A researcher stops Martyn in Broadbeach town centre for a quick shopping survey. He explains how he got into town, why he's there, when he likes to shop, and what he thinks of the town's shops and the new out-of-town shopping centre.
Questions 1-10 · 10 marks · 1 question block
One ten-gap form in order. 1-6 are Martyn's details and today's trip. When the woman says she'd like to ask 'a few more questions to get your views', you move to his opinions: the town centre (7-8), then the new shopping centre (9-10). Every answer comes from Martyn.
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: Martyn often says the expected answer first and then corrects it: normally the bus but today the motorbike; it's Saturday but he prefers Monday. Write what fits the form's wording exactly ('today's journey', 'preferred day'). Watch the spelling of his surname.
What is Martyn's surname?
And is your family name spelt L-double-E? … It's L-E-I-G-H.
Question says → You hear
Why: He spells it letter by letter: L-E-I-G-H. The first name is already printed, so write only Leigh.
The trap: Lee, the woman's guess, is wrong, and he corrects it. Any other spelling loses the mark.
How did he travel into town today?
Well, normally I catch the bus, but I'm on my motorbike today because I'm going to work later.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Today' links straight to the form. He used his motorbike, one word.
The trap: Bus is what he normally uses. 'Normally' is the signal that this isn't today's answer.
Where has he already been this morning?
I've just been to the hairdresser. You see, I have a job interview at the council in a few days.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Just been to' matches 'has visited'. The gap follows 'the', so hairdresser.
The trap: Council is where the interview is, and that's in a few days, not today.
What is he looking to buy?
And now I'm on my way to buy a suit that I can wear to the interview. I don't actually own one at the moment!
Question says → You hear
Why: He's going to buy a suit to wear at the interview. The gap follows 'a new', so suit.
The trap: Interview is repeated, but it's the reason he needs the suit, not what he's buying.
What is he collecting after a repair?
I've got to go and pick up my laptop. It broke a couple of days ago so I took it to the shop to get it fixed.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Pick up' is collecting and 'get it fixed' is the repair. The item is his laptop.
The trap: A spare part had to be ordered, but that's for the repair. He's collecting the laptop, not the part.
What day does he prefer to shop?
If I'm free on a Monday, that's when I choose to come into town. The shops are less busy then, which I always prefer.
Question says → You hear
Why: He chooses Monday when he can, because the shops are quieter. Use a capital M.
The trap: Saturday is the day of the survey, in the woman's question. It isn't his choice.
What are there too many places selling?
there are a lot of new coffee shops now, are you enjoying them? … No, there are too many of them.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'Them' refers back to the coffee shops. The form says 'places selling ...', so write what they sell: coffee.
The trap: Clothing comes next, but he says there are 'enough' clothing shops, not too many.
What would he like more places to buy?
Well, I think we have enough clothing shops. But there's only one place that sells books at the moment. It'd be nice to have a choice
Question says → You hear
Why: Only one bookshop and 'nice to have a choice' means he wants more. Write the plural, books.
The trap: Clothing is said first, but he has enough of those.
What does he like best about the new shopping centre?
The glass roof is certainly impressive. But my favourite thing is the plants they've put around the building.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'My favourite thing' is what he likes best: the plants.
The trap: The glass roof is praised first, but the 'But' moves him on to his real favourite.
What does he think is not needed at the shopping centre?
I can't see any advantage in having it there because the one in town is actually bigger.
Question says → You hear
Why: 'It' is the new cinema she just mentioned. No advantage, because the town one is bigger, means unnecessary.
The trap: Entertainment facilities is the general phrase, and too many words. The one facility he talks about is the cinema.
The woman suggests L-double-E and Martyn corrects her with L-E-I-G-H. Write only the spelling he gives, with a capital L.
Bus is said first ('normally I catch the bus'), but the form asks about today's journey, and today he's on his motorbike.
The survey is happening on a Saturday, so people write Saturday. His preferred day is Monday, when the shops are less busy.
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 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.
