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This is the IELTS listening test.
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You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear.
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There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work.
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All the recordings will be played once only.
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The test is in four parts.
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At the end of the test, you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.
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You will hear a man asking a friend for advice on things to do in the city with a family of visitors.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.
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Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.
MAN:
Sandra, I seem to remember you had some family visitors staying with you recently.
SANDRA:
Yeah, that's right.
SANDRA:
My brother and his family were here a couple of months ago.
MAN:
Well, I wanted to ask your advice.
MAN:
I've got my cousin and her family visiting next month and as I don't have kids, I've no idea where to take them.
SANDRA:
What about accommodation?
SANDRA:
Are they going to stay with you in your flat?
MAN:
There wouldn't be room.
MAN:
My cousin wants me to recommend a hotel.
MAN:
Do you know anywhere?
SANDRA:
Yes, I do actually.
SANDRA:
I always recommend people stay at the King's Hotel.
SANDRA:
It's about five minutes walk from Murray Station, so nice and central.
SANDRA:
It's actually on George Street.
MAN:
I think they're on quite a tight budget.
MAN:
So how much, roughly, is it to stay there?
SANDRA:
If you book a family room, it's about £125 per night.
SANDRA:
My brother paid for two double rooms in the end and I think that was around £95 for each room.
MAN:
Oh, that's not too bad.
SANDRA:
So how old are your cousin's kids?
MAN:
So I want to organise some trips while they're here.
MAN:
I was thinking of doing a bus tour of the city centre as none of them have been here before.
SANDRA:
Those bus tours are quite expensive.
SANDRA:
I think it's better to do a walking tour.
SANDRA:
It gives you a much better feel for the city.
SANDRA:
There's one that starts from Colton Square.
SANDRA:
It takes a couple of hours and doesn't cost that much.
SANDRA:
If the weather's nice, one thing you could do is visit the old fort.
SANDRA:
You could get there by boat.
SANDRA:
The whole trip takes half a day.
MAN:
That's a really good idea.
MAN:
I'd like to do that myself.
MAN:
And if the weather's bad, I was thinking they could go to the Science Museum.
MAN:
But maybe they could do that when I'm at work.
SANDRA:
Yeah, don't forget it's closed on Mondays.
MAN:
They're here from Saturday for four nights, so Tuesday would be best, I think.
SANDRA:
And it won't be so crowded then.
SANDRA:
Saturdays are terrible.
SANDRA:
I took my kids to the exhibition on old computers there and it was far too crowded.
SANDRA:
I wanted to go back but it's finished now.
MAN:
My cousin's kids would have enjoyed that.
SANDRA:
There's another one starting soon on Space, which looks really good too.
MAN:
OK, well, I'll mention that to my cousin.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions seven to ten.
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Now listen and answer questions seven to ten.
SANDRA:
Have you thought about where to take them to eat?
MAN:
Well, I really like all the food stalls at Clacton Market.
MAN:
My cousin's vegetarian.
MAN:
I know it's one of the best places for that kind of food.
SANDRA:
And there'll be loads of choice for the kids too.
SANDRA:
You need to get there quite early though.
SANDRA:
At the weekend, most of the stalls stop serving lunch at 2.30.
MAN:
Good point. It's all going to need careful planning.
MAN:
My cousin said she'd love to take the kids to a show at the theatre, but tickets are so expensive.
SANDRA:
But you can get some good deals if you book online with bargain-tickets.com for the following day.
SANDRA:
On some seats there's a 75% discount.
MAN:
I must try and get some.
SANDRA:
There are lots of things you can do for free as well.
SANDRA:
No need to spend a fortune.
SANDRA:
They're coming next month, right?
SANDRA:
Well, check and see if it's the same weekend as the Roots Music Festival in Blakewell Gardens.
SANDRA:
Yeah, check it out online.
SANDRA:
It's always a family-friendly event and there's no entry charge.
MAN:
That sounds perfect.
SANDRA:
And if you're in Blakewell Gardens, climb Telegraph Hill.
SANDRA:
You'll be able to look right down on the port.
SANDRA:
Everyone's always really impressed because it's so huge.
MAN:
Oh yeah, I've been meaning to do that for ages.
MAN:
I've heard the view's amazing.
SANDRA:
Yeah, it's really worth the effort.
MAN:
Well, that's given me loads of ideas.
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That is the end of part one.
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You now have one minute to check your answers to part one.