Listening Test 5
This is a listening practice test that resembles the International English Language Testing System Listening Test.
The test consists of four sections. Answer the questions as you listen to the recording.
Note that the recording will be played once only. Please turn to Section 1.
Section 1
Listen to the conversation between Janis Cockren, who is a foreign student advisor at the University of London, and Tom Lee,
who is a student, and complete the form. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR NUMBERS for each answer.
Look at Questions 1 to 8 on the form now.
Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time.
First, you have another chance to look at Questions 1 to 8.
Janis:Please come in. Hello. May I help you?
Tom:Hello, Janis, my name is Tom Lee.
Janis:Hello, Tom, nice to meet you. What can I do for you?
Tom:Well, I would like to make a special request for leave. You can assist me with this, right?
Janis:Yes, just let me get the special leave form. Oh, where did I put those things?
I just received a new batch, and I put them somewhere around here...
Oh! Here they are. Now, then, what is your student ID number?
Tom:It's P as in Peter, D as in David 4462.
Janis:PD4462. Okay. What is your address?
Tom:I live here on campus, in the A dormitory, room 122.
Janis:A dormitory, room 122. And your phone number?
Tom:638.7235.
Janis:638.7235. Very well, and what department do you study in?
Tom:I study in the art department.
Janis:Ah, so you're an artist, how interesting. Who is your course advisor?
Tom:Mr. Glass.
Janis:Thank you. When does your visa expire?
Tom:August the first.
Janis:August the first, fine. Now, during which quarter would you like to take leave?
Tom:This term, so that would be quarter 2, I believe.
Janis:Well, what are the exact dates during which you wish to take leave?
Tom:I need to take from the 6th till the 11th of December off.
Janis:Yes, that's quarter 2. So you will be taking 6 days off from school.
Tom:No, I will only be gone from school for 5 days; the sixth is a weekend da
Narrator:Look at questions 9 to 12.
Now listen to more of the conversation between Tom and Janis. Answer Questions 9 to 12.
Janis:Now, I am sure you know that if I give you special permission to leave,
you will not be penalized for the class time missed.
Therefore, there has to be a rather good reason for me to grant you this leave.
Tom:You see, my great-grandmother's 100th birthday is on the 8th, and I would like to be there for the occasion.
Janis:Where does your great-grandmother live?
Tom:She lives in Manchester.
Janis:Manchester is only a three-hour train ride from here. Why do you need 5 days off?
Tom:Well, since this is such an important occasion,
members of my family are coming from all over the world to celebrate it.
It will be both a birthday party and a family reunion.
I have not seen some members of my family in quite a while and I would like to spend more than a few hours with them.
Janis:I think that is quite a good reason to take leave.
I'll approve your request. I'll make a note of it in your file. By the way,
I want to remind you that all Extension of Visa applications for foreign students are due tomorrow.
Tom:Actually, I've already turned mine in.
Janis:Great. How long are you trying to extend for?
Tom:6 months. Then I think I'll take some time off school and relax.
Narrator:That's the end of Section 1. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to Section 1.
Now turn to Section 2.
Section 2
Narrator:You are going to hear a tape recording of instructions and advice which a woman named Carol has left for her friend Janet,
who is going to take care of her house and pets while she is away. First, look at questions 13 to 18.
As you listen to the tape, answer questions 13 to 18.
Carol:Hello, Janet. I am so grateful that you'll be taking care of the house and pets while I am away.
I really owe you.
Here is what you need to know to take care of the house.
Actually, there isn't much you need to do because I've a mind who comes every Tuesday morning to clean the house.
So that'll be Tuesday 14th, Tuesday 21th, Tuesday 28th and Tuesday 5th. Her name is Maria Sanchez.
She's about 1.70 meters tall and has dark curly hair. She usually comes at around 9 in the morning.
So if you hear a knock at the door, it's probably her. She does an absolutely fabulous job.
She will dust all the cupboards and shelves, and vacuum and mop the floor.
She should also scrub both the kitchen and the bathrooms.
If you choose, she will take your laundry to the cleaners first thing,
and then fetch it before she leaves. If you decide to have her take your clothes to be cleaned,
just leave them on the blue chair by the front door either Monday night or Tuesday morning before Maria arrives.
35 pounds should be enough for her to pay the laundry bill;
my bill is usually around 28 pounds.
Now about the pets. I am sure you have already met my dog.
His name is Butch. And my cat. Her name is Princess. They are both quite friendly,
so don't be afraid of them. Especially Butch, he is much nicer than he looks.
Now, Butch needs to go outside for a walk once a day.
