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    Cambridge IELTS 12, Test 7, Listening Part 2

    BC Travel activity holidays: listening answers and explanations

    A trainer at BC Travel talks to new staff about the market for specialised holidays. The talk covers which age groups are booking more, why activity holidays are popular, and then the company's painting, cooking, photography and fitness holidays.

    Questions 11-20 · 10 marks · 4 question blocks

    Take Cambridge 12 Test 7 Listening

    How the answers come

    Everything comes in order. Age groups first (11-12), then the reasons for activity holidays (13-14). 'Let me give you some examples' starts painting, cooking and photography (15-17), and 'Finally, let me tell you about our fitness holidays' leads into the table, country by country (18-20).

    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.

    QYour answerAnswer
    Questions 11-12 · Multiple choice (choose TWO)
    11
    		D and E(in either order)
    12
    Questions 13-14 · Multiple choice (choose TWO)
    13
    		A and C(in either order)
    14
    Questions 15-17 · Multiple choice
    15
    		C
    16
    		B
    17
    		A
    Questions 18-20 · Table completion (ONE WORD ONLY)
    18
    		stress
    19
    		weight
    20
    		families
    Multiple choice (choose TWO)

    Questions 11-12

    How to attack this block: All five age groups are mentioned, each with a trend. Note each one as up, down or flat while you listen: only two are going up. The biggest group is not the same as a growing group.

    Question 11-12

    Answer: D and E (in either order)Right at the start, 'In terms of age groups'

    Which two age groups are taking more holidays with BC Travel?

    the over-65s are … one that's increasing steadily year on year … there's a noticeable growth in the number of holidays taken … by the 55 to 64-year-olds

    Question says → You hear

    • increasing numbers of holidaysincreasing steadily year on year / a noticeable growth in the number of holidays

    Why: The over-65s are 'increasing steadily' (E), and there's 'a noticeable growth' for the 55-64s (D).

    The trap: A, the 16-30s, is still the biggest market, but it has seen the biggest drop. The 31-42s show no sign of rising, and the 43-54s are steady, without the expected increase.

    Multiple choice (choose TWO)

    Questions 13-14

    How to attack this block: Listen for which features clients themselves value most. Two options are ruled out directly (risk and price), and one, the new skill, is mentioned but then put below something else with 'more than this'.

    Question 13-14

    Answer: A and C (in either order)When the speaker explains the trend for activity holidays

    Which two reasons make activity holidays popular?

    which gives an opportunity for clients to find out more about the local people and customs … it's the chance to create lasting relationships

    Question says → You hear

    • learn about a different culturefind out more about the local people and customs
    • make new friendsthe chance to create lasting relationships

    Why: Learning about local people and customs is learning about a different culture (C), and clients call it one of the most positive features. Lasting relationships with like-minded people are new friends (A), 'the main draw'.

    The trap: B: a new skill is mentioned, but 'more than this' tells you friendship matters more. D: these aren't high-risk adventure holidays. E: they're 'not necessarily cheaper', often the opposite.

    Multiple choice

    Questions 15-17

    How to attack this block: Each holiday gets a short description that touches on all three options. Listen for what is new or unusual about BC Travel's version, not what's standard.

    Question 15

    Answer: CThe first example, 'Our painting holidays'

    How will BC Travel expand its painting holidays?

    five additional ones will be joining us this year so that we can offer a greater number of classes in each centre

    Question says → You hear

    • employing more teachersfive additional ones will be joining us this year

    Why: The 'additional ones' are artists who lead the classes, so the company is taking on more teachers. C.

    The trap: A: there are four centres, and the extra classes are 'in each centre', so no new locations. B: the holidays are already for all abilities from beginners onwards.

    Question 16

    Answer: B'As far as cooking holidays are concerned'

    What makes the cooking holidays unusual?

    I know a lot of agents offer holidays where clients cook recipes related to one … on dishes from a great many different ones

    Question says → You hear

    • international focusdishes from a great many different ones

    Why: Other agents focus on the cuisine of one country; BC Travel covers dishes from many different countries. That's an international focus, B.

    The trap: A: organic ingredients are 'more or less a given nowadays', so not unusual. C: there are only 'some meat-free recipes', not mainly vegetarian ones.

    Question 17

    Answer: A'Our photography holidays take place in a wide range of countries'

    What is said about the photography holidays?

    Groups are small, no more than eight, so clients can have one-on-one tuition during the holiday

    Question says → You hear

    • individual tuitionone-on-one tuition

    Why: Small groups mean clients get one-on-one tuition, which is individual tuition. A.

    The trap: B: the excursions use fully-trained guides, but nothing says the tutors are the guides. C: the exhibition is for feedback on each other's work, not for selling photos.

    Table completion (ONE WORD ONLY)

    Questions 18-20

    How to attack this block: One gap per country, in the order Ireland and Italy, Greece, Morocco. Each answer is a single noun, and the words around it are paraphrased: 'reduces' becomes 'losing', 'control' becomes 'do something about'.

    Question 18

    Answer: stressThe first fitness holiday, in Ireland and Italy

    What else does the general fitness holiday reduce?

    As well as improving general fitness, clients find that they … the stress they've built up in their daily lives

    Question says → You hear

    • also reducesAs well as improving general fitness

    Why: 'As well as' matches 'also', and clients lose the stress built up in daily life. The noun is stress.

    The trap: The consultation and individual programme are already in the table as 'personally designed programme'.

    Question 19

    Answer: weight'In Greece, we have a two-week holiday'

    What is the Greek holiday designed to control?

    In Greece, we have a two-week holiday for clients who want to do something about their weight.

    Question says → You hear

    • controldo something about their weight

    Why: 'Do something about their weight' becomes '... control'. The answer is weight.

    The trap: Diet is mentioned straight after, 'a personalised diet programme', but that's a feature of the holiday, not its purpose.

    Question 20

    Answer: familiesThe last holiday, mountain biking in Morocco

    Who is one Moroccan biking holiday designed for?

    offer one which is tailored to the needs of families, which is particularly popular.

    Question says → You hear

    • specially designed fortailored to the needs of families

    Why: 'Tailored to the needs of' is 'specially designed for', and the answer is families. Keep the plural.

    The trap: 'Different routes according to people's ability' is the 'wide variety of levels', already in the table.

    The questions most people get wrong

    Question 11-12

    The 16-30s are still the biggest market, which sounds positive, but they've also seen the biggest drop. The two groups that are growing are the over-65s and the 55-64s.

    Question 13-14

    Learning a new skill is named first, so it's tempting. But the speaker says that 'more than this', clients value making lasting relationships. The other reason is learning about local people and customs.

    Question 16

    Organic ingredients and meat-free recipes are both mentioned, but organic is 'more or less a given nowadays' and meat-free recipes are only 'some'. What's unusual is the range of countries the dishes come from.

    Words from this recording worth keeping

    competitive(Market trends)
    with many companies trying to win customers
    year on year(Market trends)
    each year compared with the year before
    like-minded(Activity holidays)
    having similar interests and opinions
    main draw(Activity holidays)
    the main thing that attracts people
    one-on-one tuition(Photography holidays)
    teaching one student at a time
    consultation(Fitness holidays)
    a meeting to get expert advice
    tailored(Fitness holidays)
    made to fit particular needs

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