these are kept clear at all times. Regarding the manager's office, some of you may have attended interviews here when it was next to the newspaper and magazine sales area. However, it's recently been moved and is now the circular space marked on the right of your plans, when the manager's not on the shop floor, that's where you'll find her. The storage and unpacking area, you may be asked to help out here, both before and after opening hours. This is represented by the largest of the four rectangles in the top section of the plan. It tends to get very busy there at times, so please be careful on entering and leaving this area. There's a kitchen on site where food and drinks are prepared for customers. It has specialist staff, but some of you may have to fill in occasionally. On the plan, it's shown by the triangular shape to the left of the tinned goodsile. It's very busy, as many customers like to take a break in the cafe and read a newspaper before or after doing their shopping. Cleaning equipment is stored in a cupboard. It's the smaller of the two squares marked near the vegetable and fruit section, and can come in very handy. You'd be surprised how often we have to mop up squash tomatoes or grapes. Finally, you'll be pleased to know there's a separate staff relaxation area. This is at the top of your plan between the frozen goods section and the exit. As well as comfortable chairs, there's also a microwave for heating up snacks and a drinks dispenser. So, let's go there now. That is the end of part two. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part two. --- Part Three You will hear a discussion between two students about taking a course to become a personal support worker. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24. Becky, hi. What are you doing here at the college? Hi, Jason. Just using the library. What about you? I'm taking the PSW program. You know, personal support worker. You're kidding. I've just qualified as a PSW. Really? I'd love to talk to you about the program. Okay. Well, first off, the main duties they taught me here were exactly what I needed on the job. You mean like bathing and dressing people? Yes, young and old need this. You'll work with people of all ages from young people with disabilities to seniors. But you know, nothing really prepares you for how alone many people are. They crave conversation. And I don't mind chatting with them while I work, though that's not officially in my job description. I think I'd like to focus on seniors care. And with the country's older population growing, maybe I'll get a job fast. Do we have to be responsible for any medications? No, that's not for us to do. And while you will prepare meals, you won't feed people. But working to keep clients healthy and able to live on their own without risk as long as possible is always the goal. And we're recognizing that with life spans increasing, long-term care facilities won't be able to keep up with the number of people who will need care. I almost didn't meet the requirements for entry into the PSW program. I was one core short getting my high school diploma. So I had to go back to summer school. I took science because I'm no good at math. Oh, and speaking of not getting in, having my first aid certificate was a real piece of luck. I would have been turned down without that too. And I would have had a problem with immunizations, except that I traveled the year before. And when the doctor checked my records, they were up to date. I also had to hand in a written essay on why I wanted to be a PSW. Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30. So Becky, what did you think about the courses you had to take in the personal support worker program? Well, I used to think I got my points across pretty well with people until I took the understanding is essential course. For starters, it taught me how to express myself much more effectively. I also learned a lot about preparing clear reports for my supervisors and dealing in a better way with people in general. You know, like giving facts without personal views, you'll find that you need those skills every single day. I'm enjoying the foundations course. I'm taking it now and I'm getting a lot out of it. Because support workers are a newer level of care in the province, I think we absolutely have to understand how we fit into the overall system. It's a great place to voice your opinions freely. Some are quite personal. Did you have to take a course called the way we work? I didn't know psychology was part of the program. That course was a favorite of mine, but it's probably not what you're thinking, Jason. It's about what happens on the inside of the body and covers the functions that keep our bodies operating well. Even if you're not a PSW, the course is really interesting. I learned so much. What do you think about residence care? I know the thinking now is that long-term care facilities aren't the answer for our aging population. Right. And so this course zeros in on the changes people can make to their homes so they can stay there, like installing higher toilets, for example. You'll also learn about specialized equipment. People can get to help themselves, safety bars for the shower and so on. Do any of the courses focus on the families of our clients? After all, any kind of illness or disability affects everybody. So true. And yes, there is one. It's called dynamics. You usually get that in your last term. You'll learn different strategies to help relieve some of the anxiety and strain that happens within the family. I got a lot out of that course. It's the only one that focuses on emotions rather than facts. I think giving people this kind of help is just as valuable as any kind of expensive equipment they buy to help themselves. The course I'm really looking forward to is the power within. Oh, it's terrific. Getting old has quite an impact on the mind, as you know. But you'll be taught ways to help clients keep the mind active so they're not so forgetful. You'd be surprised how much improvement you can see in clients when you apply these methods. That is the end of part three. