IELTS® Listening Practice 1

(Section 1: You will hear a conversation between a customer and a moving agent. First, you will have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. [20 seconds]. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.)

Agent: Good day. You've reached Waikato Swift Removals. How can we be of service?

Customer: Hello. I don't know where to start. My situation is just so frustrating.

Agent: I see. If I were to guess, I'd say you're relocating, and it seems like an impossible task to you.

Customer: Spot on. I'm moving from New Zealand to Canada this month. And there's so much stuff that I absolutely need to bring along with me.

Agent: You've called the right place. We specialize in such things. But we'll need to know a few details to be able to help you. Let's start with your full name and your phone number.

Customer: It's Ruby Thompson. And you can reach me at (026) 3799-785. If I'm not available, you can leave me a voice mail, and I'll call you back as soon as possible.

Agent: Very well. We'll also need to know the pick-up location. Will it be in the Waikato region?

Customer: Yes. I'll have my things prepared for pick-up at 119 Avalon Drive – that's A-V-A-L-O-N Drive – in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand.

Agent: Splendid. And what would be the delivery address in Canada?

Customer: During the first few months, I'll be staying at 2096 Jasper Avenue – that's J-A-S-P-E-R Avenue – in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Agent: Alberta? A friend of mine lives there. I've heard that the weather there is somewhat more extreme. In any case, when would you like us to schedule the pick-up?

Customer: Next Wednesday would be ideal. That'll be January the 9th.

Agent: Yes, that's perfectly possible. Would you also like us to clean after the pick-up? We gladly offer it to all our customers for a minor fee. Many people find it very time-saving.

Customer: Sure. I think it'll be especially called for in my case. I'm ending my tenancy at 9 AM on Saturday, January the 12th. And the house will have to be neat and tidy by then.

Agent: This means that we'll schedule all the cleaning for Friday the 11th. This will give the house at least 12 hours to stop smelling like detergents.

Customer: Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you. How much will I have to pay in total?

Agent: You can estimate this by visiting our website and using our online cost calculator.

Customer: Let's see… Oh wow. Your company's services seem rather pricey.

Agent: Indeed. Many removal companies offer lower prices. But they do so at the cost of quality. We prefer to stay honest with our customers. International moving is a costly endeavour, and we believe that the removal companies that tell you otherwise lack in integrity.

Customer: You have a point. There's something else I need to clarify with you. Will it be possible to store my things for two months before shipping them to my address in Canada? I'll have a lot on my plate soon after moving there, and I'd rather unpack everything when I settle down.

Agent: Certainly. We'll simply keep your things in our storage until you confirm that you want us to ship them. Our customers do it all the time.

Customer: Perfect. What a relief!

(Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you will have some time to look at questions 7 to 10 [20 seconds]. Now, listen and answer questions 7 to 10.)

Agent: Do you have any preferences when it comes to packing? We believe that it's important to consider the requests from our customers throughout the pick-up. This ensures that everything gets packed the way you prefer. For instance, you may want to pack certain items together to make it easier to unpack them later.

Customer: I can't think of anything like that at the moment.

Agent: Most people seem to be fussy about dishes and clothes. Is that your case as well?

Customer: That's right, my wardrobe! I'd appreciate it if you could pack my clothes in a way that is easily accessible.

Agent: Understood. We'll be sure to pack all your clothes in what our company refers to as at-hand package. Will there be any other requests?

Customer: Yes. My coffee maker is worth special mentioning. It was one of the few belongings that my great-grandparents took with them when they moved to New Zealand. As you can tell, it holds special importance for my family.

Agent: Fascinating. Because this coffee maker is so valuable to you, we'll store it along with other high-value items that you have.

Customer: Speaking of which… I've a collection of family photos that will need careful handling. All these photos have been backed up, so there's no need to place them along with valuable items. But I would prefer them to be packed together with my other personal things.

Agent: I understand completely. We'll put all your family photos in your personal container. Will you be specifying any other preferences?

Customer: Yes, one more thing. I've an expensive computer that I sadly can't take with me. It's brand new, and it has cost me a pretty penny. I'd love for it to go into high-value items as well, although I'm afraid it's too bulky for this category.

Agent: No worries. The section with all your other high-value items will certainly fit your computer in. We'll also label it as a fragile item.

Customer: Thank you. That'll be it. Will you be able to provide me with a list that mentions where everything is packed?

Agent: Of course. We make such lists for all our customers. They make unpacking a lot less stressful.

Customer: Indeed. You're very thorough.

Agent: We try our best. It seems that we've covered all the bases. And everything is ready for us to begin moving your things as we've discussed.

Customer: I'm so relieved now. I'll just take my luggage and be on my way to Canada.

Agent: You can rest assured that your things will be safe with us. We wish you a safe journey.

Customer: I certainly count on that. And thank you very much. Bye.

Agent: Goodbye.