Audioscripts IELTS Practice 13 Listening Test 04

Part 1

You will hear a phone conversation between Tom, an employee at a logistics company called FastStream, and Sarah, who wants to apply for a graduate scheme at the company.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 7.

[Pause]

Now Listen carefully and answer questions one to seven.

Sarah: Hi, is that Tom? It’s Sarah Jenkins here.

Tom: Oh, hi Sarah. How are things?

Sarah: Good thanks. I’m calling because I wanted to pick your brains about the graduate scheme at FastStream. I’m thinking of applying.

Tom: Oh, really? That’s great. I did mine back in 2018. It seems like ages ago now. Best decision I made.

Sarah: What department are you in now?

Tom: Well, currently I’m based in Accounts, but I actually started out in Sales. I did six months there and then requested a transfer.

Sarah: Oh, I didn't know you could do that. I’m actually hoping to get into HR.

Tom: That’s a good choice. I was worried I wouldn't get in at all because I didn't have a background in business. I actually failed Economics at A-level. I thought that would disqualify me. But they were more interested in my personality.

Sarah: Did you get a qualification at the end of it? I saw they offer a diploma in Management.

Tom: Yes, lots of people did that one. I actually chose the certificate in Communication. I found it really helpful for public speaking.

Sarah: That sounds useful. What about the other graduates? Was it a big group?

Tom: There were about 15 of us in my intake. We were all quite young. I was 22, but the vast majority were 21. There was only one guy who was older, I think he was 25.

Sarah: It sounds like a fun environment.

Tom: It is. It’s very social.

Sarah: What about the benefits? I know the starting salary isn't huge.

Tom: No, it’s not the best in the industry, but they make up for it in other ways. You get the standard holidays, of course, but the real bonus is the travel allowance. They pay for your train pass, which saves me a fortune.

Sarah: That is good. But really, I’m doing it for the skills. I want to build up my CV.

Tom: Definitely. The thing I gained the most was organisation. I used to be so messy with my time, but now I’m super efficient.

Sarah: Do you have to go to a training centre?

Tom: Yes, once a fortnight. You have a mentor who guides you through it.

Sarah: And is the office easy to get to?

Tom: Yes, it’s right next to the park, so it’s lovely in the summer for lunch breaks.

Before you hear the rest of the phone conversation, you have some time to look at questions 8 to 10.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 8 to 10.

Tom: Have you got your interview scheduled yet?

Sarah: Yes, I’ve got a slot on the 14th of next month. I’m getting a bit nervous.

Tom: Don't worry, they are quite relaxed. Just make sure you prepare some examples of teamwork. That's what they really focus on.

Sarah: I was wondering about the dress code. Should I go formal?

Tom: Definitely. Don't wear casual stuff. I’d recommend a suit. It shows you are serious about the role. Even if the interviewers are dressed down, you should make an effort.

Sarah: Okay, good tip. Anything else?

Tom: Um, let me think. Oh, one thing my boss told me is that they look for eye contact. If you look at the floor when you speak, they think you aren't confident.

Sarah: So make sure I maintain good contact?

Tom: Exactly. Look at them when you answer.

Sarah: I’ll try to remember that.

Tom: You’ll be fine. Let me know how it goes.

Sarah: Thanks, Tom. I really appreciate it.

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

Part 2

You will hear a camp leader called Mike giving a welcome talk to a group of participants at an outdoor adventure centre in Canada.

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

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

Mike: Hi everyone, welcome to the Rocky Mountain Adventure Camp. My name's Mike. I hope you enjoyed the drive up from the city. We've certainly got plenty of sunshine today. Well, you've come to Canada's premier outdoor centre and we've a whole load of activities for you during your week here.

Most visitors come here for the hiking, where you're on fairly gentle terrain for most of the time rather than climbing steep cliffs. There are marked paths, but you can also leave these and go off on your own, and that's an experience not to be missed. You can go at your own pace. It's great cardiovascular exercise if you really push yourself. Or, if you prefer, you can just stroll gently along and enjoy the beautiful forest.

This afternoon you'll be going on a canoe trip. You may have seen our boats on TV recently racing in the Summer River Festival. If you want, you can have your own canoe for the afternoon and learn how to paddle it, following behind our guide on the water. Or if you'd prefer, you can just sit back in the middle and enjoy the ride as a passenger.

