Holly's work placement: listening answers and explanations
Events management student Holly talks to her tutor, Dr Green, about her placement organising a children's sports competition at a stadium. They cover safety, spectators and scheduling, then go through six skills an events manager needs.
Questions 21-24 follow the placement talk in order: why she chose it, safety, spectators, the schedule. 'The aim of your work placement is to give you the opportunity to develop the skills' starts 25-30, and the tutor names each skill in the printed order.
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: Holly often says one thing and the tutor corrects or narrows it. In 22 and 23 the right answer is the tutor's point, not Holly's first idea. In 24, listen for what actually happened 'last year', not what might happen.
Question 21
Answer: BWhen the tutor says working with children can be tough
Why did Holly pick the Orion Stadium placement?
it's the fresh air that attracts me - organising something indoors doesn't have the same appeal, even though it might be fun
Question says → You hear
it is outdoorsit's the fresh air that attracts me
Why: 'The fresh air' is what attracts her, so she chose it because it's outdoors: B.
The trap: C (fun) is said, but about indoor events, which she didn't choose. Children (A) come from the tutor, and he says they can be tough.
Question 22
Answer: AWhen Holly says she'll check the equipment isn't damaged
Which safety point does the tutor stress most?
you'll need to inspect areas like changing rooms as well for anything someone can trip over, but your main priority will be not to lose anyone!
Question says → You hear
emphasise mostyour main priority
children stay in the stadiumkeeping everyone within the boundary … not to lose anyone
Why: 'Main priority' is the signal for 'most', and the priority is not losing anyone, keeping them in the grounds: A.
The trap: Changing rooms (C) are on his list, but he puts them before 'but your main priority'. The equipment (B) is the schools' responsibility, not hers.
Question 23
Answer: AWhen the tutor says 'don't forget about the spectators'
What does the tutor say about spectators?
that's not always easy, especially when a proud parent's trying to get a snap of their child and you want them to move elsewhere
Question says → You hear
hard to managethat's not always easy … you want them to move elsewhere
Why: Getting parents out of the way while they film their children is 'not always easy', so they can be hard to manage: A.
The trap: B is Holly's idea, and the tutor says 'I wouldn't rely on that'. C is close because of the photos, but he only says moving them is hard, not that they shouldn't take any.
Question 24
Answer: BWhen Holly asks about the scheduling
What has disrupted the schedule before?
if someone got hurt as well. I know that last year that caused a terrible delay.
Question says → You hear
affected the schedule in the pastlast year that caused a terrible delay
Why: Someone getting hurt caused a terrible delay last year, so it was an injury: B.
The trap: Rain is the first thing the tutor names, but 'we've always been lucky with that'. A draw going on (C) is a question Holly asks about the future.
Matching (A-H)
Questions 25-30
How to attack this block: Eight aspects for six skills, so two are spare. The tutor names each skill clearly ('your organisational skills', 'time management', 'creativity'), and the answer comes in the next few lines, often from the tutor finishing Holly's thought. The aspects are paraphrased, so match the idea.
Question 25
Answer: CWhen Holly says her communication skills are pretty good
What matters for communication?
just remember it isn't only about what you say. If you meet someone face-to-face and want to persuade them to be a sponsor … Oh, I'll dress up for that!
Question says → You hear
smart appearanceI'll dress up for that
Why: The tutor says communication isn't only words, and Holly gets it: she'll dress up to meet a sponsor. That's having a smart appearance: C.
The trap: The phone and booking venues come first, but that's Holly's view before the tutor adds the point that matters.
Question 26
Answer: AWhen the tutor says 'Let's go on to think about your organisational skills'
What matters for organisation?
I guess it's being prepared to make changes that matters. … That's right.
Question says → You hear
being flexiblebeing prepared to make changes
Why: Being ready to make changes, even on-the-spot changes to a timetable, is being flexible: A.
The trap: 'Things won't always go to plan' might suggest planning ahead (H), but the skill is how you adapt when plans fail.
Question 27
Answer: DWhen the tutor asks how her time management is
What matters for time management?
I know I've got to look calm even if I'm in a panic. … Just think to yourself - no one must know I'm under pressure.
Question says → You hear
hiding your emotionslook calm even if I'm in a panic
Why: Looking calm while panicking, so no one knows you're under pressure, is hiding your emotions: D.
The trap: Holly mentions multi-tasking 'like crazy', the opposite of G (doing one thing at a time).
Question 28
Answer: BWhen the tutor says 'Another skill that events managers need is creativity'
What matters for creativity?
it's up to the events manager to think of all the fine points that go to making it work. … so I need to listen carefully to that idea and then fill in all the gaps.
Question says → You hear
focusing on detailsthink of all the fine points … fill in all the gaps
Why: 'The fine points' and 'fill in all the gaps' mean the details, while the client has the big picture: B.
The trap: The 'big picture' idea comes from the client, so it's not about Holly relying on someone else's ideas (E).
Question 29
Answer: FWhen the tutor says 'another key skill is leadership'
What matters for leadership?
It's a nice idea, but you have the ultimate responsibility. So, believe in what you think best.
Question says → You hear
trusting your own viewsbelieve in what you think best
Why: 'Believe in what you think best' is trusting your own views, and the tutor wants her to make the final choices: F.
The trap: Holly suggests being democratic, and her team 'may have lots of ideas too', which sounds like E. The tutor rejects that.
Question 30
Answer: HThe last skill, when Holly says students worry about having little experience
What matters for networking?
I guess that will help me when I apply for a real job. … Exactly - think ahead - remember what your ambitions are and keep them in mind.
Question says → You hear
thinking of the futurethink ahead - remember what your ambitions are
Why: 'Think ahead' and keeping your ambitions in mind for a real job mean thinking of the future: H.
The trap: Being an 'interesting person with useful ideas' comes first, but no option in the box matches it. The tutor's agreement ('Exactly') follows the future point.
Photographs come up, so C is tempting. But the tutor never says parents shouldn't film or take photos. His point is that it's hard to make a proud parent move: they're hard to manage.
Holly talks about the phone and booking venues, but the tutor's point is that 'it isn't only about what you say'. Meeting a sponsor face-to-face means dressing up: a smart appearance.
Words from this recording worth keeping
work placement(Choosing the placement)
a period of work done as part of a course
boundary(Safety)
the edge of an area
spectators(Spectators)
people who watch an event
sponsor(Communication)
a person or company that pays to support an event
on-the-spot(Organisation)
done immediately, where you are
anticipated(Organisation)
expected or predicted
multi-tasking(Time management)
doing several things at the same time
democratic(Leadership)
giving everyone an equal say in decisions
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The full Cambridge 17 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 17, Test 3, Listening Part 3. 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.
