IELTS Listening Mock Test 6

A: Good morning! Welcome to the Oakwood Activity Centre. Tomas speaking. How can I help you today? B: Oh, hello! My name is Amara, and I'm calling to book a place on the Greenwood Carving Weekend Workshop. I saw it on your website and it looks wonderful. A: Ah, yes! That's a very popular course. Let me open up the registration system. First, could you give me your full name, please? B: Sure, it's Amara Okoye. That's A-M-A-R-A, and my surname is spelled O-K-O-Y-E. A: Excellent, thank you. And could I have a contact phone number for you, Amara? B: Yes, of course. It's 07700 900 148. A: Let me just read that back to make sure I've got it right... 07700 900 148. Is that correct? B: Yes, that's exactly it. A: Perfect. Now, we have a couple of sessions coming up. There's one starting on the 14th of October, but... oh, wait, looking at my screen, that one's actually fully booked. The next available date is the 22nd of November. Would that work? B: Oh, November the 22nd is actually much better for me anyway. I'm away in October on a family holiday, so I wouldn't have been able to make the earlier one. A: That's worked out well then! The workshop runs from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM on both the Saturday and Sunday. We provide all the necessary carving tools, so you don't need to purchase anything beforehand. However, we do ask participants to bring their own lunch. There's no café on site, but we do have a microwave and fridge you can use in our staff kitchen if you want to heat anything up. B: Oh, that's handy. I'll bring some soup then. Is there any special clothing required? A: Just make sure you wear closed-toe shoes. We highly recommend wearing sturdy leather boots, as you'll be working with sharp hand tools and heavy wood pieces, and safety is our priority. B: Right, I've got a good pair of leather boots, so I'll wear those. And how much is the course fee? A: The standard price is 85 pounds. But since you're booking more than a month in advance, you get our early-bird rate of 68 pounds. We do also offer a student price of 60 pounds, but that requires a student card. B: I'm not a student, so the 68 pounds rate is fine. Do I need to pay the whole amount now? A: You can if you'd like, or you can just pay a deposit of 20 pounds today to secure your place, and then pay the remaining 48 pounds when you arrive on the day. B: I think I'll just pay the deposit of 20 pounds now, please. Oh, and where exactly do we meet? A: The class is held in our Woodworking Shed. It's located right next to the main garden. When you arrive on Saturday morning, just park your car in the main car park and follow the signposts. B: That sounds very straightforward. A: Yes, it's easy to find. Now, just to let you know what you'll be making over the weekend: on the first day, you'll practice basic cuts by carving a wooden spoon. Then, on Sunday, everyone moves on to making a serving board. We used to let people choose to make a toy animal or a picture frame instead, but we've simplified it to just those two projects now so that everyone can finish on time. B: A wooden spoon and a serving board sound great! I can't wait to use them. Let's go ahead with the payment then... [Q1] Surname: ________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q2] Contact number: ________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q3] Date of workshop: ________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q4] Required footwear: ________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q5] Deposit paid today: £________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q6] What is included in the workshop fee?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q7] Where should participants park their cars?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q8] Why did Amara choose the November workshop instead of an October one?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q9] What does Tomas say about the Oakwood Activity Centre's facilities?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q10] Which TWO items are participants expected to carve during the weekend?

Hello everyone, and welcome to the newly renovated Northwood Community Eco-Hub. I'm Ingrid, and I'm thrilled to show you around our upgraded facilities today. Let's start with our ground floor layout. As you step through the main entrance, if you look immediately to your left, you'll see a bright space. We used to keep our historic archives there, but we've transformed this spot into our Organic Seed Bank, where you can borrow seeds for your home gardens. Now, moving forward past the main reception desk, on your right, there's a large room. Some visitors expect this to be the volunteer staff room, but that's actually upstairs; this ground-floor room is our Interactive Wet-Lab, where you can test local water samples. At the very end of the central corridor, directly opposite the entrance, you can go through the double doors into a spacious hall. We initially planned this area for the renewable energy display, but we realized the high ceilings here are perfect for the Local Wildlife Exhibit instead. If you walk through the far-left exit of that wildlife hall, you'll enter a smaller side annex. This cozy space was going to be the children's play zone, but it's now dedicated to our Upcycled Craft Workshop. Now, let's head back to the entrance area. There's a door on your immediate right as you enter. I sometimes forget that we moved things around, and I almost told a group yesterday that this was the renewable energy display—but that's actually down the narrow passage behind reception. This room right by the entrance door on the right actually houses our Heritage Photo Gallery, which showcases our town's green history. Now, regarding our grand opening schedule. While our members can visit starting tomorrow, the official opening to the general public is set for next Thursday. Please note that the weekend celebrations won't start until Saturday, so Thursday is the key date to remember. For those of you driving here, we have changed our parking rules. The front lot is now reserved entirely for electric vehicle charging. Regular cars must use the underground park, which is free for the first two hours, though you'll need to pay a flat fee if you stay longer. We've decided to close the old gravel parking area on the north side completely to make room for our new community garden. We've also updated our annual membership benefits. Previously, members got free entry to our seasonal workshops. Now, while those workshops actually require a small materials fee for everyone, annual members will instead receive a free monthly bag of organic compost. Additionally, we're still negotiating discounts with local eco-stores, so that benefit isn't active yet. Next, I'd like to mention our 'Green Pioneers' weekend programme for teenagers. In the past, they spent most of their time building birdhouses. This year, we wanted them to conduct soil experiments, but our lab equipment won't arrive in time. Instead, they will be focusing on mapping local tree species in the nearby reserve using a new mobile app. Before I let you explore, there are a few safety and housekeeping rules we must go over. First of all, we cannot allow any food or drinks inside the exhibition halls—please leave these in the lockers provided, though bottled water is perfectly fine. Also, while you're welcome to take photos of the exhibits, please ensure your camera flash is turned off, as it can damage some of our sensitive light-measuring equipment. You don't need to wear safety glasses unless you are entering the wet-lab, and please remember that children must be accompanied by an adult at all times in the workshop area, though they can roam freely in the main lobby. Lastly, please make sure you register your attendance at the reception desk before you leave today so we can send you your feedback survey. [Q11] Position 1 — the room immediately to the left of the main entrance

