# Arranging a Home Energy Check: answers and explanations

Testmigo Practice Test 5, Listening Part 1

Source: Written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Rendle | It's R, E, N, D, L, E |
| 2 | 16 | It's sixteen. One, six |
| 3 | terraced | it's just a terraced house |
| 4 | 12 | so twelve years |
| 5 | condensation | I'll put condensation down as your main concern |
| 6 | Thursday | Thursday's perfect. |
| 7 | library | a poster at the library |
| 8 | energy bills | having your energy bills from the past year to hand |
| 9 | thermal camera | They'll also bring a thermal camera. |
| 10 | written report | you'll be sent a written report by email |

## Why these answers are right

**1. Rendle.** The adviser guesses the surname is spelled with E, double L at the end. Callum says his is shorter and spells it R, E, N, D, L, E, with the L before the E, and the adviser reads those letters back.

**2. 16.** Callum first says sixty Kestrel Road, then explains that sixty was the number of his old house. He corrects it to sixteen and spells out the digits one, six, and the adviser repeats Sixteen Kestrel Road.

**3. terraced.** Asked what type of home he has, Callum says the estate agent's description was misleading and that it is really a terraced house in the middle of a row. The adviser confirms the word as she records it: Terraced, then.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/arranging-a-home-energy-check/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Part 1. You will hear a man phoning a council advice line to book a free home energy check.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 7.

**Announcer:** Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 7.

**Fiona:** Good morning, Fellmoor Council Home Energy Advice, Fiona speaking. How can I help?

**Callum:** Oh, hi. I saw something about free energy checks for homes in the area, and I was hoping to book one.

**Fiona:** You've come to the right place. The check's free for anyone living in the district.

**Fiona:** Can I start with your name, please?

**Callum:** Yeah, sure. It's Callum Rendle.

**Fiona:** Rendle. Is that R, E, N, D, E, double L, like the more usual spelling?

**Callum:** No, mine's shorter than that. It's R, E, N, D, L, E, so the L comes before the E.

**Fiona:** R, E, N, D, L, E. Got it, thanks, Callum. And what's the address of the property?

**Callum:** It's sixty Kestrel Road. Oh, sorry, no, that's my old house number. I've only just moved and I keep getting it wrong.

**Callum:** It's sixteen. One, six, Kestrel Road.

**Fiona:** Sixteen Kestrel Road, lovely.

**Callum:** That's the one.

**Fiona:** And what type of home is it? A flat, a bungalow, a detached house?

**Callum:** Well, the estate agent called it a cottage, but honestly it's just a terraced house in the middle of a row.

**Fiona:** Terraced, then. That's useful to know, because a house in the middle of a row only has two outside walls.

**Fiona:** Now, the heating. Do you happen to know how old the boiler is?

**Callum:** The people who sold me the house said it was about fifteen years old.

**Callum:** But there's a sticker on the side from the engineer who fitted it, and going by the date on that, it went in twelve years ago.

**Fiona:** I'll go with the sticker, then, so twelve years.

**Fiona:** An older boiler isn't always a problem, but modern condensing ones waste less heat, so the adviser will look at it.

**Fiona:** Is there anything about the house that's worrying you in particular?

**Callum:** Well, the bills are a bit higher than I expected, but the main thing is the bedroom window.

**Callum:** Every morning there's water running down the glass, and my neighbour reckons it's damp coming in through the walls.

**Fiona:** From what you're describing, it sounds more like condensation to me.

**Fiona:** That's when warm, moist air from cooking or showers or drying clothes meets a cold surface, like a window, and turns back into water.

**Callum:** Condensation. That makes sense, actually. I do dry my washing indoors.

**Fiona:** I'll put condensation down as your main concern, then.

**Fiona:** Next, our advisers visit on weekdays only. The earliest I can offer you is Monday the third.

**Callum:** Mondays are tricky, I'm afraid, because I'm in the office in town. I work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though.

**Fiona:** Let me see. Tuesday's fully booked this week, but I've got a slot free on Thursday.

**Callum:** Thursday's perfect.

**Fiona:** Lovely, Thursday it is. Last question: where did you hear about the service?

**Callum:** A leaflet came through the door a few weeks ago, but it went straight in the recycling.

**Callum:** What actually made me ring was a poster at the library.

**Fiona:** The library, brilliant.

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

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 8 to 10.

**Callum:** So, is there anything I should get ready before the adviser comes?

**Fiona:** Some people go hunting for the boiler manual, but the adviser won't really need that.

**Fiona:** What does help is having your energy bills from the past year to hand.

**Callum:** I've only been there four months, but I'll print out the ones I've got.

**Fiona:** That's fine. The bills show how much energy you're using.

**Callum:** And what happens on the day? Will they need to drill holes in the walls or anything like that?

**Fiona:** No. They'll check the doors and windows for draughts, and look in the loft to see how thick the insulation is.

**Callum:** Do they bring a ladder for the loft? My hatch is quite high.

**Fiona:** No need. The adviser carries a small folding ladder for that.

**Fiona:** They'll also bring a thermal camera. It shows warm and cold patches on a screen, so you can see where heat is leaking out.

**Callum:** Oh, that sounds clever. So do I get some kind of certificate at the end?

**Fiona:** No, there's no certificate. But within a week of the visit, you'll be sent a written report by email.

**Fiona:** It lists the changes that would make the biggest difference, starting with the cheapest ones.

**Callum:** Thanks so much, Fiona.

**Fiona:** You're welcome. I'll post you a letter today to confirm the Thursday visit.

**Announcer:** That is the end of Part 1. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers.

[Practice Arranging a Home Energy Check](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/arranging-a-home-energy-check)