Annual business exhibition: listening answers and explanations
A podcast promotes an annual business exhibition. It reads out feedback from an exhibitor, James Craig of TalkCon, explains the discounts exhibitors can claim, and then introduces six keynote speakers and what each will talk about.
11-12 come from James Craig's feedback, 13-14 from the discount scheme. 'Now let me tell you about some of our keynote speakers' starts 15-20, and the speakers come in the list order, each with a short biography and the talk topic at the end.
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: James talks about three years: his first year, last year and the coming exhibition. Only last year counts, so track the time words: 'the first year', 'again last year', 'last year we also', 'hoping that in the coming exhibition'.
Question 11-12
Answer: C and E (in either order)James Craig's feedback, right at the start
In which two areas did James Craig promote his company last year?
due to popular request we used that again last year. Last year we also sponsored the innovative Business Connections Zone
Question says → You hear
the Breakout areaWe also used the Breakout area … we used that again last year
the Business Connections ZoneLast year we also sponsored the innovative Business Connections Zone
Why: C: he used the Breakout area in the first year and 'again last year'. E: 'Last year we also sponsored' the Business Connections Zone.
The trap: D, the Business Village, is the strongest distractor: it was 'the first year'. The Digital Marketing Centre (A) and a TalkCon Zone (B) are only hopes for the future.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 13-14
How to attack this block: Several numbers come up (3.5%, 15%, £400). Check what each number refers to before you match it to an option, because the options twist them.
Question 13-14
Answer: A and B (in either order)After the opening hours, when the discounts are introduced
Which two facts about the discounts are given?
including major high street fashion and jewellery outlets, as well as grocery chains. … The scheme is available to every member of your organisation
Question says → You hear
both food and clothinghigh street fashion and jewellery outlets, as well as grocery chains
available to all members of exhibiting companiesavailable to every member of your organisation
Why: B: fashion outlets sell clothing and grocery chains sell food. A: 'every member of your organisation' is all members of the company.
The trap: C twists the £400: that's the average saving, not a minimum spend. E is wrong because savings range from 3.5% to 15%. Family members (D) are never mentioned.
Matching (A-G)
Questions 15-20
How to attack this block: Seven topics, six speakers, so one topic is never used. Each speaker's biography is long and full of distractors; the topic of the talk usually comes at the end ('He'll be telling you about', 'she'll be concentrating on this').
Question 15
Answer: CFirst speaker, who started by selling vegetables
What will Jim Clowrie talk about?
Rather to his surprise this became a bit of a sensation, and in a remarkably short time he had opened an amazing 76 restaurants worldwide.
Question says → You hear
unexpectedly rapid expansionRather to his surprise … in a remarkably short time he had opened an amazing 76 restaurants
Why: 'To his surprise' is unexpected and '76 restaurants in a remarkably short time' is rapid expansion. He'll talk about how it changed his life, so C.
The trap: 'Worldwide' may suggest D (global experiences), but D belongs to Oliver Stanton, who actually worked in several countries.
Question 16
Answer: GSecond speaker, the business-minded teenager
What will David France talk about?
he isn't just interested in making money - he also makes regular donations to organisations helping those in need
Question says → You hear
contributions to charitiesmakes regular donations to organisations helping those in need
Why: His company is a success and he gives regular donations to organisations that help people. That's combining success with charity, G.
The trap: 'Both in the UK and elsewhere in the world' sounds global (D), but it describes where his donations go, not his business experience.
Question 17
Answer: DThird speaker, who moved from the UK to Malaysia
What will Oliver Stanton talk about?
He'll be telling you about what he discovered during his travels around the world about business practices in different cultures.
Question says → You hear
A global range of business experienceshis travels around the world about business practices in different cultures
Why: Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong and back to the UK, and a talk on business in different cultures: D.
The trap: He set up a digital marketing business, which may pull you towards F. But his talk is about what he learned across cultures.
Question 18
Answer: AFourth speaker, the broadcaster and businesswoman
What will Francesca Heptonstall talk about?
she's also passionate about helping people gain employment and organises an annual jobs fair, so she'll be concentrating on this in her talk
Question says → You hear
Supporting job seekershelping people gain employment and organises an annual jobs fair
Why: Helping people find work and running a jobs fair is supporting job seekers, and 'she'll be concentrating on this' confirms the topic, A.
The trap: Her main interest is technology, and she won a TV contest, but the talk is explicitly about employment.
Question 19
Answer: FFifth speaker, Chief Executive of OBF Enterprises
What will Salman Khan talk about?
has turned around this business from a major publishing business to one of the UK's largest digital marketing service providers. He'll be talking about the need for flexibility to cope with new directions
Question says → You hear
in response to changing marketsflexibility to cope with new directions in today's business world
Why: He changed the company from publishing to digital marketing and will talk about flexibility for 'new directions'. That's developing a company as markets change, F.
The trap: 'Turned around' can mean saving a failing business, which suggests E (financial set-backs). But no money problems are mentioned.
Question 20
Answer: BLast speaker, signposted 'Finally'
What will Annie Craven talk about?
Her session will offer an interactive look at different obstacles in people's own lives, not just in business.
Question says → You hear
Dealing with personal problemsobstacles in people's own lives … how you can overcome them
Why: Obstacles in your own life, and how to overcome them, means dealing with personal problems, B.
The trap: Coping with financial set-backs (E) is the unused option, and 'starting out in business' might make it look possible. Nothing in her session is about money.
The Business Village (D) is where James had a stand, but in his first year. Last year he used the Breakout area again and sponsored the Business Connections Zone.
Annie Craven works on business and life, which sounds broad. 'Obstacles in people's own lives, not just in business' is the paraphrase for personal problems, B.
Words from this recording worth keeping
exhibited(James Craig's feedback)
showed products at a public event
sponsored(James Craig's feedback)
paid for an event or area in return for publicity
corporate profile(James Craig's feedback)
how well known and visible a company is
publicise(Discounts)
make something widely known
outlets(Discounts)
shops that sell a particular brand
keynote speakers(Speakers)
the main speakers at an event
down-to-earth(Speakers)
practical and easy to talk to
obstacles(Speakers)
things that block your progress
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 21 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 21, Test 4, 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.
