Listening practice test 1 | English Test Prep

Part 1

Community Arts Centre Registration

Questions 1–10

Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Name of caller

Course of interest

Preferred day

Course starts at

Course duration

weeks

Fee for the course

Materials included

clay and paints, plus use of

Bring an oldfor the first session

Centre is opposite the public

The website includes shortshowing student work

Part 4

Greener Cities

Questions 31–40

Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Young trees need water and suitable.

Older buildings may need structuralbefore a green roof is installed.

A reflective roof surface may be cheaper and morein some cases.

Permeable paving allows rainwater to pass through the.

Rain gardens help water soak into the.

Public transport services need suitable locations and sufficient.

Investment should prioritise neighbourhoods with less existing.

The wrong tree species may damage.

Councils should measure temperatures and record treerates.

Counting trees planted does not prove that a neighbourhood has become more.

Transcript

Audio is not available for this practice test.

Part 1

Receptionist: Good morning, Greenfield Community Arts Centre. How can I help you?

Woman: Hello. I'm calling about the pottery classes. I saw a notice online, but I wanted to check a few details before registering.

Receptionist: Certainly. Is this your first pottery class?

Woman: Yes. I've done a little painting, but I've never worked with clay.

Receptionist: Then the beginners' course would suit you. Could I take your name?

Woman: Nadia Bennett. Nadia is N-A-D-I-A, and Bennett is B-E-N-N-E-T-T.

Receptionist: Thank you. And pottery is the course you're interested in, rather than our drawing class?

Woman: That's right. I did consider drawing, but I'd like to try something different.

Receptionist: We have classes on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. The Wednesday group has one place left, but you said you're working during the week?

Woman: Yes, so Saturday would be much better.

Receptionist: Fine. The Saturday class used to start at half past nine, but this term it begins at ten o'clock. Please arrive fifteen minutes early for your first session.

Woman: Ten is perfect. And how long does the course run?

Receptionist: It's six weeks. We originally planned eight, but two sessions had to be removed from the programme.

Woman: I see. And what's the fee?

Receptionist: Ninety-six pounds for all six sessions. That's less than the hundred and ten pounds we charged last year. The fee covers tuition and the materials we provide.

Woman: Does that include the tools?

Receptionist: Yes. We provide the clay and paints, and you can use our tools during the class. You don't need to buy any equipment.

Woman: Great. Is there anything I should bring?

Receptionist: Please bring an old towel. Some people bring an apron as well, but we have aprons you can borrow, so that's optional.

Woman: An old towel, then. And where exactly are you?

Receptionist: We're opposite the public library, not the post office. If you reach the library entrance, you'll see our sign across the road.

Woman: Oh, I know the building. Is there somewhere to get a coffee?

Receptionist: Yes, there's a small café in the centre. It closes at four, though, so it won't be open after our evening classes.

Woman: I'll be coming on Saturday morning, so that's fine. Do you have anything online that shows what students make?

Receptionist: We do. There are several short videos on our website. We used to post photographs only, but the videos give a better idea of how the classes work.

Woman: Excellent. And can I leave my bag somewhere while I'm working?

Receptionist: Yes, there are lockers beside the pottery room. You can use one for the duration of the session.

Woman: Perfect. Could you reserve a place for me, please?

Receptionist: Of course. I'll make a provisional booking and email you the payment details this afternoon.

Woman: Thank you very much.

Receptionist: You're welcome. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday.

Part 2

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for coming to this meeting about the improvements planned for Riverside Park. I'll explain what the council has agreed to do this year, and then I'll mention two proposals that are still being considered.

First, the main entrance will be repaired. Work was originally due to begin in May, but because the contractor is unavailable then, it will start on the third of June. The entrance should be open again by the end of the month.

Next, many people asked for more benches. We considered installing twenty, but the final plan provides for twelve new benches, mainly along the riverside path. Six will have backs, especially for older visitors, and the others will be simple wooden seats.

There will also be improvements to the children's play area. Some residents asked for a larger playground, but the space is limited. Instead, the council will replace the old swings and add a climbing frame. The new equipment will be made from recycled materials, rather than metal, which becomes very hot in summer.

Now, about the café. We had hoped to build a new café near the lake, but the cost was higher than expected. That proposal has been postponed. For now, the existing kiosk will stay where it is and will open one hour earlier at weekends, at eight o'clock instead of nine.

We are also changing the way visitors can get information. There will not be a printed guide at every entrance, as this would create too much waste. Instead, visitors can scan a QR code on the information boards. Printed maps will still be available from the park office for anyone who needs one.

The next point concerns cycling. Some people wanted a separate cycle path through the whole park. We cannot build one this year, but we will mark a shared route along the eastern side. Cyclists will need to slow down near the playground and give way to pedestrians.

Finally, we plan to organise a volunteer planting day. It was first suggested for Sunday the fifteenth, but that date clashes with another community event. The new date is Sunday the twenty-second of September. Volunteers should meet at the park office at nine thirty and bring gardening gloves if they have them.

