Traffic Changes in Granford: listening answers and explanations
Phil Sutton, chairman of the Highways Committee, speaks at a public meeting about new traffic and parking rules for the town of Granford. He explains why changes are needed and what residents said in a survey, then uses a map to show where each new measure will go.
Questions 11-13 come first, while Phil explains the reasons for the changes. The signal for the map is 'this slide shows a map of the central area of Granford'. From there the seven labels come strictly in order: traffic lights, crossing, parking, sign, disabled spaces, pavement, lorries.
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: All three questions follow the same pattern: Phil mentions two options and rules them out, and states the real point in between. Listen for 'but' and 'not top of the list', which tell you an option is being rejected.
Question 11
Answer: BRight after Phil asks 'why do we need to make these changes'
What is the main reason Granford needs to change its traffic systems?
it's the overall rise in the volume of traffic of all kinds that's concerning us
Question says → You hear
The amount of trafficthe volume of traffic of all kinds
has increasedthe overall rise
Why: 'Overall rise in the volume of traffic' is B, 'the amount of traffic has increased'. Phil says this is what is concerning the committee.
The trap: C is tempting because Phil mentions more heavy traffic during the hospital building work, but then he says 'But' and moves to traffic of all kinds. A is ruled out directly: there has been no increase in accidents so far.
Question 12
Answer: CWhen Phil says 'We recently carried out a survey of local residents'
What did residents mainly complain about in the survey?
People were very concerned about the lack of visibility on some roads due to cars parked
Question says → You hear
particularly complained aboutPeople were very concerned about
inconvenience from parked carslack of visibility on some roads due to cars parked
Why: Not being able to see properly because of cars parked along the road is the inconvenience from parked cars in C. 'Very concerned' signals the top complaint.
The trap: B: noise and fumes from lorries were 'mentioned by some people', but Phil says they weren't top of the list. A: he expected complaints about parents at the school, but that wasn't top of the list either, and it's about congestion, not dangerous driving.
Question 13
Answer: BWhen Phil says 'But we still have a long way to go'
What problem with the new rules does Phil say they still face?
it's no good introducing new … of making sure that … that's an area we're … working on with the help of representatives from the police force
Question says → You hear
finding a way to make people follow themof making sure that
Why: Phil says there's no point in new rules unless there's a way of making sure everyone obeys them, and that this is something they're still working on. That is B.
The trap: A: money is not the problem, because the plans are within budget and covered by the Council. C: the police are already helping, so their support isn't in doubt.
Map labelling (A-I)
Questions 14-20
How to attack this block: Before the map talk starts, find the High Street, School Road, the school, the supermarkets, the library and the bank on the map. Phil names a street and a landmark for every change, so you're matching two clues at once. There are nine letters for seven changes, so two letters are never used.
Question 14
Answer: EFirst change on the map, straight after the slide is introduced
Where will the new traffic lights go?
we're planning to have another set at the other end, at the School Road
Question says → You hear
New traffic lightsanother set at the other end, at the School Road
Why: There are already lights where the High Street meets Station Road. The new set goes at the opposite end of the High Street, at the junction with School Road: E.
The trap: The existing lights at the Station Road junction are mentioned first. They're not new, so that end of the High Street is wrong.
Question 15
Answer: DRight after the traffic lights, when Phil says they 'definitely need a pedestrian crossing'
Where will the pedestrian crossing go?
We considered putting this on School Road, just outside the school, but in the end we decided
Question says → You hear
Pedestrian crossingdecided to locate it on the High Street
Why: After rejecting School Road, Phil says they decided to put the crossing on the High Street in front of the supermarket, a very busy area. That spot is D.
The trap: The spot outside the school on School Road is the rejected plan. 'In the end we decided' is your signal that the first idea is out.
Question 16
Answer: BWhen Phil says 'We're proposing some changes to parking'
Where will parking be allowed?
we're going to change that, and allow parking there, but not at
Question says → You hear
Parking allowedallow parking there
Why: 'There' points back to the High Street outside the library, where parking is not allowed at the moment. That stretch, B, becomes a parking area.
The trap: The other end of the High Street near School Road is said in the same sentence, but parking won't be allowed there. Don't label that end.
Question 17
Answer: GStraight after the parking change on the High Street
Where will the new 'No Parking' sign be?
There'll be a new … on School Road, just by the entrance to the … to the school, forbidding parking for 25 metres
Question says → You hear
New 'No Parking' signforbidding parking for 25 metres
Why: The sign goes on School Road right by the school entrance: G. Phil adds it will help visibility on the bend just north of the school.
The trap: The bend north of the school is mentioned as the place that benefits, not where the sign stands. The sign is at the entrance.
Question 18
Answer: CWhen Phil says 'As far as disabled drivers are concerned'
Where will the new disabled parking spaces be?
two new disabled parking … spaces on the side road up towards the bank. It's not ideal, but probably better than the present
Question says → You hear
New disabled parking spacesspaces on the side road up towards the bank
Why: The new spaces are on the side road that leads up to the bank: C.
The trap: The disabled spaces outside the supermarket are the current ones, which lorries also use. They're being replaced, so that spot is wrong.
Question 19
Answer: HWhen Phil says 'We also plan to widen the pavement on School Road'
Which stretch of pavement will be widened?
We also plan to widen the pavement on School Road. … on the bend just before … get to the school, on the same side of the road
Question says → You hear
Widened pavementwiden the pavement on School Road … on the bend just before … get to the school
Why: The extra half-metre is on School Road, on the bend before the school and on the school's side of the road: H.
The trap: The bend has come up before, with the 'No Parking' sign. Here the clue that matters is 'just before you get to the school, on the same side'.
Question 20
Answer: IThe last change, introduced by 'Finally'
Where are the new lorry loading rules?
That's the supermarket on School Road … we kept to the existing arrangements with the High Street supermarket
Question says → You hear
Lorry loading/unloading restrictionsThat's the supermarket on School Road
Why: Lorries can only stop before 8 am, and Phil makes clear this is the supermarket on School Road: I.
The trap: The High Street supermarket is named in the same breath, but nothing changes there. If you labelled the first supermarket you heard about, you labelled the wrong one.
Congestion at the school and lorry fumes both come up, and both sound like typical complaints. But Phil says the school wasn't top of the list and the lorries were only mentioned by some. The main worry was cars parked along the road blocking the view.
The crossing was first planned for School Road outside the school, and many people label that spot. Phil then says they moved it to the High Street in front of the supermarket.
There are two supermarkets on the map. The new lorry rules are for the one on School Road; the High Street supermarket keeps its old arrangements.
Words from this recording worth keeping
regulations(Introduction)
official rules
volume of traffic(Reasons for the changes)
the amount of traffic
visibility(Survey results)
how well drivers and people walking can see
congestion(Survey results)
too much traffic, so it moves slowly
within budget(Problems ahead)
not costing more than the money planned
junction(Traffic lights)
a place where two roads meet
forbidding('No Parking' sign)
not allowing
loading and unloading(Lorry restrictions)
putting goods onto and taking them off a vehicle
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 13 Test 1 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 1, 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.
