SAMPLE AUDIO TEST A - IELTS Asia

1 1 SAMPLE AUDIO TEST A SECTION 1 Section 1. You will hear a phone conversation between a man from a travel agency and a woman who wants to make travel and accommodation arrangements for a trip. First you will have some time to look at questions 1 to 5. (20 seconds) You will see that an example has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first. Man: Good afternoon. Maverick Travel. Gavin speaking. How can I help you today? Woman: Oh, hello, Gavin. I have a week or so left over from a business trip to Melbourne and a colleague recommended that I spend a few days in the northern river region. He suggested that I contact your travel agency to arrange a trip there. Man: We would certainly be happy to do that for you, madam. Can I ask what kind of accommodation you have in mind? Woman: My colleague said he stayed at a lodge there, near the state park. Man: Ah, yes. That would be Red River Lodge.

2 Woman: Yes, that s it. I d like to stay there if possible. Narrator: The woman wants to stay at Red River Lodge, so Red River Lodge has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5. Man: Good afternoon. Maverick Travel. Gavin speaking. How can I help you today? Woman: Oh, hello, Gavin. I have a week or so left over from a business trip to Melbourne and a colleague recommended that I spend a few days in the northern river region. He suggested that I contact your travel agency to arrange a trip there. Man: We would certainly be happy to do that for you, madam. Can I ask what kind of accommodation you have in mind? Woman: My colleague said he stayed at a lodge there, near the state park. Man: Ah, yes. That would be Red River Lodge. Woman: Yes, that s it. I d like to stay there if possible. Man: And on what dates would you like to stay there?

3 Woman: I d like to go there on Saturday, on September 26th and stay there for three nights. 2 Man: Just give me a moment, please, while I check if they have any vacancies ..Yes, they do. Would you like to stay in a standard room in the main building or would you like a cabin by the river? Woman: Is there much of a difference in price? Man: A standard room is 150 dollars a night, and the cabins are 230 dollars a night, but they come with a fully equipped kitchen. The view of the river and the forest you get from there is well worth it. Meals are available at the lodge, but are not included in the price. Woman: And it s probably a bit quieter there, too. Okay, I ll take that option, then. Can I get a train there? Man: You can take a train to Rivertown, and someone from the resort will pick you up from there. The train takes around two hours from Melbourne to Rivertown, and then it s about a thirty minute drive to the lodge. When would you like to travel? In the morning or afternoon?

4 Woman: I ve arranged to have lunch with a friend, so in the afternoon. Man: Okay. There s a train at and another one at Which would you prefer? Woman: I think I ll take the earlier one thanks. How much is the ticket? Man: A one-way ticket to Rivertown is 57 dollars. And would you like me to get a return ticket for you? Woman: No. I ll take care of that when I get there. I might decide to stay an extra couple of days to do some work from there. And where do I take the train from? Central Station? Man: No, trains out of Melbourne to the country leave from City West Station. You can pick your ticket up there at the ticket collection counter. Narrator: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10. (20 seconds) Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10. Woman: Do they have internet there? Man: Yes, there is indeed. I will need you to pay for the ticket now. How would you like to pay for it? Credit card? Woman: Yes, I ll use my Visa card.

5 Man: Fine. Would you like to pay for your lodge stay now as well, or when you get there? Woman: I ll take care of that when I get there. Man: Fine. Can you give me the name as it appears on your card? 3 Woman: Sure: Barbara G. Swanston Man: ..Barbara .. G .. Woman: Swanston: S-W-A-N-S-T-O-N Man: Got it. Thank you, Ms Swanston. And the number? Woman: 3869 1930 5741 2796 Man: .. Got that. And the expiry date? Woman: March, 2025. It s a Platinum card. What time does the train arrive? Man: The train gets in to at Rivertown at You should arrive at the lodge before 5; in time to catch the sunset. Unless you want to ask a driver to stop at a supermarket on the way so you can stock up on food supplies. Woman: I might do that. I ve heard there are a lot of trails through the forest. Is that right? Man: Yes, there are a lot of well marked trails throughout the forest. The area has a variety of wildlife. Woman: None of it dangerous, I hope. Man: No, none of it dangerous.

