IELTS Listening Practice Test | 2026-02-14

**Narrator:** Now look at part one. Part one, you are going to hear a conversation about purchasing a cellular phone. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to six. Now listen to the tape and answer questions 1 to six.
**Customer:** Excuse me, can you give me some information about purchasing a cellular phone?
**Assistant:** Of course, my pleasure. We carry all sorts of phones from the most basic phones to very sophisticated web enabled phones. I will do my best to help you find a phone that suits your needs.
**Customer:** Thanks. I'm looking for two cellular phones, one for me and one for my son. I think I won't need anything too sophisticated, just your basic phone functions. But maybe my son will like something with more functions.
**Assistant:** Sure. Well, let's take a look. So, you have no preferences at all. What about the size or color? How about the brand?
**Customer:** Well, I don't really care what brand the cell phone is, but I guess I don't want anything that's too big or too small. I want a phone that can fit nicely in my hand and in my pocket. If it's too big, it might be too heavy. And if it's too small, I might lose it. Color I don't really care about either. Well, I don't want a pink phone.
**Assistant:** Ah, okay. So, let's look for something suitable for a working person. How about this one? This one is the R55. It is black, not too big, not too small, all the usual functions. The best feature of the R55 is that it can be used worldwide, even in Europe or Asia.
**Customer:** It looks good. How much does it cost?
**Assistant:** It is only $100. If you sign up for a calling plan, then we will give you a $50 discount on the phone.
**Customer:** How old is this model, though? I don't want anything that's too old.
**Assistant:** This model was introduced into the market about 3 years ago, so it is a bit older, but be assured it will still work fine.
**Customer:** Well, I think I still want something not as old. How about from last year? Any good phones from around that time?
**Assistant:** Yes, there are some. How about this one? It's the new model of the phone you just looked at called the W55. Most of the features are the same. There are some new features on the W55, though. The battery will last up to 2 days longer and the overall weight of the phone is lighter.
**Customer:** How much is this one?
**Assistant:** This is selling for $150. If you purchase it along with a phone plan, then it will be only $100.
**Customer:** Okay, I think I'll take this one. Now, I need to pick up a phone for my son. I think he'll want something more trendy. So, how about a new model for him? Nothing too extravagant or expensive, though.
**Assistant:** This right here is the newest offering from the leading company in the cellular phone business. The phone is called the Rocket. It is well suited for teenage users. Among the teen friendly features are 10 songs to choose from, a free messaging system that allows friends to send texts to each other, and voice recognition dialing. The thing most younger users like about the Rocket is that it has a screen that changes colors. All this for only $100 with a purchase of a one-year phone plan.
**Customer:** Sounds like something my son will like. Can I sign us both up at once?
**Assistant:** Yes, of course. Both of you can share one plan. You will pay only $50 a month for both of you to share a plan.
**Customer:** That's it. Only $50 a month?
**Assistant:** Yes, that's all.
**Narrator:** Now look at questions 7 to 10. Now listen to the tape and answer questions 7 to 10.
**Assistant:** Okay. I will need your information. Name and address, please.
**Customer:** Richard Derek Jones.
**Assistant:** What's your profession?
**Customer:** I'm an engineer.
**Assistant:** Address, please.
**Customer:** 1st Street, San Francisco, California.
**Assistant:** And phone number, please.
**Customer:** 621360 7601. Oh, sorry, that's the wrong number. 6213607610.
**Assistant:** How many phones do you want activated onto your plan?
**Customer:** Two for now.
**Assistant:** Thank you very much. Your phones will be ready in a minute.
**Narrator:** That is the end of part one. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

**Narrator:** Now it turns to part two. Part two. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
**Student:** Hi.
**Alice:** Hello. How can we help you?
**Student:** Is this the office of institutional real estate?
**Alice:** Yes, sir. My name's Alice Bomb and I'm a university housing supervisor.
**Student:** Oh, good. I wonder if you could help me.
**Alice:** I'll certainly try, sir.
**Student:** I'm hoping to rent an apartment from September when I begin here. And I'd really like some advice on where to rent and how to rent a place.
**Alice:** Advice on renting in Manhattan. We've got plenty of advice about that. The first thing to think about are the prices. New York is an expensive place to live, and Manhattan is the most expensive place in New York. Everyone wants to be here. In most areas of Manhattan, you'll have great difficulty finding a studio apartment for less than $13 to $1,400 per month. But there are areas just outside Manhattan within a 30 to 40 minute commute where you can find a decent studio apartment to rent for $850 to $1,000 per month.
