Listening 2026-04 Test 1

==================== IELTS Listening Transcript ==================== PART 1 Speaker 0: 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 sections. Write all your answers in the listening question booklet. At the end of the test, you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. Now turn to section one on page two of your question booklet. Section one. You will hear a woman phoning an activity center for information about weekend courses. First, you have some time to look at questions one to four on page two. 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. Speaker 1: Good morning. Renfrew Activity Center. How can I help you? Hello. Speaker 2: I'm calling about your activity weekends. Some colleagues and I would like to learn some new skills. We're fed up with the boring things like playing tennis or going to the gym. We thought something like rock climbing might be quite fun. That's one of the activities you do, don't you? Speaker 1: That's right. The rock climbing takes place here in the center grounds. Speaker 0: The woman is interested in going rock climbing, so rock climbing 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 one to four. Speaker 1: Good morning. Renfrew Activity Center. How can I help you? Hello. Speaker 2: I'm calling about your activity weekends. Some colleagues and I would like to learn some new skills. We're fed up with the boring things like playing tennis or going to the gym. We thought something like rock climbing might be quite fun. Speaker 1: That's one of the activities you do, don't you? That's right. The rock climbing takes place here in the center grounds. Speaker 2: Fine. From your website, I see that the main technique I would learn would be rope work. What is that exactly? Speaker 1: Well, you need to know how to use ropes if you're going to climb. So we spend the first morning learning about that, and then we practice on the indoor climb. On the second day, we take you on two supervised climbs outside. Speaker 2: And what's the cost of the weekend? Speaker 1: Well, it depends how many of you there are. Up to nine people is £65 per person. Speaker 2: There'll be about 12 of us. Right. That's £60 each. That's very reasonable. Does that include our accommodation and food? Speaker 1: No. But it does include the equipment. Speaker 2: Right. Now I was wondering about the mountain biking weekends. Speaker 1: Oh, yes. They're very popular. Do you have to be an experienced rider? Not at all. We do take you out in the mountains, but our routes are relatively easy. Speaker 2: The website said that we learn to do safety checks on our bikes. Yes. You learn all about that. That'll be very useful. And how much is that? Speaker 1: It's £70 and includes all the help you need from our guide. He knows all the best places. Speaker 0: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions five to 10 on pages two and three. Now listen and answer questions five to 10. Speaker 2: Some of my colleagues might prefer something a little less energetic, maybe camping or walking. There was something on the website called wild camping. It's in the forest, the website said. That's right. I read a bit about it in the paper last week. They said that the forest has the most amazing plants. Do we get a chance to learn something about that? Yes. You do. And the cost? Speaker 1: £50. That includes your tented accommodation. Speaker 2: Right. I've got that. I think the other activity which we may be interested in is the hill walking one. Speaker 1: That's in the national park, isn't it? Yes. It's very popular, and it gives people a chance to get to know each other. And so you won't get lost when you go walking on your own, we teach you some navigation skills. Speaker 2: And the cost of that? Speaker 1: £90. Speaker 2: Does that include accommodation? Speaker 1: It doesn't, but there are some very inexpensive B and Bs nearby. Or you can stay at the local youth hostel, but lunch is included. Speaker 2: Thanks. Oh, and just a couple of other things. Yes. Will you need a deposit with the booking? Yes. Speaker 1: When you book, we usually ask for a deposit of £25 per person. But if you're booking for a group, then it'll be 20% of the total cost. Speaker 2: Okay. And is there any equipment we must bring with us, or is it all provided? Speaker 1: The most important thing is to have the right shoes, so you'll need to bring those. Other things like maps and wet weather gear can be borrowed from here. Speaker 2: Right. That's good to know. I'll get back to my colleagues and call you when we've decided what to do. Or you could book it online. Speaker 1: But don't hesitate to call me if you still have questions. My name's Gordon, Gordon Arkwright. That's A R K W R I G H T. Speaker 2: Thanks for your help. Speaker 0: That is the end of section one. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section two on page four. PART 2 Speaker 0: Section two. You will hear a radio show host interviewing a man called Michael McKay, who is the director of a Canadian theater. