Audioscripts IELTS Practice 14 Listening Test 01

Part 1

You will hear a man reporting a lost item to an employee at a train station lost property office.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 3.

[Pause]

Now Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 3.

Employee: Good afternoon, Lost Property Office. How can I help?

Simon: Oh, hello. I'm calling to report a bag I think I left on the train this morning.

Employee: Okay. I'll need to take some details from you first. Could I have your name, please?

Simon: Yes, it's Simon Anderson.

Employee: Thank you, Mr Anderson. And are you a UK resident?

Simon: Yes, I am. I live in London, but I was visiting my sister in Scotland.

Employee: Could I take your date of birth, please? Just for our records.

Simon: Sure. It's the 24th of March, 1985.

Employee: Okay. And you said you were travelling from Scotland?

Simon: Yes, I caught the early train from Edinburgh.

Employee: Is that E-D-I-N-B-U-R-G-H?

Simon: That's right. I'm an architect, you see, and I was up there looking at a renovation project. Beautiful city, but the journey back was exhausting.

Employee: Right. And where did you arrive?

Simon: Into King's Cross.

Employee: Okay. So, may I ask for your current address?

Simon: Well, at the moment I'm staying with a friend while my flat is being decorated. That's at 14 High Street, in Camden.

Employee: Is that 40? Four-Zero?

Simon: No, one-four. Fourteen.

Employee: Okay. And the postcode there?

Simon: It's NW1 7RJ.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 4 to 10.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 4 to 10.

Employee: Now, I need to get a description of the lost item. You said it was a bag?

Simon: That's right.

Employee: And where exactly do you think you left it?

Simon: Well, I'm pretty sure I left it in the overhead luggage rack. I had my laptop bag with me on the seat, and I just completely forgot to grab the other one when I got off.

Employee: And can you describe the bag for me?

Simon: Yes, it's a medium-sized sports bag. It's made of nylon, not leather. It's quite distinctive because it has a red stripe on the side.

Employee: Okay. And what was inside it?

Simon: Mostly clothes. There was a pair of jeans, a couple of shirts... oh, and a jacket. A rain jacket, actually.

Employee: Is that black?

Simon: No, it's dark blue.

Employee: Anything valuable?

Simon: Well, thankfully I had my wallet and phone on me. But there was a watch in the side pocket. It's not an expensive one, just a sentimental thing. It was a gift from my grandfather.

Employee: Right. And roughly what is the value of the contents?

Simon: I'd say about £150 in total. Maybe a bit more if you count the watch, but let's say 150 to be safe.

Employee: Okay. Now, when did you arrive at King's Cross?

Simon: The train got in at 11:30. I remember checking the time because I was running late for a meeting.

Employee: And which platform was it?

Simon: I think it was platform 5. Yes, definitely platform 5.

Employee: Right. And do you remember whereabouts in the train you were sitting?

Simon: I was in carriage C. Near the front.

Employee: Okay. Now, just in case we find it, is there any ID inside the bag?

Simon: No, I don't think so. But there is a book in the main compartment. It's a hardback novel. The title is 'The Silent Sea'.

Employee: Okay, that helps. And finally, if we do locate it, how would you like us to contact you?

Simon: By mobile is best. My number is 07700 900 456.

Employee: Great. I'll put that into the system. Here is your reference number. It's 9 digits. 4-2-1-6-8-5-3-9-0.

Simon: Thanks. So, how long does it usually take to...

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

Part 2

You will hear a university librarian giving a talk to new students about the library facilities.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

Simon: Good morning, everyone. My name is Simon Clark and I'm the Head Librarian. We're very happy to welcome you to the university library. I hope that your time studying here will be productive and successful.

I'd like to start with some general advice about using the library. Most of you have probably used a school or public library before, but a university library can be quite different. There are thousands of resources available, and the sheer volume can be overwhelming at first. Don't worry too much about trying to locate everything immediately by yourself. The most important thing is to simply ask for help if you're not sure where to look. You'll find the library staff at the enquiry desk are very knowledgeable and won't mind showing you how to use the catalogue. You're here to research, so take advantage of our expertise.

You'll be attending inductions in different subject areas during your first week, so make an effort to explore the various floors and zones. You'll discover some quiet study corners and find out lots of useful tips.

