Preparing for a School Visit
Settlement worker (speaking English) and Newly arrived parent (speaking Mandarin) talk through “Preparing for a School Visit”. You interpret both ways — English into Mandarin, and Mandarin into English — one segment at a time, exactly as in the CCL test.
Practise this dialogue with AI marking →Read it first if you like, then practise it cold: the recording plays one segment, you interpret, the next segment plays. Marking shows, segment by segment, what you kept, left out or changed.
Full transcript with model answers
Under each segment: a model interpretation, the information points an examiner checks, and the easiest thing to miss. Try the segment yourself first, then open it. The model is one good way to say it; other wordings that keep every point score just as well.
Let's organise the paperwork for your daughter's school visit in Fairfield. When did you arrive in Australia, and what has the school asked you to bring?
Model answer and marking points
我们来整理一下您女儿去费尔菲尔德学校访问要用的材料吧。您是什么时候到澳大利亚的？学校让您带些什么？
What an examiner checks here:
- Paperwork for daughter's school visit in Fairfield
- question: When did you arrive in Australia?
- question: What has the school asked you to bring?
Easy to miss: Keep both questions and make clear that the school visit is for the daughter.
我们是十月三日到澳大利亚的。学校让我带三份材料，发了张清单给我。不过我怕自己看错了，想请您帮忙看看。
Model answer and marking points
We arrived in Australia on 3 October. The school asked me to bring three documents and sent me a checklist. But I'm worried I may have read it wrong, so I'd like you to help me check it.
What an examiner checks here:
- Arrived in Australia on 3 October
- School requested three documents
- School sent a checklist
- Worried about misreading the checklist
- Requests help checking it
Easy to miss: The arrival date is 3 October, and the school requested three documents.
Your turn — don't read the rest yet. Hear this dialogue at native speed and interpret each segment aloud; AI marks what you kept, left out or changed, segment by segment. Your first full dialogue is marked free.
Interpret it aloud now →The school's checklist lists three documents: your daughter's passport, her previous school report and proof of your address. Which of these do you already have available?
Model answer and marking points
学校的清单上列了三份材料：您女儿的护照、她以前的学校成绩单，还有您的住址证明。这几份材料您现在已经有了哪些？
What an examiner checks here:
- Checklist lists three documents
- Daughter's passport
- Daughter's previous school report
- Proof of parent's address
- question: Which documents are already available?
Easy to miss: Proof of address is a separate requirement from the daughter's passport and school report.
护照和租约都有，成绩单也带来了，不过是中文的。我手机里还有一张照片，需要先找人翻译吗？
Model answer and marking points
I have the passport and the lease, and I've brought the school report too, but it's in Chinese. I also have a photo of it on my phone. Do I need to get it translated first?
What an examiner checks here:
- Has the passport and lease
- Has brought the school report
- School report is in Chinese
- Also has a photo of the report on the phone
- question: Does the report need to be translated first?
Easy to miss: The report is already available; the question is whether it needs translation first.
Keep the original report and the copy on your phone. We can ask the school whether it needs a translation before you pay for one.
Model answer and marking points
请保留成绩单原件和您手机里的副本。您先别花钱找人翻译，我们可以先问问学校是否需要译文。
What an examiner checks here:
- Keep the original school report
- Keep the copy on the phone
- Can ask the school whether a translation is needed
- Check before paying for translation
Easy to miss: Translation is conditional on the school's requirements, not already confirmed as necessary.
好，那我先不找人翻译。学校约我们十一月四日过去，我英语不太好，怕到时候听不懂，能安排口译员吗？
Model answer and marking points
All right, I won't get it translated for now. The school has arranged for us to visit on 4 November. My English isn't very good, and I'm worried I won't understand what's being said. Can an interpreter be arranged?
What an examiner checks here:
- Will not arrange translation for now
- School visit arranged for 4 November
- Parent's English is limited
- Worried about not understanding during the visit
- question: Can an interpreter be arranged?
Easy to miss: Distinguish translating the report from arranging an interpreter for the visit.
For your visit on 4 November, I can contact the school to request a Mandarin interpreter. Would you prefer an interpreter attending in person or by telephone?
Model answer and marking points
关于您十一月四日去学校访问的安排，我可以联系学校，申请一位普通话口译员。您希望口译员到现场，还是通过电话提供口译？
What an examiner checks here:
- School visit on 4 November
- Can contact the school to request an interpreter
- Interpreter requested for Mandarin
- question: Prefer an interpreter in person or by telephone?
Easy to miss: The speaker offers to request an interpreter, without guaranteeing one has been booked.
最好能到现场，如果安排不了，电话口译也可以。那口译预约好了，是不是就能确定我女儿可以入学了？
Model answer and marking points
I'd prefer someone to attend in person, but if that can't be arranged, a telephone interpreter would be fine too. Once the interpreter is booked, does that mean my daughter's enrolment is confirmed?
What an examiner checks here:
- Prefers an interpreter in person
- Telephone interpreting acceptable if in-person attendance cannot be arranged
- question: Does booking the interpreter confirm daughter's enrolment?
Easy to miss: Enrolment confirmation is a question, not an established outcome.
Booking an interpreter does not confirm enrolment. The school will discuss your daughter's circumstances and documents during the visit, then explain what needs to happen next.
Model answer and marking points
预约好口译员并不代表您女儿已经获准入学。学校会在您到访时，跟您谈谈您女儿的情况和相关材料，然后说明接下来需要做什么。
What an examiner checks here:
- Interpreter booking does not confirm enrolment
- School will discuss daughter's circumstances during the visit
- School will discuss the documents during the visit
- School will then explain the next steps
Easy to miss: Do not lose the negation: booking an interpreter does not confirm enrolment.
明白了，还得跟学校谈过才知道。我也想说说女儿以前的学习情况，她数学不错，就是英语需要帮助。那我现在先做什么？
Model answer and marking points
I understand. We'll only know after we've spoken with the school. I'd also like to talk about how my daughter was doing at her previous school. She's good at maths, but she needs help with English. What should I do first now?
What an examiner checks here:
- Outcome will only be known after speaking with the school
- Wants to discuss daughter's previous academic performance
- Daughter is good at maths
- Daughter needs help with English
- question: What should the parent do first now?
Easy to miss: The daughter needs help with English; maths is her strength.
Could we meet here on Thursday to check those documents? With your permission, I'll contact the school and confirm the visit time and interpreting arrangements with you.
Model answer and marking points
我们星期四在这里见面，核对一下那些材料，可以吗？如果您同意，我会联系学校，再跟您确认到访时间和口译安排。
What an examiner checks here:
- question: Can we meet here on Thursday to check the documents?
- Contacting the school requires parent's permission
- Speaker will contact the school
- Will confirm the visit time with the parent
- Will confirm interpreting arrangements with the parent
Easy to miss: Thursday is the proposed document-checking meeting, not the stated date of the school visit.
可以，您帮我联系吧。星期四我会把那三份材料都带来。学校回复以后，麻烦您给我打个电话，我好提前跟单位请假。
Model answer and marking points
Yes, please contact them for me. I'll bring all three documents on Thursday. Once the school replies, please give me a call so I can arrange time off work in advance.
What an examiner checks here:
- Gives permission to contact the school
- Will bring all three documents on Thursday
- Requests a phone call after the school replies
- Needs to arrange time off work in advance
Easy to miss: The requested call is after the school's reply so the parent can arrange leave in advance.
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