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14 on page four. Listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14. Speaker 3: Michael McKay, the executive director of the Canadiana Festival Theater, is here with us to talk about the season starting in June. Welcome. Speaker 4: Thank you. We have an amazing season this year with some great deals for our clients. You know, we have a lot of regular theatergoers who will be happy to know that we have some great specials for the upcoming season. For example, if you order two tickets to any play performed at the theater, you can get 50% off the price of the next play we put on. This replaces the special offer we had last season, which was for 50% off all performances on Mondays. It is good to get youth interested in theater, so many schools arrange class trips to our theater. This year, we will send a special study guide to each class so the students can familiarize themselves with the play beforehand. Having some background information always makes the experience of watching the actors perform the play more enjoyable. Each guide has suggestions for classroom discussion after seeing the show, which teachers find useful for a follow-up activity. Also, we mustn't forget the bring a friend special for our senior citizens. On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, everyone over 60 can buy one ticket and get one free. The offer includes all the musicals plus the plays, so there is lots of choice. We also include $5 off any gift shop purchase for those clients who spend more than $30 there. Speaker 3: So what would you say is the best play you have this year? Speaker 4: All the plays are great, but the must see play is called Something to Say. It stars the amazing actor Christopher Plunkett. This likely will be the last year we see him perform as he has been on stage for over sixty years. Actually, for the first time, he helped write this play, and it really is a commentary on his amazing career as an actor. You may have seen him in supporting roles in movies, but acting on stage is his first love. He has been in so many fantastic dramas. I can't think of him ever not being on stage. Speaker 0: Before you hear the rest of the interview, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20 on page five. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. Speaker 4: Now let's talk about the season's musicals. The first one is called The Climb. Of course, the best part is that we have that really amazing singer, Justin McDonald, playing the part of the hero. It is an inspiring story of a man called Stephen who starts working for a newspaper in a very junior job in the mailroom. After many years and many promotions, he finally gets to the top position. He becomes editor in chief of the newspaper. Then we have that wonderful classic that we show every two years because it is so popular, The Voyagers. It is a wonderful story of a Canadian farming family in the late 1800s and how they settled their land near Kingston, Ontario. The musical gives a good description of the times, the struggles, and the way of life in that period. The next musical, Joey Brown, is a comical story of a piano player who writes songs for kids' TV shows. However, he ends up having a terrible time when he gets a new boss who always criticizes him and makes his life difficult. Poor Joey has to learn how to win over the boss. The show has a couple of funny twists and a surprise ending. In Main Street, Karen Hines stars in the true story of a young woman whose dream is to compete in the Olympics. She is such a powerful actress in this role. It is about a gymnast who is crushed when, during a practice session, she breaks her ankle just one week before the games. Now for Millie and Mike. What a story this is. Stephanie James and Peter Dumas are only 10 years old, but they star in the musical as the twins Millie and Mike. They have a wonderful upbringing with their grandmother who teaches them life's lessons through song. The final must see is so whimsical. In Windswept, a land of imaginary creatures, the flowers and trees dance, and the enchanted animals talk. It is delightful, and we even have a very talented actor who is amazing as he travels with us through the world of make believe. Kids love this one. The music is fun, and their imagination goes wild. Speaker 3: Michael, that all sounds wonderful. Now tell me about the restaurants in the Theater District. Speaker 0: That is the end of section two. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section three on page six. PART 3 Speaker 5: Section three. Speaker 6: Two students discussing their assignments. