Audioscripts IELTS Practice 5 Listening Test 03

Part 1

You will hear a conversation between a salesperson at a vehicle dealership and a customer.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4.

(Pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.

Salesperson: Good afternoon. Please take a seat. How can I assist you?

Customer: Well, I'm thinking of purchasing a new car and I'd like some guidance.

Salesperson: Certainly, yes. Did you have a particular brand in mind?

Customer: I'm interested in a Pioneer. I've owned one before and enjoyed it, but I haven't completely decided yet.

Salesperson: Sure, we have several models available. Right, what about the engine capacity? Any thoughts?

Customer: The one I currently drive has a 1.4 litre engine, but I find it a bit sluggish on the motorway. I'd like a bit more acceleration this time. A 1.6 should be sufficient. I don't think I require a 2.0 or anything larger.

Salesperson: Right. Well, I think the model you're describing is the Apex. Here's a brochure.

Customer: Oh, yes. Do you have one in the showroom?

Salesperson: Yes. I'll take you to see it in a moment. I'll just note a few more requirements. Is there anything else regarding the engine? What type of transmission are you looking for? I assume you want a manual.

Customer: Actually, I'd prefer automatic. I've always found manual gears a bit of a hassle in city traffic.

Salesperson: Right. Well now, here's the colour chart. Have you considered any of these? This silver is very trendy at the moment.

Customer: Yes, it's attractive. What's the specific name? Metallic?

Salesperson: Yes. But actually, I think I prefer this darker shade here. Lunar.

Customer: Yes, that looks sophisticated. I think I'll go with that one.

Salesperson: You might have to wait about ten days for that specific colour, but I assume that'll be acceptable.

Customer: Oh, yes, that's fine.

Salesperson: Well, we can head out to the lot and you can have a close look at one. But first, can I just ask about funding? The list price is going to be somewhere in the region of nine and a half thousand. Are you intending to pay in full, or would you require a loan?

Customer: I'd like a loan, provided the interest rates are competitive.

Salesperson: Well, you can discuss that with my manager in a moment. We have various finance plans. Would you be interested in a trade-in for your current vehicle?

Customer: Yes, I would.

Salesperson: OK, great. So, I'll just need some information from you and then we can provide a valuation. Is that alright?

Customer: Fine, yes.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10.

(Pause)

Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.

Salesperson: Could I take your full name?

Customer: Susan Miller.

Salesperson: That's M-I-L-L-E-R?

Customer: Yes.

Salesperson: And is that Mrs? Ms?

Customer: It's Professor, actually.

Salesperson: Oh, right. And your residential address?

Customer: 15 Brookside.

Salesperson: Is that written as one word? B-R-O-O-K-S-I-D-E?

Customer: Yes, that's correct.

Salesperson: OK. Belton. That's in Surrey, isn't it?

Customer: That's right.

Salesperson: And do you have your postcode handy?

Customer: Yes, it's SL4 2TK.

Salesperson: Do you have a daytime contact number?

Customer: Well, I work at the university, but it's a bit tricky to reach me directly. I can give you a number specifically for messages, and then I'll call you back when I'm free. Is that OK?

Salesperson: That's perfect.

Customer: It's 0782 114 985.

Salesperson: Great. And regarding the car you drive now, what's the make?

Customer: It's a Swift.

Salesperson: Do you know the year or the specific model?

Customer: I believe it's 1998 and the model is an Eagle, like the bird.

Salesperson: Then it must be 1996 because they released the Falcon after that year.

Customer: Oh, right, that makes sense.

Salesperson: And the mileage, roughly?

Customer: I'm not entirely certain. I know it's just under 60,000.

Salesperson: OK. What's the colour?

Customer: It's black, solid black.

Salesperson: Right. And one final thing. How would you describe the general condition? Would you say it's excellent?

Customer: Well, there are a few minor scratches on the doors, so I'd probably just say it's good.

