Paul Smiley phones the MIC House Agency about problems in the apartment he has just moved into. He gives his details, then goes through five things that need repairing and how urgent each one is, and finally says when a workman can call.
Questions 1-10 · 10 marks · 3 question blocks
In order: Paul's address and moving-in date (1-2), then the repair list item by item (3-9), with the 'when' for each repair coming from either Paul or the agent. The visit time (10) comes at the very end, after the agent offers to send someone that afternoon.
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 1-2 · Note completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS) | ||
| 1 | 16 Rose Lane | |
| 2 | 27 JuneAlso accepted: 27th June / June 27 / June 27th / the 27th of June / 27/6 | |
| Questions 3-9 · Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, and A-C for timing) | ||
| 3 | door brokenAlso accepted: broken door / the door is broken | |
| 4 | C | |
| 5 | no locksAlso accepted: need locks / no locks on them | |
| 6 | bathroom light | |
| 7 | A | |
| 8 | kitchen curtains | |
| 9 | B | |
| Question 10 · Short answers (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER) | ||
| 10 | 1 pm and 5 pmAlso accepted: 1pm and 5pm / 1 and 5 / 1 and 5 pm / 1 to 5 / 1 pm to 5 pm / 1-5 / 1-5 pm / one and five | |
How to attack this block: Two quick details at the start. 'Apartment 2' and 'Newton' are printed, so the address gap is the house number and street. The date comes straight after the length of the lease.
What is the street address?
Apartment 2, 16 Rose Lane.
Question says → You hear
Why: The gap sits between Apartment 2 and Newton, so it's 16 Rose Lane. The agent repeats Rose Lane to confirm.
The trap: Leaving out the 16. The house number is part of this gap, because 'Apartment 2' is a different number.
Also accepted: 27th June / June 27 / June 27th / the 27th of June / 27/6
On what date did Paul move in?
Last week, on 27th June.
Question says → You hear
Why: He moved in on 27th June. Write the date, not 'last week'.
The trap: 'Last week' is said first, but the note asks for a date. 'One year' is the lease, already printed.
How to attack this block: Each row is one item: what it is, what's wrong and when it will be fixed. For the timing letters, translate the time phrase: 'straight away' or 'right away' is A, 'next week' is B, 'the next couple of weeks' is C. Some timings come from Paul and some from the agent.
Also accepted: broken door / the door is broken
What's wrong with the cooker?
The door's broken.
Question says → You hear
Why: The cooker's door is broken. 'Door broken' or 'broken door' fits the problem column.
The trap: 'Niggling' isn't the problem itself, it just means small and annoying. Write what is actually wrong.
When will the cooker be fixed?
It's nothing serious and it can be used, but if you can send someone over in the next couple of weeks or so that'd be great.
Question says → You hear
Why: A couple of weeks is two weeks, and 'or so' means about that or more. That's C, two or more weeks.
The trap: B, the following week: 'next' is in the phrase, but it's 'the next couple of weeks', not next week.
Also accepted: need locks / no locks on them
What's the problem with the windows?
No, but there are no locks on them
Question says → You hear
Why: The windows aren't broken; they have no locks. 'No locks' fills the gap.
The trap: 'Broken' is said in the agent's question, and Paul says no. A break-in is mentioned later, but it's what might happen, not the problem.
Which item flickers?
And then there's the bathroom light . . it's getting quite annoying. It flickers quite badly
Question says → You hear
Why: The bathroom light flickers. Write both words: 'light' alone doesn't say which one.
The trap: Headaches come right after, but they're the result, not the item.
When will the bathroom light be fixed?
I'd really like to get that replaced right away.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Right away' means immediately, and the agent says it's no problem. A.
The trap: 'Replaced' might make you think of new parts arriving later, but the timing is right away.
Which item is torn?
And then the last thing on the list is the kitchen curtains. They're torn.
Question says → You hear
Why: The kitchen curtains are torn. Write both words, plural.
The trap: Writing just 'curtains'. 'Kitchen curtains' is the item named.
When will the curtains be replaced?
We do have quite a few spare ones in stock and can get those to you in the next week
Question says → You hear
Why: The agent can get new curtains to him in the next week, and Paul agrees. B.
The trap: A: 'in stock' suggests they could come immediately, but the agent's timing is the next week.
How to attack this block: Two times, given as a first and a second preference. The note says 'between', so you need the start and the end of the window.
Also accepted: 1pm and 5pm / 1 and 5 / 1 and 5 pm / 1 to 5 / 1 pm to 5 pm / 1-5 / 1-5 pm / one and five
Between what times can the workman call?
Well the best time is about 1.00. … Any time up to 5 pm would be fine.
Question says → You hear
Why: The workman can come from 1 pm, his best time, up to 5 pm, his limit. So between 1 pm and 5 pm.
The trap: Writing just 1.00. The note says 'between', so you need both times.
Paul says the cooker problem is 'nothing serious' and asks for someone 'in the next couple of weeks or so'. That's two or more weeks: C, not B.
Paul doesn't give a time for the curtains; the agent does: 'in the next week'. That's B.
1.00 is his best time, and 'any time up to 5 pm' is his second choice. Put together, the workman can call between 1 pm and 5 pm.
The full Cambridge 2 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 2, 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.
