IELTS Listening Mock Test 7

A: Hello, Student Accommodation Services, Ingrid speaking. How can I help you? B: Hi Ingrid, my name is Tomas. I'm looking for a homestay or shared room for the upcoming academic term. I need to register my enquiry, please. A: Of course! Let me get some details first. Can I have your full name, please? B: Yes, it's Tomas — that's T-O-M-A-S — and my surname is Varga. That's spelled V-A-R-G-A. A: Got it, Tomas Varga. And do you have a student registration number yet? B: Yes, I do. It's 820... wait, sorry, that's my old library card. It's actually 914 3822. A: Let me read that back: 9-1-4, 3-8-2-2. Is that correct? B: Yes, that's the one. I'm looking for somewhere starting on the 12th of September. Or maybe a bit earlier, but let's register it as the 12th. A: Okay, September 12th. Now, we have two main options: a homestay with a local family, or a shared apartment. With the homestay, the weekly rent is £160, and that includes breakfast and dinner. Oh, wait, the rate has gone up slightly to £165 this term. B: Ah, £165 is fine. Is there a deposit for the homestay? A: Yes, it's a flat deposit of £200, which you get back at the end. For the shared apartment, the rent is £140, but you have to buy your own food, and the deposit is £300. Also, with the homestay, there's a house rule: no overnight guests are allowed. In the apartment, guests are permitted but they can't stay more than two nights. B: I think the homestay suits me better because I'd love to practice my English and have meals provided. Does the homestay room have a desk? I need to study a lot. A: Yes, all our homestay rooms have a desk, a wardrobe, and a private study lamp. However, you'll need to share the bathroom. Oh, and you must agree to help with the recycling once a week — it's a household chore they expect. B: That's perfectly fair. I can do that. Is there a garden I can use? A: Yes, the family has a lovely garden, but they have a dog, so you must keep the back gate closed. If you are happy with these, I can draft the agreement. B: That sounds wonderful. Let's go ahead with the homestay, please. [Q1] Surname: ________

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

(Shared with Q1.) [Q3] Start date: 12th ________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q4] Weekly rent for homestay: £________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q5] Homestay deposit required: £________

(Shared with Q1.) [Q6] What is a rule for overnight guests in the homestay?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q7] What study facility is specifically mentioned as being in the homestay room?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q8] What chore is Tomas expected to help with weekly?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q9] Why must the back gate of the garden be kept closed?

(Shared with Q1.) [Q10] Which TWO reasons does Tomas give for choosing the homestay option?

Hello everyone, and welcome to the Old Orchard Community Plot. My name is Priscilla, and I'm thrilled to see so many volunteers here today for our heritage garden restoration. Before we divide into teams, let me give you a quick layout of the site. As you walk through the main entrance gate, look immediately to your left. You'll find the Tool Shed right there, which is where you can pick up your gloves and spades. Moving along the path, behind the main greenhouse, you'll see a structure adjacent to the wooden fence. Some people think it's the rainwater storage, but we actually use that spot for the Compost Bin to recycle our green waste. If you look up to the far northern corner, right next to the cherry tree, there is a small building. We planned to make this a demonstration hub, but it is currently serving as the Seedling Greenhouse where we keep the delicate young plants warm. Now, in the center of the field, just past the circular pond, you will see a canvas canopy. This is our Refreshment Tent, where you can grab a cup of tea or some water. On the right-hand side of the main path, just before the stone bridge, we have another designated station. We were going to put the rainwater tank there to catch runoff, but we realized it gets the best sunlight, so we've established the Demonstration Area right there instead, where our gardener will show you pruning techniques. Today, our main focus is going to be clearing overgrown weeds from the central pathway so we can make it safe for visitors. Regarding safety footwear, although we have plenty of gardening gloves inside the tool shed, we do not provide safety boots here, so I hope you all brought your own as requested in the email. You'll need to wear them at all times, not just when you are doing heavy digging. Our schedule is slightly different today. Usually, we wrap up the morning session at twelve-thirty, but because of the expected heat this afternoon, we'll finish today's shift at eleven-thirty instead, followed by a quick lunch until twelve. As this is an ancient site, you might find some old pottery or historic fragments in the soil. Please don't clean them or hand them directly to me, as I'll be busy. Instead, just place them carefully into the designated wooden tray on the table near the entrance so we can log them later. Now, as a thank-you for your hard work, we have some gifts. We have some beautiful fresh organic vegetables harvested yesterday, but unfortunately, these are reserved for the local market, so we can't let you take those home today. However, you're welcome to take home some potted herbs from the nursery table. We also have plenty of leftover seeds, but please leave those for next week's planting crew. Instead, we have printed copies of our popular garden design booklets, which you can absolutely take with you. As for the decorative river stones, they must remain here to line the pathways. Alright, let's grab our tools and get started! [Q11] Position 1 — the area immediately on your left as you walk through the main entrance gate

