University Helpline: listening answers and explanations
A member of the Students' Union talks to new students about the University Helpline. She explains the four kinds of practical help it offers, then gives the officer's name, the office address and phone number, opening hours and how to get an appointment.
One speaker, two blocks, both in order. Questions 11-15 follow the four areas of help (financial, domestic, academic, social). A dashed break and 'Let me give you some details' start Questions 16-20: name, phone, hours, appointments and the waiting list.
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 11-15 · Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS)
How to attack this block: Each row has a type of help and two examples. One item in each row is printed, so you're listening for its partner. The speaker labels each area with a single word ('domestic', 'social'), and those labels are your answers for the left-hand column.
Question 11
Answer: feesWhen the speaker gives the first example, financial matters
Apart from grants, what financial matter can the Helpline help with?
you may feel that your grant is insufficient to see you through college life or you may have some queries regarding the fees you are paying if you are an overseas student
Question says → You hear
FINANCIAL … grantsyour grant is insufficient
Why: Grants are printed, and the second financial example is fees, especially for overseas students. Fees or tuition fees are both fine.
The trap: 'Overseas student' is in the same sentence, but it describes who pays the fees. The example is the fees themselves.
Question 12
Answer: domesticWhen she says 'Another area we can help with'
Also accepted: the domestic area / domestic area
What type of help covers childcare and nurseries?
Another area we can help with is what we generally term the 'domestic' area; things such as childcare and the availability of nursery provision
Question says → You hear
childcare; nurserieschildcare and the availability of nursery provision
Why: 'What we generally term' is the signal for a label, and the label is domestic. The examples after it match the printed ones.
The trap: Childcare is the most memorable word here, but it's already printed as an example. The gap is the name of the category.
Question 13
Answer: essay deadlinesWhen she moves on to 'academic' issues
Also accepted: deadlines / essays' deadlines
Apart from using the library, what academic issue is mentioned?
You may wish to know more about essay deadlines, for example, or how to use the library
Question says → You hear
using the libraryhow to use the library
Why: The two academic examples are essay deadlines and using the library. The library is printed, so write essay deadlines.
The trap: Writing only 'essays' loses the point: it's the deadlines students ask about. Deadlines on its own is accepted.
Question 14
Answer: socialWhen she says 'The last example I've given here'
Also accepted: social life
What type of help covers individual interests?
The last example I've given here is simply termed 'social' - and yes, there is a lot of social life here!
Question says → You hear
individual interestsyou may have a particular interest you wish to pursue
Why: 'Simply termed' gives you the label: social. The individual interests in the table come straight after.
The trap: Social life is accepted, but don't write 'interests' here: that's the example, not the type.
Question 15
Answer: outingsThe end of the 'social' example, just before the dashed break
Also accepted: trips
Apart from individual interests, what social help is mentioned?
you may have a particular interest you wish to pursue or you may wish to participate in outings or trips if you don't know many people at the moment
Question says → You hear
individual interestsa particular interest you wish to pursue
Why: 'A particular interest' is the printed 'individual interests', and the other example is outings or trips. Either word gets the mark.
The trap: 'A particular interest' comes first, but that's the example already printed. The answer is the second thing she offers, after 'or you may wish to'.
Note completion (NUMBERS OR NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS)
Questions 16-20
How to attack this block: Classic contact details: a spelled-out surname, a phone number said twice and two sets of opening hours. Write the number as digits and copy the spelling letter by letter. The last two gaps are paraphrased, so listen for meaning rather than the exact note words.
Question 16
Answer: KouachiAfter the dashed break, 'Let me give you some details'
Also accepted: KOUACHI
What is the Helpline officer's surname?
Generally you will see our Helpline officer Jackie Kouachi, that's K-O-U-A- C-H-I.
Why: The surname is spelled out letter by letter, which tells you exact spelling is being tested. Write Kouachi with a capital K.
The trap: The pause after K-O-U-A can make you think the name has ended. Wait for C-H-I.
Question 17
Answer: 3269940Right after she offers maps to the office
Also accepted: 326 9940 / 326-9940
What is the office phone number?
If you wish to ring the office, the number is 326 99 40. That's 3269940.
Question says → You hear
Telephone numberIf you wish to ring the office, the number is
Why: She says the number in groups and then again in full, so you get two chances. Write the digits: 3269940.
The trap: 13 Marshall Road comes just before. It's the address and is already printed.
Question 18
Answer: 10am to 4pmStraight after the phone number
Also accepted: 10am-4pm / 10 to 4 / 10-4 / 10am - 4pm / ten to four / 10 am to 4 pm
When is the office open on Saturdays?
The office is open between 9.30 and 6.00 on weekdays and from 10 to 4 on Saturdays
Question says → You hear
(Saturdays)from 10 to 4 on Saturdays
Why: The weekday hours are printed, so the gap takes the Saturday hours: 10 to 4. Adding am and pm is fine.
The trap: 9.30 to 6.00 is said first, but those are the weekday hours already in the notes.
Question 19
Answer: appointmentAfter she says Jackie or she will be there during those hours
Also accepted: appointments / an appointment
What can you ring or visit the office to arrange?
If you want to make an appointment you can phone or call at the office in person.
Question says → You hear
Ring or visit officephone or call at the office in person
Why: 'Phone or call at the office in person' is the note's 'ring or visit office'. What you do that for is make an appointment.
The trap: 'Call at the office' means visit, not phone. Don't let it confuse you into thinking there's only one option.
Question 20
Answer: waiting listThe end of the talk, just before 'Any questions?'
Also accepted: a waiting list
What may you have to join at busy times?
particularly if it is a busy time - lunch time for example - and you may have to go on the waiting list and then come back later
Question says → You hear
At peak timesif it is a busy time - lunch time for example
Why: 'A busy time' matches 'peak times', and what happens then is that you go on the waiting list. 'A' is printed before the gap, so waiting list fits.
The trap: Lunch time is the example of a busy time, not the answer. The note needs what there may be.
The note says 'peak times', but the speaker says 'a busy time - lunch time for example'. You have to link the two to find the waiting list.
Words from this recording worth keeping
insufficient(Financial help)
not enough
queries(Financial help)
questions you want answered
nursery provision(Domestic help)
places available in nurseries for small children
deadlines(Academic help)
dates by which work must be finished
pursue(Social help)
follow or spend time on an activity
participate in(Social help)
take part in
welfare(Helpline details)
people's health, comfort and well-being
in person(Appointments)
by going there yourself, not by phone
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 3 Test 2 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 3, Test 2, 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.