Salesperson: Not a problem. Perhaps you could bring it in for a full assessment early next week.

That is the end of Part 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Part 2

You will hear a recruitment officer from a European university talking to a group of undergraduate students in a college abroad about applying for an internship programme.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.

(Pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.

Officer: As I mentioned earlier, Heidelberg offers an ideal balance of historical and modern advantages. It’s in a scenic riverside location while still being connected to major industrial hubs. You might assume it's a long journey to get there, but something that will definitely be of value to you is that Heidelberg is actually only 45 minutes from Frankfurt Airport.

At Heidelberg, we have a significant reputation for innovation. We ranked tenth out of 150 institutions in last year's sustainability audit, performed by an independent agency. We achieved especially high marks in your specific fields. In fact, we received an elite distinction of five for environmental engineering, data analytics, and especially biochemistry.

One additional point—and I know many of you are interested in gaining professional experience after your studies—is that all our science and technology faculties maintain exceptionally strong ties with regional corporations. These aren't just small start-ups, but major industry players.

Anyway, that's enough of the promotional talk. I'll just take a sip of water... thank you... and then I'll explain the procedure for submitting your application.

Right. Now, if you do choose to apply, the process is that you upload your documents directly to our international portal. I'll then immediately issue a receipt and the screening process commences. I'd like to emphasize at this stage that you shouldn't be alarmed if things don't progress rapidly. Occasionally there are technical glitches, but most frequently the hold-up is caused by the late submission of recommendations. The individuals you list as sponsors simply take their time to submit their letters. Regardless, it's perfectly normal for this stage to take two to three months.

One strategy we've developed to assist you is to connect you with someone from your own region who is currently on placement with us. Not an academic supervisor, but a mentor. You can email them and share your questions to obtain an unbiased perspective of what you can expect if you come to live and work at Heidelberg.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.

(Pause)

Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.

Officer: Now to move on to the other matters you raised earlier. At a German university, you'll be in a setting where proactive contribution is expected. This can be challenging when you're far from your familiar surroundings. However, you won't be alone. While the national average for international students is around 25 percent, and some private institutes aim for 50 percent, bear in mind that roughly 30 percent of our researchers are international students like yourselves.

One or two of you mentioned the topic of student housing earlier, so I'll just add a few points. It's the University's policy to give priority in the distribution of dorm places to three groups. Unfortunately, general undergraduate students aren't on this list. Instead, the priority goes to visiting scholars, scholarship holders, and first-year postgraduates. So there is a necessity to register early for campus housing.

What if you'd prefer to rent privately? Well, if you're intending to live off campus, you have to organize things even sooner. If you're starting in September, you might assume July is early enough, but you actually need to be researching it in May, or at the very latest, June. What you absolutely cannot do is leave it until a few days before the orientation.

Of course, we have a dedicated housing coordinator available to assist all participants. He has a wide network of contacts in the city. Now, while he can't arrange free transport for your viewings, and he certainly cannot pay the deposit for you, he will negotiate with the landlords on your behalf, which is incredibly helpful.

One final point regarding your proficiency in German. I know most of you have studied hard. Having said that, though, I'm afraid the supervisors will make minimal allowance for non-native speakers in the lab, so you shouldn't rely on them for help. Some focused study before you arrive is worth much more than, for example, planning to take language classes after arrival, when you'll simply be too busy with your research.

Oh, and one final point before I take further queries...

That is the end of Part 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Part 3

You will hear two students, called Emma and Jack, discussing their evaluation of a research module they have just completed.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 27.

(Pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 27.

Emma: Oh, Jack, I just realised I forgot to submit that feedback form for Professor Smith.

Jack: Ah. Have you filled it in yet? The module evaluation form?

Emma: Not yet. If you like, we can go through it together. I have my copy right here. Is that all right?

Jack: Yeah, sure. Let’s take a look. What do we need to provide? Let’s complete the header first. Let’s see... module code. Uh, it’s Data Analysis for Science.

