University Geography Field Trip IELTS Listening Practice with AnswersIELTS Listening Practice Test with Answers

Hi Caesar, how are you?

Good thanks Rachel, I'm fine. I was going to ring you tonight so it's a good thing I've run into you. I wanted to remind you about the field trip, the two day field trip next week.

What field trip?

The geography field trip to the Warren Gumber Dam and the water treatment plant. It's a compulsory part of the first year environmental science course. Didn't you know about it?

No, I must have missed that piece of information, this is news to me, but give me the details please.

Sure, well, we have to meet outside the library next Monday at 7 in the morning, or you can meet us at 7.45 at the bus station in time to catch the coach, which departs at 8 o'clock.

Oh, alright, and how long does it take to get to this place?

Well, once we're on the coach, it would take about two hours. Er, no, actually more like two and a half hours at that time of day, and it could take as long as three hours to come back the next day because of the evening traffic.

And what's the purpose of the trip?

Didn't you get the course outline? You don't seem to know anything about this course.

Well, remember, I only started at the university a month ago, so I joined the course two weeks late and I've been trying to catch up ever since.

Oh, of course. Well, we spend the first day visiting the dam. I believe we actually go inside the wall of the dam, which is really quite interesting, to see the dam functioning, you know, how much they regulate the water supply each day, depending on how much water is needed downstream in Sydney.

Oh, okay. And, um, so if this is a two-day trip, where are we staying? Not camping by the dam, I hope

No, no, not camping. They do actually have some overnight cabins near the dam for visiting groups, but we're spending the night in a youth hostel in a town nearby. That's all being arranged by the university.

And what about meals? Should we take our own food along?

No, you won't need to do that. The hostel provides two meals, breakfast and an evening meal, and we can find a cheap place to buy lunch.

Great. So, is this the only dam that supplies water for Sydney?

There are a couple of others too, but this is the main one.

Well, with a population of over four and a half million people, I suppose we do use thousands of litres each day.

Absolutely. In fact, according to my notes here, they pump the water through something like 20,000 kilometres of pipes and canals and store the water in 262 service reservoirs. And each day, we use enough water to fill 600 Olympic swimming pools.

And what's happening on the second day?

Well, we're coming back to town and going to the water treatment plant to see how they purify the water for drinking.

Oh, that should actually be quite interesting. I'll bring my camera.

Yes, that's a good idea, because we're supposed to include original photos for the final piece of work at the end of the course. And make sure you bring a notebook and pen or pencil.

Okay, I'll do that.

You'll probably need some good walking shoes and spare clothes too, and I would recommend that you bring a waterproof coat of some sort because the chances of it raining are pretty good next week. And a hat perhaps.

Sorry, no, I draw the line at a hat.

Fair enough. And by the way, do you have a mobile phone?

I do, actually.

Well, bring that along because that way we can keep in touch more easily.

Provided that mobile's work up there, of course.

That's a point.

Do I need a map?

No, I wouldn't bother. We won't need to do any map breeding.

Okay, then. See you on Monday, and thanks very much for letting me know.