Easy Life Cleaning Services: listening answers and explanations
A client phones Jacinta at a cleaning company about a service for their one-bedroom flat. They agree on the basic clean and some weekly and monthly extras, Jacinta mentions other services, and she explains how the cleaners are chosen and checked.
One ten-gap note block, in order. Jacinta offers a lot of services, and the client accepts some and turns others down, so the answer is usually what the client says yes to. The headings come in order: basic package, weekly extras, monthly extras, other possibilities, the cleaners.
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: The notes say 'additional services agreed', so for 2-5 every offer the client refuses (oven, microwave, curtains) is a distractor. Listen for 'yes' or 'can you do'. In the last section, Jacinta says each answer once and moves fast, so read ahead.
Question 1
Answer: floorWhen Jacinta asks if the apartment has carpets
Also accepted: floors
What gets cleaned in every room as part of the basic package?
No, I don't have any, but the floor would need cleaning. … Of course - we'd do that in every room.
Question says → You hear
throughout the apartmentwe'd do that in every room
Why: The client has no carpets, but the floor needs cleaning, and Jacinta says that happens in every room. Floor or floors are both accepted.
The trap: Carpets is Jacinta's word, but the client doesn't have any.
Question 2
Answer: fridgeWhen Jacinta starts on the additional services
What appliance will be cleaned every week?
Actually, I hardly ever use that, but can you do the fridge? … Sure. Would you like that done every week? … Yes, definitely.
Question says → You hear
Every weekWould you like that done every week? … Yes, definitely
Why: The client asks for the fridge and confirms 'every week'. The note says 'cleaning the ...', so fridge.
The trap: Oven is offered first, but the client hardly uses it and turns it down. The microwave is refused later too.
Question 3
Answer: shirtsRight after the client asks if ironing is an extra service
What clothes will be ironed?
It wouldn't be much, just my shirts for work that week.
Question says → You hear
onlyjust my shirts
Why: 'Just' matches 'only', and the items are shirts. Keep the plural.
The trap: Clothes is in the question the client asks, but it's already in the note. The gap narrows it down to shirts.
Question 4
Answer: windowsWhen Jacinta moves on to services 'every month'
What will be cleaned from the inside each month?
if the inside of your windows need cleaning, we could do that. … Yes, that'd be good.
Question says → You hear
Every monthsay every month
from the insidethe inside of your windows
Why: The client agrees to the inside of the windows. The note has 'all the ...', so the plural: windows.
The trap: The fifteenth floor and the specialists who clean the outside are a distraction. They explain why only the inside is needed.
Question 5
Answer: balconyWhen the client turns down the curtains
What will be washed down every month?
But would you be able to do something about the balcony? It's quite small and I don't use it much, but it could do with a wash every month or so.
Question says → You hear
Washing down theit could do with a wash every month or so
Why: The balcony needs 'a wash every month', and Jacinta will use a pressure washer on it.
The trap: Curtains is offered just before, but the client says 'No, they're OK'.
Question 6
Answer: electricianWhen Jacinta moves on to general maintenance
Who else can they arrange besides a plumber?
if you have a problem with water and you need a plumber in a hurry … And the same thing if you need an electrician.
Question says → You hear
They can organise a plumber or anthe same thing if you need an electrician
Why: 'The same thing' means they'll put you in touch with an electrician too. The 'an' before the gap fits a word starting with a vowel.
The trap: Spelling: electrician, with -cian at the end, not -tion.
Question 7
Answer: dustWhen Jacinta says 'I don't know if this is of interest to you'
What allergy does the special service deal with?
capturing up to 99% of all the dust in the air. So if you're troubled by allergies, this can make a big difference.
Question says → You hear
customers who are allergic toif you're troubled by allergies
Why: The system captures dust, and it helps people with allergies, so it's for people allergic to dust.
The trap: Air is the last word before 'allergies', but you can't be allergic to air. Write dust.
Question 8
Answer: policeWhen the client asks about the cleaning staff
Who carries out the background check?
they have to undergo a security check with the police to make sure they don't have any sort of criminal background
Question says → You hear
background check carried out by thea security check with the police
Why: The security check is done with the police, to rule out a criminal background.
The trap: References are said just after, but they're already in the next line of the notes.
Question 9
Answer: trainingRight after the references
What do all cleaners get for two weeks?
Then if we think they might be suitable for the job, we give them training for it. That lasts for two weeks
Question says → You hear
given ... for two weekswe give them training for it. That lasts for two weeks
Why: They're given training, and it lasts two weeks. One word: training.
The trap: A test comes at the end of the training, but the note asks what lasts two weeks.
Question 10
Answer: reviewWhen Jacinta says they monitor the cleaners carefully
What do customers send after each visit?
we ask all our clients to complete a review of their performance after every visit and to email it to us
Question says → You hear
Customers send aclients to complete a review … and to email it to us
Why: Clients complete a review and email it after every visit. 'After each visit' matches 'after every visit'.
The trap: Email is how they send it, but the note says 'send a ...', and the thing sent is the review.
Windows comes with a twist: the outside is done by specialists, and the inside is what the client wants. The note already says 'from the inside', so just write windows.
The special vacuum system captures 'dust in the air'. Jacinta says 'allergies', but the note asks what customers are allergic to: dust.
Words from this recording worth keeping
domestic(Introduction)
connected with the home
thorough(Basic cleaning package)
careful and complete
grubby(Every month)
a bit dirty
pressure washer(Every month)
a machine that cleans with a strong jet of water
maintenance(Other possibilities)
work done to keep a home in good condition
indoor air quality(Other possibilities)
how clean the air inside a building is
criminal background(Information on the cleaners)
a history of breaking the law
undergo(Information on the cleaners)
go through a process
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The full Cambridge 17 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 17, 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 17 Test 4 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereEasy Life Cleaning Services