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part three. --- Part 4. You will hear a zoology lecturer talking about a group of primitive animals called gastropods. First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. Good morning everyone. In this module we've been looking at various field survey methods. And now I'm going to give you a brief introduction to the specific organism that we'll be focusing on during our first field trip. And that's the gastropod. Gastropods are invertebrates, their organisms without a backbone. And they're more commonly known as snails or if they haven't got a shell, slugs. Now in terms of their evolution, gastropods go back a long way. As with other primitive animals, the minerals in their body fluids are very similar to the mineral composition of the sea, indicating that they began life there. And their fossilized remains have been found in rocks dating back at least 500 million years. Looking at the physical features of the gastropods, well they all have one muscular foot for swimming or walking. This foot is lubricated with mucus and it's this that leaves the sticky trail that you see behind snails and slugs. They also have an organ called aradula which they use for feeding. Then of course the snails, though not the slugs, have a shell. In terms of their dimensions, snail shells in Britain range from the dwarf snail, which is 1.5mm long, to the Roman snail, whose shell can be as big as 50mm. As well as size variations, you get a lot of differences in the form of snail shells. For example, the majority coil to the right, but there are a few that coil to the left. Then some shells, for instance the plated snail, have regularly spaced ribs, while the prickly snail has prominent spines. There are even a number of species with hair on their shells. Colors on the shells also vary as do patterns, so appearances are really varied. Okay, let's turn now to feeding habits. Most of you who are gardeners will know to your cost that some gastropods eat healthy plants. But you may not realise that these are the minority. Most species feed on rotting plants, or they eat fungi and algae. Some species eat dead animals, and there are some that are actually carnivorous, they prey on live animals. For example, the shield slug feeds on worms. And apart from their own feeding habits, I should point out that gastropods themselves have plenty of predators. Birds and frogs are the main ones. But there's even an entire family of flies that have specialised in preying on gastropods. And of course, last but not least, I should mention human predators. It was the Romans who probably first introduced edible snails into Britain during the first century, and they are still eaten today. In fact, the collection of wild snails for cooking has caused local extinctions of one species, which is also under threat internationally. So there are lots of predators, but to protect themselves, gastropods have often developed special defenses. I'll just give you one example. The glutinous snail avoids predators by folding its mantle over its shell and turning itself into a very slippery blob of jelly. Well, turning now to gastropod habitats, most species like dampness and shade. In general, both very hot and very cold weather is bad for gastropods, but dry conditions are the least favourable. Snails cope with this by withdrawing into their shells, and often they form a thick film of mucus over the mouth of their shell to minimise loss of water. Habitats with a long, stable history tend to support the biggest range of gastropod species. So for instance, long, established forests usually support more species than newer plantations of trees. An old natural meadowland is much better than land which has recently been farmed, and there is a small number of highly specialised species that live in unusual habitats. For instance, the blind snail spends its whole life buried under the ground. It's been reported living at depths of two metres, and particularly likes the cavities in old buried bones apparently, but species like these are exceptional. But wherever they live, gastropods are often sensitive to pollution, and they don't thrive in areas contaminated by agrochemicals. This means that they are a reliable indication of how healthy our environment is. Now, at this point, I'd like to consider habitat management in relation. That is the end of part four. You now have one minute to check your answers to part four. You Today, we are going to dive into the fascinating world of a special kind of firefly. These glowworms are particularly interesting because of their unique way of living and surviving. One of the intriguing aspects of these glowworms is that only flyworm larvae can eat. Once they become adults, they can no longer feed, which is why they have such a short lifespan, just about 14 days. The light produced by these larvae is seen as warnings by other creatures, particularly the predators. This makes their survival even more interesting. Adults, also known as flyworms, tend to stay in the same area and build colonies of glowworms. This can provide us with insights into their social behavior as well. When the larvae are hungry, they tend to glow brighter. The brighter glow is a signal of their hunger status, which differentiates them from other glowworms around them. Interestingly, many fireflies show a lot of activity during the day. Although this might be contrary to popular belief, it highlights their varied behavior patterns. Speaking of behavior, the term arachno refers to how glowworms catch flying insects similar to how spiders do. The research conducted on these glowworms has provided us with genetic information. This includes biochemical studies on how the glowworm produces light and crucial data eating future ecological and evolutionary studies of these fascinating creatures. One of the major threats to these glowworms is disease. Understanding this threat can help us in taking measures to preserve their populations. Furthermore, any continued research should focus on the migrate information of glowworms to better understand their life cycle and migratory patterns.