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Speaker 7: Hi, Mike. How's it going? Speaker 8: Actually, I was up last night with an assignment. So, yeah, I'm tired, but I guess we'd better sort this presentation out. Speaker 7: Well, we've done enough background reading, but I think we need to organize exactly what we're going to say about biofuels during the presentation and the order. Speaker 8: I thought we could start by asking our audience what car engines were first designed to run on, fossil fuels or biofuels? Speaker 7: Nice idea. Yes. Speaker 8: When most people think about cars and fuel, they think about all the carbon dioxide that's produced, but they don't realize that that wasn't always the case. Speaker 7: You're probably right. The earliest car engines ran on fuel made from corn and peanut oil, didn't they? Speaker 8: Yes. The manufacturers used the corn and peanut oil and turned them into a kind of very pure alcohol. Speaker 7: You mean ethanol? Speaker 8: Yes. In fact, most biofuels are still based on ethanol. Actually, I've got some notes here about the process of turning plant matter into ethanol, the chemical reactions, and the fermentation stages. Speaker 7: Interesting. The other students would appreciate it, but different biofuels use different processes. And if we give a general description, there's a risk we'll get it wrong, and then the tutor might mark us down. I'd rather we focus on the environmental issues. Speaker 8: Fair enough. So, the main plants that are used for biofuel production now are sugarcane, corn. Speaker 7: And canola. Of all of them, canola is probably the least harmful because machines that use it don't produce as much carbon monoxide. Speaker 8: Sugarcane seems to be controversial. It doesn't require as much fertilizer as corn does to grow. But when they burn the sugarcane fields, that releases loads of greenhouse gases. Speaker 7: Yes. But some critics have suggested that the production of corn ethanol uses up more fossil fuel energy than the biofuel energy it eventually produces. For that reason, I'd say it was more harmful to the environment. Speaker 8: I see what you mean. You're probably right. It's interesting how everyone saw the biofuel industry as the answer to our energy problems, but in some ways, biofuels have created new problems. Speaker 7: Well, in the USA, I wouldn't say that farmers are having problems. The biofuel industry for them has turned out to be really profitable. Speaker 8: I think though that even in the USA, ethanol is still only used as an additive to gasoline or petrol. The problem is that it still has to be transported by trucks or rail because they haven't built any pipelines to move it. Once they do, it'll be cheaper and the industry might move forward. Speaker 7: That'll have to happen one day. At least the government are in favor of biofuel development. Speaker 8: Yes. But Brazil's probably in the lead as far as biofuels are concerned. They've got to the point where they don't need to import any oil now. Which is great. Speaker 7: And the industry in Brazil employs a huge number of people. But is it sustainable? I mean, as the population grows and there are more vehicles on the roads and there's more machinery, surely they can't depend so much on sugarcane. At some point, there has to be a limit on how much land can be used for sugarcane production. Certainly, if you want to preserve natural habitats and native wildlife. Speaker 8: I think that whatever problems Brazil's facing now, the same will be true for any country. You have to weigh up the pros and cons. Speaker 7: Well, we probably won't see an increase in biofuel use. I mean, they won't replace fossil fuels until we can find ways to produce them cheaply and quickly. Speaker 8: And with less cost to the environment. Making sure they require minimal energy to produce. Speaker 7: Exactly. And in a way, that means they have to cost less than fossil fuels. Speaker 8: Certainly when you're filling up your car. Yes. And whatever other kind of engines use fossil fuels at the moment. Speaker 0: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30. Speaker 6: Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30. Speaker 7: Alright. So in the last section of the presentation, what problems are we focusing on? Speaker 8: Well, we've already had a look at different types of pollution in the first section, so we can leave that out. But the biggest issue related to biofuels is that land is now being used to grow biofuel crops, and that's contributing to global hunger. Speaker 7: Indeed. It doesn't seem right we're using corn to run cars when people can't afford to buy it to eat. Yes. Let's talk about that. The other thing is that in some countries, the way that biofuel crops are grown and harvested still produces a great deal of pollution, really damaging to the atmosphere. Speaker 8: Okay. That's definitely an issue we should look at. Speaker 7: Let's not finish on a negative note, though. Why don't we talk about the potential new sources of biofuel? So rather than corn and sugarcane, what other plants could be used? Speaker 8: Good. Some companies are exploring the possibility of using wood and seeing how that can be used to make ethanol. Speaker 7: Yes. And algae is another possibility. You can grow it in any water, and it absorbs pollutants too. I read that. Speaker 8: And grasses, they're another plant that researchers are investigating as a biofuel. Speaker 7: And these kind of plants aren't used as food, which is why. Speaker 6: That is the end of section three. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section four on page eight. PART 4 Speaker 5: Section four. You will hear part of a lecture about health problems faced by night shift workers. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. Speaker 9: Good afternoon, everybody. In this session, I want to continue looking at health issues relating to the workplace, and I'd like to focus today on night shift workers and the health problems that are associated with their working hours. I'm sure you're all aware that there has been a huge increase in the number of workers doing regular night shifts in recent years, mainly because of the number of shops and services now open 24 hours, 7 days a week, and we need to look more closely at the consequences of changing work and sleep patterns like this. So that's what I'd like us to do today. Now research that has been carried out in both the US and Britain on night working suggests that it leads to a lot of health problems for the workers, and they point to three main reasons for this. The first one is what they call the internal clock, and this is a basic sort of program in our brains. This tells us that at certain times, we should feel hungry, at other times, we should be awake, at other times, we should be asleep, and so on. And it seems to be generally accepted by all the experts in the field that this clock is linked to, not just our behavioral habits, but to cycles of light and dark. And that means that we're programmed to be awake when it's light, i.e., during the day, and asleep when it's dark. The second thing is that night workers are continually fighting against what is termed a sleep debt. And by this, the researchers mean that it's just practically impossible for them to get a sufficient amount of sleep in daylight hours. In fact, studies suggest that on average, night workers only get between five and six hours of sleep rather than the eight they need. And the effects of not getting enough sleep can also lead to all sorts of problems, and we'll talk about those in a minute. The third cause of these problems is the unsocial hours that night workers have to keep, the fact that they are working when their families, their friends are sleeping, and vice versa. And that kind of dislocation from their social group can be very damaging. Okay. So let's take a closer look at some of these effects. And if we have a look at the physical effects first, we can see that studies on long term shift workers found that they were much more likely to get heart problems than day workers. In addition, there seems to be a very high incidence of stomach problems, for example, ulcers among night shift workers. And although this may be partly due to the wrong sort of diet, you know, snacking on fast food, it can't be just explained by eating habits. And finally, there is evidence to suggest that night shift workers also get ill more frequently with minor problems like colds and infections. The frequency of these illnesses is much higher than among day workers, and this indicates that night working can damage immunity to illness. And, of course, this leads to a lot of absence from work too. However, although the physical impact of working nights can be severe, perhaps the real problems are psychological ones. And the most common problem is depression. This seems to be the inevitable result of the constant feeling of tiredness and a lack of energy that night workers universally complain of. Secondly, there is a lot of evidence from accident statistics to suggest that mental abilities are badly affected, and that means, for example, decision making ability and planning ability, and these are what control our performance. For example, we can see that the highest number of errors on the roads occur between 3 AM and 5 AM, the point in our internal clock when we feel most sleepy. Okay. Finally, there are the social problems where night working impacts on the family and social life of the employees. The first one is obviously the breakup of family life, and here we can see from the divorce statistics that this occurs more frequently in the case of night workers. But there's also the breakdown of other relationships, not just within the family, but among the peer group. Night workers tend to lose touch with friends, and these relationships, especially for the long term night workers, are very difficult to rebuild, and so this eventually leads to social isolation for the individual. And, of course, that has consequences for the whole community too. So we can begin to see the real cost of night working. What we need to do now is to look at how. Speaker 5: That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the listening answer sheet.