Please walk with him for about 45 minutes. This is all the exercise he gets, and he sure needs it.
You can find Butch's food on the shelf on the right hand side of the kitchen sink.
He usually eats about two cups every day. By the way, on Thursday 28th,
a new bag of food for Butch will arrive. But it is already paid for,
so do not give the postman any money! As for Princess, she is very independent,
so you don't have to worry much about her. Just fill her bowl with food whenever you notice that it is empty.
Her food is in the same place as Butch's food. Also, please be careful not leave any windows or doors open.
Last time a window was left open, Princess got outside and didn't come home for four days.
So be careful. Also, on Wednesday 3rd could you give Princess a bath? Thanks.
Narrator:Now look at Questions 19 to 24.
Carol:Well, Janet, I'm trying to think of what else to tell you.
As you know, I will be visiting my sister Melody in Australia, for about a month.
She just had her first child last month. Can you believe i
She's my younger sister, but she's already married and having children.
Why, I can remember when we were children ourselves. Time goes by so quickly.
Anyway, I'll be staying with her and her husband at their home in Melbourne.
If you need to reach me there, the phone number is 265.2256. It is also posted on the refrigerator.
From the 27th to the 7th, I won't be in Melbourne.
I am going to go to Sydney for a few days. I have tickets to see the famous Australian singer Adam Rickett perform at the Sydney Opera House.
I really am looking forward to it. The Sydney Opera House is a very famous place,
and I just absolutely adore Adam Rickett. I am so excited! Then, after that,
I am going to travel to the north coast and do some scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the largest living coral reefs in the world.
I hear the fish that you can see while scuba diving are truly beautiful. They're salt-water tropical fish,
so the colouring of their skins is extraordinary-bright blues, greens, reds, purples, yellows and oranges.
After that, I am going to go to the desert for a day or two.
In Australia they call the desert the Outback. I hope to see some real kangaroos!
Finally, I will return to Melbourne on the 10th, to my sister's house.
My flight from Sydney leaves on the 11th at 10PM. I expect to be back in London on the 12th at around noon.
If there are any emergencies with the house,
simply press number 2 on the phone's memory dial, and the police will come.
If anything should happen to Butch or Princess, there is a 24-hour pet hospital two blocks down the road on Elm St.
That's about all. See you when I get home.
Narrator:That's the end of Section 2. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to Section 2.
Now turn to Section 3.
Section 3
In this section you will hear a discussion between Harry and Susan,
who are on their first date at an Indian restaurant. They are deciding what food they want to order.
First, look at Questions 25 to 29. Note the examples that have been done for you.
Tick the columns under the appropriate names to indicate what food Harry and Susan ordered.
Harry:You know, Susan, I've never had Indian food before. I am really not sure what I should order.
Susan:You've never eaten Indian food before? I thought everyone in London had by now.
Indian food is really trendy right now, extremely fashionable.
Harry:Yes, I know. That is why when you asked me to come I was so excited.
I've been wanting to try it for quite some time. So, what do you suggest?
Susan:Well, everyone who eats Indian food usually likes Tandoori chicken. It is a simple dish of chicken that has been covered with spices and then roasted.
Harry:Sounds delicious. What else?
Susan:My favorite is spicy lamb curry. Do you like to eat lamb?
Harry:I love mutton, but I am unable to eat spicy food. It is too hard on my stomach.
Susan:Well, then I'll order the mild lamb curry for you and I'll get the spicy shrimp curry.
Harry:Fine. What about rice? Isn't it traditional to eat curry with rice?
Susan:That's right! Are you sure you haven't eaten Indian food before?
I'll order us both a plate of saffron rice. We need some bread, too.
There is a traditional Indian bread called nan. It tastes great with curry and rice.
I'll also order us both a plate of nan.
Harry:This is starting to sound like a lot of food. But no worries; I'm starving.
Susan:But I still want a vegetable dish. I think I'll get the samosa.
Samosa are deep-fried vegetable fritters. I love the
Harry:What about something to drink? I'd like some beer.
Susan:This restaurant carries excellent British and Indian beers. Which one would you like?
Harry:I think I'll try an Indian beer tonight. I've never had one before.
Susan:Great. And I'll have a glass of soda water. Now, let's see if we can get a waiter to come over here and take our order.
Narrator:Now look at Questions 30 to 33.
Circle the appropriate letters A to D. Listen carefully to the rest of the conversation between Harry and Susan.
Harry:What else do you do at the Universe Toy Company?
Susan:I'm the vice-president of the new toy development.
Harry:Terrific!
Susan:I know you're a CPA.
Harry:That's true. I am Harry Bennett, Certified Public Accountant.
