New city developments: listening answers and explanations
A speaker gives a public talk about two new projects in the city: the Brackenside open-air swimming pool and a children's adventure playground in Central Park. The speaker explains where the idea came from, what is special about the pool and its opening, then tours the six world areas of the playground.
In order throughout. Questions 11-14 cover the background and the pool. 'And now, moving on to the Central Park Playground' signals questions 15-20, and the speaker visits the six areas in exactly the order of the list, with a direction word ('Moving south', 'Eastwards') before each one.
Answer key and self-check
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.
How to attack this block: The speaker mentions every option, so listen for what's unusual, what's worrying and what's still undecided. Facts that are already settled (the opening date, who will open the pool) are the wrong answers for questions about problems or undecided things.
Question 11
Answer: ARight at the start, after the two projects are named
Who suggested the two new developments?
the idea for these initiatives came from you, the public, in the extensive consultation exercise which the City Council conducted last year.
Question says → You hear
The idea ... came fromthe idea for these initiatives came from you, the public
Why: 'You, the public' are the local people. They gave their ideas in a consultation, so A.
The trap: B: the City Council ran the consultation, but the ideas came from the public. C: the SWRDC paid for the projects, it didn't suggest them.
Question 12
Answer: CWhen the speaker describes the architect's design
What makes Brackenside pool unusual?
up-to-the-minute features such as a recycling system -- the only one of its kind in the world - which enables seawater to be used in the pool.
Question says → You hear
unusualthe only one of its kind in the world
method of water treatmenta recycling system … which enables seawater to be used
Why: 'The only one of its kind in the world' is the unusual feature, and it's a system for recycling seawater, which is how the water is treated. C.
The trap: A: the 1930s style is praised because it fits in with other buildings, so it isn't unusual. B: it's a heated pool, but nothing is said to be special about the heating.
Question 13
Answer: C'Now, there has been quite a bit of discussion in the local press'
What have local newspapers worried about?
there has been quite a bit of discussion in the local press about whether there would be enough room for the number of visitors we're hoping to attract
Question says → You hear
Local newspapersthe local press
the size of the facilitieswhether there would be enough room
Why: The press asked whether there's enough room for all the visitors, which is a worry about size. C.
The trap: A and B come straight after: the pool is 'on schedule' and 'well within budget'. Those are mentioned to show there's no problem.
Question 14
Answer: AThe opening-day plans, after the drinks and snacks
What hasn't been decided about the pool yet?
There'll also be a competition for the public to decide on the sculpture we plan to have at the entrance
Question says → You hear
whose statue will be at the doorto decide on the sculpture … at the entrance
Why: The public will decide which historical figure the sculpture shows, so it isn't decided yet. Sculpture is statue, entrance is door. A.
The trap: C: Coral White has already been engaged to open it. B: the opening date is given, and opening times are never discussed.
Matching (A-I)
Questions 15-20
How to attack this block: Nine features for six areas, so three are never used. The speaker describes each feature in other words: animals become 'fauna native to the forests', jewels become 'precious stones'. Several areas also mention a rejected idea first, so wait for what the designers actually chose.
Question 15
Answer: EThe first area of the playground, 'For example, there is a section on Asia'
Which feature represents Asia?
snakes, orang-utans, tigers and so on fauna native to the forests of the region.
Question says → You hear
local animalsfauna native to the forests of the region
Why: Snakes, orang-utans and tigers are 'fauna native to the region', which means local animals. E.
The trap: Forests sounds like a feature, but it's where the animals live, and there's no forest option in the box.
Question 16
Answer: F'Moving south to the Antarctic'
Which feature represents Antarctica?
we couldn't run to an ice rink I'm afraid but opted instead for climbing blocks in the shape of mountains
Question says → You hear
mountainsclimbing blocks in the shape of mountains
Why: They 'opted instead for' mountain-shaped climbing blocks. F.
The trap: C, ice and snow, is what you'd expect. The ice rink was too expensive and the glacier slides were turned down, so neither was built.
Question 17
Answer: D'Then on to South America', the El Dorado theme
Which feature represents South America?
here the theme is El Dorado - games replicating the search for mines full of precious … stones.
Question says → You hear
jewelsmines full of precious … stones
Why: El Dorado was a legendary place full of treasure, and the games are about searching for precious stones. Precious stones are jewels, D.
The trap: I, volcanoes, fits South America in real life, but it's never mentioned. Don't answer from general knowledge.
Question 18
Answer: H'And then moving up to North America'
Which feature represents North America?
I know the contribution of cinema and jazz was considered but the designers finally opted for rockets and the International Space Station.
Question says → You hear
space travelrockets and the International Space Station
Why: 'Finally opted for' gives the decision: rockets and the space station, which is space travel. H.
The trap: G, music and film, matches 'cinema and jazz' perfectly, but those were only considered. 'But ... finally' rules them out.
Question 19
Answer: A'Eastwards to Europe then'
Which feature represents Europe?
perhaps the most traditional choice of all the areas: medieval castles and other fortifications.
Question says → You hear
ancient fortsmedieval castles and other fortifications
Why: Medieval castles are old, and fortifications are forts. A.
The trap: 'Most traditional' doesn't point to any option on its own. Listen for the castles that follow.
Question 20
Answer: BThe last area, 'moving south to Africa'
Which feature represents Africa?
a whole set of wonderful mosaics and trails to represent the great rivers of this fascinating and varied continent.
Question says → You hear
waterwaysthe great rivers
Why: The mosaics and trails represent Africa's great rivers, and rivers are waterways. B.
The trap: E, local animals, would be an obvious choice for Africa, but it's already used for Asia and isn't mentioned here.
Antarctica sounds like ice and snow, and the speaker mentions an ice rink and glaciers. But both ideas were rejected. What they built is climbing blocks shaped like mountains, F.
The pool's opener (Coral White) and opening date are both already fixed. What's still open is the statue: the public will vote on which historical figure stands at the entrance.
Words from this recording worth keeping
initiatives(Introduction)
new plans or projects to solve a problem
consultation(Introduction)
the process of asking people for their opinions
renowned(Brackenside Pool)
famous and admired
deceptive(Brackenside Pool)
giving a false impression
capacity(Brackenside Pool)
the number of people a place can hold
within budget(Brackenside Pool)
costing no more than was planned
literal(The playground)
showing something in the most obvious, exact way
amenity(The playground)
a useful or pleasant facility for the public
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The full Cambridge 10 Test 2 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.
Cambridge IELTS 10, Test 2, Listening Part 2. The recording, transcript and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. We quote short extracts of the transcript only as evidence for our own commentary, and the answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full material, or sit the test on Langujet.
