Practice PET (B1) Listening Test 14 with Answers and Audioscripts

1 A   2 C   3 B   4 A   5 C   6 B   7 A

Audioscripts

1   What time does reception open?

Woman:   Hello. You are through to Doctor Andrews. I’m afraid we are now closed for the weekend and we open again on Monday. If you have medicine or a note to collect, you can speak to a receptionist who will be able to assist you from 8.30. I will be available to see patients from 9.00. If you can’t come in, another doctor may be able to help you on the phone. She can be contacted from 9.30, though may not be available if she’s out visiting someone at home.

Now listen again.

2   When is the best month to plant the seeds?

Man:   I was thinking of planting some of these flowers out next year, but I’ve never grown them before.

Woman:   Oh, they’ll be lovely if you can time everything just right. I made the mistake of planting them out in January, but the ground was too wet.

Man:   So a little later then?

Woman:   Definitely. It says you can start them in February on the packet. Personally, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to wait until March. The ground will be much drier then.

Now listen again.

3   Where did the man buy his shirt?

Woman:   You’re looking very smart. I love your shirt.

Man:   Thanks. Yes, I got it the other week. I’d seen one in that new shop in town and loved it. I tried it on and it was a perfect fit. But it was really expensive!

Woman:   I know. Things in that shop aren’t cheap.

Man:   Anyway, I saw a similar one in the market at the weekend. It wasn’t anywhere as nice quality, so I looked online and got this one. I’m really pleased with it.

Now listen again.

4   How much is one adult ticket to the football match?

Woman:   Turning now to football, and Mark phoned to ask about the cost of tickets for him and his 13-year-old son. Well Mark, now would be a good time to book your ticket. The club are organising a family day and are offering tickets for four people at £60. If there are just the two of you, a single ticket is £25 and children under 14 can get in for £15. So, the question is, are there any other family members you can persuade to join you, Mark?

Now listen again.

5   What is it that needs replacing?

Woman:   I’m going into town later. Did you say the iron wasn’t working? I might get a new one.

Man:   I thought there was something wrong with it but it’s OK. We did say we would get another microwave. Have you noticed the door doesn’t shut properly?

Woman:   I know but I can’t carry one of them back home on my own. Let’s look for one at the weekend.

Man:   OK. Hopefully the kettle still works. Do you want a cup of tea?

Now listen again.

6   Where does the man want his wife to come?

Man:   Hiya. Just phoning to let you know we’re having a lovely time. We spent the morning walking around the city centre. Jamie wanted to have a tour of the football stadium but they only do those on Wednesdays so I said we’d come back and do that another week. He wants you to come and meet us later, so I thought we could go and see a film together. I suggested the museum, but he didn’t like that idea. Call me and let me know if you can come.

Now listen again.

7   When is Janine’s birthday?

Man:   Have you bought Janine’s birthday present yet?

Woman:   No, not yet. We’re seeing her on the fifteenth, aren’t we? I’ll give her the present then.

Man:   Yes, we still have plenty of time. Are you going to her party?

Woman:   I’ve told her I can’t go. It’s on the sixteenth and I’m away at a conference that weekend. Still, I’ll give her a call on her birthday.

Man:   Yes, that’s the thirteenth. I’ve arranged to see her, so I’ll send her your love.

Now listen again.

8 A   9 C   10 B   11 C   12 A   13 B

Audioscripts

8   You will hear two friends talking about a sales assistant.

Man:   Have you just been shopping?

Woman:   Yes, I went to that computer shop to have a look at their laptops.

Man:   Did you buy one?

Woman:   No, not yet, but I had an interesting chat with one of the sales assistants who worked there. I thought he was new but he’s worked there for quite a while. He was so helpful. He took the time to explain the difference between the laptops and if he wasn’t able to answer a question, he went and found the manager to ask for his opinion.

Now listen again.

9   You will hear two friends talking about saving for when they retire.

Woman:   My bank sent me a letter about opening a savings account for when I retire.

Man:   Did they? It’s a really good idea. Even when you’re young like us, the sooner you start to save something each month the more you’ll have when you finish work. If you leave it too long, you end up having to save more each month.

Woman:   Not everyone can afford it though, can they?

Man:   Some people would definitely find it hard, I agree. But I think young people realise how important it is and are willing to make an effort.

Now listen again.

10   You will hear a husband and wife talking about a holiday.

Woman:   What about this year’s holiday? Where do you fancy going? Anywhere nice?

Man:   Somewhere warm and sunny, hopefully. Claire and Adam were talking about going with them again.

Woman:   Were they? I think the kids would prefer to have a family holiday this year. Just the four of us. What do you think?

Man:   OK. Shall we have a look on the internet?

Woman:   Let’s go into the travel agents instead. It might be more expensive, but I’d like to go somewhere we haven’t been to before and they might be able to suggest somewhere.