I love numbers. I do some work for Smith and Dale, your company's accounting firm.
Susan:And so...
Harry:Here we are.
Susan:Yes.
Harry:I have a daughter.
Susan:I know. How old is she?
Harry:She's nine years old.
Susan:That's a nice age. What is her name?
Harry:Michelle.
Susan:Do you have a picture of her?
Harry:Yes, here in my wallet.
Susan:She's very pretty.
Harry:Thank you.
Harry:Susan, would you mind if I go and use a phone for a second?
My pager just beeped and someone rang from my home. It might be about my daughter.
Susan:No, of course I wouldn't mind you ringing home. Go ahead.
Harry:Thanks.
Narrator:Harry uses the restaurant's phone and then returns.
Harry:Please forgive me, Susan, but I have to leave.
I feel terrible, but my daughter isn't feeling well.
Susan:Oh no! Is it serious?
Harry:I don't know. The baby sitter says she has a stomachache, and she's crying.
I'll have to go home. Will you forgive me?
Susan:Of course. I'm so sorry for Michelle. And you didn't have a chance to eat.
Harry:Oh, it's OK. Let me take you home first.
Susan:No, no. Please, go ahea
Harry:It's our first date.
Susan:We'll make another. Please don't worry.
Harry:I'll ring you.
Susan:I hope your daughter is all right. Good-bye.
Harry:Good-bye.
Narrator:That is the end of Section 3. You will now have 30 seconds to check your answers to Section.
Now turn to Section 4.
Section 4
You will hear an extract from a lecture on British arts.
Listen to what the speaker, Damon Albarn, says about British music and British arts festivals,
and answer Questions 34 to 40. First, you will have some time to look at the questions.
Now listen carefully and answer Questions 34 and 35. Write in the correct answers using NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each question.
Damon Albarn:Um...yes, I would like to give a short presentation on British music and arts festivals.
First, I will briefly speak on the topic of the different styles of British music.
Then, I will quickly list and outline some of the most famous arts festivals in Britain.
Classical music in Britain is a minority interest. Few classical musicians,
whether British or foreign, become wellknown to the general public.
When they do, it is usually because of circumstances which have nothing to do with their music.
For example, the Italian opera tenor Pavarotti became famous in the country when an aria sung by him was used by the BBC to introduce its 1990 football World Cup coverage.
Despite this low profile, thousands of British people are dedicated musicians and many public libraries have a well-stocked music section.
Several British orchestras, singers and choirs have international reputations.
In the 1960s, British artists had a great influence on the development of music in the modern or 'pop' style.
The Beatles and other British musical groups were responsible for several innovations which were then used by musicians in America and the rest of the world.
These include the writing of words and music by the performers themselves, and more active audience participation.
Since the 1960s, popular music in Britain has been an enormous and profitable industry.
The Beatles were awarded the highly prestigious honour of the MBE, or Member of the British Empire,
for their value as British exports. Within Britain,
the total sales of various kinds of musical recordings are more than 200 million every year,
and the vast majority of that is popular music. Many worldwide trends have come out of Britain,
and British pop artists have been active in attempting to cross the boundaries between popular music,
folk music and classical music.
Narrator:Now answer Questions 36-40. Write the appropriate later A-E from the box next to the name of the festival.
Some letters may be used more than once.
Damon Albarn:Now, on to Britain's arts festivals. There are many festivals throughout Britain during the year,
but these are the most well known. First, Aldeburgh, this festival takes place during June in East Anglia.
The focus is on classical music in a relatively informal atmosphere.
In August, Scotland holds the Edinburgh International Festival,
where one can view all the performing arts, including avant-garde.
This is a world-famous event in which there are more than ten different performances every day in different locations around the city.
At about the same time, Wales holds the Royal National Eisteddfod,
which includes music, poetry and dance from around the world.
This festival mostly is in the form of competitions,
with special categories for Welsh performing arts.
The so-called "Proms" is held July through September in London.
For this classical music performance almost all the seats are taken out of the Albert Hall,
where the performance is held, and the audience stands or walks around instead of sitting.
Also during the summer, at Glyndebourne, one is able to enjoy listening to opera in the setting of a large country house in Sussex.
The Glastonbury and Reading festivals both occur in late summer and last about a week.
These are probably the two most well established rock and pop music festivals.
The Bradford and Cambridge festivals take a slower place, emphasizing folk music.
Narrator:That is the end of Section 4. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to Section 4.
You now have one minute to check your answers for the entire test.
That is the end of the Listening Test. You now have exactly 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the Listening Test Answer Sheet.