TOEIC® Listening Practice Test 09

照片内容：In a small company mailroom, a young man in a gray sweater stands facing a wall of wooden pigeonhole slots, sliding envelopes one by one into the labeled compartments while holding a stack of letters in his other hand.

A:He's sealing an envelope at a desk.

B:He's placing mail into compartments.

C:He's weighing a parcel on a scale.

D:He's pushing a cart down a hallway.

照片内容：At a quiet marina early in the morning, a row of white sailboats is moored along a wooden dock, their sails folded and wrapped in blue covers; the water is calm and no people are visible.

A:Sails are being raised on the boats.

B:Passengers are boarding a ferry.

C:A boat is being pulled out of the water.

D:Some boats are tied up at a dock.

照片内容：In an optician's shop, a young woman tries on a pair of black eyeglass frames while looking into a small round mirror on the counter; an optician stands beside her holding another pair, and the wall behind them is lined with displays of frames.

A:A customer is trying on some glasses.

B:The optician is locking a display case.

C:The woman is paying at the register.

D:Frames are being packed into boxes.

照片内容：On a grassy hilltop overlooking the red rooftops of an old town, a woman sits on a folding stool in front of a wooden easel, painting the view with a small brush while an open box of paints rests on the grass beside her.

A:She's repairing a roof.

B:She's folding up a stool.

C:She's painting a landscape.

D:She's hanging a picture in a gallery.

照片内容：In a bright event space with floor-to-ceiling windows, about a dozen guests in business clothes stand in small groups around tall round tables, chatting while holding drinks and small plates of food.

A:Some people are gathered around high tables.

B:The guests are sitting down to dinner.

C:Chairs are being set up in rows.

D:A woman is giving a speech at a podium.

照片内容：In an open grassy field at the edge of a town, two land surveyors in bright yellow vests are at work: one looks through a measuring instrument mounted on a tripod, while the other stands farther away holding up a tall striped pole.

A:They're putting up a wooden fence.

B:One of the workers is planting a tree.

C:They're folding up a tripod.

D:One of the workers is looking through an instrument.

Who's organizing the farewell lunch for Kristof?

In the private dining room.

Yes, he's leaving on Friday.

Didn't Ms. Brannigan offer to do that?

This package was left at our reception desk by mistake.

Let me check whose name is on the label.

We packed it very carefully.

The reception starts at seven.

Would you rather meet the architects on Monday or Tuesday?

They designed the new library.

I'm away on business all week, actually.

Yes, we've met before.

When is the new carpet being installed in the lobby?

A soft gray color.

Not until the painters have finished.

In the main lobby, near the entrance.

Aren't you giving a speech at the dinner tonight?

The dinner was delicious.

Yes, I gave it to her this morning.

Only a short one, to thank the organizers.

Where did you get the figures for this chart?

Akosua put them together, not me.

Around three hundred units.

Yes, it's a bar chart.

Could you sign for a delivery if it arrives while I'm at lunch?

Sure, I'll be at my desk all afternoon.

The new sign is above the door.

I had a sandwich, thanks.

How do I get a replacement ID card?

It expires next year.

By credit card, please.

Fill out a form at the security office.

You've met our new accountant, haven't you?

The meeting's at nine o'clock.

Not yet, but I hear she's very experienced.

The account was closed last year.

Why are there so many people outside the building?

About fifty, I'd say.

Yes, it's a tall building.

A tour bus just dropped them off.

Have you tried the new noodle restaurant across the street?

Not yet, is it any good?

Just across the bridge.

He tried his best.

What did the inspector say about the fire exits?

Through the door on the left.

They passed, with only one minor note.

Every year in March.

Can I get you something to drink while you wait?

We'll have to wait and see.

Just some water would be great.

Yes, I drank it all.

Which route should I take to avoid the roadwork?

The work finished yesterday, actually.

I'll try to avoid it next time.

It took about an hour.

The vending machine on this floor just took my money.

It's on the second floor.

