Programme of activities for first day: listening answers and explanations
A new student arrives at a language school and the receptionist explains the first morning: talks in the Main Hall, then a test. The student then asks for directions, and the receptionist uses the map in the booklet to show where the main rooms are.
Two blocks in order. Questions 1-5 follow the morning timetable, minute by minute. Questions 6-10 start when the student asks how to find the Main Hall, and the rooms come in the order the student asks about them: Library, Main Hall, Computer Lab, staff room, common room.
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 1-5 · Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER)
Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER)
Questions 1-5
How to attack this block: Use the times to keep your place. The Principal's talk lasts fifteen minutes and the next talk half an hour, which tells you who speaks at 10.15 and who at 10.45. The last row needs a time and the kind of test.
Question 1
Answer: Main HallRight after the receptionist hands over the booklet and says the programme starts at 10
Also accepted: the Main Hall
Where do the new students meet the Principal and staff at 10.00?
At 10 o'clock, all the new students will gather in the Main Hall to meet the Principal and the rest of the staff.
Question says → You hear
Meet the Principal and staffmeet the Principal and the rest of the staff
Why: The place is named in the same sentence as the event. Write Main Hall with capitals, as it's a room name.
The trap: Classroom 5 comes later and is printed in the last row. The morning starts in the Main Hall.
Question 2
Answer: Director of StudiesWhen the receptionist runs through the morning's events
Also accepted: the Director of Studies / Director / the Director / DOS
Who gives the talk at 10.15?
the Principal's talk will last about fifteen minutes and then the Director of Studies will talk to you for half an hour about the courses
Question says → You hear
10.15 … Talk bythen the Director of Studies will talk to you
Why: The Principal starts at 10.00 and talks for fifteen minutes, so the next speaker, the Director of Studies, starts at 10.15.
The trap: The Principal is named first, but that's the 10.00 event and it's already printed.
Question 3
Answer: Student AdviserStraight after the Director of Studies
Also accepted: Student Advisor / Students Adviser / Students Advisor / the Student Adviser / the Student Advisor
Who gives the talk at 10.45?
After that, the Student Adviser will tell you about the various services and activities we offer to students.
Question says → You hear
10.45 … Talk byAfter that, the Student Adviser will tell you
Why: 10.15 plus half an hour is 10.45, and 'after that' introduces the Student Adviser. Adviser or Advisor are both accepted.
The trap: If you didn't add up the times, you could put the Director of Studies here and lose both marks.
Question 4
Answer: 11 o'clockWhen the student checks that all the talks are in the Main Hall
Also accepted: eleven o'clock / 11.00 / 11.00 am / 11 am / 11:00
What time do students go to Classroom 5?
And then you'll go next door to Classroom 5 at 11 o'clock.
Question says → You hear
Classroom 5next door to Classroom 5 at 11 o'clock
Why: The time comes at the end of the sentence. 11 o'clock, 11.00 or 11 am are all fine.
The trap: 10 o'clock is repeated several times earlier, but that's the start of the whole programme.
Question 5
Answer: placementWhen the student asks 'What sort of test?'
Also accepted: English / placement test / English test
What kind of test do they take?
It's just a placement test to help us find your level of English so that we can put you in the right class.
Question says → You hear
... testIt's just a placement test
Why: The word test is printed after the gap, so you only need the type: placement.
The trap: 'Level' comes right after, but that's what the test measures, not what kind of test it is. English is accepted too, because it's an English placement test.
Map labelling (choose from the box)
Questions 6-10
How to attack this block: Before the directions start, find Reception and the Main Entrance on the map and put your finger there. Every route starts from Reception. Follow each turn as you hear it, and expect some letters in the box (the Director's Office, the Storeroom, the Self Access Room) never to be mentioned.
Question 6
Answer: LWhen the student asks how to find the Main Hall
Which room is Room 6 on the map?
you walk on to the end of this corridor in front of you and then you turn left. Walk along past the Language Laboratory and then past the Library, which is next to the Language Lab, on the same side
Question says → You hear
Room 6past the Library, which is next to the Language Lab, on the same side
Why: From Reception: go to the end of the corridor, turn left, pass the Language Lab, then the Library next to it on the same side. The second room you pass is L.
The trap: The Language Laboratory is the first room you pass, so people label it here. It isn't in the box, and the Library is the next one along.
Question 7
Answer: MHEnd of the same set of directions
Which room is Room 7 on the map?
and facing you is the Main Hall, at the end of the corridor. … SO it's next to the Library, in fact.
Question says → You hear
Room 7facing you is the Main Hall, at the end of the corridor
Why: After the Library, the room facing you at the end of the corridor is the Main Hall, and the student confirms it's next to the Library. That's MH.
The trap: The Library and the Main Hall are neighbours, so it's easy to swap 6 and 7. The Main Hall is at the very end, facing you.
Question 8
Answer: CLWhen the student asks if there is a Computer Laboratory
Which room is Room 8 on the map?
this time, don't turn left; turn right, away from the Main Hall. The Computer Lab. is immediately on your right.
Question says → You hear
Room 8turn right, away from the Main Hall
Why: Same corridor, but turn right at the end instead of left, and it's the first room on your right. That's CL.
The trap: 'Down to the end of this corridor again' sounds like the Main Hall route. The key change is right, not left.
Question 9
Answer: SRWhen the student asks where to find a teacher
Which room is Room 9 on the map?
The staff room is near the main entrance, on the left over there, just opposite the Reception desk.
Question says → You hear
Room 9near the main entrance, on the left over there, just opposite the Reception desk
Why: Three clues point to one room: near the entrance, on the left, opposite Reception. That's SR.
The trap: The common room is also near Reception, so SCR is the tempting swap. The staff room is opposite the desk, not beside it.
Question 10
Answer: SCRThe student's last question
Which room is Room 10 on the map?
It's this area here, very close to where we are now, to the right of the Reception desk as you come in the main entrance.
Question says → You hear
Room 10to the right of the Reception desk as you come in the main entrance
Why: Picture yourself coming in through the main entrance: the area just to the right of the desk is the Student Common Room, SCR.
The trap: 'Right' depends on which way you face. She means as you come in through the entrance, not as you stand behind the desk.
You have to count the times. The Principal speaks from 10.00 for fifteen minutes, then the Director of Studies for half an hour, so the 10.45 talk is the Student Adviser's.
On the way to the Main Hall you pass the Language Laboratory first and then the Library, on the same side. Room 6 is the Library, not the Language Lab, which isn't in the box.
The staff room and the common room are both near Reception. The staff room is on the left, opposite the desk. The common room is to the right of the desk as you come in.
Words from this recording worth keeping
booklet(Start of the conversation)
a small thin book with information
outline(Programme of activities)
a short description of the main points
gather(10.00 meeting)
come together in one place
requirements(Director of Studies' talk)
things you must do or have
placement test(11.00 test)
a test that decides which level or class you join
facing you(Directions to the Main Hall)
directly in front of you
opposite(Directions to the staff room)
on the other side, facing something
facilities(Student common room)
equipment or services provided for people to use
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The rest of Cambridge 3 Test 2 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereProgramme of activities for first day