(Shared with Q11.) [Q12] Position 2 — the structure situated directly behind the main greenhouse, adjacent to the wooden fence

(Shared with Q11.) [Q13] Position 3 — the small building located at the far northern corner, next to the cherry tree

(Shared with Q11.) [Q14] Position 4 — the tent positioned in the center of the field, just past the circular pond

(Shared with Q11.) [Q15] Position 5 — the station set up on the right-hand side of the main path, before you reach the stone bridge

(Shared with Q11.) [Q16] What is the main task for volunteers this morning?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q17] What does Priscilla say about safety boots?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q18] At what time will the morning shift end today?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q19] What should volunteers do with any historic artifacts they dig up?

(Shared with Q11.) [Q20] Which TWO items are volunteers permitted to take home at the end of the day?

A: Hello, Tariq. Come in and take a seat. Let's look at your elective options for the second term of the Environmental Planning master's. You need to narrow down your choices. First up is the module on 'Green Infrastructure'. B: Thanks, Dr. Ingrid. Honestly, I initially thought about skipping 'Green Infrastructure' because I did something similar in my undergrad degree and wanted to focus on new areas. But looking closely at the syllabus, it covers rooftop gardens and urban canopies, which I've actually never studied. So, yeah, I'll definitely sign up for that one. A: I think that's a wise choice. Now, what about 'Traffic Management'? It focuses on public transit design and pedestrian zoning. B: I'm extremely keen on that, but there's a catch: the lectures clash with my core seminar on Thursday mornings. I heard they might offer an alternative afternoon session, though. If they do, I'll register immediately, but if not, I'll have to pass. I need to double-check the timetable before making it official. A: Good idea. What about 'Renewable Energy Systems'? It's highly quantitative, but very popular. B: My math background is quite weak, so I know I'd struggle with the calculations in the final exam. I still want to learn the concepts, though. Would it be possible to just sit in on the lectures and audit the course? That way, I won't have to worry about the assessment or getting credits. For 'Waste Management Policy', though, I've decided to cross it off my list completely. I originally thought about asking the department head to waive the chemistry prerequisite, but when I read the detailed syllabus, the focus is almost entirely on municipal legal frameworks, which I find incredibly dry. A: Auditing 'Renewable Energy Systems' is absolutely fine, and that's a sensible decision for 'Waste Management Policy' too if the legal focus doesn't interest you. That leaves 'Community Engagement'. B: That looks amazing, but it's restricted to students with professional field experience. Since I don't have that, I'll need to email Dr. Patel—as the department head, he's the only one who can sign a formal waiver to let me in. I'll get in touch with him today. That covers all my electives! A: Excellent. He's usually very supportive. Now, let's discuss your term project. You have to write a formal project proposal by next month. What would you say is your biggest worry about it? B: Well, I've already found a perfect research site—the disused railway yard near my house—so that's fully sorted. And my hours at the library have been reduced, meaning my part-time job won't interfere at all. My real struggle is narrowing down my focus. I have so many ideas that I'm finding it hard to formulate a research question that isn't too broad to cover in five thousand words. A: That's a very common hurdle. We can narrow down your research question today. Regarding your literature review, remember to keep your sources broad. Many students only cite local, UK-based research, but to get a truly global perspective, you really must integrate case studies and theoretical sources from a variety of international contexts. Don't worry about only using very recent publications, either—older, foundational texts are just as crucial, as long as they are relevant. B: Right, so I should look at European and Asian studies too. For my primary data, I initially thought about interviewing planning officers at the city council, but they are incredibly busy and rarely reply to student emails. I also considered doing field observations of park visitors, but it's winter and people don't stay outside long enough. So, I've decided to design a brief questionnaire and distribute it online to local residents through a community group. A: That's a very practical approach, Tariq. Reaching out online will guarantee you get enough responses within your tight timeframe. Now, a quick administrative point: for your mid-term progress report, I know some students are keen on submitting a video presentation instead of a written summary. B: Yes, I was thinking a five-minute video would be a great way to showcase the site visually! Is that allowed? A: It is creative, and the marking criteria fully permit it. However, the department's online submission portal is experiencing a major bug right now—it crashes whenever students try to upload files larger than fifty megabytes. Until the IT team fixes it next month, we've been instructed to tell everyone to stick to a standard written document. B: Oh, that's a shame. But I certainly don't want my submission to fail because of a technical glitch. I'll stick to a written report. Lastly, what exactly needs to be included in the project proposal itself? A: You don't need to submit a signed risk assessment yet—that's only for the final dissertation. And since you aren't spending any money, a detailed budget breakdown isn't necessary either. But you definitely need to include a map showing the boundaries of the railway yard you're studying, as well as a preliminary weekly timeline of tasks showing how you plan to complete your research. B: Got it. A site map and a weekly timeline. I'll make sure both of those are in my draft. Thank you so much for your guidance, Dr. Ingrid! [Q21] Green Infrastructure