I'll take the stairs instead.

The facilities office can give you a refund.

Do you know who left these boxes in the hallway?

Probably the movers who were here this morning.

Yes, I left early.

Large cardboard ones.

How many people have signed up for the first-aid course?

Yes, I signed the form.

It lasts two full days.

I'll check the list for you.

Why don't we offer free delivery on orders over fifty dollars?

It was delivered on Friday.

That might attract more online customers.

Fifty dollars an hour.

Shouldn't the technicians be here by now?

Their van got stuck in traffic.

Yes, it's right here.

A technical problem.

Whose name should I put on the restaurant booking?

For six people at eight.

Yes, I've booked it.

Put it under Ms. Fujita's.

Are the new laptops for the sales team or the designers?

Sales are up this month.

They're very light.

Some of each, I believe.

How long have you been working at the Prague office?

It's a long way from here.

Almost six years now.

I'll work late tonight.

The new menu in the staff canteen is much healthier, isn't it?

And the portions are bigger, too.

Yes, I've been healthy all year.

In the basement, next to the gym.

When do you expect the contractor's estimate?

An estimated five hundred guests.

He promised it by Friday.

I expected more.

I heard the Jakarta branch is hiring three more engineers.

Prices are higher than last year.

Yes, I heard a loud noise.

Maybe I should apply for a transfer.

W:Lachlan, it's Gemma at dispatch. The temperature monitor on your trailer just sent us an alert. It's reading six degrees, and that load of yogurt has to stay below four.

M:Yeah, I noticed it creeping up about twenty minutes ago. I reckon the rubber seal on the back door got torn when the forklift bumped it at my last drop-off. There's a gap down in one corner.

W:We can't let it get any warmer, or the store won't accept the delivery. How far are you from the Westbury depot?

M:About fifteen minutes, if the motorway stays clear.

W:Then go straight there. I'll call ahead and have them get a spare refrigerated trailer ready, so you can move the pallets across and keep going with your route.

M:No worries. I'll take some photos of the damaged seal while they're swapping it over.

W:Dwayne, I've just pulled twenty tiles from this morning's batch of glazed wall tiles for testing, and six of them have hairline cracks along the edges.

M:Six out of twenty? That's way above our limit. Is it the whole batch or just certain pallets?

W:So far, only the tiles that came out of kiln three. I checked its temperature log, and it dropped sharply for about ten minutes overnight, so they probably cooled too quickly.

M:That kiln's been having sensor problems since the spring. The trouble is, the order for the hotel renovation project is supposed to ship on Thursday.

W:And the client's inspector checks every single crate when it arrives.

M:Right. Okay, let's hold everything that came out of kiln three, and I'll have maintenance replace that sensor before tonight's firing. Could you photograph the cracked tiles and send the pictures to the engineering team?

W:Hello, I checked out of your hotel yesterday morning, room four-twelve, and I think I left my tablet in the drawer of the bedside table. My name's Ilona Varga.

M:Let me check our lost-property log, Ms. Varga. Yes, housekeeping handed in a silver tablet in a black case from that room. We're keeping it in the safe at reception.

W:Oh, what a relief. The trouble is, I've already flown home to Winnipeg.

M:That's no problem at all. We can send it to you by courier. The shipping cost would be charged to the card you used during your stay, and it normally takes two or three working days.

W:That's fine. Actually, could you send it to my office instead of my home address? There's always someone at the front desk there to sign for packages.

M:Certainly. If you email me the address, I'll send you the tracking number as soon as it's on its way.

M1:Hi, we'd like to apply for a mobile food vendor permit. My business partner and I are starting a food truck, and we're hoping to park near the Saturday market in Fenton Square.

W:Of course. Have you filled in the application online? It has to be submitted together with a fire safety certificate for the truck's cooking equipment.

M2:We've done the form, but that's the first we've heard about a certificate. Tariq, did the dealer give us anything like that when we bought the truck?

M1:No, just the vehicle registration. How do we get one?

