Audioscripts IELTS Practice 14 Listening Test 03

Part 1

You will hear a man telephoning a local sports club to enquire about membership and facilities.

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

[Pause]

Now Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.

Sharon: Good morning, Westside Sports Centre.

Caller: Hello. I'm calling to ask about joining the club. Have I got the right department?

Sharon: You have. I'm the Membership Secretary. My name is Sharon. How can I help you?

Caller: Well, I've just moved to the area. I'm calling from Melville.

Sharon: Oh, really? That's just a few miles away. Is that M-E-L-V-I-L-L-E?

Caller: Yes, that's right. It's a nice village.

Sharon: Lovely. And what sort of membership are you looking for?

Caller: I'm looking for a club where I can play tennis and maybe do some swimming. I'm hoping to sign up myself and my husband.

Sharon: When were you thinking of starting?

Caller: Pretty soon, actually. Maybe the beginning of next month.

Sharon: Ah, let me see. Our induction sessions are fully booked for the first week of October. We could fit you in the second week. How about the 15th?

Caller: I think we are away that weekend.

Sharon: Well, let's aim for the following week then. So, that's the week beginning the 22nd.

Caller: That should be fine. Now, can you tell me a bit about what facilities you have?

Sharon: Sure. So, for tennis, we have both indoor and outdoor courts. The main indoor arena is called the Courtney Hall.

Caller: Sorry? Courtney? Is that C-O-U-R-T-N-E-Y?

Sharon: That's it. It has four courts and excellent lighting.

Caller: How about equipment hire?

Sharon: Yes, we have rackets and balls available for rent. And there is a machine that you can use for practice if you don't have a partner.

Caller: Fine. And we'll also need some sort of social area where we can relax after a game.

Sharon: Mm-hmm, that's fine. There's a members' lounge with a big screen TV.

Caller: Great. And I presume there's a cafe?

Sharon: Oh, yes. That serves healthy snacks and drinks. Okay. Would you also be interested in our gym classes? We offer a range of sessions including yoga and pilates.

Caller: Is there an extra cost for those?

Sharon: Well, I can send you the price list. It's normally £5 per class. Or you can buy a monthly pass for £40.

Caller: I think pay-as-you-go is better for now, but yes, send me the details.

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.

Caller: Now, we're also going to need a locker to keep our things in while we exercise. I'm not sure if they are included. So, what do you charge for a locker?

Sharon: Well, for full members, we have a discount. So we can offer you a permanent locker for £15 a year. Normally it is £25.

Caller: That seems reasonable. And does that include a key? Or do we need to bring a padlock?

Sharon: No, the key is provided. And of course, members can also make use of the sauna and steam room. So we've got a wellness suite where you can relax. And there's a crèche for children if you have any.

Caller: Oh, we don't need that, but good to know. Now, what about parking? The club is on the edge of town, isn't it?

Sharon: Yes. It's about 3 miles from the centre, but there's a large car park for members. If you're using public transport, it's only about 5 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop.

Caller: OK. Now, I don't know the area very well. Can you just give me an idea of the location of the club?

Sharon: Ah, well, it's on Station Road. That's quite a busy road. And of course, if you want to go for a run outside, there's a huge park right next door.

Caller: That sounds nice.

Sharon: And then, if you want to do some shopping afterwards, you can go to the town square. There's a really good market there on Saturdays.

Caller: Okay. So if we go ahead with this, can you give me some information about the membership fees?

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

Part 2

You will hear a manager from a charity organisation giving a talk to new volunteers about their roles.

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

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

David: Good morning everyone. My name is David Reynolds, and I am the Volunteer Coordinator for 'Community Connect', an organisation dedicated to supporting vulnerable people in our local area. I am delighted to see so many of you interested in joining our team.

Let me start by clarifying what we mean by volunteering with us. Our volunteers are individuals from all walks of life who choose to dedicate their free time to assist others without receiving any financial reward. Most volunteers commit to just a couple of hours a week, although some choose to do more. The people we support range from the elderly to those with mobility issues.

Volunteers can get involved in a wide variety of activities, depending on their skills and preferences. If they are matched with a family that is finding things tough, for example, they might offer practical advice on gardening or help them organise their household bills. They might even assist with minor repairs like fixing a shelf, perhaps teaching the family members how to do it themselves, or even help with homework so the children don't fall behind at school.

