CELPIP Listening Part 1 Practice Test: Fare Card

WOMAN: Hi there, I'd like to set up a new fare card, please. I just moved to the city and I've been paying cash on the bus, which is getting expensive.

MAN: Sure thing, I can help with that. Could I get your name and a piece of ID?

WOMAN: Of course, it's Renata Silva. Let me just dig it out of my shoulder bag... here's my driver's license.

MAN: Great, thanks, Renata. So you're after the standard adult card, then?

WOMAN: Yes, exactly, the regular one, nothing special.

MAN: All right, the card itself is twenty dollars, and you can load whatever amount on top of that.

WOMAN: Let's put fifty dollars total on it, that should cover me for a couple of weeks.

MAN: Perfect, give me just a moment while this prints. Here you are, all set.

WOMAN: Thanks so much. Oh, wait, this receipt only shows sixty-five dollars, not seventy. Did I misread the price somewhere?

MAN: No, that's correct, it's just reflecting the concession rate the system already had queued up.

WOMAN: Hmm, I never mentioned wanting a discount. I'd rather sort that out before I leave, honestly, since I'm counting on this card working properly for my commute starting first thing tomorrow morning.

MAN: Let me pull up your file again. Ah, I see what happened, the terminal defaults to the senior concession category unless the clerk manually switches it.

WOMAN: So you're saying it just assumed I qualified for that, without even asking?

MAN: Basically, yes. I should have double-checked instead of clicking straight through the screen.

WOMAN: No harm done, I suppose, but I do need the correct card, not a discounted one I'm honestly not entitled to.

MAN: Absolutely, I can fix that right now. I just need to void this card and reissue a fresh one under the standard fare.

WOMAN: That's fine by me. Will voiding it affect the fifty dollars I already loaded onto it?

MAN: It shouldn't, the balance transfers automatically, but the price difference between the two fare categories does need to be settled separately.

WOMAN: Right, because the standard card naturally costs a little more than the senior one.

MAN: Exactly, and unfortunately I can't adjust that difference myself. Any correction over a couple of dollars needs a supervisor's sign-off before it goes through.

WOMAN: Okay, so what does that actually mean for me right now, in practical terms?

MAN: It means we'll need to wait a few minutes until my supervisor happens to be free to approve the reissue.

MAN: Thanks for waiting, Renata. My supervisor's reviewed everything and approved the correction.

WOMAN: Great, so what happens now, exactly?

MAN: I'm voiding the senior card and issuing you a proper standard adult card, with your fifty-dollar balance carried straight over.

WOMAN: And the price difference you mentioned earlier?

MAN: Right, since the senior rate undercharged you, there's a small adjustment, just five dollars, to bring the card up to the correct standard value.

WOMAN: That seems fair, given the mix-up clearly wasn't my fault. I'll pay it now.

MAN: Appreciate that. Here's your new card, plus an updated receipt showing the corrected balance and fare category.

WOMAN: Wonderful, thank you for straightening this out so quickly.

MAN: No trouble at all, and sorry again for the confusion earlier.

WOMAN: Honestly, it's fine, these things happen. I'm just relieved it's sorted before tomorrow's commute, since I really can't afford another delay right at the station gate.

MAN: Understood completely. If anything looks off when you tap in tomorrow, just come straight back and we'll take care of it immediately.