A Telephone Conversation About Opening A Bank Account - IELTS Listening Sample Answer

IELTS Listening section examines a candidate’s listening skills through four sections. IELTS listening section one contains a telephone conversation about opening a bank account. This IELTS listening sample contains a total of ten questions and three question types:

• Short answer questions
• Notes completion
• Matching Information

IELTS listening practice papers are helpful preparation materials for candidates.

Audio Transcript

You will hear a telephone conversation about opening a bank account.

Helpline: Expat helpline. Terry Davis here. What can I do for you?

Customer: Hello Terry. I've been in this country for a while. I've just been offered a job in the city. So I think I'm going to need to open a bank account. I haven’t had one before, so I will want to know what papers I will need.

Helpline: Well, basically you'll need to be able to prove to the bank that you're who you say you are and that you live where you say you do. Okay.

Customer: Aaha!

Helpline: And for some banks, at least that means you'll have to show them two separate pieces of identity. So I'll run through the list, if you like.

Customer: Yes, please.

Helpline: Okay, I’ll bring it up on the screen. Let's see. Here it is. Right. The first thing it says is a valid passport.

The first document is “passport”. So “passport” has been written for you. Now. We shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 7.

Helpline: Expat helpline. Terry Davis here. What can I do for you?

Customer: Hello Terry. I've been in this country for a while. I've just been offered a job in the city. So I think I'm going to need to open a bank account. I haven’t had one before, so I will want to know what papers I will need.

Helpline: Well, basically you'll need to be able to prove to the bank that you're who you say you are and that you live where you say you do. Okay.

Customer: Aaha!

Helpline: And for some banks, at least that means you'll have to show them two separate pieces of identity. So I'll run through the list if you like.

Customer: Yes, please.

Helpline: Okay, I’ll bring it up on the screen. Let's see. Here it is. Right. The first thing it says is a valid passport.

Customer: Mine’s Australian.

Helpline: Yes, that would be fine, of course. The next one is a driving license and again one from your country would be okay. Then that's followed by a birth certificate. No. Hang on. That's only if you're under 18.

Customer: Which I'm not.

Helpline: Right. So not that, then. But you can also show them a benefit book for instance, if you're in ill health or unemployed or getting income support.

Customer: Yes, I could bring that or lend it from my employer, maybe.

Helpline: Well that's not actually on the list. So we'll have to assume you can.

Customer: Okay. And to prove where I live?

Helpline: Again, there are several possible things listed here. For instance, you could use a bill for council tax or something else for where you live such as an insurance certificate.

Customer: I've got one of those and somewhere among my papers. What about bills? Things like fine bills, I mean.

Helpline: As long as it has your address on it. Yes fine.

Customer: So a bill from my mobile would do. Would it?

Helpline: I'm afraid it would have to be for a fixed-line phone. You could use other types of household bill though, as long as you get them through the post

Customer: How about my electricity bill. That will say where I live. Won’t it?

Helpline: If it's in your name and not that of a landlord. Yes

Customer: It is. So I'll probably take that then.

Helpline: There's one other you might want to use. A vehicle registration document, if you have a car or motorbike or something, of course.

Customer: No, I haven't actually. Now, I believe there's a bank actually inside the commercial center and I might have an account there seeing as how that's where I'll be every day.

Helpline: Yeah. That would seem to make sense. I know people who bank there.

Customer: I actually read about it in a city guide. My cousin's excerpt when he was here a couple of years ago and I made a few notes and she might if I run through them with you now, just to make sure the details haven't changed.

Helpline: Fine. Go ahead.

Customer: Okay first question. It's still a branch of the popular bank. Is it? The one with links to Australian banks?

Helpline: No, it's actually been taken over by another big banking group, The Savings Bank. It still seems quite popular though, especially with people doing business in the Asia-pacific area.

Customer: mmmm...And when is it open, Monday to Saturday?

Helpline: I'll have to check their website for that. Give me a second or two. Will you?

Customer: Sure.

