Film adaptations of Shakespeare's plays: listening answers and explanations
Katie talks to her classmate Joe about a presentation she's giving in film studies on adaptations of Shakespeare. She runs through the stages of her talk and what she still has to prepare, then they discuss six films she plans to comment on.
The table (21-24) follows Katie's plan stage by stage, each starting with 'I thought I'd start', 'next' or 'Next I want to'. 'And finally I want to talk about a few adaptations' starts the matching, and the six films come in the order of the list, from Ran to Looking for Richard.
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.
Q
Your answer
Answer
Questions 21-24 · Table completion (ONE WORD ONLY)
How to attack this block: Each stage of the presentation gets one gap. Listen for what Katie will actually do, because Joe changes one of her plans. One word only, so pick the key noun or adjective.
Question 21
Answer: classificationThe first stage, 'So I thought I'd start with Giannetti'
What does Giannetti's book contain?
he came up with a straightforward classification of film adaptations based on how faithful they are to the original plays and novels
Question says → You hear
book containing a ... of adaptationsa straightforward classification of film adaptations
Why: Giannetti classified adaptations by how faithful they are. The noun is classification.
The trap: 'Faithful' describes how the classification works, not what it is. And 'notes' is the work still to be done, already in the table.
Question 22
Answer: worstWhen Katie says she's already made notes on Giannetti
Which adaptations will the class be asked to suggest?
I thought that next I'd ask the class to come up with the worst examples of Shakespeare adaptations that they've seen, and to say why. That should be more fun than having their favourite versions.
Question says → You hear
Ask class to suggest theask the class to come up with the worst examples
Why: She'll ask for the worst adaptations they've seen, because it'll be more fun. The gap needs an adjective: worst.
The trap: Favourite is the alternative she rejects.
Question 23
Answer: slidesAfter Joe questions whether she'll have time for film clips
What does Katie need to prepare for Malchow's ideas?
Perhaps you're right. OK, well, I'd better do some slides instead, saying how various films relate to what she says.
Question says → You hear
Prepare someI'd better do some slides instead
Why: 'Instead' tells you the plan has changed from clips to slides. Plural: slides.
The trap: Film clips were her first plan, but Joe talks her out of them.
Question 24
Answer: issuesWhen Katie says 'Next I want to say something about how plays may be chosen'
What will Katie relate adaptations to?
how plays may be chosen for adaptation because, they're concerned with issues of the time when the film is made
Question says → You hear
relationship between adaptations and ... at the time of making the filmconcerned with issues of the time when the film is made
Why: Plays are chosen because they deal with issues of the time when the film is made. The noun is issues.
The trap: Patriotism and the role of governments are Joe's examples of these issues. The table needs the general word.
Matching (A-G)
Questions 25-30
How to attack this block: For each film, listen for the one feature that defines the adaptation: where or when it's set, how faithful it is, what it looks like. Several options are near-misses (a different country versus a different period), so check the detail. One letter is not used.
Question 25
Answer: FWhen Katie asks Joe if he knows the Japanese film Ran
What do the speakers say about Ran?
using the same situation and story, but moving it to 16th century Japan instead of 16th century Britain
Question says → You hear
sets the original in a different countrymoving it to 16th century Japan instead of 16th century Britain
Why: The story moves from Britain to Japan in the same century. A different country, F.
The trap: E: it moves place, not time. Both versions are in the 16th century.
Question 26
Answer: AWhen Joe brings up the 1993 film
What do the speakers say about Much Ado About Nothing?
And I think filming it in Italy, where the play is set … what life was like at the time of the play.
Question says → You hear
clearly shows the historical periodwhat life was like at the time of the play
Why: Filming in Italy shows what life was like at the time of the play: the historical period. A.
The trap: F: Italy is where the play is set, so the country isn't different.
Question 27
Answer: EKatie's next film, the 1996 version
What do the speakers say about Romeo & Juliet?
Er, next, I thought Romeo & Juliet, the 1996 film, which moves the action into the present day.
Question says → You hear
presents the play in a different periodmoves the action into the present day
Why: Moving the action to the present day puts it in a different period from the original. E.
The trap: The original English is kept, which sounds strange, but that's about language, not one of the options.
Question 28
Answer: CWhen Katie picks 'a real Hollywood film'
What do the speakers say about Hamlet?
it's more like a typical action hero movie - there are loads of special effects, but no unifying interpretation of the play
Question says → You hear
too similar to another kind of filmmore like a typical action hero movie
Why: The adaptation is like a typical action hero movie, so it's too similar to another kind of film. C.
The trap: B: it includes every line of the text, so it doesn't contain only parts. D: it's aimed at a mass audience, but nothing says it was unpopular.
Question 29
Answer: GWhen Katie calls it 'really innovative'
What do the speakers say about Prospero's Books?
Didn't it include dance and singing and animation well as live actors? … Yes, it did.
Question says → You hear
incorporates a variety of art formsdance and singing and animation well as live actors
Why: Dance, singing, animation and live acting are a variety of art forms, and Katie confirms it. G.
The trap: 'Innovative from a stylistic point of view' might suggest a different period or setting, but it's about the mix of art forms.
Question 30
Answer: BThe last film, where Katie will finish
What do the speakers say about Looking for Richard?
It's more a way of looking into how people nowadays connect with the playwright - the play is really just the starting point.
Question says → You hear
contains only parts of the playthe play is really just the starting point
Why: Joe says it mixes a few scenes from Richard III with other material, and Katie adds that the play is just the starting point. So it contains only parts of the play, B.
The trap: E: 'people nowadays' sounds like a modern setting, but it's about how people today connect with Shakespeare, not a play moved to the present.
Hamlet includes every line of the play, so B is out. The problem is that it's like a typical action hero movie: too similar to another kind of film, C.
Katie plans to show film clips, but Joe doubts she'll have time or find them all. She switches to slides, so clips is the wrong answer.
Words from this recording worth keeping
adaptations(Presentation topic)
films or plays made from a book or play
classification(Giannetti)
a way of dividing things into groups
faithful(Giannetti)
keeping closely to the original
patriotism(Issues of the time)
love of and loyalty to your country
loose adaptation(Ran)
a version that changes a lot of the original
feuding(Romeo & Juliet)
in a long and bitter quarrel
bizarre(Romeo & Juliet)
very strange
innovative(Prospero's Books)
new and original
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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 3. 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.
