Audioscripts IELTS Practice 9 Listening Test 02

Part 1

You will hear a customer talking to a car rental agent at an airport.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5.

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.

Agent: Good afternoon. Can I help you?

Customer: Yes. I'm looking to hire a car for the week. I've just arrived on a flight from London... actually, wait, my original flight was from Manchester, I only transferred in London.

Agent: Manchester, right. Please take a seat. What I'll do is complete a booking form with you to find out a little more about your requirements.

Customer: Thank you.

Agent: So, first of all, can I take your surname?

Customer: It's Jameson.

Agent: Could you spell your name, please?

Customer: Yes. J-A-M-E-S-O-N.

Agent: Thanks. And could I ask your date of birth?

Customer: The 15th of June, 1985.

Agent: Thank you. And what is the main purpose of your trip?

Customer: I'm attending a conference on engineering in the city.

Agent: Right, thank you. And how long would you want to keep the car?

Customer: Well, the conference lasts five days, but I'd only like to rent the car for three. I'll just use public transport for the last two days.

Agent: Fine. And what did you have in mind for insurance? Do you want to pay the basic rate or have full cover included? That's comprehensive.

Customer: Is there something in between?

Agent: Yes, you can just have collision damage waiver, which is partial cover.

Customer: That's what I'd prefer.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.

Agent: Yes, a lot of drivers opt for that. Now, thinking about the car itself... We have a number of options. You can have a compact hatchback or you can have a sedan. These are both what we call economy cars. The other alternative is to opt for an SUV, which actually has more room and better comfort. There's about £30 a day difference between them.

Customer: Well, my budget is quite flexible and I think the SUV sounds like the best option for me.

Agent: Lovely. I'll put you down for that and we'll see what inventory is like. Now, can I ask about your other preferences? This might help us get a closer match for assigning you a particular model.

Customer: Well, I need an automatic, and I definitely need a satnav.

Agent: Right.

Customer: And I prefer diesel, particularly for long distances.

Agent: Ah, that's worth noting. Anything else regarding the vehicle's features?

Customer: Well, the most important thing is I'd prefer a car that has bluetooth, so I can connect my phone safely.

Agent: Yes, we do have models which cater for business travellers.

Customer: And I'd prefer to return it to the city centre.

Agent: That's actually very convenient for us because we tend to have more space in our downtown depot.

Customer: Perfect.

Agent: Yes. Anything else?

Customer: Well, I would like something with a large boot, a spacious trunk, for example. It's essential for carrying my equipment.

Agent: It certainly is. Now, we just need a contact mobile number for you.

Customer: Oh, sure. It's 07700 900456.

Agent: Great. So we'll have the keys ready for you in a moment.

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

Part 2

You will hear a ranger giving a talk to new volunteers of a conservation society in the north of Scotland.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 13.

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 13.

Hello. I'm thrilled to welcome you to our conservation society and very glad that you're passionate about the wildlife of this region. I think you'll be amazed at the biodiversity we have here, even though we're quite close to Inverness.

I'll begin by describing some of the reserves and protected areas nearby. One very scenic location is Blackwood Moor. This has been protected land for decades, and what you'll find fascinating is that the river Spey, which runs into the ocean 50 miles away, has its source right here in the moor. There's a visitor centre about the geology and wildlife you can spot here, and, incidentally, the moor is open throughout the year.

Then there's Pine Island, which is famous for its unique species of birds. In the past, timber was harvested here commercially for shipbuilding, and this historical industry has recently been commemorated with a small museum. The island is only accessible to visitors from April to September because it's a nesting ground, and if there were humans around in winter, much of the wildlife would be disturbed.

From there, it's just a brief boat ride across the water to Highland Nature Reserve. Highland has an authentic reconstruction of a croft from over 200 years ago. Educational workshops are often organised there, like wool spinning and stone carving. The reserve is only open during summer months, so remember that if you plan to visit there.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 14 to 20.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 14 to 20.

Highland Reserve has a schedule of events throughout the season, and to give you a flavour, this is what's scheduled in the coming week.

On Tuesday, you can find out about fungi. You'll begin with a walk in our woodland, learn the method of distinguishing them from poisonous varieties, and attend a slide show about their role in the ecosystem.

Then on Thursday, you can accompany local guides to observe the range of bats and owls that emerge at dusk. We limit the group size to a minimum, so if you wish to attend, you'll need to email the office a week in advance. There's a nominal fee, which you should settle when you arrive.

I'm confident you're all eager to assist with the hands-on job of maintaining the reserve, so on Sunday you can participate in a maintenance crew. You'll have a selection of various tasks from clearing paths to repairing fences. The staff will be busy all day, but do come and pitch in. One tip though is to ensure you're dressed in clothes that are waterproof and warm.

And finally, I'd like to inform you about our upcoming wetland zone, Willow Creek. This map doesn't really show the scale of it, but anyway, you can see the two entrances into the zone and the boardwalks. As you can observe, there's a marsh in the south-east of the zone with a viewing platform to the east of it at the end of a trail, so it'll be a peaceful spot for photographing the birds. Quite near to where the car park is located, there's a picnic area in the northern part of the zone, branching off from the boardwalk. And if you just want to rest and enjoy the view, you can head to the sensory garden. That's the square area on the plan, bordered by hedges. And finally, there's a reforested area in the eastern section of the zone, between two streams.

OK, that's sufficient from me, so let's proceed and...

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

Part 3

You will hear a university librarian and a post-graduate student called Mark discussing the library's research facilities.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.

Librarian: Hi, Mark. As you know, I've invited you here today to review the usage of our dedicated research room. We have to determine what our strategy should be regarding this vital space for our PhD candidates. So, can you give me some feedback from the students' perspective?

