Starting University: listening answers and explanations
Two new students, Tim and Jane, bump into each other in their first days at university. They compare when they arrived, their subjects, their reading lists and timetables, how they plan to study, and their first lectures and essays.
The table (21-25) follows the chat in order, and you have to keep track of whose answer is whose: Tim's column and Jane's column alternate. Questions 26-30 then go through study habits, first lectures and first essays, again alternating between Jane and Tim.
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 21-25 · Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS)
animal languageAlso accepted: language of animals / the language of animals
Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS)
Questions 21-25
How to attack this block: Every row compares the two students, so for each gap ask yourself: am I waiting for Tim or Jane? Jane corrects herself on the very first answer, and Question 25 is never said as a day name: you have to work it out.
Question 21
Answer: FridayRight after Tim says he arrived on Sunday
Also accepted: on Friday
Which day did Jane arrive?
I got here a few days ago, on Saturday. No - wait a minute, what's today? - Sorry Friday, not Saturday.
Question says → You hear
Day of arrivalI got here a few days ago
Why: She starts with Saturday, stops to think, and corrects it to Friday. In Part 1 and Part 3 the corrected detail is the one that counts.
The trap: Saturday is said twice, which makes it feel right. Sunday is Tim's day.
Question 22
Answer: BiologyWhen Tim says he chose history instead of English
What subject is Jane studying?
And you're doing biology, if I remember correctly. … Yes, although to start with I couldn't decide between that and geography.
Question says → You hear
Subjectyou're doing biology
Why: Tim says she's doing biology, and Jane confirms it with 'Yes'. Here the answer comes from the other speaker and is confirmed.
The trap: Geography is mentioned as the subject she nearly chose. English is the subject Tim dropped.
Question 23
Answer: 57When Tim shows Jane his long reading list
Also accepted: fifty-seven / 57 books
How many books are on Tim's reading list?
Well, I counted 57.
Question says → You hear
Number of books to readI counted 57
Why: Tim counted 57 books. Digits are safest for numbers.
The trap: Jane's 43 comes seconds later. Put each number in the right column.
Question 24
Answer: 43Straight after Tim asks what her list is like
Also accepted: forty-three / 43 books
How many books are on Jane's reading list?
Well, it's not as long as yours, but it's still pretty big. There are 43.
Question says → You hear
Number of books to readThere are 43
Why: Jane's list is shorter than Tim's: 43 books.
The trap: Swapping 57 and 43. 'Not as long as yours' confirms that Jane has the smaller number.
Question 25
Answer: WednesdayRight after Tim says his first lecture is on Tuesday
Also accepted: Wed
On which day is Jane's first lecture?
Tuesday. How about you? … The day after. It's my busiest day
Question says → You hear
Day of first lectureThe day after
Why: Tim's is on Tuesday, and Jane's is 'the day after', so Wednesday. You have to make the step yourself.
The trap: Tuesday is the only day actually said in this exchange, and it's Tim's.
Short answers (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS)
Questions 26-30
How to attack this block: Each question names one student, and each topic gets an answer from both. Make sure you write Jane's lecture strategy, not Tim's, and Tim's reading strategy, not Jane's. Keep answers short: the limit is three words.
Question 26
Answer: records lecturesWhen Tim asks if she has a strategy for listening to lectures
Also accepted: records them / she records them / uses a tape recorder / uses a recorder / uses a cassette recorder / recording
How does Jane plan to deal with lectures?
Well I'm going to use a cassette recorder and record them all.
Question says → You hear
Jane's study strategy in lecturesuse a cassette recorder and record them all
Why: Jane will record every lecture so she can listen again and make good notes. 'Records lectures' or 'uses a cassette recorder' both fit in three words.
The trap: 'Take notes' is Tim's lecture strategy. Making 'really good notes' is what Jane does afterwards, not in the lecture.
Question 27
Answer: skimmingWhen Tim says 'Reading is different of course'
Also accepted: skims books / skims / skim reading / skims the book first / skim the book first / skims a book
How does Tim approach reading?
My approach is to skim the book first to see what's important and what isn't.
Question says → You hear
Tim's study strategy for readingMy approach is to skim the book first
Why: Tim skims a book first to find what matters, which he says saves hours. 'Skimming' or 'skims the book first' both work.
The trap: Reading every word is Jane's habit, which Tim calls crazy.
Question 28
Answer: French RevolutionWhen Jane asks what his first lecture is on
Also accepted: The French Revolution
What is Tim's first lecture about?
Oh, it's a lecture on the French Revolution.
Question says → You hear
subject of Tim's first lecturea lecture on the French Revolution
Why: Tim's first lecture is on the French Revolution. Capitalise both words; 'the' is optional.
The trap: Animal behaviour comes a few lines later, but that's Jane's lecture.
Question 29
Answer: Why study historyWhen Tim says his professor must have a sense of humour
Also accepted: Why study history?
What is Tim's first essay called?
He's given us the title "Why study history?"
Question says → You hear
title of Tim's first essayHe's given us the title
Why: The professor gave the title 'Why study history?'. It's exactly three words, so it fits the limit.
The trap: 'History' alone is just Tim's subject, not the title. Copy the full three-word title.
Question 30
Answer: animal languageWhen Tim asks if she has a writing assignment yet
Also accepted: language of animals / the language of animals
What is Jane's first essay about?
Yes, I've got to write about animal language.
Question says → You hear
subject of Jane's first essayI've got to write about animal language
Why: Her essay is on animal language. Two words, said plainly.
The trap: 'Animal behaviour' is her first lecture, not her essay. The two answers sound alike, so match each to the right question.
Tim's strategy (taking notes as he listens) comes right after Jane's, and the question is about Jane. Her strategy is recording the lectures.
Words from this recording worth keeping
run into(Arriving)
meet someone by chance
opted for(Subjects)
chose
stay ahead of(Reading lists)
keep up and be ready before something happens
seminars(Reading lists)
small university classes with discussion
schedule(Lectures)
a timetable of classes
skim(Study strategies)
read quickly to get the main points
field research(First essays)
studying something where it happens, not in a library
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 2 Test 1 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 1, 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.