The benefits of volunteering are not just for the people receiving help. Volunteers also gain a huge amount from the experience. They are developing their communication skills and learning how to handle challenging situations. And volunteering can be a fantastic addition to their CV when they are looking for work. Employers often value the empathy and dedication shown by volunteers. Most importantly, our volunteers report that the work gives them a sense of community. And in my view, that connection is vital in today's fragmented society.

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.

David: Now I'd like to share some stories from our current volunteers to give you a flavour of the different ways they make a difference.

Sarah supports an elderly gentleman who lives alone and has started to lose his sight. Once a week, she visits him and reads the local newspaper to him. It keeps him connected to what is happening in the town, and for an hour or so, he doesn't feel so isolated from the world.

Our volunteer Raj is a retired mechanic. He helps a young man who uses a wheelchair and wants to be more independent. Raj taught him how to maintain his chair and perform basic repairs. By sharing his technical knowledge, Raj has given the young man the confidence to travel further afield on his own.

Elena visits a woman who suffers from severe anxiety and finds it hard to leave the house. But together they have started going to a local art class, or just for a coffee in a quiet cafe that the woman used to love but hadn't visited for years.

Mike visits a family with three young children once a week. When the father found out that Mike used to be a chef, he was intrigued. Mike showed him some simple, healthy recipes, and the father decided to try cooking them. And now he really enjoys preparing meals for the kids. They might not be restaurant quality yet, but he takes great pride in providing for his family.

Linda is a volunteer with a teenager who has had some trouble with the law. By listening without judgement and discussing the consequences of his actions, she is helping him to realise that he has a future and that he can make better choices to turn his life around. This has been a huge boost to his confidence.

And the last volunteer I'll mention is Sam. He volunteers with a young boy with autism who struggled to make friends. Sam has worked very patiently with him, playing board games and teaching him how to take turns, and now the boy is much better at interacting with his classmates and understanding social cues.

OK, I hope that's given you an idea of what being a volunteer involves. Now I'd like to talk to you about the training process...

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

Part 3

You will hear a trainee drama teacher called Mark discussing his school play project with his university tutor.

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

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

Lizzie: So, Mark, how is your placement at the secondary school going?

Mark: Well, Lizzie, I've been asked to direct the end-of-year school play, and to be honest, it's a bit overwhelming. I wanted to get your advice on how to handle it.

Lizzie: Of course. Give me a bit of context first.

Mark: Right. Well, the cast is drawn from students across all year groups, so they range from 11 to 16 years old. There are about 40 of them involved, including the backstage crew. It's a very popular extracurricular activity. I've only ever directed small groups of about ten before, so this is a huge step up.

Lizzie: I can see that. I assume they aren't quite ready for a public performance yet?

Mark: No, not really. But there is a local drama festival coming up next term that they are entered into. Even if they don't win any awards, which I doubt they will, I hope it will motivate them to take the rehearsals seriously.

Lizzie: Yes, a deadline usually helps.

Mark: The problem is, the town mayor has asked the school to perform a scene at the summer fete. In my opinion, they are nowhere near ready for an outdoor performance, and I need to get them working as a cohesive unit very quickly. It's really tight.

Lizzie: Have you tried any team-building exercises? Apart from just reading the script, I mean.

Mark: I played them a podcast interview I found, featuring a famous actor talking about how theatre gave him confidence. I think it was from a radio show. I thought it was quite powerful because he explained how acting kept him out of trouble when he was young. The students really seemed to listen to that.

Lizzie: That sounds excellent.

Mark: I'm also planning to show them a clip from the old movie Dead Poets Society and discuss the themes with them. What do you think?

Lizzie: Good idea. As it's about students finding their voice, it might help them realise how much they can achieve if they support each other.

Mark: That's exactly my aim. I'm also hoping I can take some of the cast to see a professional pantomime that's on at the theatre next month. It would be good for them to see how the actors interact with the audience. It just depends on whether the headteacher will approve the budget for the tickets.

Lizzie: Hmm. Those all sound like solid strategies to me.

Mark: Thanks.

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.

Mark: Can I run a few specific student issues past you? I'm finding some of the personalities quite challenging to manage.

