Audioscripts IELTS Practice 12 Listening Test 01

Part 1

You will hear a man inquiring in a tourist centre about activities suitable for families.

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

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.

Assistant: Hi, welcome to the tourist centre. Can I help you?

Tourist: Yes, please. I'd like to find out if you have any excursions suitable for families. My daughter is 14 and my son is 8.

Assistant: Sure. How about taking your family for a tour on our vintage tram? It's been fully restored from the 1920s and takes passengers along the coast.

Tourist: That sounds interesting. I assume the trip takes about an hour?

Assistant: It used to, but with the new engine, the trip is now exactly forty-five minutes.

Tourist: Perfect. Are there good views?

Assistant: Oh, yes. Don't forget to take your camera. People usually expect to see sandy beaches, but the route actually goes high up, so you get amazing views of the cliffs. They look fantastic from up there.

Tourist: Excellent. And what happens at the end of the line?

Assistant: There are various things you can do. One very popular option is a visit to the monkey park.

Tourist: My son would love that. Can the children touch the animals?

Assistant: No, for safety reasons you can't hold them, but the keeper will take you to the main enclosure to watch the monkeys being fed. Children really enjoy seeing that.

Tourist: Sounds fun. Is there anything else in the park?

Assistant: Well, there's also a 30-minute ride around the estate.

Tourist: Is that on a miniature train?

Assistant: No, it's actually on a tractor. It is very safe and suitable for all ages.

Tourist: Good. What about lunch? Is food included in the tram ticket?

Assistant: You can get a lovely lunch at the park, but no, it is not included in the ticket. You just pay separately at the cafe when you order.

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.

Tourist: Okay. So, is there anything else to do in that area?

Assistant: Well, what you can do is rent a boat near the tram stop and go on a rowing trip. There's a lovely river there.

Tourist: Is that the Black River? I read about that online.

Assistant: No, you're thinking of the one in the north. This one is called the Blue River. You could easily spend three or four hours exploring it, and it's very calm, so it would be completely fine for your eight-year-old.

Tourist: My daughter loves rowing and so do I, so maybe we could all go. Is there somewhere we could rent the equipment?

Assistant: Yes, there's a place right next to the bridge. It's called Hawkins.

Tourist: I'll just make a note of that. How do you spell it?

Assistant: It's H-A-W-K-I-N-S.

Tourist: Got it. What else should we bring?

Assistant: You definitely need to protect your electronics from the water. You might think a plastic box is enough, but I highly recommend buying a waterproof bag for your phones. You can pick one up at the rental shop.

Tourist: Good idea. And I assume we need to rent helmets?

Assistant: Helmets aren't required for rowing, but it is a strict rule that everyone must wear a life jacket. The shop will provide those. Also, remember to take a picnic and some sunblock, as there are no cafes once you set off.

Tourist: Good to know. So what sort of prices are we looking at for everything?

Assistant: Let's see. For two adults and two children, the tram and park entry is $150. Plus the family boat hire... Normally that comes to $300, but since you are booking the complete family package today, the total is $280 altogether.

Tourist: That's great. I'll book that now, please.

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

Part 2

You will hear a hotel manager talking to a small group of new staff who are starting work as housekeepers in a hotel.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16.

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

Mark: Good morning, everyone. My name's Mark Evans and I'm the housekeeping manager. I understand that none of you have had any previous experience as room attendants. Well, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed now, but most of our housekeepers say they actually enjoy the work. OK, it can be physically demanding sometimes, but it keeps you active. And they're pleased that they work in pairs, which means they always have someone to talk to. I'll also tell you straight away that if you show initiative, we might think about giving you a promotion to a supervisory role.

Right, well, you've all arrived promptly, which is a great start. Now, I'm glad to see none of you are wearing jewellery, so that's good. You need to be careful as it can get caught on equipment. Those of you with long hair have tied it back neatly. But some of you will need to change your footwear. Just put on the safety shoes we provide today. And remember to wear them every single day, as the bathroom floors can be incredibly slippery.

