A new student finds his way to the School of Economics and asks a lecturer about the Economics I course. The lecturer explains the timetable, the attendance rule, the coursework and exam, the library and the focus of the course.
Questions 22-31 · 10 marks · 2 question blocks
In order throughout. Questions 22-25 cover the practical details (the meeting he missed, attendance, tutorials, the lecturer's name). When the student asks 'how much work is expected', the notes for questions 26-31 begin.
Type what you wrote and hit mark. Hide the key first if you haven't done the part yet. Every question number jumps to its explanation.
| Q | Your answer | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Questions 22-25 · Multiple choice | ||
| 22 | A | |
| 23 | B | |
| 24 | C | |
| 25 | A | |
| Questions 26-31 · Note completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 26 | talkAlso accepted: give a talk / give a small talk | |
| 27 | write up workAlso accepted: write up the work / write it up / write up their work | |
| 28 | can chooseAlso accepted: can choose topic / can choose the topic / students can choose | |
| 29 | open bookAlso accepted: open-book / open book exam | |
| 30 | closed reserve | |
| 31 | vocationalAlso accepted: vocational subjects / preparing for work / work / employment / vocational focus | |
How to attack this block: Each answer is a simple fact, but the options borrow other details from the conversation: lecture days, the lecture time, names. Decide what each question is really about (the meeting, lectures, tutorials) and ignore details about the other things.
When was the orientation meeting?
this information is all in the handout which you should have received yesterday at the orientation meeting
Why: The meeting was yesterday, so it took place recently: A. The student says he didn't know about it, and the lecturer confirms 'there was'.
The trap: 'Next week' comes up later, but for the reading list and the start of lectures, not the meeting.
How is lecture attendance treated?
attendance at lectures is necessary. We expect at least 90% attendance … Do they enforce that rule? … Yes, we do. We're pretty strict about it actually.
Why: A 90% rule that is enforced strictly means attendance is closely monitored: B.
The trap: C borrows 'enforce' from the student's question, but the answer is that they do enforce it. A misuses the 4 pm lecture time, and D contradicts 'attendance at lectures is necessary'.
When do the tutorials happen?
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all at 9 o'clock. Yours will be allocated at the first lecture.
Why: Three days at 9 o'clock is three mornings a week: C.
The trap: Twice a week (B) is the lectures, on Tuesday and Thursday. Afternoons (D) is also the lectures, at four. Every morning (A) would need five days.
What is the course lecturer called?
You'll have to talk to the lecturer on the course. Dr. Roberts is his name.
Why: The lecturer is Dr Roberts: A. The name is said only once, so listen closely to its ending.
The trap: The options are all sound-alikes. Robertson has an extra syllable and Rogers has a different middle sound.
How to attack this block: The notes follow the lecturer's list of requirements. Check the words printed before and after each gap: some gaps need a verb ('Students must ...'), others an adjective or a name. Write the short form of what you hear.
Also accepted: give a talk / give a small talk
What must students do for 25 minutes?
You'll have to give a small talk to your tutorial group … about 25 minutes usually.
Question says → You hear
Why: The first step is to give a talk, and the student checks: 'I have to talk for 25 minutes?' Talk or give a talk both fit after 'Students must'.
The trap: 'Set reading texts' comes just before, so 'read' is tempting. Reading is the basis of the paper, but the 25 minutes is the talk.
Also accepted: write up the work / write it up / write up their work
What is the second thing students must do with the tutorial paper?
And then you have to write up your piece of work and give it to the lecturer to be marked.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'And then' moves to the next step: write up the work. The rest of the sentence is the third bullet, which is already printed.
The trap: Writing 'give to lecturer' repeats the printed bullet. Within three words, 'write up work' or 'write it up' is enough.
Also accepted: can choose topic / can choose the topic / students can choose
Who chooses the essay topic?
Can I choose the topic? … Yes, usually you can.
Question says → You hear
Why: The student asks if he can choose the topic and the lecturer says usually he can. With 'usually' printed, the gap is 'can choose'.
The trap: The length, 3,000 words, comes first, but the note is about the topic, not the size.
Also accepted: open-book / open book exam
What kind of exam is it?
Well, it's an open book exam. … Does that mean I can have the text book with me during the exam?
Question says → You hear
Why: The lecturer names the type straight away: open book. Write 'open book' (with or without a hyphen).
The trap: 'Text book' comes up in the student's follow-up question. That explains what open book means; it isn't the name of the exam type.
Where are the important library books kept?
But most of the important ones are held in Closed Reserve ... that's a part of the library where you can go to read books
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Important ones' matches 'important books', and 'held in' gives you the place. The student asks for it again, so you hear it twice.
The trap: 'Library' is already in the note. The answer is the name of the section inside it.
Also accepted: vocational subjects / preparing for work / work / employment / vocational focus
What is the course's focus?
the course at this university has a vocational focus, that is a focus on preparing its graduates for work
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Vocational' is the one-word answer, and the lecturer explains it as preparing graduates for work. The key accepts vocational, work or employment.
The trap: 'Good results' comes right at the end, but that's what you need to get a job, not the course's focus.
'Difficult to enforce' is tempting because the student asks 'Do they enforce that rule?' The lecturer says yes, they're pretty strict, so attendance is closely monitored.
The notes list three steps and the third (give to the lecturer) is printed. The second is 'write up' the work. Many people write the third step again.
The essay length (3,000 words) comes first, but the note is about the topic. 'Usually' is printed, so the gap is just 'can choose'.
The full Cambridge 1 Test 1 listening paper with the real audio: all four parts, played once, marked the moment you finish. Already done it? Take it again and listen for the traps this page showed you.
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