Listening Practice Test

Youre going to listen to a number of different recordings. Youll

have to answer questions on what you hear. You will have time to
read the instructions and questions, and to check your work. All the
recordings will be played ONCE only. The test is in four sections.
At the end of the test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer
your answers on to an answer sheet. Now turn to Section 1.
Section 1. Youre going to listen to a telephone conversation about
libraries. First, you have some time to look at questions 1-5.
(30 second pause)
Youll see that there is an example that has been done for you. The
conversation relating to this example will be played first.
LIBRARIAN:
HelloCity Council Libraries.
JOHN: Erhello. I wonder if you can help me. Im a student and Ive
just moved here and Id like to know where my local library is and
what services it offers.
LIBRARIAN: Yes, I can give you that information. What suburb do you
live in?
JOHN: ErrGosford.
LIBRARIAN: OK. Well, actually that library is closed for
renovations. There are five libraries in the surrounding suburbs
though, and they are all about the same distance from you.
J is the correct answer. Now lets begin. You should answer the
questions on the question sheet while you listen, because you will
only hear the recording once. Now listen, and answer questions 1-5.
LIBRARIAN:
HelloCity Council Libraries.
JOHN: Erhello. I wonder if you can help me. Im a student and Ive
just moved here and Id like to know where my local library is and
what services it offers.
LIBRARIAN: Yes, I can give you that information. What suburb do you
live in?
JOHN: ErrGosford.
LIBRARIAN: OK. Well, actually that library is closed for
renovations. There are five libraries in the surrounding suburbs
though, and they are all about the same distance from you.
JOHN: I see. Well, are they all the same?
LIBRARIAN: No, theyre not. They all have slightly different
services and facilities. Lets start with Ashfield library.
JOHN: OK.
LIBRARIAN: Ashfield can send books out in the post, so it is very
useful for borrowers who are housebound or who dont have the time
to visit the branch.
JOHN: That sounds good but Id rather go myself. Is it open on
Sunday?
LIBRARIAN: Erit used to be, but not since last July. Im afraid the
only one of the five which is open Saturday and Sunday is Carlton.

JOHN: Ahhthats useful to know. OK, another thing I was wondering

was whether any of the libraries have computers with internet access
I could use.
LIBRARIAN: Well, all of the city libraries have online computers.
The difference is in whether you have to make a booking or not. Now,
of the five in your area, only Springfield allows you to just go in
and use any one thats free reservations arent necessary there.
JOHN: Do they all have printers, as well?
LIBRARIAN: No, none of these have printers. Theres one at Mosdown,
but thats further to travel. OK, whats next. I havent said
anything about Paddington. AhPaddington might be useful because it
has quiet rooms especially for students.
JOHN: Oh really! Do any of the other branches have that?
LIBRARIAN: No. Thats the only one where you can book a separate
room to study in.
JOHN: Ok.
LIBRARIAN: The last branch is Brookside. This caters more for young
readers and it has a special story time for children every week.
JOHN: Ahh..thats nice. I dont think Ill be needing that.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to
look at questions 6 to 10.
(30 second pause)
Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
LIBRARIAN: You know, it sounds like a libraries information pack
might be useful for you. Would you like me to send you one?
JOHN: Eryes please.
LIBRARIAN: OK, Ill just need to take a few details from you. Whats
your name first of all?
JOHN: ErJohn Bonham. Thats B-O-N-H-A-M.
LIBRARIAN: OK. And your postal address?
JOHN: Well, I am in short-term accommodation at the moment, so its
probably best if I give you my PO BOX number. So its PO BOX 451,
Gosford.
LIBRARIAN: OK. Ive also got a few survey questions which help us
provide good customer service. Do you mind if I ask them?
JOHN: No, go ahead.
LIBRARIAN: Alright, whats your date of birth?
JOHN: Er29 January 1984
LIBRARIAN: Thanks for that. Now youre a student, but whats youre
highest level of education?
JOHN: Im studying for an MA in accounting.
LIBRARIAN: OK. Ill put down Masters degree. And one last question.
Which section of the library are you most likely to use?
JOHN: ErWell, I have a lot of assignments to do, so definitely the
journals.
LIBRARIAN: OK. Thanks, John. So the information pack will be in the
post.
JOHN: Thats great. Thanks for your help. Bye
LIBRARIAN: Bye.
That is the end of Section 1. You now have 30 seconds to check your