Now, I'll tell you a bit more about the routine in a minute, but first, some safety rules. For all of you, regardless of experience, there are some cleaning chemicals you mustn't handle until you've been fully trained. For health and safety reasons, you must not use the bleach, for example. Then I think there are two of you here who are under 18. That's Sarah and Tom, isn't it? Right, so for you two, the industrial press is off-limits, and none of you are allowed to operate the steam cleaner yet.

Now, you may have heard that this can be a tiring job. You'll be working a seven-hour shift for the first month, though you'll have the option to pick up extra hours after that if you want to. What you will find is that you're bending and stretching all day long. Your daily duties obviously include making beds and vacuuming, so if you're not strong now, you soon will be. You'll find you don't have much time to stand around. When a room is vacated, you need to clean it immediately.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20.

(pause)

Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

Mark: Now let me tell you about some of the key staff you need to know. So, as I said, I'm Mark Evans and I assign the rooms each morning. I'll be trying to rotate you around different floors over the next few weeks. This is simply so that you get to know the layout of the whole building.

One person whose name you must remember is Alice Green. If you lose your key card at all, even if you think it's just inside a guest's room, you must report to her immediately. She'll make sure the old card is cancelled and you get a secure replacement.

Then there's Ben Turner. He's the person you need to contact if you spot a maintenance issue in a room, like a broken light or a leaking tap. Don't just ignore it and hope the next guest won't mind. It's really important to get things fixed quickly.

And finally, there's Jenny White. She's the member of staff who manages all the linen stock. So if you notice we're running out of clean towels or sheets on your housekeeping trolley, make sure you tell her so she can arrange a fresh delivery. Okay, now the next thing we need to discuss...

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 David and Laura, who are studying media studies, discussing a report that they are going to write together.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 23.

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 23.

David: OK, Laura. We need to start structuring our report on the decline of newspapers. Have you decided on a focus yet?

Laura: Well, there are so many aspects we could investigate. How journalism has evolved over the decades, for instance, or how different demographics consume news. What do you think, David?

David: Maybe we should concentrate on this region and try and link the changes in readership to technological trends. Like the fact that far more people own smartphones than ten years ago, and that the younger generation prefers video content. We could include something about the loss of advertising revenue too.

Laura: Yes, but remember we're only supposed to write a brief overview, so it's probably best if we don't go into advertising in any depth.

David: Right, let's stick to the technology focus then. Well, shall we brainstorm a few concepts to get going?

Laura: OK. We obviously need to look at the impact of social media, particularly platforms like Twitter. Now that breaking news is shared instantly, people can follow events from their own phones in real time. And if everyone did that, traditional newspapers would be redundant.

David: Yes. But the information that is circulated on social media is often unverified, isn't it? Fact-checking in this industry takes time and resources, so you simply won't find the same level of accuracy or proper scrutiny online.

Laura: That's a valid point. Anyway, I personally find it stressful to scroll through endless feeds on a screen. I'd much rather hold a physical paper. It feels more relaxing to read on paper.

David: Oh, I prefer digital. I suppose it's just a generational shift. I expect the newspapers will go on adapting in the coming years. Some have already become multimedia platforms where podcasts and videos are hosted. I think that'll become the standard model.

Laura: I'd like to hope so. And I hope they'll still be performing their investigative role. But honestly, I'm sceptical. There are enormous economic pressures after all. What I'm afraid will happen is that local reporting and deep analysis will all vanish, and it'll just become clickbait and celebrity gossip. It won't look anything like the serious journalism we value today.

David: Well, time will tell.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 24 to 30.

(pause)

Now listen and answer questions 24 to 30.

David: I've just had a thought. Why don't we do a case study of our local gazette as context for our report?

Laura: Yes, that'd be insightful and highlight all sorts of practical challenges. Let's draft a list of specific topics we could ask them about. For instance, we could interview the editor and find out whether the paper has true editorial independence, or if their decisions are actually controlled by a large media company.

David: That’s a good one. I know they don't publish hate speech, but I'd love to find out how they manage online comments. There always seems to be a lot of arguing in their comment section, but never swearing. I don't know if they use an algorithm or manual checking.