W:The fire department has to inspect the equipment, and they're quite busy at this time of year, so I'd book an inspection as soon as you can. Once everything's in, the permit takes ten working days to process.

M2:Then let's ring the fire department this afternoon. We really want to be open in time for the summer festival.

W:Okay, the new shrink-wrapping machine is being delivered on Friday afternoon. Alistair, can your team install it over the weekend so Line Two is up and running on Monday?

M1:We can, but the manufacturer's technician has to be here to set it up, and he's only available on Saturday. So we'd need the line shut down from Friday evening.

W:That's fine. We've built up extra stock this week to cover it. Raul, anything from the safety side?

M2:Yes. This machine has a heated sealing bar, so nobody should operate it until they've been trained on the new lockout procedure. I'd want a short session for the operators before they start.

W:Then let's start Monday's first shift an hour later than usual and do the training first. I'll let the operators know today.

M:Good morning. This is Desmond from Bluefinch Coach Tours. We've got a group of forty-two passengers coming through your town next Wednesday, and we'd love to stop at your restaurant for lunch.

W:We'd be happy to have you. What time would you arrive?

M:Around twelve-thirty. The catch is, the driver has to be back on the road by one-fifteen, so we've only got forty-five minutes.

W:In that case, I'd recommend our set lunch rather than the full menu. Guests choose one of three main courses, and we serve everyone at the same time.

M:That sounds ideal. I could collect everyone's choices on the coach and send them through beforehand.

W:Please do. If we have them by Monday, the kitchen can have everything ready when you walk in. I'll also reserve our back dining room so your group can sit together.

W:Nikhil, customer service tells me complaints about wrong items being shipped have doubled since we rearranged the shelves last month. Any idea why?

M:I've been looking into it. When we moved the best-selling products closer to the packing stations, several of them ended up right next to items in almost identical packaging. The phone chargers and the cable adapters, for instance, both come in small gray boxes.

W:So the pickers grab the wrong box when they're in a hurry.

M:That's my guess. If we put the look-alike items in separate aisles and add colored labels to the shelves, it should get rid of most of the errors. My team could do it over a weekend.

W:Well, the holiday rush starts in two weeks.

M:Then I'll schedule it for this Saturday and send you the new layout plan tomorrow.

W:Hi, I run a small music shop on Calloway Street, and one of my neighbors said the city is offering grants to fix up storefronts. Is that right?

M:Yes, that's our Main Street Revival program. It covers half the cost of exterior improvements, things like new signs, awnings, lighting, or paint, up to five thousand dollars per business.

W:That's great news. My sign has faded, and the awning is torn. What do I need to apply?

M:You'll need written quotes from two licensed contractors and some photos of the building as it looks now. Applications for this round close at the end of the month.

W:That's only two and a half weeks away, and contractors around here can take ages to get back to you.

M:A lot of applicants have told us that. So we've posted a list on our website of approved contractors who've agreed to provide quotes within a week.

W:Perfect. I'll go through it tonight.

M:Thanks for coming. As you know, we installed the self-service check-in kiosks in the lobby last month. Valentina, how are guests reacting?

W1:Business travelers love them. Most of them are checked in within two minutes. But a lot of our weekend guests, especially families and older visitors, still line up at the front desk.

M:Akiko, you manage the front desk. Is that line getting long?

W2:On Friday evenings, yes. We cut one receptionist from the evening shift when the kiosks arrived, so there's only one person at the desk now. Some guests wait twenty minutes.

M:That's not the first impression we want to give. Any suggestions?

W1:What if someone stood beside the kiosks on Friday evenings to walk guests through them? Most people only need help the first time.

M:Good idea. Akiko, could you work out a schedule for that, starting this week?

W2:Of course. I'll have it ready by tomorrow.

W:Hello, this is Freda Holmberg from Copley Housewares. Two of our deliveries to your distribution center were turned away this week, and our driver was told the pallet labels were the problem.