(Shared with Q11.) [Q12] Position 2 — the room on the right side of the central corridor, past the reception desk

(Shared with Q11.) [Q13] Position 3 — the spacious hall at the far end of the central corridor

(Shared with Q11.) [Q14] Position 4 — the small side annex connected to the far-left of the main hall

(Shared with Q11.) [Q15] Position 5 — the room on the immediate right of the entrance lobby

(Shared with Q11.) [Q16] When will the Eco-Hub officially open to the general public?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q17] What is true about the new parking arrangements at the Eco-Hub?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q18] What is a new benefit for annual members of the Eco-Hub?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q19] What will teenagers do during this year's 'Green Pioneers' programme?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q20] Which TWO things must visitors do when visiting the Eco-Hub?

A: Hello Aisha, Tomas. Come on in. Today we're reviewing your preparatory resources and planning for your upcoming joint seminar presentation on urban greening. How is your resource-matching coming along? B: Hi, Dr. Ingrid. We've looked at several different materials and we're trying to match them to our specific sections. First, we need something reliable for mapping out historical timelines of the city parks. C: Right. We initially thought of using the Municipal Archive database, but actually, the online search interface is so slow and clunky. Then we looked at the Sociology of Suburbs review, but that paper doesn't cover timelines at all. In the end, we found the Urban Planning Handbook was absolutely perfect for that because of its chronological charts. A: A sensible choice. What about qualitative sources? B: Yes, for getting actual local community views, we wanted some personal testimonies. The Metropolises textbook has excellent academic theories, but it's far too dry. We realized the City Design podcast series contains interviews with neighborhood residents, which is exactly what we need. C: And we also need some visual diagrams of park layouts. We thought the Green Spaces article would have plenty, but it turned out to be mostly text and statistics. Then we checked the Metropolises textbook, and its third chapter has amazing, high-resolution architectural schematics of public squares. A: Excellent. What about statistics on soil quality and environmental impact? You mentioned you needed hard scientific data. B: Ah, yes. We thought about using the podcast, but obviously that's just audio. We checked... wait, actually, I thought we checked the Municipal Archive database first, but that was for the timelines. No, for the soil data, we looked at the archive database but its reports are from the nineties—completely outdated. Fortunately, the Green Spaces article has a comprehensive appendix with up-to-date soil test figures. C: Lastly, we need to compare theoretical frameworks regarding suburban segregation. We hoped the Urban Planning Handbook would cover it, but it's purely practical. Aisha suggested the Sociology of Suburbs review, and she was right—the literature review there summarizes all the key academic debates brilliantly. A: That's a solid selection of sources. Now, how are you two finding the collaborative aspect of this project? Tomas, I remember you had some reservations based on your group work last semester. C: Yes, indeed. Last term, we wasted so much time trying to figure out the shared digital workspace—though we eventually got the hang of it. And we actually agreed on our topic right away. The real issue was that two of us ended up doing almost all the reading and writing, while the others barely contributed. I wanted to avoid that this time. B: Well, Tomas and I decided on a very deliberate approach. Rather than sitting down and drafting paragraphs together—which we knew would take forever—or just swapping our roles later, we looked at our strengths. Tomas is great at data analysis, so he's handling the charts, while I'm doing the writing because of my background in literature. It's much more efficient. A: That sounds like a much fairer division of labor. Now, I've had a look at your draft introduction. Your definition of urban greening is very precise, and you've given a concise, balanced history without overdoing it. However, you've jumped straight into the municipal garden case study without explaining why this particular site is significant or representative of larger trends. You need to make that connection explicit for the audience. C: Thanks, Dr. Ingrid. We'll add a paragraph explaining our choice of site. Regarding the delivery itself, we want to make sure we don't look like we're just reading off slides. I suggested we cut down the slideshow to just five slides, but Aisha thinks we need the visual aids. B: Yes, we need the slides, but we shouldn't rely on scripts either. I think if we record ourselves presenting on our phones and play it back, we can spot where we sound too robotic. We initially thought about memorizing everything word-for-word, but that actually makes you sound more artificial if you lose your place. C: That's true. Let's go with the recording method then. A: One final tip for the question-and-answer session at the end. Students often stumble here. Firstly, if someone asks a question that is slightly confusing, don't rush into an answer. Restate it in your own words to confirm you've understood, which also buys you some thinking time. C: That's a great strategy. Should we have some extra slides ready in case they ask for more detailed data? A: You can, but it often distracts from the flow. I'd actually advise against that. Instead, remember that you don't have to know everything. If someone asks about a topic beyond what you researched, it's perfectly fine to say that it falls outside the scope of your current project, rather than trying to guess. You should both participate equally in answering, and don't worry about keeping your answers to a strict time limit like under a minute; just make sure they are thorough. [Q21] historical timelines of city parks