Helpline: I've got it. Customer service and it's just weekdays. I'm afraid.

Customer: Does it say what their business hours are?

Helpline: I’m just looking for that. It's on a different page for some reason. I think there's been a change at some banks in the last year or so. Yeah, here it is. It's open from 9:30 in the morning till half-past three in the afternoon.

Customer: And it's on the top floor of the main center building, is it. Next to the travel agency?

Helpline: That's where it used to be but they've since moved it to a slightly bigger place. It's on the ground floor now.

Customer: Aah! And one last thing on this and I know most banks give incentives to young people who try to account with them. But apparently, this one didn't? Do you know if they're offering anything these days?

Helpline: I'll just check. I’m sure they'd say so on their new client page if they were. No, there's nothing mentioned here.

Customer: That's a pity. I was quite looking forward to getting my free gift.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 8 to 10.

Now listen and answer questions 8 to 10.

Helpline: There are plenty of other banks within walking distance, you know, it may be worth shopping around to see what they've got to offer, longer opening hours including Saturdays. Perhaps less crowded.

Customer: Can you tell me how to get to a couple of them. I know where the commercial scenery is? So that's probably my best starting place.

Helpline: Sure. For the Royal bank. You need to turn left when you leave the center, go along Market street past the post office and turn left up Bridge street past the shock theater.

Customer: Mmm

Helpline: Then you take the first right? You'll see an internet cafe on the other side and the Royal is just a bit further along on the right directly opposite the Park hotel.

Customer: Ok. I’ve got that. mmm….What about the Northern Bank?

Helpline: For that one, you turn right as you come out of the center and go along Market street until you come to the junction with West street. There you turn right again and carry on up as far as the next junction where you take a left. You'll see the bank from there. It's the third building on the right.

Customer: Fine and the last one. The National Bank?

Helpline: You can go either way from the center really, up West street or Bridge street, and then along past City hall. The bank is on the other side of the road right next to the tourist office. You can't miss it.

Customer: Alright. Thanks a lot for your help.

Helpline: Anytime. Bye.

Customer: Bye

Questions 1-4

Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Which documents could Sam use as proof of her name?

Example passport

1 _________

2 _________

Which could she use as proof of her address?

council tax bill

3_________

phone bill (fixed line)

4 _________

Question 1.

Answer: driving license

Explanation: Other than passport Sam could use a driving license as proof of her name to open the bank account.

Also, check:

Question 2.

Answer: benefit book

Explanation: Sam is under 18 so she doesn’t have driving license in this case she could show the bank a benefit book.

Question 3.

Answer: insurance certificate

Explanation: As an address proof Sam has several options and one of them is an insurance certificate.

Question 4.

Answer: electricity bill

Explanation: The customer executive of the bank mentions that she could also use the electricity bill as her address proof as long as she has her name on it.

Questions. 5-7

Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR NUMBERS for each answer.
Name of the bank? Savings Bank

Open which days? Monday-Friday

Opening hours? 5 _________

Where? 6 _________

Free gift? 7_________

Question 5.

Answer: 9:30 - 3:30

Explanation: The executive informs about the timings of the bank and that is from 9:30 to 3:30.

Question 6.

Answer: ground floor

Explanation: The bank used to be on the top floor of the main center building but they have changed their location and now it is on the ground floor.

Question 7.

Answer: no/nothing

Explanation: Sam asks the executive about the free gift which most banks provide to their young account holders. But sadly this bank does not provide any gifts.

Questions. 8-10

Match the places in Questions 8-10 to the appropriate letters A-H on the map.

8. Royal Bank ________
9. Northern Bank. ________
10. National Bank. ________

Question 8.

Answer: F

Explanation: The executive explains that going a bit further along on the right directly opposite the Park hotel is the Royal Bank. Hence F is the correct answer.

Question 9.

Answer: A

Explanation: For Northern Bank go till the next junction then take a left and it's the third building on the right.

Question 10.

Answer: C

Explanation: The National bank is on the other side of the road right next to the tourist office hence C is the correct answer.