As well as having subject librarians, you'll each be assigned a personal tutor from your department. This person will be someone who knows your course well, and you'll meet with them on a regular basis. Their role is to provide academic guidance throughout your degree. Of course, this doesn't mean they'll actually write your essays for you. Instead, they'll be discussing your academic progress with you, as well as helping you to identify any skills you need to develop. You can also discuss your future career plans with them as well.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.

(pause)

Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

Simon: Now, I just want to run through a few library rules and policies with you.

Most importantly, the computers. As part of your studies, you'll be accessing journals and databases online, so obviously you'll have full access for that. But please don't use the library computers for social media. You can use your own personal devices for that in the designated zones.

Some of you have already asked me about borrowing laptops. After you have registered your student card, you will be eligible for this. But it will ultimately depend on current availability and what your course requirements are, so please don't assume you'll automatically be able to borrow one whenever you want.

I want to make sure there's no confusion about our loan policy. Apart from short-term loans, we ask that you return all books before the end of term. Renewals should only be requested if you still need the book for an assignment. Please speak to the help desk if this is going to be a problem.

The library is open 24 hours a day during exam periods, but there may be strict restrictions on access during regular cleaning times. Although you're not required to study here late at night, it can be a useful option.

As you know, we don't have a strict dress code here. You may wear comfortable clothes as long as they are appropriate. The only restriction we have is on noisy shoes in the silent study areas, to avoid disturbing others. Soft-soled footwear like sneakers is preferable.

There's a cafe on the ground floor where you can get coffee and sandwiches. Water fountains are also provided on every floor. However, we've decided to introduce a strict policy regarding hot food in the reading rooms. It is completely prohibited. This is partly to prevent damage to the books and partly to stop strong smells from distracting other students.

OK, moving on to...

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

Part 3

You will hear two environmental science students, called Sarah and Mike, discussing their upcoming presentation on urban heat islands.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.

Tutor: Right, so I want you to spend the next few minutes discussing your group project. You've done the initial research, so now focus on how you're going to structure the talk and what remaining tasks you have.

Sarah: Okay, Mike. I'm really glad we decided to focus on 'Urban Heat Islands'. It’s such a current issue, and there's loads of data available.

Mike: Yeah, and it’s affecting so many people. I read that by 2050, nearly 70% of the world's population will be living in cities.

Sarah: True, although the heat island effect isn't just limited to the huge metropolises. It actually happens in smaller towns too.

Mike: Yeah, you're right. I hadn't realised just how big the temperature difference could be. In some cases, the city centre can be up to 10 degrees hotter than the surrounding countryside at night. But apparently, it's not just about comfort.

Sarah: How do you mean?

Mike: Well, as the city gets hotter, people use more air conditioning to cool down buildings. And that heat from the AC units is pumped out into the street, making the outside air even hotter. It’s a vicious cycle.

Sarah: So it actually drives up energy consumption?

Mike: Exactly. Did you see the case study about Phoenix, Arizona?

Sarah: No.

Mike: Well, back in the 1980s, they expanded the city rapidly. They paved over huge areas of natural desert with asphalt roads and concrete car parks.

Sarah: Yeah, standard urban sprawl.

Mike: But the critical error was that they completely ignored the thermal mass of those surfaces. Concrete and asphalt absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night. So the city never cools down. They designed it for cars, not for the climate.

Sarah: So what are the local authorities doing now?

Mike: I'm not sure about the specifics. I know they are trying to plant more trees to provide shade.

Sarah: But that takes years to have an effect, doesn't it?

Mike: Yeah. Really, the priority right now should be implementing reflective materials for roofs and pavements to reflect the sunlight back into space. But in the long run, they need to overhaul their entire zoning laws.

Sarah: Right. But really, individual cities can’t solve global warming on their own, can they? I mean, they need national policies to support them, rather than just local initiatives.

Mike: Absolutely. The problem is, everyone agrees that cooling the cities is necessary, and scientists have proven that green infrastructure works. So the government should be subsidising these changes. But the main stumbling block is always the debate over who foots the bill.

Sarah: Yeah, if they ever agree.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

(pause)

Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

Mike: So, I think we have enough material for the main body of the talk. It’s only a 12-minute slot.

Sarah: Okay, so I guess we start with the definition of an Urban Heat Island. But we shouldn't spend too long on the physics of it. The rest of the class will know the basics. It’s mostly about heat absorption and lack of airflow.

