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IELTS Listening Practice Test 19: Part 1
Joining a language exchange club. A student phones the organiser of a language exchange club to find out how it works and to sign up.
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You hear the recording once, as in the real test.
Questions 1–10
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Westbridge Language Exchange
The club
- Meets every Thursday (example) evening, 7–9 pm
- Venue: the room above the 1 on Bridge Street
- Number of languages offered this term: 2
- Partners use each language for 3 minutes, then swap
- Monthly social event: a 4
Joining
- Cost for students: £5 per term
- Before attending, create a 6 on the club website
Caller's details
- Name: Owen 7
- Wants to practise: 8
- Interests: 9 and cooking
- First meeting: Thursday 10 October
Show the answers and explanations
- bookshop / book shop / book-shopTrap: the club used to meet in the university library, but it closes too early. Now they rent the room above the bookshop.
- 14 / fourteenTrap: there were twelve languages last term. Turkish and Polish have been added, so there are fourteen.
- 40 / fortyTrap: they used to spend half an hour on each language, but that was not long enough, so it is now forty minutes.
- quizTrap: it was a film night for a long time, but films were hard for everyone to follow, so it is now a quiz.
- 12 / twelve / £12 / 12 poundsTrap: eighteen pounds is the full membership. Owen is a student, so he pays twelve pounds.
- profileThere is no level test. New members must set up a profile on the website so that they can be matched with a partner.
- PritchardThe surname is spelled letter by letter: P-R-I-T-C-H-A-R-D (note the T before the CH).
- ItalianTrap: he studied French at school but does not want to go back to it. He needs Italian for his year in Rome.
- rowingTrap: he used to play tennis but has had no time since starting university. His main interest now is rowing.
- 9 / 9th / ninthTrap: this Thursday is the second, but matching takes about a week, so he should come on the ninth.
Show the transcript
Narrator: Part 1. You will hear a student phoning the organiser of a language exchange club.
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.
Club organiser (Nadia): Good evening, Westbridge Language Exchange, Nadia speaking.
Caller (Owen): Oh, hi. I picked up one of your leaflets at the Freshers' Fair last week, and I wanted to find out a bit more about the club before I sign up.
Club organiser (Nadia): Of course. Well, the basic idea is very simple. We put people together in pairs, so that you practise the language you're learning with a native speaker, and in return you help them with your language.
Caller (Owen): That sounds great. So when do you meet?
Club organiser (Nadia): Every Thursday evening during term time, from seven until nine. We did try Mondays for a while, but too many people had lectures, so we went back to Thursdays.
Caller (Owen): And is that on the campus somewhere?
Club organiser (Nadia): Not any more. For years we met in the university library, but it closes at eight now, which was far too early for us. So these days we rent the room above the bookshop on Bridge Street. It's just across the road from the bus station, so it's easy to find.
Caller (Owen): Oh, I know the one. And how many languages are there? I suppose it's mostly the big ones, like French and Spanish.
Club organiser (Nadia): Those are certainly popular, but the range is much wider than people expect. Last term we had twelve, and this term we've added Turkish and Polish, so that makes fourteen altogether.
Caller (Owen): Fourteen. That's impressive. So how does an evening actually work?
Club organiser (Nadia): Well, you sit down with your partner and talk in one language first, and then you swap. We used to do half an hour in each language, but most people felt that wasn't long enough to really get going, so now it's forty minutes each. Then we all have a coffee together at the end.
Caller (Owen): Right. And is there anything else, apart from the Thursday meetings?
Club organiser (Nadia): Yes, once a month there's a social evening at a cafe in town. For a long time it was a film night, but it was hard to find films that everyone could follow, so these days we have a quiz instead. The questions are in lots of different languages, and it gets surprisingly competitive.
Caller (Owen): Ha, I can imagine. And how much does it cost to join?
Club organiser (Nadia): Full membership is eighteen pounds a term. That covers the rent for the room and the coffee. But you're a student, aren't you?
Caller (Owen): Yes, I'm in my second year.
Club organiser (Nadia): In that case it's twelve pounds. You'll just need to show your student card at your first meeting.
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.
Caller (Owen): So what do I need to do to join? Is there some kind of test, to check what level I am?
Club organiser (Nadia): No, there's no test. Some people worry about that, but your level really doesn't matter. What we do ask is that you go on our website and set up a profile before you come. You just say which languages you speak and what you're interested in, and that helps us find you the right partner.
Caller (Owen): OK, I can do that tonight.
Club organiser (Nadia): Actually, I can start it for you now, if you like, and you can add the rest later. What's your name?
Caller (Owen): It's Owen Pritchard.
Club organiser (Nadia): Could you spell your surname for me?
Caller (Owen): Sure. It's P-R-I-T-C-H-A-R-D.
Club organiser (Nadia): Thanks. And you're a native English speaker, I take it. Which language would you like to practise?
Caller (Owen): Well, I did French at school for five years, but I've forgotten most of it, and to be honest, I'm not that keen to go back to it. I'm hoping to spend next year in Rome as part of my degree, so it's really Italian that I need.
Club organiser (Nadia): That's lucky. We've got several Italian students this year who want to improve their English, so it shouldn't be hard to find you a partner. Now, could you tell me a bit about your interests? It helps if partners have something in common to talk about.
Caller (Owen): Let me think. I used to play a lot of tennis, but I haven't had time since I started university. These days it's mainly rowing. I'm in the university club, so I'm out on the river most mornings. Oh, and I love cooking.
Club organiser (Nadia): Rowing and cooking. Lovely. So when would you like to start?
Caller (Owen): Could I come along this Thursday?
Club organiser (Nadia): Let me see. This Thursday's the second, isn't it? The thing is, it takes us about a week to match new members with partners, so you'd be sitting on your own. You'd be better off coming the week after, on the ninth.
Caller (Owen): The ninth of October. Fine, I'll put it in my diary. Thanks very much, Nadia.
Club organiser (Nadia): You're welcome, Owen. See you then.
Narrator: That is the end of Part 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers to Part 1.