Moving to Banford City: listening answers and explanations
Matt is moving to Banford and phones Linda, a friend of a friend, for advice. She tells him about rents in her suburb, getting around, trains to London and the best things about living there, and then offers to meet him and show him around.
One ten-gap note block in strict order, under four headings: accommodation (1), transport (2-5), advantages (6-8) and meeting Linda (9-10). Linda gives almost every answer; Matt's questions ('Are the transport links easy?', 'Are you planning to visit?') move you to the next heading.
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 1-10 · Note completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
How to attack this block: Most gaps have a nearby distractor: two rents, two train times, two days of the week, and a list of good things in the city. Read the exact wording of each note (average, every, opened recently, excellent reputation) and wait for the detail that matches it.
Question 1
Answer: 850When Matt asks how much it would be to rent a two-bedroom flat in Dalton
What is the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom flat?
you should be able to get something reasonable for 850 pounds per month. That's what people typically pay.
Question says → You hear
Average rentThat's what people typically pay
Why: 'What people typically pay' is the average. The figure is 850; the £ sign is already in the notes, so just write the number.
The trap: 900 comes straight after, but it's the upper limit: 'You certainly wouldn't want to pay more than 900 pounds'.
Question 2
Answer: bikeWhen Matt asks if the transport links are easy
Also accepted: bicycle
How does Linda get to work?
I work in the city centre so I don't have to use public transport. I go by bike.
Question says → You hear
travels to work byI go by bike
Why: Linda goes by bike. Bike or bicycle are both accepted.
The trap: Public transport is mentioned first, but as what she doesn't use. Matt's next question about cycling confirms the answer.
Question 3
Answer: parkingWhen Linda explains why driving to work would be bad
What is limited in the city centre?
driving to work in the city centre would be a nightmare because there's hardly any parking
Question says → You hear
Limited ... in city centrethere's hardly any parking
Why: 'Hardly any' is the paraphrase for 'limited'. The gap is a noun: parking.
The trap: Traffic in the rush hour comes next. It can be bad, but it isn't limited, so it doesn't fit the note.
Question 4
Answer: 30When Matt says he'd have to go to London one or two days a week
Also accepted: thirty
How often do trains go to London?
There's a fast train every 30 minutes which only takes 45 minutes.
Question says → You hear
Trains to London every ... minutesa fast train every 30 minutes
Why: The train runs every 30 minutes. Write 30 in digits; thirty is also accepted.
The trap: 45 minutes is the journey time. It comes right after and has the same word 'minutes', which is why people write it.
Question 5
Answer: weekendJust after the London train times
Also accepted: weekends
When is the train service poor?
the train service isn't bad during the week. And they run quite late at night. It's weekends that are a problem.
Question says → You hear
Poor train service atIt's weekends that are a problem
Why: Linda says weekends are the problem because of engineering work and buses to Hadham. 'At ...' takes weekend or weekends; both are accepted.
The trap: 'Late at night' is mentioned as a good point: the trains run late. Don't write night.
Question 6
Answer: cinemaWhen Linda starts listing the good things about Banford
What has opened recently in Banford?
a brand new cinema which has only been open a couple of months
Question says → You hear
New ... opened recentlya brand new cinema which has only been open a couple of months
Why: 'Brand new' and 'only been open a couple of months' match 'new' and 'opened recently'. The gap is cinema.
The trap: Restaurants and an arts centre are in the same list, but nothing says they're new.
Question 7
Answer: hospitalWhen Linda says 'There are lots of really good aspects to living here'
What in Banford has an excellent reputation?
the hospital here is one of the best in the country
Question says → You hear
has excellent reputationone of the best in the country
Why: 'One of the best in the country' and everyone having a positive experience there point to the hospital.
The trap: Schools are said first and are 'good', but only the hospital is singled out as one of the best in the country.
Question 8
Answer: dentistStraight after the hospital
What good service is there on Bridge Street?
I can give you the name of my dentist too in Bridge Street
Question says → You hear
Good ... on Bridge Streetmy dentist too in Bridge Street
Why: Linda's dentist is on Bridge Street, and she's never had any problems with him. The gap is dentist.
The trap: The hospital is right before it, so if you're still writing 7, you can miss this one. Bridge Street is the signal.
Question 9
Answer: ThursdayWhen Linda offers to meet Matt and show him around
Which day will Matt meet Linda?
Either a Tuesday or Thursday is good for me, after 5.30. … Thursday's preferable - Tuesday I need to get home before 6 pm.
Question says → You hear
Meet Linda on ... after 5.30 pmThursday's preferable
Why: Linda is free on both days after 5.30, and Matt chooses Thursday. Use a capital T.
The trap: Tuesday is said first and said twice. Matt rules it out because he needs to get home before 6 pm.
Question 10
Answer: caféThe very end of the call, right after they agree on Thursday
Also accepted: cafe
Where exactly will they meet?
I could meet you if you like and show you around. … Thursday's preferable
Question says → You hear
Meet LindaI could meet you if you like and show you around
Why: In the recording, once they settle on Thursday, Linda suggests the café opposite the station as the meeting place. The key accepts café or cafe.
The trap: The station is already in the notes. The gap is the place opposite it, so writing 'station' again earns nothing.
Linda can do Tuesday or Thursday, and Tuesday is said first. Matt chooses Thursday because on Tuesday he has to get home before 6 pm.
Words from this recording worth keeping
suburb(Example)
a living area on the edge of a city
reasonable(Accommodation)
not too expensive
transport links(Transport)
the ways of travelling to other places
rush hour(Transport)
the busy time when people travel to and from work
engineering work(Transport)
repairs to the railway
estate agents(Meet Linda)
companies that sell or rent out homes
preferable(Meet Linda)
better, more suitable
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The full Cambridge 13 Test 3 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 13, Test 3, 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.
The rest of Cambridge 13 Test 3 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereMoving to Banford City