Mike: Yes. We should mention the contributing factors, things like tall buildings blocking the wind and the lack of vegetation. We could use some visual aids here. Maybe show some thermal images of different cities to illustrate the hot spots on the projector.

Sarah: That's a great idea, it’s much more engaging. Then it would be good to analyse a specific failure in a bit more detail. Did you read the report on the Chicago heatwave in 1995?

Mike: Yes, we could definitely use that as our core historical example for the 'impact' section. I don't think many students will have looked at it in depth, but they might know the headlines.

Sarah: Okay. So that covers the background and the problem. Then we move on to the mitigation strategies. What else do we need to cover? Maybe something on future projections, like what happens if we don't act?

Mike: Yeah. We'll need to do a bit more digging for that. I haven't got any specific graphs. Have you?

Sarah: No. We could check the university library, but really we need the latest data. So I suggest we look at the meteorological office reports online. Shouldn't take long to find what we need.

Mike: Good plan.

Sarah: And I think we should conclude by discussing the positive economic impact of cooling urban areas. You know, lower healthcare costs, productivity...

Mike: Maybe we could ask the class for their personal experiences? Since many of them come from tropical countries.

Sarah: That would be brilliant, it gets the audience directly involved to finish off. So now, shall we look at the slides?

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 on a renewable energy source known as geothermal energy.

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

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Lecturer: Generating sufficient electricity to power our modern lives is becoming an increasingly complex challenge. As the global population grows, the demand for power is skyrocketing. Relying on traditional fossil fuels like coal is no longer a viable long-term strategy, both due to the finite nature of these resources and the catastrophic environmental damage caused by carbon emissions. For decades, researchers have been investigating how to extract energy from renewable sources.

Today, I will focus on geothermal energy, which harnesses the heat stored beneath the Earth's surface. Geothermal power plants can be broadly classified into three main types: Dry Steam plants, Flash Steam plants, and Binary Cycle plants.

First, let's look at Dry Steam plants. This is the oldest and simplest form of geothermal technology. It was first used in Italy back in 1904. These plants require a resource where the steam is already present underground. The steam is piped directly to the surface, where it spins a turbine. While very efficient, it has a major limitation. It relies on rare atmospheric conditions that occur in very few places on Earth. Furthermore, the pressure of these underground steam pockets can be highly erratic, diminishing over time, which makes output inconsistent. Another drawback is that the steam often contains harmful elements, so any toxic gases must be carefully filtered out to prevent air pollution.

The second category is the Flash Steam plant, which is becoming increasingly common. However, I want to focus more on the third category: the Binary Cycle power plant.

One major advantage of Binary Cycle technology is that it allows us to utilise underground water reservoirs that are significantly cooler than those required for traditional steam plants. For a Binary plant to operate, the water temperature only needs to be around 100 degrees Celsius.

The process works by creating a closed-loop system. Hot water is pumped up from deep underground. Unlike the other methods, this water never actually touches the turbine. Instead, it flows directly into a large heat exchanger.

Here, the heat from the water is transferred to a second liquid, known as a 'working fluid'. This fluid has a much lower boiling point than water. Because it boils at a low temperature, the heat from the geothermal water causes it to flash into vapour instantly. This expanding vapour then rushes through a pipe, driving the turbine to produce electricity. Then, the vapour passes through a condenser where it is cooled back down into a liquid so it can be used again.

This system has significant benefits. Unlike solar or wind energy, which are intermittent depending on the weather, geothermal energy provides reliable, continuous power 24 hours a day. The Binary system is also highly environmentally friendly; because it is a closed loop, absolutely no harmful gases are released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, compared to huge solar farms, these power plants require very little physical space, meaning there is much less disruption to the local landscape.

On the other hand, there are valid concerns. Once operational, they are cheap to run, but the initial costs associated with exploration and deep drilling are extremely high. There are also genuine fears regarding the stability of the ground. Drilling deep into the crust and altering water pressure can trigger what is known as induced seismicity, which basically means small earthquakes. This could potentially damage local infrastructure.

There are other theoretical forms of geothermal energy, such as 'Hot Dry Rock' systems, which involve fracturing solid rock underground to create artificial reservoirs. But currently, the focus remains on optimising the fluid-based systems I have described.

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