At the weekend we have the orienteering challenge and you're all welcome to join in. We have a local youth group coming along and a lot of the parents are taking part too. Taking part rather than winning is the main focus, and there's a certificate for everyone who completes the course. Participants are in teams of three to five, and each team is required to locate six checkpoints in the woods.

For your final expedition, you'll head off to Mirror Lake. You'll need to be wearing a pair of special waterproof boots which allow you to walk through the wetlands. This is an area where loggers once transported timber, though there are very few traces of their work left now.

It's a long trek, though not too difficult, and walkers generally take a couple of days to get to the lake and return. You'll spend the night in our cabin by the water. That's included in your package for this day. It's got sleeping bunks, a stove and water for washing. We can take your heavy bags up on our quad bike for you for just $15 a person. The cabin has a small kitchen, so you can cook a hot meal in the evening and morning, but you need to bring your own ingredients.

The weather at Mirror Lake can be very changeable. In that case, stay in the cabin. Generally, the rain doesn't last long. Don't stress about getting back here to the centre in time to catch the shuttle bus. We do have a satellite phone in the cabin, but only use that if it's a real emergency.

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.

Mike: Now, let me tell you something about the different walking trails you can follow during your stay here.

Valley Trail is directly accessible from where we are now. This trail's been designed to give beginners an experience they'll enjoy regardless of their fitness or ability, but it's also ideal for experienced hikers to warm up their muscles before tackling the harder routes.

Then there's Bear Trail. If you're nervous about heights, leave this one to the climbers. You follow a narrow ridge looking right down on the canyon below. Terrifying! But if you've fully mastered the techniques needed for scrambling, it's great fun.

River Trail is a good choice if you want something relaxing. The map reading is very straightforward, so you won't get lost. The best thing about it is that there's a designated picnic spot halfway where you can sit and take a break and enjoy the sound of the water.

And finally, Eagle's Trail. This starts off following a gentle stream but the last part is quite steep so the ground conditions can be slippery. If it's raining or misty, check with us before you set out to make sure the trail's safe that day.

Right, so now if you'd like to follow me we'll get started.

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

Part 3

You will hear two marketing students, called Sam and Emma, discussing an assignment on ethical consumerism.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

Sam: I've still got loads to do for our report on ethical consumerism.

Emma: Me too. What did you learn from doing the project about your own shopping habits?

Sam: Well, I've always had to check labels for country of origin in everything I buy because I try to support local farmers. But beyond that, I've never really been concerned enough to check how sustainable a product is. This project has actually taught me to read the packaging much more carefully. I tended to believe claims on packaging like 'eco-friendly', but I now realise that the 'green' cleaning spray I've bought for years is full of harsh chemicals.

Emma: Yes.

Sam: And that it's actually quite harmful to aquatic life. That was a shock. I suppose that's the hidden environmental impact I wasn't aware of.

Emma: Fast fashion is the worst though. Comparing the labels on high street t-shirts was a real eye-opener. Did you have any idea how much water they consume to produce? I was amazed.

Sam: Yes.

Emma: Because unless you read the fine print really carefully, you wouldn't know that the cotton used is non-organic. Most people assume it's natural. Not exactly transparent, is it?

Sam: Not at all. But I expect it won't stop you from buying clothes.

Emma: Probably not, no. I thought comparing the different certification logos used by clothing brands was interesting. I think the kind of logo used makes a big difference. Which one did you prefer?

Sam: I liked the Fair Trade mark best, the one which guarantees that the workers were paid a living wage. I'm not sure it's the most comprehensive for environmental issues, but at least you get the human story. I like to know the social impact of a product, not just its carbon footprint. But it's good retailers have been making an effort to provide reliable information for customers.

Emma: Yes, there just needs to be more consistency between certification schemes used by different shops in terms of audit standards. The labels on the different brands of 'recycled' polyester jackets were quite revealing too, weren't they?

Sam: Yeah. I don't understand how they can get away with calling them recycled when they only contain 10% recycled plastic.

Emma: I know. I'd at least have expected them to contain a majority percentage of waste material. It feels highly misleading to customers.

Sam: Absolutely. Overall, I think having ethical labelling has been a good idea, don't you? Some researchers think it will change people's behaviour and stop teenagers in particular buying the wrong things.

Emma: But didn't that recent study kind of prove the opposite? People didn't necessarily stop buying unethical products if they were cheap.

