Theatre trip to Munich: listening answers and explanations
An organiser updates a group about their theatre tour to Munich, covering the flight, who meets them, the hotel price, dinner and a talk, and then describes the play they'll see on each day and what makes it special.
Questions 11-15 follow the trip day by day, from the airport to Wednesday afternoon. 'I'd just like to make a few points about the plays' signals the matching block, and the plays come in order: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, then Monday after a day off.
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: Every question here has its distractors said out loud: the meal it's too early for, the hotel price the organiser hoped for, the restaurant that was turned down. The answer is usually what actually happened or what the organiser decided, often after a 'but' or 'in fact'.
Question 11
Answer: BRight at the start, after the flight time
What will the group have together at the airport?
The flight is at 11.30, so it's too early to have lunch at the airport. I suggest we meet there for coffee at 10
Question says → You hear
When the group meet at the airportI suggest we meet there for coffee
Why: The organiser suggests meeting at the airport for coffee at 10. B.
The trap: Lunch is ruled out as too early, and breakfast is something they'll have at home before they leave.
Question 12
Answer: CWhen the organiser says what happens on arrival in Munich
Who will meet the group at Munich Airport?
we'll be met at the airport by Claus Bauer. … he'll look after us for the time we'll be in Germany
Question says → You hear
met at Munich Airport bywe'll be met at the airport by Claus Bauer
Why: Claus Bauer works for a tour operator and will look after the group in Germany. C.
The trap: Theatre managers and an officer of the National Theatre are both mentioned, but Claus has only liaised with the managers, and the officer will show them round the theatre later.
Question 13
Answer: AWhen the organiser gives the hotel rooms' precise cost
How much will a double room cost per night?
The normal rate at the hotel where we're staying is 150 euros a night for a double room. I'd hoped to get that down to 120 euros, but in fact I've been able to negotiate a rate of 110.
Question says → You hear
How much will they payI've been able to negotiate a rate of 110
Why: 'In fact I've been able to negotiate' gives the final price, 110 euros. A.
The trap: 150 is the normal rate and 120 is only what the organiser hoped for. The real price is lower than both.
Question 14
Answer: BAfter the coach trip to the castle
Which restaurant has been booked for Tuesday evening?
Some of you suggested an Italian restaurant, but … must confess that I decided to book a Lebanese one
Question says → You hear
What type of restaurantI decided to book a Lebanese one
Why: The organiser chose a Lebanese restaurant. B.
The trap: Italian was suggested and rejected because they can eat Italian at home. A typical local restaurant was too meat-oriented for some of them.
Question 15
Answer: CRight after the Tuesday dinner
Who will the group meet on Wednesday afternoon?
On Wednesday afternoon, the director of the play we're going to see that evening
Question says → You hear
Wednesday afternoonOn Wednesday afternoon, the director of the play
Why: The director will talk to them about producing the play. C.
The trap: She will talk about how she chose the actors and worked with the playwright, but neither the actors nor the playwright will be there.
Matching (A-G)
Questions 16-20
How to attack this block: Each day gets a few sentences, and several box options are hinted at for the wrong day. Listen for the main fact about each play (a premiere, an anniversary, a garden, officials, an old building) and watch for negatives like 'unlikely to be able to attend'. Two letters are not used.
Question 16
Answer: FFirst play, 'The play we're seeing on Wednesday evening'
What's special about Wednesday's play?
The play we're seeing on Wednesday evening is a modern one, and we're going to the premiere
Question says → You hear
performed for the first timewe're going to the premiere
Why: A premiere is the first performance of a play. F.
The trap: A: the playwright 'is ill and is unlikely to be able to attend'. D: the music is an electronic soundtrack, not live.
Question 17
Answer: B'On Thursday we're seeing a play'
What's special about Thursday's play?
it was commissioned to mark a hundred years since the birth in the town of a well-known scientist
Question says → You hear
written to celebrate an anniversarycommissioned to mark a hundred years since the birth
Why: A hundred years since someone's birth is an anniversary, and the play was commissioned for it. B.
The trap: F: it was first performed last year, and this is a revival, so it isn't a first performance.
Question 18
Answer: EWhen the organiser says Friday's play will affect what clothes to pack
What's special about Friday's play?
as it'll be in the garden of a palace. It's a beautiful setting, but I'd better warn you, there won't be much protection from the wind.
Question says → You hear
performed outdoorsin the garden of a palace … there won't be much protection from the wind
Why: A garden with little protection from the wind is outdoors. E.
The trap: A palace is a historic building, so C is tempting, but the play is in the garden, not inside.
Question 19
Answer: GWhen they go by coach to another town
What's special about Saturday's play?
This will be the opening of a drama festival, and the mayor and all the other dignitaries of the town will be attending.
Question says → You hear
attended by officials from the townthe mayor and all the other dignitaries of the town will be attending
Why: Dignitaries are important officials, and they'll attend with the mayor. G.
The trap: D: the band plays traditional music at the reception after the performance, so it doesn't accompany the play.
Question 20
Answer: CAfter the day off on Sunday
What's special about Monday's play?
our final play is on Monday, and it's in the stunning setting of the old Town Hall
Question says → You hear
inside a historic buildingthe stunning setting of the old Town Hall
Why: The old Town Hall dates back to the 14th century, so it's a historic building. C.
The trap: B is tempting: the performance marks fifty years of the lead actor's career. But the play wasn't written for that anniversary; it's the play he started his career in.
Wednesday's play mentions the playwright, but the playwright is ill and unlikely to attend, so A is out. The point is that they're going to the premiere: its first performance.
There'll be a band playing traditional music on Saturday, but at the reception after the play. The play isn't accompanied by music. What makes it special is the mayor and dignitaries attending.
Words from this recording worth keeping
liaised(Arrival in Munich)
worked with someone to share information and arrange things
negotiate(Hotel)
reach an agreement by discussion
rehearsal(Tuesday)
a practice before the real performance
premiere(Wednesday's play)
the first public performance
commissioned(Thursday's play)
officially asked for and paid for
revival(Thursday's play)
a new production of an older play
dignitaries(Saturday's play)
people with an important official position
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
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 2. 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.
