PET Listening Practice Test 1

Answer Keys

Tapescript

The part of the text containing the answer is underlined with the question number given in square brackets []. If you still struggle with pet Listening, please refer to Listening tips.

Part 1

Question 1
Man: Did you get everything from the market? I remember you wanted some strawberries.
Woman: I did, but they were much more expensive than last week, so I left them there.
Man: That’s a shame… What about some cherries, did you buy them instead?
Woman: I almost did, but they didn’t look very fresh. In the end, I bought a bag of peaches because they were sweet and on sale. [1] We can get strawberries another time.

Question 2
Man: Have you booked train tickets for Saturday? I’m really looking forward to our trip!
Woman: I haven’t. The trains are on strike that day, and it’s hard to tell how long the strike will go on for.
Man: Okay then, what about taking the bus?
Woman: I checked, but it arrives too late. Thankfully, my brother has offered to drive us, [2] so we’ll get there in plenty of time.
Man: Oh, that is so nice of him! Lucky us!

Question 3
Man: Have you heard back from any of the places you applied to?
Woman: I have. The sports shop owner turned me down, and people at the bookshop want someone who could work all year. There are no part-time positions there.
Man: No luck then? That is unfortunate…
Woman: Well, actually the local swimming pool offered me a job at the front desk selling tickets! [3] I start next Monday!

Question 4
Woman: Shall we have our picnic in the park as planned?
Man: I’d like to, but it is not the best idea. The weather forecast says it’ll rain all afternoon.
Woman: I see. How about we eat at that café near the river then? They have tables right outside!
Man: I wish we could go there! It’s closed for repairs this weekend though. Let’s go to the restaurant in the shopping centre instead. [4] The children love it there!

Question 5
Woman: Hey, I heard you were at the hospital yesterday! What happened?
Man: My friends invited me to play some football. Well, I didn’t feel like playing and went to the park instead. I slipped while riding my skateboard there. [5] I ended up landing on my arm!
Woman: Oh, wow! I thought you fell off your bicycle! I know you ride it almost every day.
Man: That was last year, when I broke my leg. I can’t believe you’ve already forgotten that!

Question 6
Man: So, how is it going with the new flat decoration?
Woman: I have almost finished it! The only thing I’m not sure about is the sofa. I first thought about taking it with me because it’s still comfortable.
Man: I remember you also mentioned buying a new one.
Woman: I did, but then it seemed like a waste of money. Then my brother offered to collect the old sofa for his student flat, and I realised that was the best idea. [6] It saves me moving it, and he’ll get plenty of use out of it.
Man: Well, sounds reasonable enough to me. I would have probably done the same thing if I were you.

Question 7
Man: So, what’s the plan for Saturday? Are we still hiring bikes?
Woman: I wanted to, but the weather forecast now says it’ll be really windy. Cycling wouldn’t be much fun.
Man: We could visit the science museum instead. They have that cool new space exhibition I’ve always wanted to see.
Woman: I thought about that too, but I checked their website this morning and they’re closed for a private event. Sarah suggested going to the indoor climbing centre. None of us has tried it before, so I booked a session yesterday. [7]
Man: Perfect. That definitely sounds more interesting than staying at home.

Part 2

Question 8
Woman: So, what did you think of that new Italian place?
Man: It was okay, but nothing special. I thought the pasta was a bit boring to be honest. But the pizza was really good – lots of cheese and a crispy base.
Woman: I agree about the pizza, it was lovely. The cheese was nice and thick, and the crust was too much to resist! But for me, the fish dish was the highlight. [8] It was cooked perfectly, the lemon sauce really complemented the dish. As for pasta, I was too full to finish it, so I can’t tell if I liked it or not.
Man: Say what you want, but their pizza was definitely the best thing I’ve had this week. I’ll be sure to come back for more!

Question 9
Woman: How’s the new marketing project coming along? I heard you’ve made some considerable progress with your research?
Man: Well, I’ve finished the research and I’ve written the first draft of the report. I would say that the most difficult part is done.
Woman: That sounds like good progress. So what’s left to do?
Man: I need to prepare the presentation for the client meeting next week. But before I can do that, I have to get the manager’s feedback on the draft. So my next step is to show it to her for review. [9]
Woman: And when do you need to have the presentation ready?
Man: By Friday, so I’m hoping she can get back to me quickly.

Question 10
Man: It’s good to see that you have finally returned from your trip. So, how was your weekend away?
Woman: Well, to be frank I’m in two minds about it. The location was beautiful, right by the lake. And the staff were really friendly, which was nice.
Man: Sounds perfect to me. So what was the issue?
Woman: You see… the room was fine, but I barely slept at all. The pillows were too flat and the mattress was really hard. [10] For the price, one would expect much better!
Man: Oh no, that’s a shame. So did it ruing the whole experience for you?
Woman: It almost did. The breakfast was lovely though, so that made up for it a little bit.

Question 11
Mother: You’re back early! How was the school trip? I want to know every single detail!
Son: It was great, Mum. We were supposed to go to the science museum, but they changed it at the last minute. I’m not sure why; I was a bit upset as I really wanted to see the exhibition.
Mother: Oh, really? Well, things like that tend to happen. So, where did you go instead?
Son: We went to the zoo. [11] It was much better, actually. We saw the new baby elephant and fed the giraffes.
Mother: That sounds amazing! Did you have time to visit the aquarium too?
Son: No, we didn’t. The zoo was so big we spent the whole day there. We’ll have to leave the aquarium until another time.