Sam: They only said that might be the case. Those findings weren't that conclusive and it was quite a small-scale study. I think more research has to be done before we can say for sure.

Emma: Yes, I think you're probably right.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.

(pause)

Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

Emma: What do you think of the new carbon footprint score?

Sam: I think brands like the idea of having a numerical score, low, medium or high, for levels of CO2 emissions in a product. But it's not been adopted universally, and not on all products. Why do you suppose that is?

Emma: Pressure from the oil companies. Hardly surprising that some of them are opposed to flagging up how polluting their supply chains are.

Sam: I'd have thought it would have been compulsory. It seems ridiculous it isn't.

Emma: I know. And what I couldn't get over is the fact that it was brought in without enough consultation. A lot of environmentalists had deep reservations about it.

Sam: That is a bit weird. I suppose there's an argument for doing the research now when consumers are familiar with this system.

Emma: Yeah, maybe. The participants in the survey were quite positive about the carbon score.

Sam: Hmm, but I don't think they targeted the right people. They should have focused on people with high disposable income because these labels are designed to influence their purchasing power.

Emma: Yeah, but it's good to get feedback from all socio-economic groups. And there wasn't much variation in their responses?

Sam: No. But if they hadn't interviewed participants online, they could have used a much bigger sample size. I wonder why they chose that specific method.

Emma: Dunno. How were they selected? Did they volunteer or were they approached?

Sam: I think they volunteered. The thing that wasn't stated anywhere in the report was how often they actually bought fair-trade goods. All we know is how frequently they shopped online.

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 presentation by a biology student about the history of cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate.

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

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Student: In my presentation, I'm going to talk about cocoa and its significance both in economic and historical terms. We think it was first consumed in Central America, but there's hardly any written evidence of it before the Mayan civilization. However, there is evidence that cocoa was originally gathered from trees growing wild in the Amazon basin, in South America.

In the early 16th century, it was being encountered by Spanish explorers, and gradually its use as a drink spread throughout Europe. It's also known that in 1544, in the Spanish court, which was the centre of power at the time, the royal family approved its use as a gift. By the mid-1500s, cocoa trees were being cultivated in Mexico, and for the next hundred years, this region produced most of the cocoa consumed in Spain and its colonies.

What's particularly interesting about cocoa is its effect on social hierarchy. It was rarely drunk by commoners, but instead, the elite used it in rituals to demonstrate their status. These people, usually warriors and priests, would meet to drink spicy cocoa and chat about politics. But at the time, this chance to share wealth and power was seen as something that was potentially threatening, and in some regions, the local rulers demanded the control of all the cocoa beans in the territory.

In the 17th century, chocolate drinking spread to France and England, and here too chocolate houses became places where the aristocracy, nearly always wealthy men, could meet to gamble and socialize. Because of this, some people said that these places performed a similar function to private clubs. The opportunity they provided for people to network outside the royal court and to discuss business had an enormous impact on economic life, and many trade deals and political alliances had their origins in chocolate house discussions.

In the late 1600s, the Spanish monopoly on cocoa production broke down, and cocoa production started to spread around the world, helped by European expansion. Europeans set up cocoa plantations in Africa and Asia, and production of cocoa in the colonies skyrocketed. Different types of cocoa were produced in different areas, and it's interesting that the names given to these different varieties, like Criollo or Forastero, were often taken from the quality of the bean rather than the location.

But if you look at the labour system in the different colonies, there were some significant differences. In Brazil and the Caribbean, cocoa was grown in huge estates, and the workers there were almost all enslaved people. But this wasn't the same in all colonies. For example, in West Africa, local farmers grew cocoa as a means of income. But whatever system was used, under the European powers of the 18th century, cocoa production was very closely linked to exploitation. Cocoa was grown in ever-increasing quantities to satisfy the growing demand from Europe, and it became nearly as important as tobacco production.

However, chocolate prices were not yet low enough for people to eat it regularly as a solid bar. In Switzerland, however, a new process was introduced. This was milk chocolate, and by the late 1800s it was being widely eaten. However, when the industrial revolution took hold in the 19th century, mass production techniques made it cheaper, and solid chocolate became the preferred treat in Europe.

So, by the early 20th century, cocoa was already being widely produced and consumed. But during this century, production boomed, and chocolate prices started to fall. This was partly because new types of machinery had been developed, which were faster and more efficient. So now, working people could afford to buy chocolate bars. It wasn't just a treat for the rich.

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