Street Play Scheme: listening answers and explanations
On a radio show, Alice Riches talks about the Street Play Scheme she started in Beechwood Road, where residents close the street so children can play safely. She explains how it runs, who it's for and how people react, then describes a car-free day on King Street.
Questions 11-16 follow the interview in order: when it started, how often, who closes the road, cars, where it's needed, and residents' reactions. 'There have been so many benefits' leads to 17-18. The presenter's 'a related project in King Street' signals 19-20.
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: Alice gives lots of numbers and alternatives: years, frequencies, people who help, places. For each question, listen for the detail tied to 'now' or 'most', not the history or the wish. Every wrong option is said aloud, usually just before or after the answer.
Question 11
Answer: BAlice's first answer, about when she started
When did the scheme actually begin?
I first had the idea when my oldest child was still a toddler, so that's about six years ago now - but it took at least two years of campaigning … been up and running for three years now
Question says → You hear
first take placebeen up and running for three years now
Why: 'Up and running for three years' means the first Street Play happened three years ago. That's B.
The trap: C, six years ago, is when she had the idea. A, two years, is how long the campaign took, not when it started.
Question 12
Answer: AWhen Alice says they'd love to close the road for longer
How often is the road closed at present?
for the whole weekend, from Saturday morning until Sunday evening, for example. At the moment it's just once a week. But when we started it was only once a month.
Question says → You hear
nowAt the moment it's just once a week
Why: 'At the moment' matches 'now' in the question, and the answer is once a week. That's A.
The trap: The whole weekend is what they'd love to have. Once a month is how it was at the start.
Question 13
Answer: CWhen the presenter asks what actually happens
Who closes the road?
We have volunteer wardens, mostly parents but some elderly residents too, who block off our road at either end.
Question says → You hear
responsible for closing the roadwho block off our road at either end
Why: The wardens are local volunteers, parents and elderly residents, and they block off the road. That's C.
The trap: The council only provided signs, and the police have been involved just once or twice. Neither closes the road.
Question 14
Answer: BWhen Alice says the road isn't completely closed to cars
What do residents have to do if they use their cars?
If people really need to get in or out of Beechwood Road, it's not a problem - as long as they drive at under 20 kilometres per hour.
Question says → You hear
must drive very slowlyas long as they drive at under 20 kilometres per hour
Why: 'As long as' sets the condition: under 20 kilometres an hour, which is driving very slowly. That's B.
The trap: A is what most people choose to do, not a rule. C is wrong because the wardens are only there to stop through traffic.
Question 15
Answer: CWhen the presenter asks if anyone can apply
Where does Alice say the scheme is most needed?
especially those who live on busy roads. It's here that demand is greatest.
Question says → You hear
most needed inIt's here that demand is greatest
areas with heavy trafficthose who live on busy roads
Why: Busy roads means heavy traffic, and that's where demand is greatest. That's C.
The trap: Wealthy areas and the suburbs are both mentioned, but as places where there isn't so much demand, because children have parks and gardens.
Question 16
Answer: BWhen Alice says 'And that's not just parents'
How do residents without children feel about it?
On the whole everyone is very supportive and say they're very happy to see children out on the street - even if it does get quite noisy.
Question says → You hear
like seeing children playvery happy to see children out on the street
Why: Alice says the positive reaction is 'not just parents', and everyone is happy to see children out on the street. That's B.
The trap: C is the opposite: it does get noisy. A is wrong because the few who complain are 'a tiny minority', and there's nothing about 'at first'.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 17-18
How to attack this block: Alice mentions what parents like first, then gives her own view with 'for me the biggest advantage' and 'The other really fantastic thing'. The question asks what Alice thinks, so those two signposts give you the letters.
Question 17-18
Answer: B and D (in either order)When Alice says 'There have been so many benefits'
Which two benefits does Alice herself rate most highly?
for me the biggest advantage is that kids develop confidence in themselves to be outside without their parents. The other really fantastic thing is that children get to know the adults in the street
Question says → You hear
sense of independenceconfidence in themselves to be outside without their parents
part of a communityget to know the adults in the street - it's like having a big extended family
Why: Being confident outside without parents is independence (B). Knowing the adults in the street, like a big extended family, is being part of a community (D).
The trap: A: they get fresh air, but Alice says they're not doing 'anything particularly energetic'. E: they play with their friends, which isn't making new ones, and it's what parents like.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 19-20
How to attack this block: The question asks what surprised her, so sort the results into expected and unexpected. Listen for 'As we'd predicted' and 'Of course' (expected) against 'what I hadn't expected' and 'we were actually amazed' (surprises).
Question 19-20
Answer: A and E (in either order)When she says 'It was surprising how much of a difference all this made'
Which two results of the car-free day surprised Alice?
what I hadn't expected was how much quieter it would be … we were actually amazed that sales in the shops went up considerably that day
Question says → You hear
less noise pollutionhow much quieter it would be
more shopperssales in the shops went up considerably
Why: 'Hadn't expected' introduces the quiet (E). 'Actually amazed' introduces the higher sales: they thought fewer people would shop, not more (A).
The trap: C, cleaner air, came 'As we'd predicted'. B, feeling safer, comes with 'Of course', so it wasn't a surprise either.
Six years, two years and three years all come in one answer. The idea was six years ago and campaigning took two, so the scheme has actually run for three.
Fresh air and playing with friends are benefits too, but they're what parents like. Alice's own top two are confidence without parents and getting to know adults in the street.
All five results are mentioned. Cleaner air was predicted and feeling safer comes with 'Of course'. Only the quiet and the higher shop sales surprised her.
Words from this recording worth keeping
caught on(Introduction)
became popular
campaigning(Starting the scheme)
working in an organised way to achieve something
up and running(Starting the scheme)
working and in operation
wardens(How the road is closed)
people responsible for supervising a place
through traffic(How the road is closed)
vehicles just passing through an area
give it a go(Who can take part)
try something
a tiny minority(Residents' reactions)
a very small number of people
extended family(Benefits for children)
relatives beyond parents and children
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 15 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 15, Test 3, 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.
