Advice on family visit: listening answers and explanations
A man's cousin is visiting with her two children, and he asks his friend Sandra for ideas. She recommends a hotel, a couple of trips, the science museum, a market for food, cheap theatre tickets and some free activities.
Ten gaps in order, and almost all come from Sandra. Q1-6 come before the break (hotel, trips, science museum); after the narrator's pause, 'Have you thought about where to take them to eat?' starts Q7-10 (food, theatre, free activities).
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: The headings match the topics of the chat, so you always know what's coming. Expect numbers with distractors (two room prices) and suggestions that get replaced ('bus tour' becomes 'walking tour'). Write numbers as digits: 125, 2.30, 75.
Question 1
Answer: King'sWhen the man asks if Sandra knows anywhere to stay
Also accepted: Kings
What is the name of the hotel on George Street?
Actually, I always recommend people stay at the King's Hotel.
Question says → You hear
Hotel on George Streetthe King's Hotel … It's actually on George Street
Why: Sandra recommends the King's Hotel and later confirms it's on George Street. Write King's with a capital K. Kings without the apostrophe is also accepted.
The trap: Murray Station is the other name in this stretch, but it's a landmark near the hotel, not its name.
Question 2
Answer: 125When the man says his cousin is on a tight budget
Also accepted: one hundred and twenty-five / one hundred twenty-five
Roughly how much is a family room per night?
If you book a family room, it's about £125 per night. My brother paid for two double rooms in the end, and I think that was around £95 for each room.
Question says → You hear
cost of family room per nightIf you book a family room, it's about £125 per night
approximatelyabout
Why: A family room is 'about £125 per night'. 'About' matches 'approximately'. The £ sign is printed, so write 125.
The trap: £95 comes right after, but that's for each double room her brother booked, not a family room.
Question 3
Answer: walkingWhen the man suggests a bus tour
What kind of city-centre tour does Sandra recommend?
Those bus tours are quite expensive. I think it's better to do a walking tour.
Question says → You hear
tour of the city centrea bus tour of the city center
Why: Sandra rejects the bus tour as expensive and recommends a walking tour, which starts in the square named in the notes. The gap needs walking.
The trap: The man says 'bus tour' first, and it's the classic Part 1 trap: an idea raised and then replaced.
Question 4
Answer: boatWhen Sandra says 'If the weather's nice'
How can they travel to the old fort?
one thing you could do is visit the old fort, but you could get there by boat. The whole trip takes half a day.
Question says → You hear
a trip by ... to the old fortvisit the old fort … get there by boat
Why: You can get to the fort by boat, and the whole trip takes half a day. The gap follows 'by', so: boat.
The trap: 'Half a day' is the length of the trip, not how you get there. Don't let it replace the transport word.
Question 5
Answer: TuesdayWhen Sandra reminds him the museum is closed on Mondays
Which day is best to visit the science museum?
They're here from Saturday for four nights, so Tuesday would be best, I think.
Question says → You hear
best day to visitTuesday would be best
Why: The family arrives on Saturday for four nights, the museum is closed on Mondays, so Tuesday is best. Sandra adds it won't be so crowded then.
The trap: Monday and Saturday are both said, but Monday it's closed and Saturdays are 'terrible' for crowds.
Question 6
Answer: spaceAfter Sandra says the computer exhibition has finished
What is the new exhibition at the museum about?
I took my kids to the exhibition on old computers there … it's finished now. … There's another one starting soon on space
Question says → You hear
which opens soonanother one starting soon on space
Why: 'Starting soon' matches 'opens soon', and the topic is space.
The trap: Old computers is the exhibition Sandra actually saw, but it's finished. Only the space one is still to come.
Question 7
Answer: vegetarianWhen Sandra asks where to take them to eat
What kind of food is Clacton Market good for?
My cousin's vegetarian. … I know it's one of the best places for that kind of food.
Question says → You hear
good for ... foodone of the best places for that kind of food
Why: The man says his cousin is vegetarian, and Sandra says it's one of the best places for 'that kind of food'. 'That' points back to vegetarian.
The trap: The answer is split across two speakers. The man gives the word, and Sandra gives the 'good for' part. Don't wait for her to say vegetarian.
Question 8
Answer: 2.30When Sandra says you need to get there quite early
Also accepted: two thirty
By what time do you need to have lunch at the market?
At the weekend, most of the stores stop serving lunch at 2:30.
Question says → You hear
need to have lunch beforestop serving lunch at 2:30
Why: The stalls stop serving lunch at 2:30, so you must eat before then. The notes already give 'p.m.', so write 2.30 (2:30 is the same time).
The trap: 'Quite early' comes just before, but the gap needs a time. And don't add 'p.m.' again: it's already printed after the gap. Two thirty is also accepted.
Question 9
Answer: 75When the man says theatre tickets are so expensive
Also accepted: seventy-five
What is the biggest discount on bargaintickets.com?
you can get some good deals if you book online with bargaintickets.com for the following day. On some seats, there's a 75% discount.
Question says → You hear
save up to ...% on ticket pricesOn some seats, there's a 75% discount
Why: 'Up to' in the notes matches 'on some seats': the maximum saving is 75%. The % sign is printed, so write 75.
The trap: Not all seats get 75%, but 'up to' covers that. 'The following day' is a condition of the deal, not a number you need.
Question 10
Answer: portThe end of the call, after the Roots Music Festival
What can you see from Telegraph Hill?
climb Telegraph Hill. You'll be able to look right down on the port. Everyone's always really impressed because it's so huge.
Question says → You hear
a view of thelook right down on the port
Why: From the top you can 'look right down on the port', so the view is of the port.
The trap: Blakewell Gardens is where the hill is, so it's already in the notes. 'Views' are mentioned by the man, but the thing you see is the port.
The old computers exhibition is described in more detail, but it's 'finished now'. The note wants the one 'which opens soon': space.
Words from this recording worth keeping
accommodation(Accommodation)
a place to stay
tight budget(Accommodation)
not much money to spend
a better feel for(Recommended trips)
a better sense of what a place is like
crowded(Science Museum)
full of people
stalls(Food)
small stands selling food or goods
good deals(Theatre tickets)
things you can buy at a good price
spend a fortune(Free activities)
spend a lot of money
family-friendly(Free activities)
suitable for parents and children
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The full Cambridge 20 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 20, 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 20 Test 4 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereAdvice on family visit
