IELTS Listening Practice Test 14: Part 1

Narrator: Part 1. You will hear a woman phoning a van hire company because she is moving house.

Narrator: First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5.

Narrator: You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.

Narrator: Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.

Hire assistant (Steve): Good morning, Coleford Van Hire, Steve speaking. How can I help?

Caller (Karen Margolis): Oh, hi. I'm moving house this month, and I'd like to hire a van for the move. I've never done this before, so I'm not sure what size I need.

Hire assistant (Steve): No problem, I can help with that. What are you moving out of? A flat, or a house?

Caller (Karen Margolis): It's a two-bedroom apartment. Sorry, a flat. I've lived here for years, but I still say apartment. I was thinking one of your small vans would probably do.

Hire assistant (Steve): Have you got any large furniture? A sofa, a double bed, a wardrobe?

Caller (Karen Margolis): All three, I'm afraid. And a lot of books.

Hire assistant (Steve): Then I really wouldn't take the small van. You'd end up making three or four trips. For a two-bedroom flat, most people go for our medium van. It'll take everything, but it's still easy to drive and park.

Caller (Karen Margolis): OK, the medium one, then. Does it have one of those platforms at the back that lifts things up for you?

Hire assistant (Steve): A tail lift? No, only our large vans have those, and they're all booked for the next few weeks anyway. But the medium van has a ramp that slides out from under the back, so you can wheel heavy things straight in.

Caller (Karen Margolis): That sounds fine. And is there a limit on how far I can drive?

Hire assistant (Steve): There is now, yes. Until last year, all our hire came with unlimited mileage, but now you get a hundred free miles a day, and after that it's twenty pence a mile. How far are you going?

Caller (Karen Margolis): Only about thirty miles each way, so that won't be a problem. And how much does it cost?

Hire assistant (Steve): The daily rate for the medium van is sixty-five pounds. When are you moving?

Caller (Karen Margolis): On Saturday the twelfth of June. I'd like to pick the van up the evening before, so we can start loading first thing on Saturday, and then I'd bring it back on the Sunday.

Hire assistant (Steve): In that case, you'd pay our weekend rate. Normally three days would cost you one hundred and ninety-five pounds, but if you collect after half past five on the Friday and return it on the Sunday, it's one hundred and twenty-five pounds altogether.

Caller (Karen Margolis): Oh, that's much better than I expected.

Hire assistant (Steve): Right, let me put the booking on the system. Can I have your name, please?

Caller (Karen Margolis): Yes, it's Karen Margolis.

Hire assistant (Steve): Could you spell the surname for me?

Caller (Karen Margolis): Sure. M-A-R-G-O-L-I-S.

Hire assistant (Steve): Thank you. So that's the medium van, collecting on Friday the eleventh of June, any time after half past five.

Caller (Karen Margolis): That's right.

Narrator: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10.

Narrator: Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.

Hire assistant (Steve): Now, will you be driving the van yourself?

Caller (Karen Margolis): Actually, no. I've never driven anything bigger than a car. My husband was going to drive, but his company's sending him abroad that week, so my brother has offered to do it instead.

Hire assistant (Steve): That's fine. He'll need to show us his driving licence when you collect the van. He'll also need something that shows his current address. A recent bill is best, for gas or electricity, that kind of thing.

Caller (Karen Margolis): Would a bank statement do? He does all his banking online, so he might not have any bills on paper.

Hire assistant (Steve): I'm afraid we stopped accepting bank statements last year. But if he prints out a bill from his online account, that's fine.

Caller (Karen Margolis): OK, I'll tell him. Is there anything else we might need?

Hire assistant (Steve): Well, we lend out blankets for wrapping furniture, and there's no charge for those. We also hire out trolleys, the ones with two wheels, for moving heavy boxes. They're eight pounds for the weekend.

Caller (Karen Margolis): Oh, one of those would be really useful, with all my books. Can I add one? And do you sell cardboard boxes?

Hire assistant (Steve): We used to, but we don't any more. Most supermarkets will give you some if you ask. I'll add the trolley to your booking.

Caller (Karen Margolis): Thanks. Now, what time do I need to bring the van back on Sunday? Can I keep it all day?

Hire assistant (Steve): Not this time, I'm afraid. Another customer is taking that van at one o'clock, so it'll need to be back by midday.

Caller (Karen Margolis): OK, we should be finished by then. Will anyone be there on a Sunday?

Hire assistant (Steve): No, the office is closed on Sundays, but the yard is open. Just park in one of the spaces marked 'Returns'. There's a key safe on the wall by the gate, but it's broken at the moment, so please put the keys through the letterbox in the office door instead.

Caller (Karen Margolis): Got it. Thanks very much for your help, Steve.

Hire assistant (Steve): You're welcome. I'll email you a confirmation this afternoon.

Narrator: That is the end of Part 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers to Part 1.