Now listen again.

11   You will hear two friends talking about the local library.

Woman:   Have you heard? They’re thinking of closing our library.

Man:   I know. They’ve been recording the number of visitors that libraries in the city get, and our one is supposed to be very quiet.

Woman:   But I’ll really miss it if we lose it.

Man:   Me too. And it’s so important to have a local library for the children. Some families don’t have a house full of books and a library is somewhere children can discover the pleasure in reading. And once they close it I don’t suppose there will ever be another one.

Now listen again.

12   You will hear two friends talking about doing a presentation.

Man:   It’s your interview tomorrow, isn’t it?

Woman:   Yes, 9.30 in the morning. I finally finished my presentation last night. I just hope nothing goes wrong with the laptop. You know what it’s like relying on things like that.

Man:   How about speaking in front of people? Have you done a presentation before?

Woman:   Yes, a few times. I’ll be nervous for sure, but once I get started, I’ll be OK. And I’ve spent ages researching the subject, so I’ll have plenty to talk about. Wish me luck!

Man:   Yes, good luck. I’m sure you’ll do well.

Now listen again.

13   You will hear two friends talking about working from home.

Woman:   How’s your business going?

Man:   It’s good. It’s strange working for myself and not having any meetings to go to, but I’m enjoying it.

Woman:   Do you like working from home?

Man:   I get jobs done more quickly. When I was working in the office I was always talking to other people and didn’t concentrate on the job I was doing. I thought I’d feel a bit lonely working for myself, but I make sure I get out of the house every day and have a chat with people, so that’s not a problem.

Now listen again.

14 accommodation   15 damaged   16 kitchen

17 different subjects   18 five/5   19 local doctor

Audioscripts

Woman:   This will be a very exciting time for you. You’ve got the grades you needed and you’re off to university. For many of you this will be the first time away from home. Write a list of things you should take with you, for example, your passport if you’re planning to go travelling. You’ll certainly need all the documentation the university has sent you about your course or accommodation. Don’t bring too many household items with you. You’ll be able to buy a lot of things at university.

When you arrive and go to your room, check that everything is as it should be and in good condition. Report anything that looks damaged. You don’t want to be blamed for this and be asked to pay any costs involved. This is also the time to get to meet new people. Don’t lock yourself away in your room, but go to the kitchen as this is always the first place to introduce yourself to other students.

During your first week you can enjoy Freshers· Week. This is the time to find out about all the clubs and societies you can join at university. These are great ways to get to know students doing different subjects. These people will help you forget about your studies when you need to relax and not talk about work. It’s sensible to limit yourself to signing up to a maximum of five groups or you’ll be receiving emails for weeks to come.

Don’t forget the important things like registering with the local doctor as soon as you can. And think about your weekly shopping list. Don’t spend too much but at the same time make sure you don’t go hungry. And remember to put your name on your food. A shared fridge sometimes leads to arguments!

20 B   21 C   22 A   23 A   24 C   25 B

Audioscripts

Interviewer:   We have Carrie Lewis on the show today, who has just returned from a four-month holiday in Europe. Have you always spent so long travelling?

Carrie:   During the past few years I have tried to do as much travelling as possible. I’m 22 and I know eventually I have to start a career, but at the moment I want to see as much of the world as possible before I have responsibilities like children.

Interviewer:   But where do you find the money to go on such long holidays?

Carrie:   Well, I certainly don’t stay in expensive hotels. I wish I could. I often go camping or stay with people I have met on an earlier holiday. Most places have youth hostels that can be fairly cheap, though I haven’t stayed in one for a while. Then of course you can always find work while you’re travelling.

Interviewer:   Is that easy to do?

Carrie:   It depends where you are. It’s usually easy to find work as a waiter or waitress, but it’s a good idea to arrive early in the year as the jobs get taken quickly. In some countries you can work on farms picking fruit. A friend of mine found work in a hotel and I might try that myself next year.

Interviewer:   So where did you go this year?

Carrie:   I started in France and spent time travelling around some of the big cities. But I wanted to get to Greece to work in a restaurant. I had written to a few places before I left home and one of them had offered me work so I wanted to get there as soon as possible. I went by train and found a place to stay in Athens.

Interviewer:   And did you get the job?

Carrie: I did. It was a lovely family restaurant in Athens, and they were looking for someone who could speak English to help with the customers. They’ve got children who can speak it but they weren’t around over the summer, so they employed me.

Interviewer:   So that paid for your holiday then?

Carrie:   Most of it, yes. It was perfect for me as they only wanted me to work there during the week. That meant I could visit the islands at the weekend. I used to catch the boat on Friday evening, have two nights on an island somewhere and then get back on Sunday night ready for work.

Now listen again.