answers.
SECTION 2
You will hear a talk given to some employees about computer health
and safety. First, you have some time to look at questions 11-16.
(30 second pause)
Now listen and answer questions 11 - 16.
Good afternoon everybody and thank you for coming along to this talk
on Computer Health and Safety. I know everyone here uses a computer
in their everyday work and that you are probably already know of
some of the health problems associated with them but today we are
going to look at a couple of issues which you may not yet be aware
of.
First of all some people have been complaining recently of eyestrain
and in particular a few people have suffered from dry eyes. This
isnt usually a summer problem but is quite common during winter and
luckily, is something that can easily be prevented. There are
humidifiers available for all staff to use which release steam to
solve this problem.
However if you would prefer a more natural approach, the management
has agreed to purchase plants for any office that would like some. I
believe spider plants are particularly good at cleaning the air and
keeping it moist. So if anyone would like one of the humidifiers or
some plants for their office theres an order form here for each
option so Ill get you to jot down your room number on the relevant
form.
The other thing I wanted to mention about eye care is that a testing
programme has been arranged for all members of staff and everyone is
encouraged to take advantage of this free service. The optician will
be with us for a week starting from May15th. This visit was going to
start on the 22nd and some of you may have already have heard that
date but shes had to put it forward a week. So theres a booking
form here for that as well. The optician would also like you to
check the distance between your eyes and the computer screen when
you are seated in a normal working position. So try to get that done
before your appointment if you can. Probably easiest if one person
sits and someone else does the measuring. Oh, yes, and if anyone
will be away during that period, but would still like to have a test
done, we can arrange an appointment for you at her city centre
clinic.
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at
questions 17 to 20.
(30 second pause)
Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

Okay so thats all I wanted to say about avoiding eye strain. Now I
want to turn to the issue of laptops. Some of you started using a
laptop six months ago when we made our initial purchase of portable
machines. And then again last month when the second shipment arrived
more of you made the switch. So already a lot of people are using
one for all their day to day work. In fact, I know that in some
departments everyone now has one. For example, sales is now fully
portable and the marketing department is moving in that direction.
We have noticed a few potential health hazards associated with this
trend and I just want to mention a few of them now.
First, there
the keyboard
your desktop
whenever you
surprisingly

is the fact that you cannot adjust the distance between

and the screen so remember to connect your laptop to
computer to use its monitor and external keyboard
can. And be careful when you are doing it, as its a
common cause of electric shocks.

My final point relates to transporting your heavy laptops and I know

many of you do carry them a lot. Using one hand, which we all do,
can place an unequal load on your body and be a cause of injury to
wrists, arms, neck, back and even knees. We have special backpacks
available for anyone who needs one so let me know if you are
interested.
Okay well thats all I wanted to cover today and we still have a few
minutes left so does anyone have any questions (fade out)
That is the end of Section 2. You now have 30 seconds to check your
answers.
SECTION 3
Youre going to listen to a conversation about a students essay.
First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 23.
(30 second pause)
Now listen and answer questions 21 to 23.
Mr Adams: Now, Sarah, what would you like to work on in our tutorial
today? We can go over the first draft of your assignment on what
babies can do, if you like.
Sarah: Yes, please. Id really like some help with it. Its the
first essay Ive written since high school.
Mr Adams: Is it really? Well, for a first assignment, this is a good
attempt. I can suggest some changes that you could make before you
submit your final draft, to make your essay more academic.
Sarah: Oh, right. Well, can we go through them together?
Mr Adams : Sure. Now, if we look at the content, youve demonstrated
a sound understanding of the course materials. In the first
section, for example, you were asked to come up with five points in
response to the essay title, Young babies can do more than we often
give them credit for.
Sarah: Were my points relevant, do you think?

