IELTS LISTENING TEST 12

SECTION 1 In this section you will hear a conversation between a student and a job hunting agent. First look at questions 1 to 10. Now we shall begin. You should answer questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 10. Section 1. Good morning. May I help you? Oh, good morning. Is this the Student Job Centre? Oh, yes. Um, I was wondering if perhaps you could tell me a bit about the job. You know, the hotel recruitment programme that offers a range of work at the hotels in the area. Of course. Take a seat please. I'll take you through some of what we have on offer. Thank you so much. Oh, wait a second and I'll get my pen. OK. The first job is reception assistant at the Parkview Hotel. The Parkview Hotel has quite an international flavour, so you'll need to speak at least two foreign languages. Sure. I can speak fluent French and Spanish, so that's no problem. Good. And many guests, of course, travel by car, and you may have to take their vehicles around to the car park. So you will need to have a valid driving licence, and you will not be allowed to do the job if you haven't. OK. I got that. Right. And they also say that basic computer skills, such as word processing, would be an advantage, although this isn't a requirement. Well, I just got my computer skills certificate, so I have no worries about that. This is quite a varied job. And in fact, I should point out that at certain times of the day, it would involve heavy lifting when guest luggage arrives, or perhaps deliveries come in. Is that OK for you? Well, it's hard to say at this moment, but I'll bear that in mind when deciding whether to apply for this post. Sure. Another job is general assistant at the Lakeside Hotel. To be honest, the pay is rather low, but there are compensatory factors. For example, the hotel will provide you with all your meals while you're working, and they will also train you in all the aspects of the job and then issue you with a certificate, which, of course, could be very valuable to you in the future. Oh, that sounds great. The third job on offer is catering assistant at Hotel 98's Smart New Premises. As you know, this hotel is popular with exclusive travellers, and so you'll need to wear the distinctive staff uniform, which you're provided with. Don't consider this job unless you're fairly flexible about when you work, as the hotel will require you to work nights for this job, and you will need to travel to and from the hotel, as it is situated just outside the city. Well, I'm afraid I can't manage that because of the lectures. OK, I get the picture. So, which one will you prefer? Reception assistant at the Parkview Hotel, or general assistant at the Lakeside Hotel? Well, I guess I still couldn't make up my mind right now. Can I have a few days to think about and go back to you later? That's no problem, and there are a few things I need to clarify with you. If you would like to apply for one of these jobs, you will need to follow the recruitment process. Mum! So the first thing you'll need to do is to fill in one of these, a personal information form. It's pretty straightforward, and should only take you a few minutes. Once you've done that and handed it in, we'll give you a questionnaire about your skills. We then look through the information about you and pass on our recommendations to the relevant hotel. Yes, sure. You will then proceed to the next step of the process and attend a general course of training. This is designed to be helpful and realistic, so an important part of the course is role-play activities. That sounds interesting. Yes, indeed. And after that, the final step is that you will be contacted by the hotel you're going to work for, and they'll post you a video about themselves and the work involved. Watching this will constitute further and specific training for your job. Oh, yes. I think I'm very clear now. Thank you for helping me. It's a pleasure. Bye. Bye. This is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section 2.

