Designing a public building: listening answers and explanations
An architecture lecturer moves from houses to public buildings and uses the new Taylor Concert Hall as a case study. The lecture covers what a designer must consider, the site and concept, the design of the building and auditorium, and how critics reacted.
Ten gaps in order. The lecturer's own structure matches the notes: three things to consider, 'Let's look at the new Taylor Concert Hall' for the site, 'So how was this reflected in the design' for the building, then the auditorium, and finally the critics.
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: Most gaps are nouns for physical things (a factory, a canal, a bridge, a box, a screen), so listen for concrete words. Several sentences give you a wrong option first: 'not straight, curved', 'international rather than local'.
Question 31
Answer: socialSecond of the three considerations, after 'function'
Apart from physical, what kind of context must the designer consider?
the context of the building, this includes its physical location, obviously, but it also includes … the social meaning of the building
Question says → You hear
physical and ... contextits physical location, obviously, but it also includes … the social meaning
Why: Context includes the physical location and also the social meaning: how the building relates to the people it's for. The gap is an adjective like 'physical', so social.
The trap: Symbolic comes next, but it's the third consideration, already printed in the notes.
Question 32
Answer: factoryWhen the lecturer says 'Let's look at the new Taylor Concert Hall'
What disused building stood on the site?
was occupied by a factory that had been empty for some years
Question says → You hear
the site of a disuseda factory that had been empty for some years
Why: 'Empty for some years' matches 'disused'. The building on the site was a factory.
The trap: Office blocks and the shopping centre are mentioned straight after, but they're some distance away, not on the site.
Question 33
Answer: canalStraight after the ring road
What is the concert hall beside?
The site itself was bordered to the north by a canal
Question says → You hear
Beside abordered to the north by a canal
Why: 'Bordered by' means it runs along one side, so the hall is beside a canal. The canal once carried boats bringing raw materials.
The trap: Ring road is the word just before, but it's a kilometre away. Boats are mentioned after, but only as the canal's old use.
Question 34
Answer: bridgeWhen the lecturer asks how the mystery concept was reflected in the design
What do pedestrians cross to reach the building?
As people approach the entrance, they therefore have to cross over a bridge
Question says → You hear
approached by a ... for pedestriansAs people approach the entrance, they therefore have to cross over a bridge
Why: Harrison used the water on the site, so people on foot cross a bridge to reach the entrance.
The trap: Water is said just before, but you can't be approached by a water. The gap needs the structure: bridge.
Question 35
Answer: boxWhen the lecturer talks about the first impression, from a distance and close-up
What shape is the building?
the initial impression he wanted to create from the shape of the … whole was that of a box
Question says → You hear
The building is the shape of athe shape of the … whole was that of a box
Why: Harrison wanted the whole building to look like a box. The notes keep 'shape', and the answer is box.
The trap: Mystery is the overall concept, already in the notes. Suspense is the feeling he wanted to create, not a shape.
Question 36
Answer: screenWhen the lecturer says the flat southern wall 'also has another purpose'
What does one outside wall act as?
and it functions as a huge screen, onto which images are projected
Question says → You hear
acts as a largefunctions as a huge screen
Why: 'Functions as' matches 'acts as', and 'huge' matches 'large'. At night the wall is a screen.
The trap: Projectors are mentioned just before, but they shine onto the wall. The wall itself is the screen.
Question 37
Answer: rubberWhen the lecturer moves into the auditorium, after the figure of 1500 seats
What are the floor pads made of?
rubber, and so are able to absorb any vibrations from outside and prevent them from affecting the auditorium
Question says → You hear
huge pads made ofrubber, and so are able to absorb any vibrations
Why: The floor rests on ten massive pads made of rubber, which absorb vibrations from outside.
The trap: Wood comes in the next sentence, but that's for the walls, which is a separate line in the notes.
Question 38
Answer: curvedAfter the walls of honey-coloured local wood
What shape are the auditorium walls?
In order to improve the acoustic properties of the auditorium and to amplify the sound … they are curved
Question says → You hear
are ... in shapethey are curved
Why: To improve the acoustics, the walls are not straight but curved. Curved is a shape adjective, which is what 'in shape' needs.
The trap: Straight is said first, but in the negative. Honey-coloured describes colour, not shape.
Question 39
Answer: curtainsWhen the lecturer says the acoustics are adjustable
What on the walls helps adjust the acoustics?
the walls also have curtains
Question says → You hear
... on walls allow adjustmentthe walls also have curtains
Why: The ceiling has nine motorised panels, and the walls have curtains that can be opened or closed. The notes already mention the panels, so the gap is curtains, plural.
The trap: Panels is the nearby noun, but they're in the ceiling and already printed in the notes.
Question 40
Answer: internationalLast part of the lecture, after the public's positive reaction
What style do some critics think is wrong for the building?
as being international rather than local, and say it doesn't reflect features of the landscape or society for which it is built
Question says → You hear
the ... style of the building is inappropriateinternational rather than local
Why: Critics call the style international rather than local, and say it doesn't reflect the landscape or society. The gap is an adjective before 'style': international.
The trap: Local is the trap: Harrison used local materials, and the word sits right next to the answer, but critics say the style is not local.
Critics say the style is international rather than local. 'Local' is right there and sounds like a design style, but it's what they say the building is not.
Words from this recording worth keeping
run-down(Location of the hall)
in poor condition because of neglect
redevelopment(Location of the hall)
rebuilding an area to improve it
raw materials(Location of the hall)
basic materials used to make products
suspense(Building design)
a feeling of excitement while waiting to find something out
intrigued(Building design)
very interested because something is unusual
acoustic properties(The auditorium)
how a space affects sound
amplify(The auditorium)
make a sound louder
evaluation(Evaluation)
a judgement of how good something is
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The full Cambridge 11 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 11, Test 2, Listening Part 4. 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.