Before I finish, two proposals remain open for public comment: installing drinking-water fountains and extending the evening lighting. Please send your views to the council by the end of next month. Thank you for listening.

Part 3

Tutor: Come in, both of you. How is the project on student travel developing?

Maya: Pretty well. We started by looking at cycling, because that was our original topic, but the survey showed that public transport was a bigger concern.

Leo: Yes. We thought students would mainly complain about the price of bus tickets. Actually, the most common problem was that buses stopped running too early in the evening.

Tutor: That's interesting. How many students did you ask?

Maya: We planned to get a hundred responses, but we received eighty-six. Twelve were incomplete, so we used seventy-four in the final analysis.

Leo: We also interviewed staff, but we decided not to include those interviews in the statistics because the questions were slightly different.

Tutor: Good decision. What did you find about cycling?

Maya: Students liked the idea, but many said they didn't feel safe on the main roads. We expected a lack of bicycle parking to be the main issue, but that came second.

Leo: We should be careful, though. Our survey was sent mainly to students living near the central campus, so it may not represent everyone at the university.

Tutor: Exactly. What are you recommending?

Maya: We initially suggested cheaper tickets, but after analysing the responses, we think later bus services would help more students.

Leo: And for cycling, we recommend secure parking near the library. We considered putting it outside the sports centre, but that's too far from most lecture rooms.

Tutor: Have you completed the report?

Maya: Almost. The data section is finished, but the introduction needs rewriting. Leo drafted it first, and I thought it was too detailed, so we're shortening it.

Leo: We also need to check the references. We planned to submit on Friday, but the online submission system will be unavailable that morning, so the deadline we've been given is Thursday at five.

Tutor: Make sure you leave time to check the charts. One of them uses percentages, while the others show the number of responses. Readers need to understand that difference.

Maya: We can add a note under the chart.

Tutor: Good. And how will you present the findings?

Leo: We thought about making a video, but it would take too long. We'll give a ten-minute presentation and use slides with the key results.

Maya: We can send the full report to anyone who wants more detail.

Tutor: That sounds sensible. Remember to explain the limitations of your sample. Your results are useful, but don't claim they represent every student.

Part 4

Today we're looking at how cities can become greener without assuming that planting trees alone will solve every environmental problem.

A common starting point is urban trees. They provide shade, can reduce surface temperatures and offer habitats for birds and insects. However, planting programmes sometimes focus on the number of trees planted rather than whether those trees survive. Young trees need water and suitable soil, and they may require several years of care before they provide substantial shade.

Another approach is to improve the design of buildings. Green roofs can absorb some rainwater and provide insulation, but they are not suitable for every roof. Older buildings may need structural checks before a roof garden can be installed. In some cases, a reflective roof surface is a cheaper and more practical option.

Water management is also important. When rain falls on concrete or asphalt, it often runs quickly into drains. Permeable paving allows more water to pass through the surface, while rain gardens collect water temporarily and allow it to soak into the ground. These methods can reduce pressure on drainage systems, although they need regular maintenance to prevent blockages.

Transport policy affects the environment as well. Expanding public transport can reduce car use, but the location and frequency of services matter. A new bus route is unlikely to attract many passengers if buses are infrequent or stops are far from homes and workplaces. Safe walking routes and protected cycle lanes can make alternatives to driving more attractive.

Cities must also consider how benefits are distributed. Wealthier neighbourhoods may already have mature trees and parks, while areas with fewer resources may have little shade. If investment goes only to places that are already green, environmental improvements can increase existing inequalities. Local residents should therefore be involved in deciding where projects are most needed.

There are practical limits. Trees need space, and roots can damage pavements if the wrong species is selected. Green roofs may cost more to install than conventional roofs, even if they save energy later. Public authorities should compare both initial costs and long-term benefits rather than choosing a project simply because it looks impressive.

Finally, successful planning depends on monitoring. Councils can record tree survival rates, measure temperatures and ask residents how they use new spaces. Counting how many trees were planted is useful, but it does not show whether the neighbourhood has become cooler or more comfortable. Regular evaluation helps cities identify problems and adjust their plans.

The central lesson is that greener cities require a combination of design, transport, water management and long-term care. No single measure works everywhere. Local conditions and the needs of residents should guide decisions.

## Recording production notes

- Keep the introduction and the four sections as separate production chapters.

- Within each chapter, you may keep individual paragraphs/clips separate while editing.

- Export one continuous MP3 for the introduction and one continuous MP3 for each section.

- Add a 20-second question-preview pause before Section 1 Questions 1–5 and a 20-second pause before Questions 6–10; use similar question-preview pauses for the later sections according to the question groups.

- The pause durations are production guidance and should be checked against the on-screen question navigation before publishing.

Part 1

Questions 1–10

Part 2

Questions 11–15

Questions 16–20

Part 3

Questions 21–26

Questions 27–30

Part 4

Questions 31–40