Lizzie: Go ahead.

Mark: There's one girl who plays the lead role. She says she is passionate about the play. We rehearse three times a week during lunch, but she is constantly late. Then she comes up with these elaborate excuses. She claims she was detained by a teacher or lost her script, but frankly, I suspect she is just disorganised.

Lizzie: Oh dear. Any others?

Mark: Several. There's a boy in the chorus who thinks he should be the director. He's always interrupting me to tell the other students where to stand, which undermines my authority completely.

Lizzie: He sounds very difficult to work with.

Mark: Absolutely. Then there is one of the lighting technicians. He has a great eye for detail and could be brilliant, except that he has a fear of heights and refuses to climb the ladder to adjust the lights. He would be much better suited to sound design, for instance, but he insists on doing lighting, so half the stage remains in darkness.

Lizzie: I suppose you have to respect his persistence, even if it's misplaced.

Mark: Perhaps. One of the costume designers isn't bad. But she never seems to communicate with the actors. She just makes the costumes in isolation and then disappears. I don't know if she is shy or just prefers working alone, but it causes problems when the clothes don't actually fit anyone during the dress rehearsal.

Lizzie: Hmm. Well, that gives me a clear picture of the dynamics.

Mark: Do you have any thoughts on how to address these issues, Lizzie?

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

Part 4

You will hear a British University lecturer in literature talking about poets in a literary festival.

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

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

Lecturer: As you all know, the university is hosting a literary festival next month, and here in the English department we have curated three poetry readings. These will be open to the public, and the schedule has just been confirmed. The theme of the festival is 'Voices from the Commonwealth', highlighting the literary connections between the UK and Canada, and this is reflected in the selection. Each event will feature both British and Canadian poets. I'll give you a brief overview of the Canadian writers, as you might not be as familiar with their work.

The first reading will showcase the work of Anne Carson, who was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1950. As a child, Carson initially learned to paint, like many creative children, and also studied classical languages. But when she was a teenager, her teachers encouraged her to start writing poetry. She found this was her true vocation, and she later taught Classics and Comparative Literature, both in Canada and in the United States. As a poet, she has received awards from numerous foundations and literary prizes in several countries.

Anne Carson’s poems are intellectual and full of wit, and she often explores ancient Greek mythology, blending it with modern themes. This is featured in a work called Autobiography of Red. Her writing is very experimental, so although it is challenging, it has the power of engaging audiences and readers alike.

In the festival, we are going to present a staged reading of her verse novel The Beauty of the Husband. This is a narrative poem in twenty-nine tangos. It is performed by three actors, a dancer, and a musician who, as well as playing the piano, uses a synthesizer and a traditional accordion. Carson also insisted on designing the layout of the text herself, which is unusual for an author.

Moving on now to our second event, this will begin with sonnets by British poets William Wordsworth and John Keats. After the interval, we'll go to Canada for a piece by Margaret Atwood, The Journals of Susanna Moodie.

According to Atwood, the inspiration for this collection came from a dream she had, where she was standing alone in a dark forest, surrounded by the towering trees of the Canadian wilderness. The Journals of Susanna Moodie is written from the perspective of a 19th-century settler. Atwood says she realised years after writing the poems that she had subconsciously modelled the voice on her own grandmother.

Margaret Atwood was born in 1939 in Ottawa. She is famous worldwide, and in fact, she is one of her country's most celebrated authors. She has written a wide range of literature, from dystopian novels to some stories composed specifically for children. Atwood's poetry has been described as being deeply connected to the Canadian landscape, and it explores the harsh realities of survival.

The last of the three Canadian poets to be represented in our festival is Michael Ondaatje. Born in 1943, Ondaatje, unlike the others, was born in Sri Lanka before moving to Canada. He took up writing at the age of 19, after initially wanting to be a filmmaker. However, he went to university to study English before changing to creative writing. After graduating, he moved to Toronto and worked as an editor and professor.

Before long, he had become prominent in Canada as a writer of both fiction and poetry. In our third event, Ondaatje will be represented by his long poem The Cinnamon Peeler. This sensual piece is one of his most popular works, and we’ll hear it alongside poems written by British poets Seamus Heaney and, more recently, Simon Armitage. That's spelled A-R-M-I-T-A-G-E.

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