Enquiry about booking hotel room for event: listening answers and explanations
Samantha phones Andrew, the events manager at the Clare House Hotel, to book a room for her parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary party. He describes two function rooms, the Master of Ceremonies service, accommodation, and which hotel facilities guests can use.
Questions 1-7 follow the call in order and Andrew gives almost every answer: the Adelphi Room (1-3), the Carlton Room (4), the MC (5-6), accommodation (7). Sam's question about the pool starts 8-10, and the three facilities come in the order listed.
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 1-7 · Note completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
How to attack this block: Two rooms with similar details, so keep track of which room Andrew is describing. Numbers come in clusters (80 guests, 85 seated, over 100 standing). Several answers are things you can see or that are nearby, and Andrew often names one thing you can see and one you can't.
Question 1
Answer: 85When Andrew introduces the first of the two rooms
Also accepted: eighty-five
How many people can sit down to eat in the Adelphi Room?
One is the Adelphi Room. That can seat eighty-five, or hold over a hundred if people are standing for a buffet.
Question says → You hear
number of people who can sit down to eatThat can seat eighty-five
Why: 'Seat' is 'sit down to eat'. Write 85; digits are quicker and safer than the spelled-out word.
The trap: Over a hundred is for people standing at a buffet, and eighty is Sam's estimate of her guests. Neither is the seated number.
Question 2
Answer: rosesWhen Andrew mentions the French windows at the back
What can you see in pots on the terrace?
there are French windows leading out onto the terrace. … a beautiful display of pots of roses at that time of the
Question says → You hear
in pots on the terracea beautiful display of pots of roses
Why: The terrace has pots of roses at that time of year, which is September, when the party is. The note says 'the ... in pots', so you need a plural noun: roses.
The trap: French windows lead to the terrace but aren't in pots. Rose without an s doesn't match 'pots of roses'.
Question 3
Answer: treesAfter Andrew says the terrace faces southwest
What does the terrace look out on?
From the terrace you can see the area of trees within the grounds of the hotel, or you can stroll through there to the river - that's on the far side, so it isn't visible from the hotel.
Question says → You hear
terrace has a view of a group ofFrom the terrace you can see the area of trees
Why: 'You can see' is the view, and 'area of trees' becomes 'a group of trees'. Plural: trees.
The trap: River is the last thing he says, but it 'isn't visible from the hotel', so it isn't the view. The sun is also mentioned, but that's about the direction.
Question 4
Answer: stageWhen Andrew moves on to 'another option'
What does the Carlton Room have?
it has the advantage of a stage, which is useful if you have any entertainment, or indeed a small band can fit onto it
Question says → You hear
has ait has the advantage of a stage
Why: Andrew uses 'has' just like the note, and the noun is stage.
The trap: Gallery is a feature of the Adelphi Room, not the Carlton. Band is who might use the stage.
Question 5
Answer: speechWhen Sam asks what the MC actually does
What can the MC give while people are eating?
I suppose they make a speech during the … That's right. All our MCs are trained as public speakers
Question says → You hear
can give a ... while people are eatingthey make a speech during the
Why: Sam guesses the MC makes a speech during the meal, and Andrew confirms: 'That's right'. 'Make a speech' becomes 'give a speech'.
The trap: The word comes from Sam's question, not Andrew's answer, so it's easy to wait too long. Public speakers is said next, but that's the MC's training.
Question 6
Answer: supportRight after the bit about getting guests' attention
What will the MC provide if something goes wrong?
And they're also your support … if anything goes wrong, the MC will deal with it, so you can relax.
Question says → You hear
will provide ... if there are any problemsthey're also your support … if anything goes wrong, the MC will deal with it
Why: 'If anything goes wrong' matches 'if there are any problems', and the MC is 'your support'. The gap is the noun support.
The trap: Attention is in the sentence before, but that's about quietening the guests, not about problems.
Question 7
Answer: cabinsWhen Sam says accommodation is important
What accommodation is there besides hotel rooms?
do you also have any other accommodation, like cabins, for example? … Yes, there are five in the grounds, all self-contained.
Question says → You hear
in hotel rooms orany other accommodation, like cabins … Yes, there are five in the grounds
Why: Sam asks about cabins and Andrew confirms there are five. The word comes from Sam, so you need the plural: cabins.
The trap: Living room, bathroom and kitchen describe what's in the cabins, not a type of accommodation.
Matching (A-C)
Questions 8-10
How to attack this block: Three facilities, three options, each used once. Andrew covers them in a few lines: listen for 'closed', 'no extra charge' and 'additional payment'. Don't be distracted by the opening hours or the waiting list.
Question 8
Answer: CWhen Sam asks whether facilities are included in the price
Can guests use the outdoor swimming pool?
Normally you'd be able to use it, but it'll be closed throughout September for refurbishment.
Question says → You hear
not availableit'll be closed throughout September
Why: The party is in September and the pool is closed all that month, so it's not available: C.
The trap: 'Normally you'd be able to use it' sounds like A, but 'normally' is followed by 'but'.
Question 9
Answer: AStraight after the news about the pool
What is said about the gym?
The gym will be available, though, at no extra charge.
Question says → You hear
included in cost of hiring roomat no extra charge
Why: 'No extra charge' means it's covered by the room hire: A.
The trap: The opening hours (six in the morning until midnight) are extra detail, not a restriction.
Question 10
Answer: BThe last facility, right after the gym
What is said about the tennis courts?
And the tennis courts, but there is a … additional payment for those.
Question says → You hear
available at extra chargethere is a … additional payment for those
Why: There's 'a small additional payment', which is an extra charge: B.
The trap: The long waiting list might make you think C. But booking in advance means they're available, just popular.
Four numbers in a few seconds: Sam's eighty guests, eighty-five seated, over a hundred standing, and later a hundred and ten for the other room. Seated means sitting down to eat, so 85.
Andrew starts with 'Normally you'd be able to use it', which sounds like it's included. Then 'but it'll be closed throughout September', which is when the party is. So it's not available.
Words from this recording worth keeping
wedding anniversary(Start of the call)
the date each year when a couple got married
gallery(Adelphi Room)
a raised area overlooking a room
terrace(Adelphi Room)
a flat outdoor area next to a building
stroll(Adelphi Room)
walk slowly and calmly
chatter(Master of Ceremonies)
the noise of many people talking
self-contained(Accommodation)
having its own kitchen and bathroom
refurbishment(Hotel facilities)
repairs and redecoration
waiting list(Hotel facilities)
a list of people waiting for something
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The full Cambridge 14 Test 4 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 14, Test 4, 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 14 Test 4 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereEnquiry about booking hotel room for event
