Pottery workshop: listening answers and explanations
Heather McCallum, a potter at Adelman Pottery, welcomes a group of visitors before a hands-on session. She talks about why pottery matters to archaeologists, why people take her class, what to wear, and then explains the kiln, the potter's wheel and the tools.
All answers come from Heather, in order. Q11-16 cover the introduction (history, reasons for the class, what to wear). The signpost 'So, now we're in the workshop' starts the equipment section: the kiln for Q17-18, then the wheel, then 'Lastly' the tools for Q19-20.
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: Each question covers a short stretch of the talk, and Heather often mentions all three ideas. Listen for the one she actually commits to: 'what I love most', 'like nearly everyone who comes here'. Ideas she lists as other people's reasons or as side benefits are the distractors.
Question 11
Answer: ARight after Heather says pottery is tens of thousands of years old
How is pottery different from other kinds of art?
it stands the test of time. Things like baskets and pictures don't survive in the earth in the same way that pots do.
Question says → You hear
lasts longer in the grounddon't survive in the earth in the same way that pots do
Why: Baskets and pictures don't survive in the earth the way pots do. 'Stands the test of time' and 'survive in the earth' together give 'lasts longer in the ground'.
The trap: 'Even if ancient pots are found in small pieces' might suggest repairing them, but she says broken pots still give information, not that they're easy to repair. Nothing is said about how many people practise it.
Question 12
Answer: BWhen she says the shape of an artifact may have been lost
How do archaeologists sometimes tell what an ancient pot was used for?
archaeologists can tell whether the pots were for, say, storage or cooking by examining the impressions on the clay
Question says → You hear
identify the usetell whether the pots were for, say, storage or cooking
the marks that are on itthe impressions on the clay
Why: The use (storage or cooking) is identified from the impressions on the clay. 'Impressions' are marks, so the answer is the marks on it.
The trap: The clay itself is mentioned next, but it reveals where the pots came from, not what they were used for. The shape is ruled out because it 'may have been lost'.
Question 13
Answer: CWhen she says what people tell her about why they take the class
Why do some people join Heather's class?
they hope that something they create will also last longer than they do
Question says → You hear
make something that will outlive themsomething they create will also last longer than they do
Why: 'Last longer than they do' is exactly 'outlive them'. She adds that their work might say something about humanity after their death.
The trap: Ancient pots dominate this part of the talk, so 'looks very old' is tempting. But people want their pot to last, not to look old.
Question 14
Answer: ARight after 'you will all have your own reasons for coming here'
What does Heather herself like best about pottery?
what I love most is the concentration you need to make a good pot. That focus takes you away from the stresses of everyday life.
Question says → You hear
value mostwhat I love most
its calming effecttakes you away from the stresses of everyday life
Why: 'What I love most' signals her own view, and the focus that 'takes you away from the stresses of everyday life' is a calming effect.
The trap: Exercise for hands and wrists (physical benefits) and messiness come straight after, but those are benefits for elderly people and children, not what she values most.
Question 15
Answer: BWhen she says they'll keep things simple today
What is true of most people who visit Adelman Pottery?
Like nearly everyone who comes here, I'm sure this is the first time you will have tried the art.
Question says → You hear
Most of the visitorsnearly everyone who comes here
have never made a pot beforethe first time you will have tried the art
Why: 'Nearly everyone' matches 'most', and trying the art for the first time means they've never made a pot before.
The trap: 'A gift for a friend' is said just before, which can pull you towards bringing friends. It's about what you might make, not who you come with.
Question 16
Answer: CWhen she says 'can I just say a word about what you're wearing?'
What does Heather remind visitors to do?
please remove any watches, necklaces, etc., and put them somewhere safe
Question says → You hear
take off their jewelleryremove any watches, necklaces
Why: Watches and necklaces are jewellery, and 'remove' means take off. 'As we said in our email' marks this as a reminder.
The trap: Aprons are mentioned, but 'We'll provide aprons later', so they don't put them on now. She hopes their clothes are already old, so they don't need to change.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 17-18
How to attack this block: Heather's kiln section is short but packed. Tick an option only if she actually explains it, not just mentions the word. Invention and safety are both mentioned, but she doesn't explain either.
Question 17-18
Answer: A and E (in either order)After 'first the kiln', when she points to one in the far corner
Which two things does Heather explain about kilns?
a kiln removes the water from clay at temperatures of around 1,000°C. … domestic ovens don't really get hot enough … Some people fire pottery in a fire pit outside
Question says → You hear
what their function isa kiln removes the water from clay
what some people use insteaddomestic ovens don't really get hot enough / Some people fire pottery in a fire pit outside
Why: A: she explains what a kiln does, removing water from the clay so the pot sets permanently. E: she describes alternatives, a home oven (not hot enough) and a fire pit outside (dangerous).
The trap: B and C are mentioned but not explained: 'Since their invention, kilns have changed very little' gives no date, and 'you also need to know about safety procedures' doesn't tell you any. D is wrong because she says kilns are hard to keep in a house.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 19-20
How to attack this block: The tools come last, after 'Lastly'. Several options are the opposite of what she says (worth buying, memorable names), so listen for the negative words: 'hard to remember', 'wouldn't recommend spending money'.
Question 19-20
Answer: C and E (in either order)After 'Lastly', the end of the talk
Which two points does Heather make about the tools?
there are some basic tools that you will need to handle the clay on the wheel. … We can provide these, and I wouldn't recommend spending money on them yet.
Question says → You hear
essential itemssome basic tools that you will need
available for use by participantsWe can provide these
Why: C: some basic tools are things 'you will need', so they're essential. E: 'We can provide these' means participants can use the studio's tools.
The trap: D is the reverse of what she says: the names are odd and 'hard to remember'. B is also reversed: she wouldn't recommend spending money on tools yet.
Heather mentions three benefits: concentration, exercise for elderly hands, and mess for children. Only the first is what she loves most, and 'takes you away from the stresses' is the calming effect.
Invention and safety are both said out loud, so they feel ticked. But she only says kilns have changed little since their invention, and only says you need to know safety procedures. She explains what a kiln does and what people use instead.
Two options are the opposite of what she says. The names are hard to remember, not memorable, and she advises against buying tools yet.
Words from this recording worth keeping
stands the test of time(Pottery and history)
lasts for a very long time
insight(Pottery and history)
a clear understanding of something
artifact(Pottery and history)
an object made by people long ago
ancestors(Reasons for the class)
people in your family who lived long ago
arthritis(Reasons for the class)
a condition that makes joints painful and stiff
set permanently(The kiln)
become hard and fixed for good
domestic(The kiln)
used in the home
toxic(The kiln)
poisonous
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The full Cambridge 20 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 20, Test 1, Listening Part 2. 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.