**Student:** That's a big difference. But then there are travel costs on top of that.
**Alice:** Yes, there are. If you're prepared to make compromises in your choice of accommodation, perhaps you can find an apartment you like and can afford. Monthly rents also depend on two other factors: apartment size and then amenities.
**Student:** Can you tell me a bit more about that?
**Alice:** Basically, bigger flats get higher rents. So, if you can live without a lot of space, it's much cheaper. And if you're willing to take a flat which has street noise or doesn't have much natural light, then you may save some more money. However, you could go the other way and get a bigger flat and share it with another student. You can cut costs by sharing a large bedroom. To find a roommate, check the listings for apartment shares in the housing registry.
**Student:** Share a flat. I hadn't given that idea much thought.
**Alice:** Lots of our students do that.
**Student:** What about amenities? Can you explain that a bit more?
**Alice:** You need to decide what facilities you really would like and what you can do without. For example, do you want a door man? Would you like an elevator? These kinds of things put the prices up.
**Student:** I don't think I need a doormat. Is there anything else I should know?
**Alice:** Yes. Remember, the housing market is very competitive, especially for affordable apartments. You need to be prepared to make decisions quickly and be flexible with your plans. Don't start your search earlier than 4 weeks before you want to move in because tenants only need to give landlords 30 days notice of their departure.
**Narrator:** Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
**Alice:** And make apartment hunting your life for 2 or 3 weeks. That should be enough time to get familiar with the market and find what you're looking for.
**Student:** What's the best way of finding a place?
**Alice:** There are really only two ways. You do it yourself or you get someone else to do it for you.
**Student:** That sounds interesting. How do I do that?
**Alice:** There are property brokers who will find a place for you. They can guide you to the property of your choice and help you with the paperwork.
**Student:** Wow, that sounds great.
**Alice:** But they do charge you a commission fee. In Manhattan, expect to pay between 12 and 15% of the year's rent. That means if your rent is $1,000 a month, the broker's fee works out to $1,800.
**Student:** Oh, maybe not a broker then. And what's the other option again?
**Alice:** Do the leg work yourself. Look in the classified ads, call landlord companies, and do online searches. Check out our website first.
**Student:** You mentioned paperwork. Could you tell me something about that?
**Alice:** Sure. To rent an apartment, you may be asked to complete an application by your prospective landlord. You may also be asked to pay between $50 and $200 for credit reports. Landlords want to see evidence of steady income and good credit.
**Student:** I see.
**Alice:** Because you're a full-time student, most landlords will require a guarantor, someone to guarantee you will pay the rent on time. And when the landlord approves your apartment application, be prepared to pay the first month's rent and the deposit when you sign the lease.
**Student:** That's a lot to think about and it sounds like a lot of hard work. Thank you very much for the advice.
**Alice:** You're very welcome and good luck.
**Narrator:** That is the end of part two. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

**Narrator:** Now it turns to part three. Part three, you will hear two conversations. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.
**Maria:** Oh, hi Dave. Long time no see.
**Dave:** Hi Maria. I just settled down. I thought I'd drop by.
**Maria:** Come on in. Take a seat. Would you like anything to drink? I have Sprite and orange juice.
**Dave:** Sprite would be fine. Oh, so how have you been?
**Maria:** Oh, not bad. And you?
**Dave:** Oh, I'm doing okay, but school has been really busy these days, and I haven't had time to relax.
**Maria:** By the way, what's your major?
**Dave:** Hotel management.
**Maria:** Well, what do you want to do once you graduate?
**Dave:** Um, I haven't decided for sure, but I think I'd like to work for a hotel or travel agency in this area. How about you?
**Maria:** Well, when I first started college, I wanted to major in French, but I realized I might have a hard time finding a job using the language. So, I changed my major to computer science. With the right skills, landing a job in the computer industry shouldn't be too difficult.
