Margaret Smith phones Bob at Pembroke Cycling Holidays about a job leading cycle trips. He asks about her work, experience, availability and diet, takes her address and postcode, and arranges an interview.
Questions 1-10 · 10 marks · 1 question block
One ten-gap note block in order, under three headings: about the applicant (1-6), contact details (7-8) and interview (9-10). Margaret gives the personal answers; Bob gives the interview details at the end.
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: A Part 1 full of 'not this, but that': permanent or temporary, lawyer or doctor, India or Africa, B or P. The word you hear first is often the wrong one, so wait for the detail that fits the note. Spellings and the postcode must be copied exactly.
What kind of job does Margaret want?
Are you looking for a permanent job, Margaret? … No, temporary.
Question says → You hear
Why: Bob asks if she wants a permanent job and she says no, temporary. The gap needs an adjective.
The trap: Permanent is said first, by Bob, and again by Margaret about the job starting in a few months. It's not what she wants now.
What will Margaret soon start work as?
I used to be a lawyer, and then I made a complete career change and I'm going to be a doctor.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'I'm going to be' matches 'will soon start work as'. The answer is doctor.
The trap: Lawyer is her old job: 'I used to be'.
Where has Margaret led cycle trips?
several bike tours in Africa. The trip to India that I had … has now been cancelled
Question says → You hear
Why: She has led several bike tours in Africa. Capital A.
The trap: India is the trip she was going to lead, but it's been cancelled, so she hasn't led it.
Which club does she volunteer at now?
a volunteer worker in a youth club, where I help people to improve their cycling skills. Before that I helped out in a cycling club
Question says → You hear
Why: She's a volunteer in a youth club now. The note says 'currently', so youth.
The trap: The cycling club is where she helped before, 'Before that', so it's not current.
Which month is she available from?
I'll be free for five months. My job is due … and I'm available from May the 1st until late September.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Available from May the 1st' matches the note exactly. The gap needs the month: May.
The trap: October is when her new job starts, and late September is when she stops being available.
What food can't she eat?
Yes, I'm allergic to cheese. Would that be a problem?
Question says → You hear
Why: An allergy to cheese means she can't eat it.
The trap: Meat is mentioned by Bob, about other people in the group who don't eat it. It's not Margaret's problem.
What is the name of her street?
Could you send it to 27 Arbuthnot Place - A-R-B-U-T-H-N-O-T - Place, Dumfries.
Question says → You hear
Why: She spells the street name letter by letter. Copy it exactly, with a capital A.
The trap: Spelling only. Arbuthnott or Arbutnot loses the mark, and 'Place' is already in the note.
What is her postcode?
DG7 4PH. … Was that P Papa or B Bravo? … P Papa.
Question says → You hear
Why: The postcode is DG7 4PH, and Bob checks that the fifth character is P, not B.
The trap: B is offered by Bob as the alternative. Write P, and keep the 7 and 4 as digits.
What day is the interview?
If you could return the application form by Friday this week, we can interview you on Tuesday next week. Say half past two.
Question says → You hear
Why: The interview is on Tuesday at half past two, which matches 2.30 pm in the note.
The trap: Friday is the deadline for the form, and Monday is when Margaret will drive over. Only Tuesday is the interview day.
Also accepted: presentation
What will she prepare about being a tour guide?
could you prepare a ten-minute talk about that, please? You don't need slides or any complicated equipment - just some notes.
Question says → You hear
Why: Bob asks for a ten-minute talk, which is the 'short ...' in the note. Presentation is also accepted.
The trap: Slides and notes are mentioned straight after, but slides aren't needed and notes are just what she'll use. Certificates are things to bring, not prepare.
Bob checks a single letter: 'Was that P Papa or B Bravo?' Margaret confirms P. Mixing up P and B, or 4 and A, loses the whole mark.
Three days in a row: return the form by Friday, interview on Tuesday, and Margaret will drive over on Monday. Only Tuesday is the interview.
Margaret says her job is due to start on October the 2nd, and she's free until late September. The note asks when she's available from, so May.
The full Cambridge 12 Test 8 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 12, Test 8, 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.