Mr Adams: Yes, they were fine. The point about young babies is
particularly true.
Sarah: You mean this one: Not all babies develop in the same way.
Yes, certainly in my experience thats the case. What about Section
2? I found it harder to do, because I had to find evidence to
support the points Id made in Section 1.
Mr Adams: Yes, youve generally done that. Its good to see you
drawing on Thompson and Finneys case study of Baby Mia in this
part. Uh except I dont think that this quote here about Mia
supports your ideas, uh, Mia is a delicate baby. Its best just to
leave that quote out, I think.
Sarah: Well, I thought it was important because it might affect how
her family treat her, and that might affect her development.
Mr Adams: True, but the influence of the family wasnt one of your
five points in the previous section.
Sarah: Ah. I see your point. Ill drop that.
Mr Adams: Yes. Now, in this final part of your essay, youve
discussed your points and the evidence that you found, and the
conclusions that youve drawn are clear.
Sarah: Great. So, nothing to change here?
Mr Adams: Well, there is a stylistic problem here in this part,
where youre talking about all of the things that we used to believe
about very young babies. Now, its best to avoid bullet points in
assignments.
Sarah: Oh, so should I try to turn them into full sentences?
Mr Adams: Yes, definitely.
Sarah: OK, well, thank you for the feedback. Ill make those
changes.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to
look at questions 24 to 30.
(30 second pause)
Now listen and answer questions 24 to 30.
Sarah: Was there anything else that you noticed about my essay?
Mr Adams: Uh, yes. Whilst I think youve tried to put some of the
points in your own words, you have drawn quite closely on the course
materials and Ive noticed some problems with referencing.
Sarah: Yes, when it came to collecting evidence, I wasnt sure if I
was using it in the right way. I didnt really know if I should
quote everything or whether I could use my own thoughts about
babies.
Mr Adams: Yes, well, why dont we look at your essay again and help
you integrate your quotes. Ive highlighted some examples where the
referencing is a problem. Look at this point about pain and very
young babies. Now where did you find this?
Sarah: Oh, well I remember that I was surprised when I read it I
didnt know that before. It was in the Thompson and Finney article.
Mr Adams: So this is their idea, then?
Sarah: Yeah, but I tried to say it in my own words.
Mr Adams: OK, but even if you wrote it in your own words, you still
need to give a reference.

Sarah: Oh, really? I didnt know that.

Mr Adams: Now, what about this bit about newborn babies responses
to sensory stimuli.
Sarah: You mean, the idea that even newborn babies respond to what
they see and hear around them?
Mr Adams: Yes, thats it. Now, this is a crucial finding. Its also
from Thompson and Finney, isnt it?
Sarah: Yes.
Mr Adams: Did you realise that you used exactly the same wording as
they did?
Sarah: Oh, no. I didnt mean to do that.
Mr Adams: Its an easy mistake to make, but you must show that its
a direct quotation.
Sarah: OK, so Ill put quotation marks around that sentence.
Mr Adams: Yes. Now, the point about how babies develop at different
speeds I was pleased to see that you used some of your own personal
experience in your essay.
Sarah: You mean the twins? Yes, I wasnt sure if I could talk about
my own children, but I thought it was relevant.
Mr Adams : Yes, in fact, it would be interesting if you could go
further and give a couple of brief examples of the differences in
their development.
Sarah: Oh, OK, then. Ill do that.
Mr Adams : Now theres a nice example here about how Mia responds to
temperatures and textures, which is a good example to use, but again
Sarah: - no reference? I see now that even if I give the example in
my own words, I still need to say where I found it.
Mr Adams : Exactly. Youve summarised what Thompson and Finney said,
which is fine, but you still need to indicate that its their idea.
Its good evidence, so keep it in your essay, but dont forget to
give a reference. I can see that you are able to give references
correctly, because youve done it correctly here, where youre
talking about how babies can communicate before they can speak. This
is a nice quotation from Mias sister, Daisy.
Sarah: Yes, she describes the different cries that Mia has, short
cries when shes hungry and long cries when shes uncomfortable. I
wanted to use Daisys exact words, here, because shes only a child,
and I liked her description. It was very cute.
Mr Adams: Yes, well its good evidence, and its good to see youve
used quotation marks and given the name of the authors, the date of
publication, and the page number.
Sarah: Thanks, Mr Adams. I think I understand referencing better
now, but I want to get it completely right in my final draft. Do you
know where I can find some information about it?
Mr Adams: Well, I suggest you check the assignment booklet for this
course first. There are some useful pages there.
Sarah: Oh, I did that.
Mr Adams : Well, if you need more information, you can log on to the
university website, and go to the Learning Assistance page. Youll
find a very useful guide there on avoiding plagiarism. You can also
find referencing guides in the library.
Sarah: Hmm, perhaps a book would be more comprehensive. Ill try
there now.

