Scandinavian Studies: listening answers and explanations
James has his first tutorial with Beth, his tutor on a Scandinavian Studies course. They talk about why he chose the course, his plans, this term's classes and his literature paper, and then Beth advises him how to write a paper on the Vikings.
Questions 21-25 follow the tutorial in order: James's background, his career plans, the courses, the paper topic and Beth's advice on its approach. James then asks for help with his Vikings paper, which starts the flow-chart (26-30), and Beth's advice comes as a sequence of steps.
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: Each question names a distractor that is mentioned and then pushed aside: trips to Denmark that hardly happened, a master's he doesn't want, a topic Beth talks him out of. Wait for the decision, and in 24 and 25 listen to Beth, because she steers the choice.
Question 21
Answer: CBeth's first question: 'Why did you decide to take this course?'
What in James's childhood made him choose the course?
We hardly ever did, though - my mother usually went on her own. But whenever her relations or friends were in England they always came to see us.
Question says → You hear
a number of Danish people visited his familywhenever her relations or friends were in England they always came to see us
Why: His Danish relatives and friends always visited the family in England. That's C.
The trap: A is ruled out with 'We hardly ever did': his mother usually went to Denmark alone. B: she talked about her home a lot, but nothing says she spoke to him in Danish.
Question 22
Answer: BWhen Beth asks about plans for after he graduates
What would James like to do after graduating?
interested in journalism, and I quite like the idea of moving to Scandinavia and writing for magazines.
Question says → You hear
work in the mediainterested in journalism … writing for magazines
Why: Journalism and writing for magazines are work in the media. B.
The trap: A: he says the four-year undergraduate course will be enough, so no master's. C: translating is what most graduates do, and he finds journalism more creative.
Question 23
Answer: CAfter James says he's enjoying Swedish cinema
Which course finishes this term?
That'll continue next term, but the one on Scandinavian literature that's running … will be replaced by more specialised courses.
Question says → You hear
will end this termwill be replaced by more specialised courses
Why: The literature course that's running now will be replaced, so it ends this term. C.
The trap: Swedish cinema 'will continue next term'. Danish television is a course that will start the term after next, so it hasn't begun.
Question 24
Answer: AAfter Beth suggests leaving the sagas for another time
What topic do they settle on for the literature paper?
You might find modern novels or … century playwrights interesting. … I've read or seen several plays in translation, so that would be a good idea. … Fine. I'll put you down for that topic.
Question says → You hear
They agreeso that would be a good idea … I'll put you down for that topic
Why: James picks the plays because he has read or seen several, and Beth confirms it. So 19th-century playwrights, A.
The trap: B, the Icelandic sagas, is his first choice, but Beth says too many people choose it and the books are hard to get. C, modern novels, is offered but James goes for the plays.
Question 25
Answer: CWhen James asks what he should aim at in the paper
What kind of paper does Beth recommend?
I think you first need to get an understanding of the literature in the context of the society in which it was produced
Question says → You hear
social background to the literaturethe literature in the context of the society in which it was produced
Why: The context of the society the literature came from is its social background. C.
The trap: B: Beth says to avoid going into detail on one writer. A: she thinks her approach is 'more fruitful than placing it within the history of the genre'.
Flow-chart completion (A-G)
Questions 26-30
How to attack this block: The steps come in order as Beth answers James's questions. Two box items are mentioned only to be rejected (the textbook and the film), so listen for what Beth actually tells him to use. The last three steps follow quickly: outline, notes, bullet points.
Question 26
Answer: EWhen James admits he hasn't decided what to write about
What will James read to choose his topic?
what I suggest is that you read an assignment a student wrote last year, which is kept in the library. It's short and well focused
Question says → You hear
read a ... and choose his topicread an assignment a student wrote last year
Why: An assignment written by last year's student is a student paper. E.
The trap: F, textbook, comes right after, but Beth says textbooks cover so many topics it's hard to choose one.
Question 27
Answer: GAfter James mentions his DVD of a Viking film
What will James borrow from Beth?
I'd ignore it - it's more fantasy than reality. But I've got a recording of a documentary that you should watch.
Question says → You hear
borrow a ... from BethI've got a recording of a documentary that you should watch
Why: Beth has a documentary recording she wants him to watch, so he'll borrow it from her. G.
The trap: B, film, is James's own DVD, and Beth tells him to ignore it.
Question 28
Answer: DWhen James asks 'should I work out an outline?'
What will James plan next?
So then should I work out an outline? … Yes. Just headings for different sections, at this stage.
Question says → You hear
plan the ... of the paperwork out an outline … headings for different sections
Why: An outline with headings for each section is the structure of the paper. D.
The trap: Headings are said here, but they aren't in the box. And bullet points come later, in step 30.
Question 29
Answer: CStraight after the outline
What will James write while reading source material?
start looking for suitable articles and books to draw on, and take notes which you organise according to those headings
Question says → You hear
read some source material and writesuitable articles and books to draw on, and take notes
Why: Articles and books to draw on are source material, and he takes notes on them. C.
The trap: 'Books' might make you look for the textbook option, but Beth means sources in general, and what he writes is notes.
Question 30
Answer: ABeth's last step, starting 'Then put'
What will James use to write the paper before writing it in full?
Then put short phrases and sentences as bullet points under each heading.
Question says → You hear
write the paper usingshort phrases and sentences as bullet points
Why: Bullet points under each heading form a skeleton before the full paper. A.
The trap: Notes, from the step before, also sound right. But the notes are organised first; the bullet points are what he writes the paper with.
His mother talked about Denmark a lot, which sounds like B, but the option says she spoke to him in Danish, which he never says. What made the difference was relatives and friends coming to see them in England.
James wants the Icelandic sagas, and Beth talks him out of it. She then offers two ideas, and he picks the plays, saying he's read or seen several in translation. Beth puts him down for 19th-century playwrights.
James suggests rewatching a film he owns, and Beth says to ignore it. What she lends him is a recording of a documentary, so it's G, not B.
Words from this recording worth keeping
tutorial(Introduction)
a meeting between a student and a tutor
get by(James's background)
manage with what you have, but not perfectly
undergraduate(Plans after graduating)
a first university degree course
specialised(Courses this term)
focused on one particular area
genre(Literature paper)
a type or style of literature, film or art
provocative(Vikings paper)
meant to make people think or argue
outline(Vikings paper)
a plan showing the main points
skeleton(Vikings paper)
the basic structure of a piece of writing
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The full Cambridge 12 Test 6 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 6, 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.