Question 12
Woman: Are you free this Saturday?
Man: I think so. Why, what did you have in mind?
Woman: I was thinking we could go to the cinema. There’s a new comedy showing and the reviewers are crazy about it!
Man: Oh, I’m not really in the mood for a comedy. I’m not a big fan of the genre; Moreover, I’ve had a stressful week.
Woman: What about the new action film then? I think it has your favourite actor duo in it.
Man: Actually, I’d prefer something more relaxing. How about we just go for a walk in the park and then get some lunch somewhere quiet? [12]
Woman: You know what? That sounds perfect! I could do with some fresh air. [12]

Question 13
Woman: I know that you’re shopping for a phone right now. What did you have in mind?
Man: I’ve narrowed it down to two. The black one has more storage, but I prefer the look of the silver one. I just can’t make up my mind, I like them both!
Woman: The silver one does look nice. But are you sure you don’t want the black one? You always say you need more storage for the photos and videos.
Man: I know, but I just think the silver one looks more modern. I don’t want to spend so much on something that looks outdated. And I can always get extra storage online if I need it. [13]
Woman: Well, it’s your phone. What about the blue one the shop assistant showed you?
Man: No, that was too bright for me. If I was 16, I would definitely go for the blue one though!

Part 3

Karen: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Greenhill Wildlife Park. My name’s Karen, and I’ll be looking after your group today.
Before we begin, I’d like everyone to meet outside the visitor centre. Some people are already waiting near the gift shop, but that’s where we’ll finish the visit this afternoon, not where we’re starting. [14]
Our first activity will be helping one of the keepers feed the penguins. Many visitors expect to see the monkeys first because they’re close to the entrance, but they’re actually part of the afternoon programme.[15]
Now, a quick word about what to bring with you. It isn’t supposed to rain today, so you won’t need an umbrella. However, it rained heavily yesterday, and some of the woodland paths are still wet. We’d recommend bringing a pair of boots if you have them. Trainers are fine too, but they may get dirty. [16]
We’ll stop for lunch at 12:30. [17] The café serves hot meals, sandwiches and drinks, but if you’ve brought your own food, there are picnic tables just outside.
After lunch, one of our wildlife experts will give a short talk about owls. [18] Last month the talk was about foxes, and next month it’ll be about bats, but today’s session is all about the different owl species that live in this area.
Finally, before you leave, don’t forget to collect your free map from the gift shop. [19] It’s a useful guide to the park, and it also includes a few walking routes you can try if you come back another day.
I hope you enjoy your visit. If you have any questions during the day, please ask me or one of the other members of staff.

Part 4

Interviewer: Today we’re joined by professional racing driver Alex Carter. Alex, thanks for coming into the studio.
Alex: It’s great to be here.
Interviewer: You’ve had an exciting career, but how did it all begin?
Alex: People often think my dad was a racing driver because of what I do now, but that’s never been true. He enjoyed watching motorsport on television, but he’d never even been to a race. The real turning point came when one of my classmates invited me to a local go-kart track for his birthday. [20] I’d never driven anything before, but after ten minutes I knew I wanted to do it again.
Interviewer: Was it easy to continue?
Alex: Not really. A lot of people imagine the driving is the hardest part, but the biggest problem was paying for everything. [21] My parents always supported me, although they wanted me to finish school first. We repaired old equipment ourselves whenever possible, and my mum spent hours looking for second-hand parts online. Without that, I probably wouldn’t have raced for very long.
Interviewer: You’re now racing professionally. What was the biggest surprise when you joined your first team?
Alex: Honestly, how much of the job happens away from the track. Before I became a professional, I imagined I’d spend all day driving. In reality, there are meetings with engineers, fitness sessions, interviews like this one and sponsor events. Of course, we travel a lot too, but I expected that. The amount of time spent outside the car was the real surprise. [22]
Interviewer: Last season was successful, although I remember hearing you had a difficult weekend before one race.
Alex: That’s right. Some people thought the car had broken down, but that happened during practice and the team fixed it quickly. The real problem started earlier. My flight home after another event was delayed because of bad weather, so I arrived much later than planned. I still made the race, but I only reached the circuit a few hours before qualifying. It wasn’t the best preparation. [23]
Interviewer: Many young listeners probably dream of becoming racing drivers. What’s the most important advice you can give them?
Alex: People often ask which car they should buy, but that’s the wrong question. You don’t need the newest or most expensive equipment when you’re starting. Watching experienced drivers can certainly help, but nothing replaces regular practice. Every time you drive, you learn something new, even if it’s only a small improvement. [24]
Interviewer: Finally, what are your plans for the future?
Alex: I’m happy with my team, so I’m not looking to change championships yet. I’ve also got no interest in taking a year off. However, over the winter I’ll be working with a local kart club to coach children at weekends. I had so much help when I was younger that I’d like to do the same for the next generation. [25]
Interviewer: Alex, thanks very much for joining us today.
Alex: Thanks for inviting me!