Mr Adams, thanks again for all your help.

Mr Adams: Not at all. Thats what a tutorial is for. Im sure youll
produce a very good second draft. Now dont forget to put in a page
giving all the sources you referred to in your assignment, in
alphabetical order.
Sarah: You mean a bibliography?
Mr Adams : Thats right, it goes at the end of the paper. I can see
youve already included a cover page, with your name, the essay
topic and word count clearly indicated.
Sarah: Yes, I used the template that you gave us in class. FADE
That is the end of Section 3. You now have 30 seconds to check your
answers.
SECTION 4
You will hear a lecture about language loss. First, you have some
time to look at questions 31-40.
(30 second pause)
Now listen and answer questions 31 - 40.
Good afternoon everyone. This week we are going to continue looking
at the topic of endangered and extinct languages. In the lecture
today well look at some of the causes of the accelerating trend of
language loss and consider the question of whether or not this is
something that we should be concerned about.
So first of all lets look at some of the possible causes for the
disappearance of languages. Colonization has been a very strong
factor. Of the 250 aboriginal languages that were spoken in
Australia before the arrival of settlers from Britain, over forty
are now extinct. Similarly in the U.S., 25 of the 176 languages
spoken by the native Indian tribes were extinct just one hundred
years after the first settlers arrived from Europe.
Government policy can also contribute to language loss. There have
been many instances of legislation implemented in schools and the
workplace which can place intense pressure on minority language
users to assimilate to the majority language.
One well-known example occurred in the Soviet Union during the 1950s
when children from minority populations were deliberately placed in
Russian-only boarding schools for nine months of the year. As a
result the children lost interest and fluency in their native
languages. Similarly in the U.S., official English-only policies are
widespread with legislation such as Proposition 227 which eliminated
bilingual education programs. This was a deliberate attempt by the
government to stop the growth of Spanish and maintain English as the
dominant language.
A final cause of language loss is linguistic imperialism. If we
look at the way that English is now seen and heard all over the
world in advertising, movies and pop music, then it is easy to

understand why for many it has become equated with success and
power. Many of those people then want to acquire it, to use as a
tool for achieving those things for themselves.
So there are some of the main causes for the decline and loss of
minority languages but now lets turn to the question of whether or
not we should be trying to preserve them.
One argument for the preservation of the worlds languages is known
as linguistic relativity. Its claims that speakers of different
languages actually see and describe the world in quite different
ways. According to this theory, the result of losing a language is
less variety in the possible ideas that can be expressed by human
beings.
Secondly, there are a group of theories which come under the heading
of cultural pluralism. The argument here is that the loss of the
worlds languages is just one part of a more general loss of humans
ability to express themselves through their various art forms, their
belief systems, and the relationships that they have with others.
This argument is more politically powerful than the previous two
because here the public can actually see tangible examples of things
that are beautiful and valuable and that are disappearing.
The final view I want to discuss today is called the social justice
argument. This view holds that we should be interested in preventing
the loss of languages because of the human costs to those people who
are directly affected. If a group of people lose their language they
also lose part of their personal identity. But perhaps more
importantly, language loss can also ..(fade out)
That is the end of Section 4. You now have 30 seconds to check your
answers.
(30 second pause)
That is the end of the Listening Test. You now have 10 minutes to
transfer your answers onto the answer sheet.