(Shared with Q21.) [Q22] local community views and testimonies

(Shared with Q21.) [Q23] visual diagrams of park layouts

(Shared with Q21.) [Q24] environmental statistics and soil data

(Shared with Q21.) [Q25] theoretical frameworks on suburban segregation

(Shared with Q21.) [Q26] What was Tomas's main grievance regarding his group work experience in the previous semester?

(Shared with Q21.) [Q27] Aisha explains that their current project's division of labor is based on

(Shared with Q21.) [Q28] What primary concern does Dr. Ingrid raise about the draft introduction?

(Shared with Q21.) [Q29] To improve their presentation delivery, the students decide to

(Shared with Q21.) [Q30] Which TWO strategies does Dr. Ingrid recommend for the post-presentation Q&A session?

Good morning, everyone. Today, we're exploring the remarkable survival strategies of the Highland Silver-Leaf, a resilient plant native to the windswept peaks of the Southern Alps. To withstand temperatures that routinely plummet below freezing at night, this plant has evolved a dense, woolly coating of white hairs. Now, while early researchers assumed these silver hairs primarily served to deter grazing herbivores, recent micro-climate measurements reveal their main function is actually to trap heat and block harmful ultraviolet radiation. In fact, during our team's initial surveys, we predicted the internal leaf temperature would match the surrounding air, which was negative five degrees; however, we were astonished to record a cozy ten degrees—sorry, actually, it was twelve degrees Celsius inside the leaf bud itself, which is a massive difference. But survival isn't just about keeping warm; it's also about reproduction, which poses a unique challenge because high-altitude pollinators are incredibly scarce. The Highland Silver-Leaf overcomes this by employing two distinct insect-attracting strategies: a sweet, honey-like scent released during the brief midday warmth, and a bright ultraviolet pattern on its petals that is completely invisible to human eyes but highly luminous to alpine bees. Interestingly, our graduate researcher, Ingrid, discovered that this plant's nectar contains exceptionally high concentrations of glucose, which acts as a natural anti-freeze, preventing the nectar from crystallizing even on the coldest nights, while also providing a high-energy reward that bees simply cannot resist. Let’s turn now to the surrounding ecosystem and look at how the plant interacts with other local species, particularly four types of alpine insects: the Hoverfly, the Mountain Beetle, the Weevil, and the Plume Moth. The Hoverfly is purely beneficial; it feeds on nectar and is the primary pollinator, whereas the Mountain Beetle plays a dual role, occasionally pollinating but also chewing on the lower stems when other food is scarce. Then we have the Weevil, which is a devastating pest because its larvae burrow deep into the root system, severely dehydrating the plant. Finally, the Plume Moth exhibits an unusual parasitic relationship; its caterpillars spin silk webs around the flower buds, which actually shields the developing buds from frost, though it unfortunately prevents them from opening fully. These intricate interactions highlight how a single plant species forms the cornerstone of a fragile, high-altitude food web, proving that even the smallest organisms can have profound ecological significance. [Q31] What did early researchers believe was the main purpose of the Highland Silver-Leaf's white hairs?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q32] What was the actual temperature recorded inside the plant's leaf bud during the survey?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q33] What does the lecturer say about the ultraviolet pattern on the plant's petals?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q34] What did Ingrid discover about the plant's nectar?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q35] Why does the lecturer find the plant's nectar especially appealing to bees?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q36] Which TWO facts are mentioned about the Highland Silver-Leaf's survival and reproductive adaptations?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q37] Hoverfly

(Shared with Q31.) [Q38] Mountain Beetle

(Shared with Q31.) [Q39] Weevil

(Shared with Q31.) [Q40] Plume Moth