Christmas dinner: listening answers and explanations
Two colleagues, Joan and Peter, organise their office Christmas dinner. They agree on numbers and a date, pick three possible venues and a price, and then Peter reports back on the restaurant's menu and what it needs from them to confirm the booking.
One note block, in order, split by a dashed break. Questions 1-5 come from the planning chat (venues, phone number, requirements). After the break, Peter has phoned the restaurant: 6-10 cover the menu, the deposit, the deadline and where to put the notice.
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 (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
no smoking sectionAlso accepted: no-smoking section / non-smoking section / no smoking area / no-smoking area / non-smoking area / non smoking section / non smoking area
Note completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 1-10
How to attack this block: Lots of names and numbers, several of them rejected along the way: last year's venue, two phone numbers, three prices, two dates. Ask yourself what each figure belongs to. Restaurant names are spelled or repeated, so give them capital letters.
Question 1
Answer: RajdootAfter they agree last year's place was hopeless
What is the first-choice venue?
That new Indian restaurant in Wetherfield is supposed to be excellent... the Rajdoot. … R-A-J-D-O-O-T.
Question says → You hear
First choicelet's put that down as the first choice
Why: Peter names the Rajdoot and spells it when Joan asks, then says 'let's put that down as the first choice'. Copy the spelling exactly.
The trap: The Red Lion is named just before, but it was last year's venue and 'hopeless'. Wetherfield is the town, not the restaurant.
Question 2
Answer: Park ViewWhen Peter says they need some back-ups
Also accepted: Park View Hotel / the Park View Hotel
What is the second-choice venue?
What about the … Park View Hotel as a second choice? … Yes, that's always reliable.
Question says → You hear
Second choicePark View Hotel as a second choice
Why: Joan suggests the Park View Hotel 'as a second choice' and Peter agrees. Park View or Park View Hotel are both accepted.
The trap: The London Arms is added straight after, but only 'in case', which makes it the third choice.
Question 3
Answer: London ArmsRight after Peter repeats 'Park View Hotel'
Also accepted: the London Arms
What is the third-choice venue?
And the London Arms in case.
Question says → You hear
Third choiceAnd the London Arms in case
Why: 'In case' marks the last back-up, and Joan repeats the name. Write London Arms with capitals.
The trap: Order matters: if you swap the Park View and the London Arms, both answers are wrong.
Question 4
Answer: 208657When Peter asks Joan if she's got the numbers
What is the third-choice venue's phone number?
Not for the Rajdoot, but... right... Park View Hotel: 777192 and ... London Arms: 208657.
Question says → You hear
Tel. numberLondon Arms: 208657
Why: Joan gives two numbers, each after its venue name. The London Arms number is the second: 208657.
The trap: 777192 comes first and belongs to the Park View Hotel, which is already printed in the second-choice line.
Question 5
Answer: no smoking sectionAfter they agree on £12 a head
Also accepted: no-smoking section / non-smoking section / no smoking area / no-smoking area / non-smoking area / non smoking section / non smoking area
Besides vegetarian food, what must the restaurant have?
And we'd better make sure there's good vegetarian food. … And a non-smoking section! You know what the boss is like.
Question says → You hear
vegetarian food and agood vegetarian food … And a non-smoking section
Why: The note pairs vegetarian food with a second need, and Joan adds a non-smoking section. 'No smoking section' and 'non-smoking area' are also fine.
The trap: Prices are discussed just before (£15, £10, £12), but price per person is already printed as £12.
Question 6
Answer: Lentil curryAfter the dashed break, when Peter reads out the Rajdoot's Christmas menu
What is the other main course on the menu?
Roast dinner or lentil curry .. . sounds ordinary but my friend said it was really tasty.
Question says → You hear
Roast Dinner ORRoast dinner or lentil curry
Why: The main courses are given as a pair, and roast dinner is printed. The other is lentil curry, and Joan repeats it.
The trap: French onion soup and fruit juice come just before, but they're the first course, which is already printed.
Question 7
Answer: £50 depositWhen Joan asks if Peter booked it
Also accepted: fifty pound deposit / 50 pound deposit / deposit of £50 / a £50 deposit / deposit £50 / £50
What does the restaurant want, apart from a letter?
Oh, and if we go ahead, they'd like a £50 deposit. … 50 is normal. .. that's fine.
Question says → You hear
Restaurant requires from usthey'd like a £50 deposit
Why: The restaurant wants a £50 deposit and a letter of confirmation. The letter is printed, so the gap is the deposit. Include the amount: £50 deposit.
The trap: £12 is said just before, but that's the price per head, not the deposit.
Question 8
Answer: choose the menuRight after the letter of confirmation
Also accepted: choose menu / decide the menu / decide on the menu / select the menu / select menu
What must they do in advance?
And they say with such large numbers we have to choose the menu in advance.
Question says → You hear
we must ... in advancewe have to choose the menu in advance
Why: The note follows Peter's words exactly: 'we must ... in advance'. The gap is choose the menu, three words.
The trap: Joan's reply talks about putting up a notice with the menu. That's what she'll do, not what the restaurant asks for.
Question 9
Answer: 4 NovemberWhen Joan asks when they wanted confirmation by
Also accepted: November 4 / 4th November / November 4th / the 4th of November / 4/11
By what date must they confirm in writing?
When did you say they wanted confirmation by? … the 4th of November.
Question says → You hear
Must confirm in writing byWhen did you say they wanted confirmation by
Why: Joan asks the exact question in the notes, and Peter answers: the 4th of November. 4 November or November 4 are fine.
The trap: 'Next Wednesday' comes earlier, but it's how long they'll hold the booking. 21 December is the dinner itself.
Question 10
Answer: the NewsletterThe very end, when Joan asks where everyone will see it
Also accepted: Newsletter
Where will Joan put the notice?
On the cafe noticeboard I should think. … Hardly anyone looks at that. … Well, the Newsletter is probably your best bet.
Question says → You hear
Put notice inthe Newsletter is probably your best bet
Why: The noticeboard is rejected, and the Newsletter is 'your best bet', which Joan accepts with 'Good idea'.
The trap: The café noticeboard is the first suggestion and it's where you'd expect a notice to go. Joan says hardly anyone looks at it.
Peter suggests the café noticeboard first, Joan rejects it, and the Newsletter is the final choice.
Words from this recording worth keeping
on the safe side(Numbers)
being careful to avoid problems
straightforward(Date)
simple and easy to understand
back-ups(Choices for venue)
second options in case the first fails
reliable(Choices for venue)
can be trusted to be good every time
within the price range(Price per person)
not costing more than you want to pay
a head(Price per person)
for each person
deposit(Restaurant requirements)
money paid in advance to hold a booking
best bet(Where to put the notice)
the most sensible choice
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Cambridge IELTS 3, Test 3, 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 3 Test 3 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereChristmas dinner
