IELTS Luisteren – Oefentestvragen sectie 2

[phone ringing]

Phillip: Good morning, Linwood Manor, this is Phillip speaking, I'm the events manager.

Beatrice: Good morning, Phillip. My name's Beatrice. I'm calling because I'm organising a corporate retreat for my company's leadership team next March, and I wanted to ask about the possibility of hiring the manor for two nights. We'd also need rooms for everyone.

Phillip: Of course, we should be able to help. Will you want a sit down dinner on the first evening or something more informal?

Beatrice: A sit down dinner, definitely.

Phillip: And how many people are we talking about?

Beatrice: Around 60.

Phillip: Right. We have two main rooms that suit a group of that size. The first is the Pemberton Room. It can hold around a hundred if everyone is standing. For a meal the limit is lower: it can seat seventy people.

Beatrice: OK.

Phillip: If you wanted to bring in a small jazz band, the Pemberton Room has a balcony at one end where four or five musicians can play comfortably. Most of our guests really like that arrangement, because the music carries down into the room nicely without drowning out the conversation.

Beatrice: That sounds perfect.

Phillip: The Pemberton Room is on the south side of the manor, and it has tall French doors leading out onto a long stone terrace. At the time of year you're talking about, March, the terrace will be edged with flowers in pots, which look really lovely. In summer, we sometimes put lanterns out there as well.

Beatrice: And what's beyond the terrace?

Phillip: From the terrace, you look out across an old garden within the grounds. Most guests like to wander out there before dinner. The small lake sits on the far side of the garden, so the room itself gives you the garden view.

Beatrice: [excited] Oh, that does sound nice.

Phillip: The other option is the Wellbridge Room. It's a touch more spacious, seats up to eighty for a meal, and there is an elevated area at one end. If someone is giving a presentation, that area is where we set the lectern and treat it as the stage.

Beatrice: And can people walk outside from the Wellbridge Room?

Phillip: Direct access outside is only from the lower rooms. The Wellbridge Room is on the upper floor, and on one side the windows look out across the lake.

Beatrice: Lovely. Either of those would be suitable, I think.

Phillip: Now, let me tell you about a couple of the optional services we offer in addition to the room and meal.

Beatrice: Please.

Phillip: We can provide what we call a host, that's a senior member of our team who stays with the group throughout the evening. Many companies find this very useful, particularly during the dinner itself.

Beatrice: What does the host actually do?

Phillip: Well, primarily they're there to introduce things. They won't give a long speech or run the entertainment; they'll usually deliver a short welcome at the start of the meal. If something awkward comes up later, say a microphone fails, or a guest needs the medical room, the host will quietly handle those difficulties, leaving you free to enjoy the evening.

Beatrice: That's very useful. Now I do want to talk about food. The other thing I really need to ask about is accommodation. You obviously have rooms in the main house; are there any other types of room, like cabins, for example?

Phillip: Yes, we have eight in the grounds. They are more than standard hotel rooms; each one sleeps two to four people and has its own living room, bathroom, and a small kitchen.

Beatrice: That sounds perfect for what we'll need.

Beatrice: Now you have various leisure facilities, don't you? Are they all included in the price of hiring the room, The outdoor pool, for instance, would that be available?

Phillip: Normally yes, and it is included in summer bookings. Unfortunately the outdoor pool will be drained throughout March for resurfacing, I'm afraid. So that one's ruled out.

Beatrice: OK. What about the spa?

Phillip: The spa is fully open. Day visitors pay. For any of your guests staying on site it is free of charge, towels and slippers included. It's open every day from seven in the morning until ten at night.

Beatrice: That's lovely. And do you have tennis courts?

Phillip: We have three tennis courts. They are available. I should warn you that the use of those is charged separately from the room hire; there's a small additional fee per hour. They're very popular with March bookings, though, so I'd recommend reserving them as soon as you confirm your booking.

Beatrice: Right, that's really useful. Now, could we discuss the food in more detail?