IELTS Listening Practice Test 8: Part 1

Narrator: Part 1. You will hear a student phoning a hotel to ask about a part-time job.

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.

Recruitment officer (Paula): Good afternoon, the Harcourt Hotel, Paula speaking. How can I help you?

Caller (Lucas): Hi. My name's Lucas, and I'm calling about the weekend job you advertised on the university website.

Recruitment officer (Paula): Ah, yes. That's the breakfast waiter position. Are you a student at the university?

Caller (Lucas): That's right. I'm in my second year. And I've done some restaurant work before, back home.

Recruitment officer (Paula): Oh, where was that?

Caller (Lucas): In my uncle's diner, in Boston. I worked there for two summers, mostly serving tables, but I helped out in the kitchen too.

Recruitment officer (Paula): That's very useful experience. Well, let me tell you a bit about the job, and then you can decide whether you'd like to apply. You'd be working in our restaurant, serving breakfast to hotel guests. Breakfast is self-service, so you wouldn't be carrying plates of food to the tables. The main things are serving tea and coffee, clearing tables when guests leave, and making sure the buffet is kept full. You'd be refilling it all the time, especially on Sunday mornings, when it's very busy.

Caller (Lucas): That sounds fine. What are the hours?

Recruitment officer (Paula): It's Saturday and Sunday mornings. The advert said four hours a day, but I'm afraid that's out of date. We've started serving breakfast until eleven at weekends, so the shift now starts at half past six and finishes at half past eleven. That's five hours each day.

Caller (Lucas): Half past six. Hmm. I'm not sure the buses run that early.

Recruitment officer (Paula): They don't, I'm afraid, not on Sundays. But a lot of our staff cycle in, and there's a secure bike shed behind the kitchen. Do you live far away?

Caller (Lucas): No, only about fifteen minutes by bike, so that's fine. Would I have to work every weekend, though? I sometimes go away during the vacations.

Recruitment officer (Paula): During term time, we'd want you most weekends. But if you give us a month's notice, you can take a weekend off now and then, and we're quite flexible in the vacations.

Caller (Lucas): That sounds fair. And can I ask about the pay?

Recruitment officer (Paula): Of course. It's twelve pounds an hour while you're training, which is usually for the first month. After that, it goes up to thirteen.

Caller (Lucas): Great. Are there any other benefits?

Recruitment officer (Paula): Well, you get a free breakfast at the end of every shift, which most people appreciate. And staff can use the hotel gym free of charge. People always ask about the swimming pool too, but I'm afraid that's for guests only.

Caller (Lucas): That's still good. Do I need to buy a uniform?

Recruitment officer (Paula): No, we provide a white shirt and a black apron, and we wash them for you as well. The only thing you'll need to provide yourself is a pair of black shoes. Make sure they're comfortable, because you're on your feet all morning.

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.

Recruitment officer (Paula): Now, if you're offered the job, you'd need to come to a training session before your first shift. They're normally held on Saturday afternoons, but the next one's on a Thursday evening, because the restaurant's fully booked for a wedding that weekend.

Caller (Lucas): Thursday's fine. I don't have lectures in the evenings.

Recruitment officer (Paula): There's also an online course in food hygiene that all our restaurant staff have to complete. It takes about two hours, and the hotel pays for it. You don't need a first aid certificate, by the way. Some applicants worry about that, but it's only required for the staff who work at the pool.

Caller (Lucas): OK. So what's the next step?

Recruitment officer (Paula): Well, we'd like to invite you for an interview. Could you come in on Monday the fourteenth of May?

Caller (Lucas): Oh, I've got an exam that morning. Is there any chance of the following day?

Recruitment officer (Paula): Let me see. Yes, Tuesday the fifteenth is fine. Shall we say ten o'clock?

Caller (Lucas): Perfect. Who should I ask for when I arrive?

Recruitment officer (Paula): Go to the main reception desk and ask for Mrs Thornbury. She's our restaurant manager, and she'll be doing the interview.

Caller (Lucas): Could you spell that for me, please?

Recruitment officer (Paula): Yes, it's T-H-O-R-N-B-U-R-Y.

Caller (Lucas): Thanks. And should I bring anything with me? A copy of my résumé, maybe?

Recruitment officer (Paula): There's no need. We already have the one you sent with your application. But please bring your passport, so that we can check that you're allowed to work in this country. We can't offer anyone a job without seeing that.

Caller (Lucas): Of course. I'll make sure I have it with me. Thanks very much for your help.

Recruitment officer (Paula): You're welcome, Lucas. We look forward to meeting you.

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