Self-drive tours in the USA: listening answers and explanations
Andrea phones a travel company called World Tours to ask for a brochure about self-drive holidays in California. The travel agent takes her details, describes two possible routes and what she wants to do on each, then compares the length, distance, price and what each trip includes.
Two blocks, both in order. Questions 1-2 come from Andrea's personal details at the start of the call. Questions 3-6 follow the two routes stop by stop, with Andrea saying what she likes. Questions 7-10 come at the end, when she asks how long the trips are and what they cost: Trip One first, then Trip Two.
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: One word only, so no articles and no extras. The first answer is spelled out letter by letter, so write it as you hear it. For the tour notes, listen to Andrea's reactions: she says what she wants and what she doesn't, and the notes always record what she wants.
Question 1
Answer: ArdleighRight after she gives her house number, when the agent asks her to spell it
What is the name of the road in Andrea's address?
24, Ardleigh Road. … Can you spell that? … A-R-D-L-E-I-G-H Road.
Question says → You hear
Address: 24 ... Road24, Ardleigh Road
Why: The street name is spelled out letter by letter, which tells you the examiners will mark the spelling. Write it with a capital A.
The trap: Spelling only. 'Ardley' or 'Ardlay' sounds the same but loses the mark. Copy the letters you hear.
Question 2
Answer: newspaperAfter the phone number, when the agent asks how she heard about the company
Where did Andrea find out about World Tours?
From a friend? Or did you see an advert somewhere? … No, I read about you in the newspaper.
Question says → You hear
Heard about company fromI read about you in the newspaper
Why: The agent suggests two sources and Andrea says no to both, then gives the real one: the newspaper.
The trap: Friend and advert are both said first, by the agent, as guesses. Andrea's 'No' rules them out.
Question 3
Answer: themeAt the start of Trip One, when the agent describes Los Angeles
What kind of parks does she want to visit in Los Angeles?
there's plenty of time to visit some of the theme parks there. … That's something on my children's list so I'd want to include that.
Question says → You hear
visit some ... parks with her childrenvisit some of the theme parks there … on my children's list
Why: The agent mentions theme parks and Andrea says her children want them, so she'd include them. The note already has 'parks', so the gap is just theme.
The trap: Don't write 'theme parks': 'parks' is already printed, and it would also break the one-word limit.
Question 4
Answer: tentWhen the agent says you can stay in a lodge or on the campsite
What kind of accommodation does she not want in Yosemite?
You can choose to stay in a lodge or on the campsite. … I don't like the idea of staying in a tent. It'd be too hot.
Question says → You hear
stay in a lodge, not aI don't like the idea of staying in a tent
Why: Andrea rejects camping by saying she doesn't want to stay in a tent. The note's 'not a ...' needs a singular noun, and tent is the word she uses.
The trap: Campsite is the agent's word, but 'not a campsite' isn't what she says, and you stay on a campsite, not in one. Tent is the word that fits.
Question 5
Answer: castleAt the start of Trip Two, after the agent says you drive south to Cambria
What does she want to see on the way to Cambria?
Someone told me there's a really nice castle near Cambria. Will we go near that?
Question says → You hear
see the ... on the way to Cambriaa really nice castle near Cambria
Why: Andrea asks about the castle, the agent confirms Hearst Castle is on that road, and she says she'd like to stop there. One word, so castle, not the name.
The trap: The desert comes up straight after, but the agent says the trip doesn't go there.
Question 6
Answer: beachAfter Santa Monica, when the agent suggests going straight on to San Diego
Also accepted: beaches
Where does she want to spend time at San Diego?
That's good for beaches isn't it? … We want some time for sunbathing and swimming.
Question says → You hear
wants to spend time on thegood for beaches … time for sunbathing and swimming
Why: Andrea links San Diego with beaches and turns down the zoo because she wants to sunbathe and swim. Beach and beaches are both accepted.
The trap: The zoo is the agent's suggestion and Andrea says 'I don't think so'. It's the option she rejects.
Table completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 7-10
How to attack this block: The table compares the two trips, and the agent gives Trip One's figures in one long sentence full of numbers. Several distances come close together, so match the gap to the right label: total distance, not the shortest or longest day. For the 'includes' row, listen for what is and isn't included.
Question 7
Answer: 2020When Andrea asks how many days the trips are and what they cost
What is the total distance of Trip One?
which lasts twelve days and covers 2,020 kilometres. The shortest journey is 206 km and the longest is 632 kilometres.
Question says → You hear
Total distancecovers 2,020 kilometres
Why: 'Covers 2,020 kilometres' is the whole trip. Write it in digits: 2020 or 2,020.
The trap: 206 and 632 are the shortest and longest single days, not the total. They come straight after, so the last number you hear is the wrong one.
Question 8
Answer: flightRight after the price of £525
What does Trip One include apart from accommodation and the car?
That includes accommodation, car rental and a flight but no meals.
Question says → You hear
Includes: accommodation, car, oneincludes accommodation, car rental and a flight
Why: The list is read in the same order as the table, and the third item is a flight. 'One' in the table matches 'a', so the singular flight fits.
The trap: Meals are mentioned, but as something not included.
Question 9
Answer: 429When Andrea asks whether the second trip is cheaper
How much does Trip Two cost per person?
Yes, it's almost a hundred pounds cheaper. It's £429 per person
Question says → You hear
Price (per person): £It's £429 per person
Why: The price is given directly: £429. The pound sign is printed, so write just 429.
The trap: 'Almost a hundred pounds cheaper' is the difference, not the price. Don't try to work it out from £525.
Question 10
Answer: dinnerThe end of the call, when Andrea asks about flights
What does Trip Two include apart from accommodation and the car?
What about flights? … They aren't included. But these hotels offer dinner in the price.
Question says → You hear
Includes: accommodation, carthese hotels offer dinner in the price
Why: Flights are out, but the hotels include dinner in the price. That's the extra item for Trip Two.
The trap: Flight was included in Trip One, and Andrea says 'flights' here, so it's easy to repeat it. The agent says they aren't included.
Three distances arrive in one breath: 2,020, then 206 and 632. The total is the first one. Writing 206 or 632 is the classic slip, and the number has to be written exactly: 2020 or 2,020.
Andrea asks about flights and the agent says they aren't included. Flight was the Trip One answer, so people write it again. Trip Two includes dinner instead.
The agent offers a lodge or the campsite, and the note already has lodge. The gap is what she doesn't want, and she says tent, not campsite.
Words from this recording worth keeping
brochure(Start of the call)
a small booklet with information about holidays or products
hire a car(Possible self-drive tours)
pay to use a car for a short time
places of interest(Trip One)
sights worth visiting
lodge(Trip One)
a small building where visitors stay, often in a park
sunbathing(Trip Two)
lying in the sun to relax or get a tan
car rental(Prices)
paying to use a car for a period of time
a good deal(Prices)
good value for the money
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The full Cambridge 10 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.
Cambridge IELTS 10, Test 1, Listening Part 1. 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.
The rest of Cambridge 10 Test 1 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereSelf-drive tours in the USA