M:Yes, I saw those reports. Since the first of this month, we've required a barcode label showing the purchase-order number on two sides of every pallet. Your pallets only had one label, on top.

W:But we've used the same labels for years without any trouble.

M:I understand. The new rule was announced in our supplier newsletter in March, but I'm happy to email you the full label specifications right now.

W:Please do. We've got another shipment going out on Thursday, and I'd like to get it right this time.

M:I'll send it straight away. And once your next shipment arrives labeled correctly, I can reschedule the two refused deliveries for Friday.

W:Rhys, holiday orders are expected to triple starting next week, so we're bringing in six temporary packing tables. I'm trying to work out where to put them.

M:Well, they should be close to the loading docks, so the packed boxes don't have to travel far.

W:Agreed. But bulk storage is completely full at the moment.

M:What about the returns area? Since the new returns policy started, we've been processing about half as many items, so half that space is sitting empty. And it's right beside the docks.

W:Good thinking. Let's set the tables up there. Could your team move the returns shelving over to one side on Friday?

M:Sure, but we'll need the forklift for the heavy shelves, and it's booked for unloading deliveries all Friday morning.

W:Then do it in the afternoon. I'll let the receiving team know.

W:Leonard, I'm going over this week's production report before I send it to head office, and one of the numbers doesn't make sense.

M:Oh? Which one?

W:The food containers. That line was stopped for two whole days while the new molds were fitted, but it shows more units than the water-bottle line, which ran all week.

M:You're right, that can't be correct. I'd guess the counter wasn't reset after Monday's trial run. All of those trial pieces were thrown away.

W:Can you get me the real figure? The report has to go out by four o'clock.

M:Of course. I'll go through the shift sheets and the scrap log and email you the corrected number within the hour.

M:Morning. I run an optician's shop, and we're moving to a new location on Hollis Road next month. I need to update my business license with the new address, and I'd also like to put up a sign at the new place.

W:Normally, you'd go straight to the business license counter for an address change. But since you're putting up a sign, the sign permit has to be approved first. The license office won't update your address until the permit's been issued.

M:Right, so I start with the permit, then.

W:Exactly. Do you have a drawing of the sign with its measurements? They'll ask to see one.

M:I've got it on my phone. Can I just show them that?

W:I'm afraid they need a printed copy. There's a public printer by the entrance you can use for twenty cents a page.

M:Great, I'll print it out before I join the queue.

Hello, this message is for Mr. Dario Venturi at Tamarind Café. It's Bronwen Pask calling from the licensing office at Hollowmere Borough Council. Thank you for your application to put tables and chairs on the pavement outside your café. I've reviewed it, and almost everything is in order. However, your site plan doesn't show how much space you'll leave between the tables and the edge of the road. We need that measurement before I can pass your application to the review panel. The panel only meets once a month. If you can send me a revised plan by Friday, I'll add you to next Tuesday's agenda. I'm also happy to email you a sample drawing, so you can see exactly what we need. You can reach me on extension four-two-one. Thank you.

Attention, all production staff. This is Dale Whitaker from the operations office. As you know, the new automatic labeling machine is being installed on line four this afternoon. To give the technicians room to work, line four will stop running at one o'clock. Everyone assigned to that line should go straight to training room B, where the manufacturer's engineer will show you how to operate the new machine. Lines one through three will run as normal. Also, a large delivery of steel sheeting is due at the north loading bay at about the same time. For safety reasons, the walkway beside the bay will be closed until the trucks have been unloaded, so please use the east corridor instead. Thank you for your cooperation.

Running a restaurant or a small hotel means juggling a hundred things at once. Clean tablecloths and towels shouldn't be one of them. At Pemberton Linen Service, we collect your used linens, wash and press them at our own plant, and bring them back folded and ready, usually within twenty-four hours. Every single item carries a small electronic tag, so you'll always know exactly how many napkins and sheets you have, and you'll never pay for one we've lost. Our drivers work early mornings and late evenings, so deliveries never get in the way of your busiest hours. Sign up before the end of this month, and your first four weeks of service are half price. Call Pemberton today to book a free consultation.