Student: Well, from the post-graduates' point of view, we are keen to keep it. The vast majority of us appreciate having it because it offers a quiet alternative to the main reading hall, and we view it as an essential element of our study routine. But we would hope to see some upgrades to the furniture, specifically the desks. There aren't enough large ones for everyone and we frequently have to work in cramped conditions.

Librarian: Well, yes, the staff acknowledge that it is a highly prized facility. But one issue we have observed is that many of the researchers are using it to hold social meetings. We don't want to ban you from collaborating, but we believe the room should be utilised for silent study, not for group discussions. Some of us also suggest that we could function much more efficiently by merging the research room with the general periodicals section downstairs. How do you imagine the students would react to that, Mark?

Student: Well, the periodicals section is spacious enough to absorb the research desks. But it wouldn't feel like a dedicated academic space anymore. Our primary concern would be losing the ability to store our materials securely. I'm certain there would be ample seating down there, but we really require lockers to keep our books safe overnight.

Librarian: Well, there would still be security staff on patrol and they would monitor the safety of the belongings.

Student: Yes, but I believe the students would be much happier keeping the current arrangement. They truly value having access to the research room with their peers. If we could just modernise the lighting and the chairs, I think it would be perfect. Is the budget going to be an issue?

Librarian: It's not really the funding that concerns me, we've got the budget allocated. It's the challenge of staffing the desk to be present there during late hours. If we're going to invest in ergonomic chairs and lamps, we really need to ensure everything is treated with respect. Anyway, let's jot down some points to see exactly what requires attention to enhance the room.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.

Librarian: Now, what about the shelving? I think it might be a smart move to replace the old wooden ones. We could get modern units that occupy much less floor space, and that would expand the area for walking.

Student: That would be brilliant. It is a bit cluttered in the aisles sometimes.

Librarian: What about other items? Do you have a wish list of things the researchers would like to see updated?

Student: Yes. One of the complaints that students often voice is that they find it hard to locate journals that are relevant to their specific field, especially older archives. So I think we need to catalogue them more effectively.

Librarian: Well, that's straightforward. We can reorganise the indexing system very soon. Actually, I think we should check all of the reference books as some of them are looking a bit worn out.

Student: Absolutely. The science section particularly needs to be refreshed. I think we need to purchase extra copies of the key texts that accompany our new modules.

Librarian: Good idea, we'll order more of those. Now, I was also considering some supplementary materials. What is your opinion on providing some tablets? If we load them with specific databases and secure them to the desks, they'd be a fantastic asset.

Student: That sounds excellent. We'd definitely use those.

Librarian: OK, now lastly we need to consider how the booking system works. I'll have to speak to the IT team to manage reservations during peak times. But we also need to consider noise control too, especially if we're going to allow group work in the evenings.

Student: Um, what about installing soundproofing material on the walls?

Librarian: Good suggestion, I'll look into the costs for that. The other measure I'd like to implement is to consult our network team and see whether we could restrict the bandwidth for streaming. I really don't want to see the Wi-Fi overloaded.

Student: What about if we agree to only download large files in the morning?

Librarian: Yes, limiting the data usage is definitely the way to go. OK, anyway, that's useful for now. We'll explore it further when we've been able to...

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

Part 4

You will hear part of a lecture about management structures.

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

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Good afternoon, everyone. Now, whether you plan to launch your own startup or join a multinational corporation, many of you will ultimately find yourselves navigating a complex hierarchy of some sort.

Now, when you first enter a new workplace, you will notice that the firm you've joined operates under specific principles. And we often describe these operational principles as the structure of the organisation. This encompasses its formal rules, hierarchy, decision-making processes, and elements like that. One prominent theorist has categorized business structures by defining four distinct models.

The first model is known as the simple structure, and it's typically observed in new businesses. It's the kind of structure that relies on a direct line of authority to be functional, and since supervision is the responsibility of just the owner or founder, there aren't many departments or layers. Another feature is that strategy usually takes the form of intuition rather than, say, detailed planning or market research. Now, one of the advantages of this structure is that the company has the capacity to be agile, so it adapts easily to changes or crises on the one hand and new trends on the other. But on the downside, this kind of business doesn't always scale efficiently because it relies too heavily on the stamina of the person at the helm. And when this person becomes overwhelmed, there's no one else who can share the burden. And the sort of employee who thrives in this kind of management environment is one who is comfortable with ambiguity and for whom a clear career path is less important.

The second model is referred to as functional structure. That's functional as in function, by the way. And this model is commonly seen in established firms, which have numerous specialized units in them. These companies typically have distinct teams that focus on areas like marketing or HR or logistics or whatever. Each unit is overseen at the executive level by a director, and generally, every role is defined by strict protocols and standards. For instance, there are precise targets, codes of conduct, and so forth. What are the advantages of this sort of structure? Well, primarily, because it's used in mature companies, its operational efficiency, or productivity as it's called, is high in comparison to its waste or what it loses. In other words, it can maximize resources. And secondly, it is especially effective in stable industries where consistent quality is crucial. On the contrary, this structure is frequently very resistant to innovation and even more reluctant to take risks. What type of staff does this sort of structure attract? Well, it attracts workers who appreciate order and who don't necessarily seek to challenge the status quo.

Proceeding now to divisional structures. This variety is present in corporations that are diversified. You normally encounter it where the range of the company's goods is extremely broad or where the markets themselves have distinct geographical locations. Typically, the head office assigns the budgets, the goals, and other assets. And once these have been distributed, minimal interference is exerted from headquarters, because this would undermine the autonomy of the division. Now, one of the significant strengths of this structure is that it's responsive. But it does possess some significant drawbacks as well. For example, it can create duplication of roles or internal competition for funds. Individuals who enjoy working with a degree of independence prefer this kind of structure.

And lastly, the fourth category is known as the matrix structure.

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