Laura: Then there are things like how the paper is affected by privacy laws. I suppose there are strict regulations about naming sources, protecting minors and keeping people's identities secret.

David: Right. Then there are other issues relating to the layout of the website. What steps does the paper take to ensure accessibility? They'd need fonts that are readable for visually impaired users, for instance.

Laura: Oh, and another thing. I wonder what specific technology the journalists need to use to file their stories remotely when they are out in the field.

David: Yes, that's something else to research. You know something I've often puzzled over about the gazette?

Laura: What's that?

David: Well, I know they've got an archive of old photographs going back decades. But filed with it, they've got the sketchbook of a famous cartoonist from the mid-20th century. I wonder what the reason is for keeping that specific historical item. Do you know what his relationship was with this publication?

Laura: Not a clue. Let's add it to our list of mysteries to solve. I've just realised, you know readers might write to the paper about local events like charity fetes... Well, I wonder if they keep a calendar or how they actually gather information about community events. Do they just rely on press releases?

David: Right. I quite fancy finding out what the distinctions are between a paper that's free...

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 for business students about ideas that are often praised in modern companies.

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

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Lecturer: In management books and training courses, certain principles are repeatedly described as essential. This morning I'd like to examine four of them: speed, openness, specialization, and quality. At first sight, all four seem unquestionably positive. However, in real organisations, each can create unexpected difficulties when applied too eagerly. What sounds sensible in theory may produce waste or confusion in practice.

Let's begin with speed. Most firms say they want quick decisions and rapid delivery. But speed only creates value when the benefit of moving quickly is greater than the cost of errors. I once visited a small online retailer that was proud of dispatching every order within two hours. The warehouse staff achieved this by packing goods before payment checks were completed. They always checked the inventory carefully, but they simply didn't wait to verify the shipping addresses.

For a short time, customers were impressed. Then difficulties appeared. Parcels were sent to non-existent streets. The primary issue wasn't that they were shipping damaged goods, but rather that the company suffered from massive fraud before anyone noticed. The customer support team spent days fixing problems created in minutes. Instead of just hiring more staff, the company slowed the process slightly and introduced a simple review. Surprisingly, total costs fell and customer satisfaction improved.

The second principle is openness. Managers often say that information should be shared widely. This sounds inclusive, but too much openness can make meetings inefficient. A hotel chain once introduced a policy requiring weekly planning meetings to be open to staff from all departments. In practice, simple decisions became unnecessarily complicated. Because so many people were present, participants didn't actually discuss the budget. Instead, they wasted time explaining the historical background to people who didn't understand the context.

Furthermore, some employees stayed quiet during these meetings. It wasn't because they were uninterested, but because they did not want to appear uninformed in front of colleagues from other departments. So openness is useful, but only when it serves a specific purpose.

Now let us turn to specialization. Modern businesses rely heavily on experts. The danger comes when specialization becomes so narrow that people lose sight of the wider purpose. A manufacturer of kitchen appliances once divided its product development into highly specific units. One team worked only on handles, another dealt solely with packaging, and another focused entirely on the heating. Nobody worked on the overall coordination.

When the company launched a new toaster, customers complained. It looked fine sitting on kitchen counters, but it was much too large to fit inside ordinary cupboards. No single team had actually failed—the handle was strong and the heating was efficient. What failed was the connection between the parts. The company didn't bring in external consultants; they eventually appointed internal project leaders whose role was to judge the product as a whole. Specialization works best when someone can bring the pieces together.

Finally, there is quality. Few companies would argue against quality. Yet the pursuit of the highest possible standard in every detail can be surprisingly unhelpful. Consider a software company creating an internal booking system. The project team decided that before launch, the system should undergo extensive testing. They weren't looking for computer viruses, but rather testing the system under extremely rare conditions that were unlikely ever to occur in the real world.

Months passed. By the time the new version was finally ready, the original budget was still intact, but the actual business needs had shifted, and several features were no longer important. A simpler product released much earlier would have solved the problem at a far lower cost. Quality must be matched to purpose; something available now may create more value than something excellent that arrives too late.

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