SECTION 2 You will hear a tour guide giving a talk about a relaxation centre. First, you'll have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14. Hello, everyone. My name is Sally. Welcome to our globally renowned spa and relaxation centre here at Island View Estates. Before you all wander off and begin exploring the facilities, I'd like to go over a few things. Now, this year is a very special milestone for our beloved centre, as it is our 25th anniversary. I understand that this means you have all paid an increased price for your tickets, but I can promise that all of the events we have scheduled for your enjoyment will make the costs well worth it. I know that all of you have travelled a long distance to make it here to the centre of the New Forest, but it is thanks to its remoteness that our centre is such a beautiful place to relax. I'm sure you are all keen to find out what activities we have arranged for you, so I will give you a quick overview. Tomorrow, we have arranged for you all to participate in a yoga session for the duration of the morning, followed by a day of relaxation at the pool, where we have ample sun umbrellas to protect you from the sun. On Wednesday, we have organised a sightseeing hike through the forest, where you will be able to test your navigation skills and witness the wild ponies in their natural habitat. It's forecast to be sunny that day, but I recommend that you all bring rainproof clothes just in case. On your last day, we have a special surprise – a pony trek along the beach. We ask that you all wear full-length trousers and that all women have their hair tied up in a ponytail. Helmets are provided at the centre for those who would like to wear one. There are a couple of beautiful attractions here at the centre that you must all be sure to visit before you leave. The Rose Garden, located just at the corner of the property, is home to many indigenous species and is beautifully serene and peaceful – the perfect place to collect your thoughts or read a book. Our sunset boat ride has been the favourite attraction for many of our visitors. Simply hop aboard and relax whilst we sail you out into the open sea to witness one of the most beautiful spectacles that nature has to offer. Last, but certainly not least, is the freshwater pond, which serves as a watering hole of sorts. Some of you may even be lucky enough to spot our resident kingfishers, who are members of a very rare and endangered species. Once you have all unpacked and settled into your rooms, we will be taking you out to the neighbouring island for a bonfire and barbecue dinner. The island is very small and the bicycle trails make it very easy to explore all of its beautiful corners. As the island is entirely separate from the mainland, it has never been inhabited by wildlife, so you can all roam freely and safely. We have some bonding exercises for you all to take part in around the bonfire, where you can potentially make new friends and discover a lot about yourself. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you'll have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. Now, let me tell you a little bit about the facilities that the resort has to offer. For those of you keen on indulging in a little bit of retail therapy, just wander along to our tourist centre, where we have a wide selection of presents on sale at reasonable prices. If you are feeling more drawn to the natural surroundings and scenery, I recommend that you take a trek up the mountain, where you can enjoy the panoramic outlook from the peak. For a bit of cultural indulgence, why not pay a visit to our small on-site theatre, where you can enjoy watching a range of movies and check out some works by our resident street artists. Just a 10-minute walk down the road is the local art museum, where you can roam around the sculpture courtyard or admire the many artworks on display. Here at the resort, we are incredibly lucky to be located right next to a nature reserve, where many species of endangered wildlife live in the pond. Just on the bank is a small hut, where visitors can observe the fish and birds in their natural habitat. Now, if any of you are interested in history, you have the very interesting opportunity to visit the ancient building at the south side of the grounds. The building is now a museum, however, it originally served as a jail for those charged with crimes of treason against the royal family. Well, that just about rounds it up. Now, if anyone has any questions... That is the end of section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

SECTION 3 You will hear Lara and Tommy, two students, talking about their book club. First, you'll have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24. Hi, Tommy. I haven't seen you for ages. How have you been? Oh, hi, Lara. I'm great. I've just joined a local book club that meets every Wednesday and I'm really enjoying it. Next week we're discussing the novels of Charles Dickens. I'm really looking forward to it as he's my favourite author. Yes, absolutely. His novels are wonderful. I attend a Dickens book club too. Would you like to do a practice session with me in preparation for your meeting? Sure, that sounds great. Let's start by discussing the main characters in David Copperfield and the ways in which they're affected by the bounce of the story as it develops. What do you think of Rosie? I think that she's a really sweet character in the beginning, but as the story progresses she becomes bitter because of how her relationships had turned out in the past. That's true. Her sisters all marry and live happily ever after, but she ends up alone. It is very interesting to see how deeply the change in her personality affects her relationships. What is your opinion of Flory? I find her very manipulative. She seems intent on seeking attention, so whenever she wants something from her family members she persistently acts in a very silly manner, just like a kid. Unfortunately, many people do not realise this, and so they give her the attention that she's seeking, which only encourages her to continue behaving this way. Yes, Flory is the complete opposite of Lizzie. Lizzie is very sensitive, and she has a true perceptiveness into how people are feeling and how they behave, which enables her to act appropriately towards them. She is very kind and generous and cares about how people feel. That's true, and I really like her character too. My least favourite character is Estelle because she acts so selfishly and gets enjoyment from making others suffer. Unfortunately, there are many people like her in the world who intend to make others feel like this. It's interesting how you can associate so many of the characters with people that you know in real life. I think that the reason why Dickens is so good at creating deep and believable characters is because he understands human mentality. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you'll have some time to look at questions 25 to 30. Now, listen and answer questions 25 to 30. Absolutely. What do you think of the literature lectures? I really look forward to them. They're the highlight of my week. The lecturer is usually late, but that gives you time to settle down and get organised before the lecture begins. Do you have a discussion period at the end? No, I don't think so. We're meant to, but since the lectures often begin late, this means that there is no time left for a conversation about the lecture. I think this is a real shame, because it really helps you to gain a good understanding of the books when you hear other people's opinion of it. What about your lectures? My lecturers have very good organisation skills, so their lectures are well organised and packed full of information. They always leave enough time at the end for consideration. When everyone is really quiet and we reflect on the lecture in our own minds before we open up for discussion, this really helps you to gather your thoughts and absorb the information from the lecture. Oh, that sounds brilliant. Do you think there is anything that needs to be improved? My experience of the course overall is really brilliant, but I feel there are many improvements that could be made to it. The IT support staff are great, but there are just not enough computers available for the numbers of people that need to use them. Every time that I need to use a computer, I have to queue up for at least 15 minutes. I find that the librarians are really helpful and approachable. However, the equipment is just not good enough. Whenever I need to use the photocopying facilities, for example, most of the machines are really old and slow, which means that you have to wait for ages for them to work. It's really frustrating because I'm often stretched for time. Perhaps we should start a petition to encourage the university to improve their facilities. That sounds good. What do you think of the group discussions? I really enjoy them. Since the class groups are so small, everyone gets to have their say and contribute thoughts to the conversation, so the classes are really effective. The only issue is that it's very difficult to find an opportunity to meet up, since everyone has such busy schedules. Yes, definitely. In our class, we pass around a ball and only the person holding the ball is allowed to speak. Each person is only allowed to speak for a minute at a time, which helps us to make sure that we use the class time fairly and it also makes the discussion more fun. That's true. It's been really great catching up with you. Thanks for your help. No problem. Good luck at your class. Bye. That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

SECTION 4 You will hear a talk on the subject of birds in New Zealand. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. Good morning, everyone. Today, we're going to look at birds native to New Zealand, delving into the facts and exploring methods of protecting these species from extinction. It may surprise you to hear that there are thousands of bird species that are endemic to New Zealand. That is to say that they are not found anywhere else on the globe. Since most of these birds live on a diet of freshly caught fish, they often nest along the coastline or, if they need to catch freshwater fish, the neighbouring river. Once they have mated, the female birds will collect twigs and pieces of debris to build nests where she can safely hatch her eggs out of the reach of predators. When humans arrived in New Zealand about 700 years ago, rats were carried on the ships with them. The rats flourished in the warm climate and put pressure on the native bird populations, in particular on the flightless species. In 1984, researchers found that only three pairs of flightless bird species remained in existence and that even these faced severe threats. New Zealand is now a world leader in facilitating the recovery of severely endangered species from the brink of extinction. Every year, researchers carry out surveys in order to monitor the fluctuating levels of bird numbers and species living in New Zealand. Due to the migration patterns of many of the species, it is particularly hard to estimate the bird numbers accurately, since many may have flown to other countries in search of mates and warmer climates, and thus not appear in the survey. Bird numbers are also particularly sensitive to environmental influences, in particular to those related to human activity. Everyday activities, such as farming or constructing a home, can have a massive impact on the local populations. Forests that serve as a habitat for thousands of birds can be entirely eradicated to make fields for crops or to provide wood for construction, having a disastrous impact. It is not only the human influence that threatens the future of many bird species, since many predatory animal species have flourished in New Zealand. One of these species is the Mantine snake, which was introduced from Australia and has decimated the population of killdeer birds. These birds nest on the ground, and often return to find that their eggs have been devoured by the egg-eating snakes. One cannot dismiss, of course, the pressure that nature itself imposes on the survival of many bird species. Natural disasters, such as storms, can be devastating, tearing apart forests and leaving thousands of destroyed nests in their wake. Monsoons flood the rivers, and often drown many of the flightless bird species that are unable to escape. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to bird numbers in New Zealand is illegal hunting, which is almost impossible to prevent. Many endangered bird species are on display at the National Zoo, and it is essential that urgent measures are taken to protect them. The Zoo recently employed an expert in bird protection, who recommended that they should employ a guard to protect their birds from poachers. The expert also pointed out that the birds can become very stressed in situations where the public are able to approach them too closely, suggesting that the administration install a fence network to keep the public a safe distance away from the birds. Despite this threat to birds in captivity, it is the freely roaming birds that are most at risk. Efforts are being made to educate people on how they can contribute towards protecting birds that are living in the wild. Finally, research has shown that one of the most effective methods of informing the public on the importance of protecting the bird populations is through the media. I advise you all to read the articles written on this topic in specialist journals, and also carry out research on the Internet. Each and every one of you could make an enormous contribution to the protection of birds if you put your mind to it. That is the end of section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. In the IELTS test, you will now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.