PART 1 — REAL IELTS EXAM TEST 10 — IELTS Test

Speaker 3
(0:00) Section 1. (0:04) You will hear a student from overseas phoning the Student Accommodation Office of a college in the UK for some information. (0:12) First you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4 on page 2.
(0:37) You will see that there is an example that has been done for you. (0:41) On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.
Speaker 1
(0:49) College Accommodation Bureau, Darren speaking. (0:52) How may I help you?
Speaker 2
(0:53) Oh, good morning. (0:54) I'm starting at the college in September and I need to find some accommodation.
Speaker 1
(1:00) Right. (1:01) Well, there are various options. (1:04) The first one is to stay in college accommodation.
(1:07) That would be a single room.
Speaker 3
(1:12) The first type of accommodation is a single room in the college. (1:16) So, single room has been written in the space. (1:20) Now we shall begin.
(1:22) You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. (1:28) Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.
Speaker 1
(1:35) College Accommodation Bureau, Darren speaking. (1:38) How may I help you?
Speaker 2
(1:40) Oh, good morning. (1:41) I'm starting at the college in September and I need to find some accommodation.
Speaker 1
(1:46) Right. (1:47) Well, there are various options. (1:50) The first one is to stay in college accommodation.
(1:53) That would be a single room. (1:55) How much would that cost? (1:58) Well, it depends.
(2:00) For a standard room, you're looking at £3,276 for the year. (2:07) That's just for a room with washbasin. (2:10) Or £3,834 if you want an en-suite.
(2:16) That's with your own small bathroom.
Speaker 2
(2:18) I see. (2:20) That's more than I expected.
Speaker 1
(2:21) It does include heating. (2:24) That's quite a saving because energy costs can be high, especially in winter.
Speaker 2
(2:30) Hmm. (2:31) Does it include meals as well?
Speaker 1
(2:34) No. (2:35) All our rooms are self-catering now. (2:38) There's a shared kitchen on each corridor where you can cook if you want to.
(2:42) Or there are plenty of places to eat out on campus.
Speaker 2
(2:46) Okay. (2:47) And you said that's the price for the whole year?
Speaker 1
(2:49) Well, you pay annually, but actually it's for 36 weeks. (2:55) It doesn't include holidays. (2:57) You have to vacate the room then.
Speaker 2
(2:59) Oh. (3:00) I need somewhere to stay in the holidays. (3:03) I can't afford to go home.
(3:05) The flights are too expensive.
Speaker 1
(3:07) Well, there is another option. (3:10) Several families who either work at the college or have children studying here offer visiting students a room in their homes. (3:18) Oh?
(3:20) We call this arrangement Home Welcome, and we've still got a few places left at the moment. (3:27) You pay £150 per week, and that includes breakfast, a packed lunch and dinner, as well as heating.
Speaker 2
(3:36) Is there a contract? (3:38) Do you have to stay for the whole year?
Speaker 1
(3:40) No. (3:40) It's flexible.
Speaker 2
(3:42) It sounds really good, but I'm not sure. (3:46) I really want to be a little more independent.
Speaker 3
(3:53) Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10 on page 2. (4:30) Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.
Speaker 2
(4:37) What about finding somewhere to live off campus?
Speaker 1
(4:40) Yes. (4:41) You can rent a property in town privately. (4:45) You might want to rent a room in a shared house.
(4:48) You'd have a room of your own and share the kitchen and bathroom with other students.
Speaker 2
(4:54) What about if I don't want to share?
Speaker 1
(4:56) You can get what we call a studio. (4:59) They're often quite small, but they'll have everything you need.
Speaker 2
(5:03) Right. (5:03) How much would those two options cost?
Speaker 1
(5:05) Well, prices vary depending on which part of town the property's in. (5:12) Generally speaking, the cheapest is around £275 a month for each student.
Speaker 2
(5:18) Oh, that's not too bad.
Speaker 1
(5:21) Yes, but it can also be as high as £490, and then you'll have to pay all your other bills.
Speaker 2
(5:29) What sort of amount would I be looking at for those?
Speaker 1
(5:32) Well, last year, students were paying on average about £43 per month each for gas and electricity. (5:42) This year, it'll probably be somewhere in the region of £48. (5:47) That's a lot.
(5:49) Yes, they've gone up quite a bit, and on top of that, you have to pay for water, and that'll probably be around £9.
Speaker 2
(5:58) That didn't occur to me. (6:00) And I guess I'd have to pay for transportation, too.
Speaker 1
(6:04) That's right. (6:05) Most of these properties are quite a long way from the college.
Speaker 2
(6:09) Oh, it just gets worse and worse. (6:13) What's the minimum contract on this type of accommodation?
Speaker 1
(6:17) Six months. (6:19) And you have to pay a deposit. (6:21) But of course, you can stay there over the holidays.
(6:24) That's true. (6:25) And you'd have to provide references. (6:28) They want two from someone in this country.
(6:31) I see. (6:32) That's not a problem. (6:33) If you do choose this option, we can't find the property for you.
(6:38) You'd have to go through the estate agent, which manages the property for the owner.
Speaker 2
(6:43) Right. (6:45) Thanks. (6:46) Well, I think I'd like to see what's available privately.
(6:50) Could you give me the estate agent details?
Speaker 3
(6:52) That is the end of Section 1. (6:59) You now have half a minute to check your answers.