(Shared with Q21.) [Q22] Traffic Management

(Shared with Q21.) [Q23] Renewable Energy Systems

(Shared with Q21.) [Q24] Waste Management Policy

(Shared with Q21.) [Q25] Community Engagement

(Shared with Q21.) [Q26] What is Tariq's main concern about his upcoming term project?

(Shared with Q21.) [Q27] What does Dr. Ingrid say about the literature review?

(Shared with Q21.) [Q28] How will Tariq gather primary data for his project?

(Shared with Q21.) [Q29] Why does Dr. Ingrid advise against using a video presentation for the mid-term progress report?

(Shared with Q21.) [Q30] Which TWO things must Tariq include in his project proposal?

Good morning. Today we're exploring a remarkable geological feature known as a 'turlough'—essentially, a seasonal lake found almost exclusively in limestone karst regions. Now, many people assume these lakes are fed by surface rivers, but actually, they are entirely dependent on groundwater levels. When the water table rises in autumn, water is forced up through underground openings called estavelles, filling the basin; in summer, it drains right back down. Initially, early geologists estimated that a typical turlough takes around forty days to empty completely, though recent computerized monitoring has corrected this to just fourteen days under normal conditions. This rapid drainage means the soil on the basin floor is uniquely adapted. In terms of vegetation, you won't find deep-rooted trees because the soil is waterlogged for half the year, but what you do find are specialized mosses and terrestrial herbs that thrive in the brief summer window. For wildlife, turloughs are crucial, acting as temporary feeding grounds for migratory winter birds, which arrive just as the waters peak. But these delicate ecosystems are facing significant modern pressures. Many landowners once attempted to drain them for permanent grazing; however, this often led to severe localized flooding downstream because the natural sponge effect was lost. Lately, researchers led by Dr. Ingrid have been studying how agricultural runoff—specifically nitrogen compounds—is impacting the biodiversity of these basins. So, let us examine the four distinct zones of a standard turlough basin, from the deepest point to the outer rim, to understand how different plant communities distribute themselves. First, the 'floor zone' is submerged longest and is dominated by the black moss Cinclidotus fontinaloides, which can tolerate up to ten months of inundation. Next, the 'middle zone' experiences fluctuating water levels and supports silverweed, a plant that spreads rapidly via runners once the water recedes. Higher up, the 'shrub zone' is characterised by woody species like buckthorn that can survive occasional dampness but not prolonged flooding. Finally, the 'fringe zone' transitions into regular dry grassland, marked by the presence of orchids and other delicate herbs. [Q31] What primary factor determines the water level in a turlough?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q32] What did recent computerized research reveal about the emptying process of a turlough?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q33] Why are deep-rooted trees absent from the basins of turloughs?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q34] What was an unexpected consequence of historical attempts to drain turloughs?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q35] What is the main focus of Dr. Ingrid's current research?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q36] Which TWO environmental benefits of natural, undrained turloughs are highlighted by the lecturer?

(Shared with Q31.) [Q37] is flooded for the longest duration of the year

(Shared with Q31.) [Q38] contains plants that spread rapidly via runners

(Shared with Q31.) [Q39] features woody vegetation that cannot tolerate long-term water immersion

(Shared with Q31.) [Q40] acts as a transition area containing delicate orchids