# Joining a Community Choir: answers and explanations

Testmigo Practice Test 4, Listening Part 1

Source: Written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Wednesday | so we moved to Wednesdays in September |
| 2 | Halloran | H, A, double L, O, R, A, N |
| 3 | 65 | so it's sixty-five now |
| 4 | studio | They use the dance studio upstairs. |
| 5 | mug | people bring their own mug |
| 6 | audition | now you can only get in by audition |
| 7 | A | You do it on your own with Fiona ... Nobody else hears a note. |
| 8 | A | we pair you with a buddy |
| 9 | C | Most of our money comes from carol singing outside the train station |
| 10 | B | listening to the practice tracks on our website ... I'll definitely do that this week. |

## Why these answers are right

**1. Wednesday.** Kirsty reads Tuesdays off the poster, but Declan says the poster is out of date. A dance class took the hall on Tuesday nights, so the full choir moved its rehearsals to Wednesdays in September.

**2. Halloran.** Declan names the street as Halloran Street and then spells it when Kirsty asks: H, A, double L, O, R, A, N. Street is already printed in the table, so only Halloran goes in the gap, spelled exactly.

**3. 65.** Declan first says the full choir costs sixty pounds a term, then corrects himself: the committee raised the fee in September to cover the hall, so it is sixty-five pounds now. The pound sign is printed, so write 65.

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

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Part 1. You will hear a woman phoning the membership secretary of a community choir to ask about joining.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.

**Announcer:** Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.

**Declan:** Hello, Wrenfield Community Choir, Declan speaking. I'm the membership secretary.

**Kirsty:** Oh, hi, Declan. My name's Kirsty. I saw your poster in the post office and I'd like to join, but I've got a few questions.

**Declan:** Fire away. We've got three groups now, so it's worth knowing how they differ.

**Kirsty:** Okay. Let's start with the main one, the one on the poster.

**Declan:** That's the full choir. About sixty singers, rehearsing from half seven till half nine.

**Kirsty:** And which evening is that? The poster said Tuesdays, I think.

**Declan:** Ah, that poster's out of date. We were on Tuesdays for years, but a dance class took over the hall that night, so we moved to Wednesdays in September.

**Kirsty:** Wednesdays. That actually suits me better.

**Kirsty:** And where's the hall? I've only been in Wrenfield a month.

**Declan:** It's the community hall on Halloran Street, just behind the bus station.

**Kirsty:** Sorry, could you spell that for me?

**Declan:** Sure. H, A, double L, O, R, A, N. Halloran.

**Kirsty:** Got it. And how much does it cost?

**Declan:** It's sixty pounds a term. Oh, hang on, no. The committee put it up in September to cover the hall, so it's sixty-five now.

**Kirsty:** That's fine. Do I need to bring anything?

**Declan:** Just a pencil, for marking your music. We lend everyone the sheet music.

**Kirsty:** Good. What about the other groups?

**Declan:** There's a beginners' group on Saturday mornings. It's smaller and more relaxed, and they learn by ear, so nobody needs to read music.

**Kirsty:** Is that in the same hall?

**Declan:** No, it's at the arts centre. Not the main theatre, though, that'd be far too big. They use the dance studio upstairs.

**Kirsty:** And is that one cheaper?

**Declan:** Thirty pounds a term. There's a tea break halfway through, and there are no cups up there, so people bring their own mug.

**Kirsty:** I can manage that. You said there were three groups?

**Declan:** The third is the chamber choir. It's sixteen singers, and they rehearse on Monday evenings at the director's house. That's forty pounds a term.

**Kirsty:** Could I go straight into that one?

**Declan:** Not straight away. It used to be by invitation from the director, but now you can only get in by audition, held every January.

**Kirsty:** Right. I think I'll leave that one for now.

**Announcer:** Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10.

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

**Kirsty:** So, I think the full choir's for me. I sang at school back in Perth, but that was years ago. Is there an audition?

**Declan:** No, nobody's turned away. There's a short voice check, though, so our musical director, Fiona, can put you in the right section.

**Kirsty:** That sounds a bit scary. Do I have to sing in front of everyone?

**Declan:** Not at all. You do it on your own with Fiona, in a side room, before the rehearsal starts. Nobody else hears a note.

**Declan:** And you don't need to prepare a song. She plays a few scales on the piano and you sing them back, so she can tell if you're a soprano or an alto.

**Kirsty:** Oh, that's a relief. And what's the first term like? I'll be the new person.

**Declan:** Everyone feels like that. For your first term, we pair you with a buddy, someone who's been in your section a while.

**Declan:** You sit next to them, and they help you follow the music.

**Kirsty:** Nice. And is the first month free? A friend told me that.

**Declan:** People often think so, but it's only your first rehearsal that's free. After that you'd pay the term fee.

**Declan:** Also, new members don't sing in the December concert. That's for people who've done a full term.

**Kirsty:** Fair enough. Can I ask, do the fees cover everything? Halls must be expensive.

**Declan:** They don't, to be honest. We had a grant from the council a few years back, but that was a one-off.

**Declan:** Concert tickets barely cover the venue. Most of our money comes from carol singing outside the train station every December.

**Kirsty:** I'd love to do that. So what should I do before I come along?

**Declan:** I'll email you the joining form, but you can just fill it in on the night if that's easier.

**Declan:** What would really help is listening to the practice tracks on our website. We're learning a new piece, and the tracks let you hear your own part.

**Kirsty:** I'll definitely do that this week. Should I buy a black folder too?

**Declan:** You'll need one eventually, but don't buy it yet. Wait until you've been to a few rehearsals.

**Kirsty:** Okay. Thanks so much, Declan. See you Wednesday.

**Declan:** Lovely. See you then, Kirsty.

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

[Practice Joining a Community Choir](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/joining-a-community-choir)