**Dave:** So, do you have a part-time job to support yourself through school?
**Maria:** Well, fortunately for me, I received a 4-year academic scholarship that pays for all of my tuition and books.
**Dave:** Wow, that's great.
**Maria:** Yeah. How about you? Are you working your way through school?
**Dave:** Yeah, I work three times a week at a restaurant near campus.
**Maria:** Oh, what do you do there?
**Dave:** I'm a cook.
**Maria:** How do you like your job?
**Dave:** It's okay. The other workers are friendly and the pay isn't bad.
**Narrator:** Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
**Narrator:** Several days later, Dave and Maria met on campus.
**Maria:** So, what do you want to do tomorrow?
**Dave:** Well, let's look at this city guide here. Um, here's something interesting. Why don't we first visit the art museum in the morning?
**Maria:** Okay, I like that idea. And where do you want to have lunch?
**Dave:** How about going to an Indian restaurant? The guide recommends one downtown, a few blocks from the museum.
**Maria:** Now, that sounds great. After that, what do you think about visiting the zoo? Well, it says here that there are some very unique animals not found anywhere else.
**Dave:** Well, to tell the truth, I'm not really interested in going there. Yeah, why don't we go shopping instead? There are supposed to be some really nice places to pick up souvenirs.
**Maria:** No, I don't think that's a good idea. We only have a few travelers checks left, and I only have $50 left in cash.
**Dave:** No problem. We can use your credit card to pay for my clothes.
**Maria:** Oh, no. I remember the last time you used my credit card for your purchases.
**Dave:** Oh well, let's take the subway down to the seashore and walk along the beach.
**Maria:** Now that sounds like a wonderful plan.
**Narrator:** That is the end of part three. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

**Narrator:** Now it turns to part four. Part four, you will hear an extract from a university lecture on the topic of marketing. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
**Lecturer:** Last week we looked at some general principles associated with marketing. And today I'd like to look at some of those points in a little more detail. So what is marketing? Or put another way, what does the term marketing mean? Many people think of it simply as the process of selling and advertising. And this is hardly surprising when every day we are bombarded with television adverts, mail shots, and telephone sales. But selling and advertising are only two functions of marketing. In fact, marketing more than any other business function deals with customers. So perhaps the simplest definition is this one. Marketing is the delivery of customer value and satisfaction at a profit. In other words, finding customers, keeping those customers happy, and making money out of the process.
The most basic concept underlying marketing is the concept of human needs. These include basic physical needs for things like food as well as warmth and safety. And marketers don't invent these needs. They're a basic part of our human makeup. So besides physical needs, there are also social needs. For instance, the need to belong and to be wanted. And in addition to social needs, we have the need for knowledge and self-expression, often referred to as individual needs.
As societies evolve, members of that society start to see things not so much in terms of what they need, but in terms of what they want. And when people have enough money, these wants become demands.
Now, it's important for the managers in a company to understand what their customers want if they're going to create effective marketing strategies. So, there are various ways of doing this. One way at supermarkets, for instance, is to interview customers while they're doing their shopping. They can be asked about their buying preferences and then the results of the survey can be analyzed. This provides reliable feedback on which to base future marketing strategies. It's also quite normal for top executives from department stores to spend a day or two each month visiting stores and mixing freely with the public as if they were ordinary customers to get an idea of customer behavior.
Uh, another way to get information from customers is to give them something. For instance, some fast food outlets give away vouchers in magazines or on the street that entitle customers to get part of their meal for nothing. As well as being a good way of attracting customers into the restaurants to spend their money, it also allows the managers to get a feel for where to advertise and which age groups to target. Another strategy employed at some well-known theme parks such as Disneyland is for top managers to spend at least one day in their career touring the park dressed as Mickey Mouse or some other cartoon character. This provides them with the perfect opportunity to survey the scene and watch the customers without being noticed.
Okay. Well, we mentioned customer satisfaction at the beginning of this lecture, and I'd like to return briefly to that as it relates to what we've just been talking about. If the performance of a product falls short of the customer's expectations, the buyer is going to be dissatisfied. In other words, if the product you buy isn't as good as you'd expected, then the chances are you'll be unhappy about it. If on the other hand performance matches expectations and the product you buy is as good as you expected then generally speaking the buyer is satisfied. But smart companies should aim one step higher. They should aim to delight customers by promising only what they can be sure of delivering and then delivering much more than they promised. So then if as sometimes happens performance is better than expected the buyer is delighted and is twice as likely to come back to the store. Now let's move on to look at the role of advertising.
**Narrator:** That is the end of part four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test.