TL40: Part 03

Questions 32 through 34 refer to the following conversation.

Man: Hello. I’m calling because I heard you’re holding special events at your botanical garden in July. Is that correct?

Woman: Yes. The tour of the facility is especially popular. It’s conducted by Myra Lawrence… um, an assistant botany professor from a local university.

Man: Actually, I’d like to take one of the classes. However, given my work hours, I’ll only be able to attend one on the weekend.

Woman: Certainly. But you’ll need to sign up ahead of time on our website. Simply click on the day you’d like to attend, and you’ll be directed to the registration page.

What industry do the speakers most likely work in?

According to the man, what did the speakers do this morning?

What suggestion does the woman make?

Questions 35 through 37 refer to the following conversation.

Woman: Thank you for coming in to be interviewed for the junior contractor position at our building firm, Mr. Shore. Now that the interview is over, do you have any questions?

Man: Yes, I do. Will the job require much travel? I went on many business trips at my last company and wasn’t very fond of that.

Woman: Off-site training seminars will be held occasionally, but they typically take place at facilities within this city.

Man: So, I won’t be traveling on a regular basis? I just want to be clear about this…

Woman: Right. And we will give advance notice if it is necessary.

Man: Great. Actually, I’m glad that your company provides professional training since it’ll likely help me become aware of building changes.

Where most likely is the conversation taking place?

What does the woman say about the training seminars?

Why does the man say, “So, I won’t be traveling on a regular basis”?

Questions 38 through 40 refer to the following conversation.

Woman: Excuse me. I’d like to ride this city bus to Fenton Street. However, I’m not sure how to properly secure my bicycle to the front of the vehicle. Could you show me how to use the bike rack?

Man: I’m very sorry, but the rack is out of order right now. The locking mechanism is jammed, so bikes can’t be securely fastened to it.

Woman: That’s too bad. Well, how much longer will it take for another bus to get here?

Man: Buses stop at this corner every 15 minutes, so not very long. I suggest waiting for the next one. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Who most likely is the man?

What problem has the man identified?

What does the woman inquire about?

Questions 41 through 43 refer to the following conversation.

Man: There’s a problem with our online banking system.

Woman: Yeah, I heard that some of our customers can’t access their transaction records. There must be something wrong with our database software.

Man: That’s right. Can you let Robert Nolan from the IT team know about this issue?

Woman: I already did. He said that his team should have a solution to the problem by tomorrow morning.

Man: OK. Is Robert checking whether our new mobile application is affected as well? We need to make sure it is set to launch next Monday.

Woman: Oh, I’m not sure. I’ll call him back now and check.

Man: Give me an update on that as soon as possible, please.

Where most likely do the speakers work?

What is suggested about the mobile application?

What is the woman told to do?

Questions 44 through 46 refer to the following conversation.

Man: Excuse me. I know you sell green and white curtains made by Pearlman, but I can’t see them anywhere.

Woman: I’m sorry, but we sold out a couple of days ago. And because Pearlman will release a new product line next month, we won’t be ordering any more.

Man: Oh, no. I purchased several sets for my apartment three weeks ago, but the curtains I got for my living room are almost five inches too short. I guess I made a mistake when measuring the window.

Woman: Well, it’s not all bad news. We carry another brand in the store that is made of a similar material and has an identical pattern. Here, let me show it to you.

Man: Hmm… that’ll work. Thanks for the suggestion.

What is the problem?

When did the man purchase some curtains?

What does the woman mean when she says, “it’s not all bad news”?

Questions 47 through 49 refer to the following conversation.

Man: Hello. Do you know where the Department of Motor Vehicles is located? I have to visit the agency on Saturday morning, but as I moved here only two months ago, I’ve never been to its offices before.

Woman: Yes, I’ve been there many times before. The agency is in a large gray government building on Belmont Avenue, across from Freemont Park. You can’t miss it. But why do you need to go there?

Man: My driver’s license will expire very soon. I’ve been putting the errand off for a while, but it will no longer be valid on Monday. So, I’m going to take care of it over the weekend. Thanks for the information.

According to the woman, what is located near Freemont Park?

What does the woman inquire about?

What is the man planning to do on Saturday?

Questions 50 through 52 refer to the following conversation with three speakers.

Woman: For the next stage of this focus group meeting, I want to ask about the instruction manual for our desktop computer. What are your impressions of it?

Man 1: Personally, I think it could be improved.

Woman: Can you elaborate on which aspects of it need to be revised?

Man 1: Well… the part explaining how to plug in the various cords is too vague.

Man 2: Yeah, and I couldn’t find any directions on how to use the orange cable that’s provided.

