How to use this sample
Read the question-type guide, preview the options, listen without the transcript, then review the evidence and distractors.
Attempt first. Keep the model and explanation closed until you have finished. This sample reuses a selected activity from the paid collection; it is not an additional unseen test.
Starting a repair café
Preview the sentence choices, then listen before opening the transcript. Select one answer for each question.
Answers, evidence and explanations
1. damaged bags — The expected category was appliances; the actual starting category was bags. Evidence: bags with torn straps appeared most often
2. the room was free — The saving explains the venue choice; opening all night and special equipment are not stated. Evidence: offered us a room without charge
3. whether suitable skills are available — The information supports matching skills, not setting a commercial price. Evidence: right skills ... available that Saturday
4. take part safely — Participation is a deliberate learning aim, not compulsory unsupported repair work. Evidence: encourage them to help when it is safe
5. explain the limitation — Safety and honest explanation take priority over appearance. Evidence: explain the limit clearly
6. replacement parts — The specific required payment concerns parts; donations are optional. Evidence: owners pay their actual cost
7. spread out appointment times — Scheduling addresses the bottleneck more effectively than extra tables alone. Evidence: spread appointments across the afternoon
8. what visitors learn — The revised measure includes learning, beyond the repair count. Evidence: ask visitors what they learned
Transcript · open after listening
Talk
Lucy: Hello. I am going to explain how our neighbourhood repair café began, what we have learned and what a visitor can expect. The name sometimes gives people the wrong idea: our main activity is working together on damaged everyday objects. The project started after a survey of things people were throwing away. We expected broken kitchen appliances to dominate, but bags with torn straps appeared most often. They were our starting point because several volunteers already knew how to sew. We first considered the school hall. Its weekend opening fee was too high, so the library offered us a room without charge. That saved money, though we have to clear every table before the library closes. New visitors book a short appointment by phone. They describe the problem, rather than promise themselves a guaranteed repair. The volunteer can then decide whether the right skills are likely to be available that Saturday. We ask owners to stay beside the repair table. Watching is welcome, but we encourage them to help when it is safe. Taking part often gives someone enough confidence to attempt a simple repair at home later. Some objects cannot be made safe with our tools. In those cases we explain the limit clearly. We would rather disappoint a visitor honestly than send them away with something that looks repaired but may cause harm. We do not charge a fixed fee, although visitors can make a donation. Replacement parts are different: owners pay their actual cost. Keeping those two payments separate prevents people thinking a large donation guarantees success. Our biggest difficulty has been the queue at the opening time. We now spread appointments across the afternoon. That has helped more than simply adding another table, because most repairs still need the same specialist volunteers. We used to count repaired items as our only measure. Now we also ask visitors what they learned and whether they can repeat a small task independently. An unsuccessful repair can still produce a useful learning experience. If you visit, bring the object and any pieces that have become detached. Tell us what happened before it stopped working. You do not need technical vocabulary; a clear description of the problem is the most useful place to begin.