Transport survey: listening answers and explanations
A man stops Sadie Jones in the street to ask her some survey questions about transport. She gives her personal details, then explains why she came into town by bus, what annoys her about the service, and how she uses her car and why she doesn't cycle.
One ten-gap note block, strictly in order. The headings (bus, car, bicycle) follow the interviewer's questions, and Sadie gives every answer. Listen for 'Right, so now I want to ask you…' and 'So now I'd like to ask you about your car use' as the signposts between sections.
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 1-10 · Note completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
How to attack this block: A survey interview, so each gap follows a direct question from the interviewer. Read the note headings first so you know when the topic moves from bus to car to bicycle. Watch for a date that gets corrected, a place she spells out, and gaps that need a noun rather than the verb you hear.
Question 1
Answer: DW30 7YZStraight after she gives her year of birth
Also accepted: DW307YZ
What is Sadie's postcode?
So next your postcode, please. … It's DW30 7YZ.
Question says → You hear
Postcodeyour postcode, please
Why: She reads it out letter by letter and number by number. Copy it exactly: DW30 7YZ. The space is optional, so DW307YZ is also accepted.
The trap: Letters and numbers that sound alike: 0 (zero) is not the letter O here. Wells and Harborne come right after, but they are place names, not the postcode.
Question 2
Answer: 24 AprilRight after she says she came by bus
Also accepted: 24th April
On what date did she make the bus journey?
It's the 24th of April, isn't it? … Isn't it the 25th? No, actually, you're right.
Question says → You hear
Date of bus journeythat was today. It's the 24th of April
Why: The interviewer says the 24th of April. Sadie questions it, then agrees he is right, so the date stays 24 April.
The trap: The 25th is the last number you hear before 'No, actually'. She withdraws it, so it's wrong.
Question 3
Answer: dentistWhen the interviewer notices her shopping bags
Who did she visit on her trip?
I did some shopping but the main reason I came here was to go to the dentist.
Question says → You hear
Reason for tripthe main reason I came here
Why: Shopping is already printed in the note, so the gap is the second reason: the dentist. The note reads 'visit to the dentist'.
The trap: Check-up comes next, but that's what happened at the dentist, not the place she visited.
Question 4
Answer: parkingWhen he asks if she normally travels by bus
What was too expensive, so that she took the bus?
I stopped driving in ages ago because parking was so difficult to find and it costs so much.
Question says → You hear
cost of ... too highit costs so much
Why: Parking is hard to find and 'it costs so much'. The 'it' points back to parking, which matches 'cost of parking too high'.
The trap: Driving is in the same sentence, but she doesn't say driving costs too much. Convenience and the 30-minute trip are extra reasons, not the cost.
Question 5
Answer: ClaxbyWhen he asks where she started her journey
Which street did she get on the bus in?
At the bus stop on Claxby Street. … Is that C-L-A-X-B-Y? … That's right.
Question says → You hear
Got on bus atAt the bus stop on
Why: The interviewer spells the name and Sadie confirms it. Write Claxby with a capital C.
The trap: Spelling. Claxbey or Clacksby loses the mark, so write down the letters as they are spelled out.
Question 6
Answer: lateFirst answer after he asks about complaints
What was wrong with the bus today?
it's very convenient and quick when it's on time, but this morning it was late. Only about 10 minutes, but still.
Question says → You hear
bus today wasthis morning it was late
Why: 'This morning' is today, and 'it was late' fits 'bus today was ...' exactly. The gap needs an adjective.
The trap: Ten minutes is a tempting number, but 'bus today was 10 minutes' doesn't say what was wrong. Late is the complaint.
Question 7
Answer: eveningWhen he asks for comments on the timetable
At what time of day are buses not frequent enough?
I suppose I mainly use the bus during the day, but any time I've been in town in the evening … you have to wait a long time for a bus
Question says → You hear
frequency of busesyou have to wait a long time for a bus / there aren't that many
Why: She has to wait a long time because 'there aren't that many' buses. That's a complaint about frequency, and it is about the evening.
The trap: 'During the day' comes first, but that's when she normally travels and has no problem.
Question 8
Answer: supermarketStart of the car section
Where does Sadie drive to?
Mainly just to go to the supermarket. But that's about it really. My husband uses it at the weekends to go to the golf club.
Question says → You hear
Goes to the ... by carMainly just to go to the supermarket
Why: The note is about Sadie, and she uses the car 'mainly just' for the supermarket.
The trap: Golf club is the last place mentioned, but it's her husband who drives there, not Sadie.
Question 9
Answer: pollutionWhen he asks about the city bikes you can rent
Why doesn't she like cycling in the city centre?
I'm not keen on cycling there because of all the pollution.
Question says → You hear
Dislikes travelling by bikeI'm not keen on cycling there
Why: 'Not keen on' means she dislikes it, and the reason follows 'because of', which also appears in the note.
The trap: Work comes straight after, but that's where she would like to cycle to, not a reason she dislikes it.
Question 10
Answer: storageThe last answer, when he asks why she hasn't got a bike
What does her home lack, so she has no bike?
I live in a flat - on the second floor and it doesn't have any storage
Question says → You hear
a lack ofit doesn't have any storage
Why: 'Doesn't have any storage' becomes 'a lack of storage' in the note.
The trap: The hall is mentioned next, but that's where the bike would have to go. Space fits the meaning but isn't the word she uses.
She talks about driving, finding a space and cost all in one sentence. The note says 'cost of ... too high', and the thing that costs so much is parking, not driving.
She mentions the day first, because that's when she normally travels. The complaint is about the evening, when there aren't many buses.
Words from this recording worth keeping
survey(Start of the call)
a set of questions asked to many people to collect information
check-up(Reason for trip)
a routine examination by a doctor or dentist
convenient(Travelling by bus)
easy and useful for your needs
complaints(Complaints about bus service)
statements that something is wrong or not good enough
timetable(Complaints about bus service)
a list of the times when buses leave and arrive
not keen on(Travelling by bicycle)
not liking something very much
pollution(Travelling by bicycle)
dirty, harmful air from traffic and industry
storage(Travelling by bicycle)
space where you can keep things
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Cambridge IELTS 18, Test 1, 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 18 Test 1 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereTransport survey