6 If you fancy a bit of fishing, the lodge provides fishing equipment to its guests. They also provide free mountain bikes, which is a great way to see the forest. Woman: Oh, that sounds nice. Man: It is. The lodge can arrange a boat tour of the lakes that form at this time of year. The area is renowned for its birdlife, especially the water birds which come to breed there at this time of year. A half-day tour with an expert on the local area will cost you 90 dollars. Woman: Oh, I might do that. I m sure I would get some great photos. Man: I m sure you would. Now, if I can just get some more details from you, Ms Swanston, to finalize the booking .. Narrator: That is the end of Section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. (30 seconds) Now turn to Section 2. 4 SECTION 2 Section 2. You will hear a a speech by a historian to a group of foreign students. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. (20 seconds) Listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.

7 Narrator: Hello, everyone, and thanks so much for attending this month's history presentation. My name s Kathy Smith and I m the Executive Director of the Lee's Summit Historical Society. Now, many of you probably haven't even heard of Lee's Summit, but, by the end of our time together today, you ll hopefully understand a whole lot more about this city and its historical significance. , Lemme' start by saying that Lee's Summit is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri and is located in the midwest region of the. It has a population of about 90,000 people. One of the things that makes Lee's Summit so unique is its sense of I mean by that is that its unlike so many other cities that ve survived many periods of change and upheaval. It maintains a connection with and remains true to its historical roots. People from this city are proud of its history, for better or worse, and the city itself serves as a model for similar communities across the , both in terms of its community mentality and its efforts to preserve historical landmarks and artifacts.

8 Recently, Lee's Summit celebrated its 150th anniversary, although it wasn't always known by the name it has today. Well, let's skip back to October 28th, 1865 when a man named William B. Howard registered an eleven-block area in an area called Big Cedar. He called this new development Struthers and today, that area makes up the central downtown portion of Lee's Summit. Upon its founding, Strother only had 100 residents. About three years later, the town's name was changed to "Town of Lee's Summit". Now, as you know, "summit refers to the top of a hill or mountain. Changing the name made sense in a way cause the town's elevation represents the highest point on the rail line that links two other cities in Missouri - Kansas City, famous for barbecue and jazz music, and St. Louis, which has one of America's most famous St. Louis arch. Well, there are two other theories about why the town's name was changed.

9 Many people moved to Lee's Summit from the Southern states, where General Robert E. Lee commanded the Confederates during the Civil War. Some folks believe that the town was named after him. Also, there was a locally famous resident named Dr. Pleasant Lea and, though the town's name is spelled differently, perhaps the town was named in his honor instead, with the spelling mistake being blamed on railroad sign painters. To this day, no one s completely sure which reason is the Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20. (20 seconds) Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20. 5 Narrator: The town now known as Lee's Summit has been home to some shall I say in American history. The most infamous, of course, was Cole Younger, who earned the title "The Last Great Outlaw". When you think of Wild West shootouts between sheriffs and bandits in cowboy hats, you're thinking of people like Mr.

10 Younger and his brothers. Though he lived most of his life outside the law, he helped to protect historical homes in Lee's Summit from Union troops who were ordered to burn every structure in a three county area. He eventually renounced his life of crime and lived his final years as a model citizen. He died in Lee's Summit and his gravesite receives many visitors each year. Who else? Well, American businessmen, like Long and Pryor, moved to the area to begin their ventures in the lumber and construction industries. Pryor was also an associate of Tom Pendergast who controlled a vast political operation that was ultimately responsible for launching the career of one Harry S. Truman, the 33rd American President. Nowadays, Lee's Summit may be more closely associated with the Metheny family, who have lived there for several generations. Jazz legend Pat Metheny has three gold albums and 20 Grammy awards and is the only person ever to have earned Grammies in ten different categories.