Woman: OK, I’ll make a note of that.

Man 2: It’d also be useful if the manual had more graphics.

Man 1: Right — in order to illustrate the various set-up steps.

Who most likely are the men?

What is mentioned about the computer manual?

What do the men suggest?

Questions 53 through 55 refer to the following conversation.

Man: Natalie, don’t you think we should install automated payment machines in our shopping mall’s parking lot?

Woman: Definitely. Many visitors have complained that waiting to pay our parking attendant at the counter is very inefficient. It seems that cars are getting backed up when there are many shoppers trying to exit the parking lot at the same time.

Man: I can understand their concern. Plus, using automated machines in the lot will likely save us more money in the long run, since we wouldn’t have to pay the wages of the parking attendants.

Woman: Good point. Let’s bring this up to our manager at the staff meeting this afternoon.

Why have customers made complaints?

What does the man say about the machines?

What does the woman suggest?

Questions 56 through 58 refer to the following conversation.

Woman: Hello, Mr. Lowell. My name is Francis Foucault, and I’m calling from The Norwood Chronicles. Our paper is planning to do a series of articles on local entrepreneurs, and I’d like to interview you for one of the features. Would you be willing to do that?

Man: Most likely, but I want to know more about the series before committing.

Woman: The articles will focus on how Portland residents came to own companies. Since you’re one of the city’s most prominent businesspeople, our readers would be eager to learn about your life. I’m free to meet with you anytime next week.

Man: In that case, yes, I’d be happy to be interviewed. Why don’t we meet up next Tuesday?

Where most likely does the woman work?

What does the man want to learn more about?

What will most likely happen on Tuesday?

Questions 59 through 61 refer to the following conversation.

Man: Rita, it’s Dean calling from Los Angeles. Did I catch you at a bad time?

Woman: Not at all. How is your trip going?

Man: Quite well. In fact, I’m contacting you to discuss my meeting with the CEO of Bower Industries. We’ve agreed to sign a contract.

Woman: So, we’re going to distribute Bower Industries’ merchandise along the East Coast?

Man: Yes, beginning in May.

Woman: That’s great news! Seeing as an agreement has now been reached, we should talk about which staff member will be put in charge of managing relations with the client.

Man: I’ll arrange a meeting with our team about the matter as soon as I get back.

Why is the man calling?

What does the woman want to discuss?

What does the man agree to do when he returns?

Questions 62 through 64 refer to the following conversation.

Woman: A problem has been discovered in our latest coffeemaker. Apparently, it overheats when it’s left on for more than an hour, which is a safety hazard.

Man: Hmm… That’s definitely a problem. We’d better play it safe. Let’s instruct our engineers to begin working to improve the design immediately.

Woman: They’ve already been notified and will be prioritizing the task over the next few days. Nevertheless, we should push back the product’s launch a week or so in order to have the flaw fixed.

Man: I think you’re right. It doesn’t appear as though we have any other options.

What is the problem?

What does the man mean when he says, “We’d better play it safe”?

What does the woman suggest?

Questions 65 through 67 refer to the following conversation and graph.

Man: Hey, Hadley. I’d like you to lead the software development team when Raoul retires in two weeks. If you accept the position, I’ll tell our developers at the meeting this afternoon.

Woman: Really? I’m honored that you selected me out of all the other candidates interested in the position. I’d love to take on that role. Do you know what my first assignment will be?

Man: Yes. You’ll be overseeing a project updating one of our applications.

Woman: Are you referring to Music Time? I know its monthly downloads dropped again.

Man: No, that application has already been dealt with. Actually, I’m talking about the one with the greatest jump in downloads since May. Its code must be revised.

What is the conversation mainly about?

What is the man planning to do?

Look at the graphic. Which application will be edited?

Questions 68 through 70 refer to the following conversation and label.

Woman: I’m going to buy an Orange Blast soda because the gas station shop is having a special on this brand. If I buy two, I’ll get one free. Do you want one?

Man: Can I look at the label? Hmm… although it contains a sizeable amount of vitamins, I’ll pass. I’m fine with the amount of fat and sodium it contains, but I’m trying to avoid drinks with more than 40 grams of this other ingredient.

Woman: No problem. Is there anything else you’d like? It’s on me.

Man: Really? Thanks! Umm… could you grab me a bottle of green tea, please? I’ll go out and pump the gas. That way, we’ll be able to leave as soon as you’re finished.

Why does the woman plan to buy Orange Blast soda?

Look at the graphic. Which ingredient is the man trying to avoid?

What does the man request the woman do?