In local business news, Ostrander Ceramics has announced a major change at its tile factory on Mill Road. The company will replace all of its gas-fired kilns with electric ones. It says the change will cut its energy costs by almost a third and make the factory far quieter for nearby residents. To install the new kilns, the factory will close for three weeks in August. Ostrander says its two hundred employees will receive full pay during the shutdown, and many will spend part of that time learning to operate the new equipment. Once the work is finished, the company plans to open its doors to the public for a weekend of free tours. Dates will be announced on its website next month.

Welcome back to The Final Leg, the podcast about how goods actually get from the warehouse to your front door. I'm your host, Mira Castellanos. My guest today is Anton Engel, who runs a delivery company in the city center using nothing but electric cargo bikes. Five years ago, Anton had two bikes and exactly one customer, a neighborhood bakery. Today his riders carry more than three thousand parcels a week for shops and restaurants downtown, and a single bike can haul up to two hundred kilograms. Yes, you heard that right. We'll talk about how his team plans routes around traffic, and why he believes bikes will replace vans on many city streets. And stay with us until the end, when Anton will answer questions you sent in through our website.

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the city's food handler certificate workshop. My name is Niall Reid, and I'm an inspector with the Public Health Department. Starting in January, anyone who prepares or serves food in a restaurant or hotel kitchen in this city will need this certificate, so you're all a step ahead. This morning, we'll cover safe storage temperatures, how to label dishes that contain common allergens, and how to set up a cleaning schedule your staff will actually follow. After lunch, there's a short written test. Those who pass will receive their certificate by email within a week. One more thing before we begin. The heating in this room has a mind of its own, so you may want to keep your jackets close by.

Good evening, everyone. It's my pleasure to present this year's Plant Safety Award to our night-shift maintenance crew, led by supervisor Esther Wanjiru. Last spring, Esther's team noticed that operators on our stamping presses were reaching around the safety guards to clear jammed parts. Instead of simply putting up more warning signs, the crew designed and built a new guard that lets operators clear a jam without ever placing a hand near the press. Since then, we haven't had a single injury on those machines. In fact, the design worked so well that our sister plants in two other countries are now installing it too. Esther, would you and your team please come up to the stage? And once the photos are done, dinner is on us.

Good afternoon, and welcome aboard this bus tour of the Port of Brennick container terminal. My name is Rhodri, and I'll be your guide for the next ninety minutes. More than a million containers pass through this terminal every year, carrying everything from car parts to fresh fruit. In a few minutes, we'll drive along the main quay, where you'll be able to watch the cranes unloading a ship that arrived from Singapore early this morning. For your safety, the bus doors will stay closed the whole time we're inside the working area, but the windows are large, so everyone will have an excellent view. Our final stop is the visitor centre, where you can step outside and try your hand at our crane simulator. Please keep your seatbelts fastened until then.

Good afternoon, and thank you for visiting the Ravensby Civic Centre. This is an announcement for anyone waiting to collect a residential parking permit. Unfortunately, the machine that prints permit cards has broken down, and the repair technician can't get here until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, staff at the business licence counter will issue temporary paper permits, which are valid for thirty days. If you're here for a parking permit, please take a new ticket from the machine by the main entrance and choose the business licence option. Your permanent card will then be posted to your home address free of charge as soon as it's ready. We apologise for the inconvenience, and thank you for your patience.

Okay, let's move on to last quarter's guest survey, which you can see on the screen. First, housekeeping, you earned our highest score again, so thank you all for that. Today, though, I want to focus on the area where we scored lowest. The comments are remarkably consistent. Guests say their orders take far too long to arrive, especially between seven and nine in the evening. So starting next Monday, we're adding a second cook to the evening shift. Also, the front desk will no longer take these orders by phone. Instead, guests will place them on the tablet in their room, and the order will go straight to the kitchen. Paloma is going to show you how that system works right now, so please gather around her station.