Emma: OK, Data Analysis for Science. I remember the title, but what’s the reference code? DS24 something?

Jack: It’s DS241, isn't it?

Emma: That’s the one. OK. And the dates. When was the exact start date?

Jack: I remember my sister’s graduation was on March 10th and the module began the following day. It must have been March 11th.

Emma: Wow, time has flown, hasn't it?

Jack: It really has. And we conclude at the end of this week on Friday, so that’s June 21st.

Emma: Actually, it's the 22nd. Monday was the 18th.

Jack: Right, 22nd. That was the simple part. Now let’s see. "Please provide feedback on the following components of the module." OK, what’s the first category? Oh, module coordination. What’s your opinion? It was well-planned, wasn't it?

Emma: Yeah, I think the coordination was very structured.

Jack: OK, anything else for module coordination? It was helpful that he provided the weekly schedule at the beginning, in the first lecture. That was beneficial, so I’ll note that down, shall I?

Emma: Yeah. Now, moving on to recommendations for improvement. One thing that wasn't so great... I think we could have had more practical sessions at the start. I mean, at the beginning it seemed very light. I thought it was going to be really easy, and then suddenly in the second half of the module we were hit with a massive amount of coding, labs to complete and data sets.

Jack: Yeah, it would be preferable if the workload was more balanced. Let's put that down. OK, now, module delivery. Does that refer to the lecturing?

Emma: Yeah, I assume so.

Jack: Well, what I found really impressive on this module was the quality of the teaching. I mean, some of the lecturers were more engaging than others, but the standard generally was excellent, much higher than other modules I've taken.

Emma: Yeah, I agree. Let’s record that then. OK. What about recommendations for improvement? I didn't think it was all that great when we had those extremely long laboratory briefings that lasted for hours. I don't mean we shouldn't have them, just that they shouldn't be so drawn out. They need to be shorter.

Jack: True. Now on to resources. What was beneficial about some sessions was the online tutorials.

Emma: Yes, I thought all of them were helpful, actually, and some were fantastic, with step-by-step videos and everything. One issue, though, with resources was the software licenses.

Jack: Yes, there just weren't enough logins for the remote server. And not enough workstations in the lab. You have to queue for ages to get a computer.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 28 to 30.

(Pause)

Now listen and answer questions 28 to 30.

Emma: OK. Assessment and feedback. Well, I’m not sure. It’s difficult to say until we've received our project grades back.

Jack: Oh, don't remind me. I only uploaded mine yesterday. It was a real struggle. Though, to be fair, the submission software was completely fine—it was just my own poor time management. I dread to think what mark I'll get.

Emma: Yeah, but at least we've completed the poster presentation.

Jack: Did you find it enjoyable to complete? I know some people loved designing it.

Emma: Not really. I found the design part quite tedious. But I did think it was good the way I received my comments back really promptly. It’s rare to get your mark that fast.

Jack: Yes, it was. Now, what about the final report? I appreciated the way we were told what would be graded. We knew the assessment criteria, so we knew we had to focus on accuracy and data visualization.

Emma: Yeah, but I’m not so sure about the task itself. One thing I feel is that there’s just too much required. The sheer volume of writing expected is incredibly stressful.

Jack: Oh, yes, I’d agree. The expectations are way too high. And I don't understand why they can't publish the grading rubrics they use for the marking.

Emma: The ones for the project reports?

Jack: No, I mean for the final exams. What are the examiners actually looking for? What constitutes a distinction or a fail?

Emma: Yeah, I never considered that. Making those public would be really helpful. OK, any other feedback?

Jack: I thought the online helpdesk was exceptional.

Emma: Yeah, me too. I can't think of anything else.

Jack: Nor me. OK, so that’s finished. Thanks, Emma.

That is the end of Part 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Part 4

You will hear a student giving a presentation about a research project on urban water recycling and conservation.

First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.

(Pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Student: Well, my research group has been conducting a project on how domestic water is recycled and conserved in Australia. We were quite startled to discover that only 12 percent of households here in the country make a consistent effort to recycle their greywater. Interestingly enough, this rate is significantly lower than in many other developed nations, and it needs to rise substantially in the coming decade if the federal government is going to achieve its sustainability targets.

The agreed objectives for the country mean that by 2030 we must decrease our total water consumption by 15 percent compared with 2010 levels. And recycling can assist in reaching that target in two primary ways. Firstly, the treatment of recycled greywater for garden use requires far less energy than the desalination process or pumping water from distant reservoirs. And secondly, recycling reduces the volume of wastewater discharged into our coastal ecosystems.

As part of our project, we conducted a series of interviews with residents in suburban areas to find out why the rates are so low. The feedback that appeared consistently is that it’s not necessarily about the cost of the equipment. People simply do not believe it is convenient enough to recycle their household water on a daily basis.

One major hurdle is the infrastructure. There are simply not enough local treatment facilities—that is, the specialized plants where water is filtered for reuse. Instead, we found that water collected from residential areas is transported to distant sites called reclamation hubs for filtration and quality testing. One massive challenge at these hubs is extracting all the contaminants that shouldn't have been washed into the drainage system in the first place. People allow all sorts of substances into the pipes. While industrial pesticides are rare, things like paint thinners and everyday cooking oils are extremely common. All of this must be filtered out through a complex mechanical process.

Another complication is chemical. Certain synthetic detergents used in laundry do not fully break down at the standard temperatures used in the filters, and so those also have to be isolated using highly expensive chemical treatments.

Now, moving on to rainwater. Rainwater is relatively simple to collect because it can be captured from roofs and stored without complex plumbing. However, four million kilolitres of rainwater are lost as runoff each year. That is the equivalent of sixteen thousand Olympic swimming pools. But only a fraction of that is actually harvested and used. Curiously, a large portion of the water is collected during the monsoon months, mostly in northern regions. So more rainwater is captured in those areas than the local population actually requires. Consequently, new applications are being explored for this excess water, particularly in industrial settings—for example, in large-scale irrigation and for data centre cooling.

Regarding the recycling of office wastewater, Australia ranks third globally with 35 percent, trailing behind Singapore's impressive 60 percent. When large-scale recycling initially began, there were clarity concerns, so it was challenging to use recycled water in building systems, but these technical hurdles have now been overcome. And a company called Pure-Stream, based in Sydney, provides a range of non-potable water services which are 100 percent recycled. These services are of a very high standard, and more importantly, they cost significantly less than using water from the mains.

But this high standard involves a trade-off in terms of the bio-solids produced during the filtration. Over a quarter of the organic matter that is filtered out cannot be processed further, leaving the problem of how to dispose of it. One company, Green-Soil, currently distributes this to local orchards as a fertilizer, though this method will soon be restricted because of heavy metal regulations and the odour, and the group is investigating the potential for turning it into fuel pellets.

Industrial effluent causes complications because there are so many distinct chemical compounds used in manufacturing today, and each variety must be processed differently. A company called Eco-Logic recycles a vast array of fluids, from factory coolants to cleaning solvents, and one of its most effective programmes is recycling industrial wash-water to create plastic piping, which is used in construction projects across the state.

The Clear-Stream initiative was also established by the beverage and manufacturing sectors to recycle as much as possible of the five billion litres of water used in bottle rinsing each year. Currently, 900 million litres are recovered, treated, and sold on to other sectors, such as Agro-Grow, which utilizes the water for hydroponics, and Smith and Sons, a firm based in Melbourne, which has developed a range of recycled products, including garden hoses.

Well, to conclude, there appears to be significant innovation occurring into how to repurpose water resources. However, the most daunting challenge is convincing the public to prioritize conservation instead of viewing water as an infinite resource. At the very least, conducting this research has made our team much more aware of our own usage.

That is the end of Part 4. You now have one minute to check your answers.