Social Programme: listening answers and explanations
A new student asks the school's social organiser about the trips the school runs. The organiser explains what the trips offer, what they cost and how to book, then reads out the weekend trips planned for the term with their dates, seats and optional extras.
Two blocks, both in order. Questions 1-4 cover the general rules (places, group trips, booking). Questions 5-10 follow the weekend trips one town at a time, from St Ives to Bath, then end with where to get more information.
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 1-4 · Note completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Note completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 1-4
How to attack this block: The organiser answers a string of short questions from the student: what sort of places, how far, how much, how to book. Each question in the conversation is your signpost for the next gap. Watch the grammar around each gap: 'good ...' needs a noun, and 'groups of ... people' needs a number with its qualifier.
Question 1
Answer: shoppingWhen the student asks what sort of places they go to
Also accepted: variety of shopping
Apart from history, what do the places visited have plenty of?
always places of historical interest and also which offer a variety of shopping because our students always ask about that
Question says → You hear
places which have ... goodoffer a variety of shopping
Why: Historical interest is already printed, so the next thing on the organiser's list fills the gap. 'Offer a variety of shopping' becomes 'good shopping'. One word is enough here.
The trap: Some people write 'variety', which is the word sitting next to the answer. 'Good variety' tells the marker nothing. The noun the notes need is shopping.
Question 2
Answer: guided toursStraight after the shopping point, beginning 'And then we go for ones where...'
What else do the chosen places offer visitors?
we go for ones where we know there are guided tours because this gives a good focus for the visit
Question says → You hear
Visit places which havewe go for ones where we know there are guided tours
Why: 'We go for ones where ... there are guided tours' is a second feature of the places they pick. Write it in the plural, as you hear it.
The trap: 'A good focus' follows straight after and also has the word 'good'. It's the reason they like guided tours, not a feature of the place.
Question 3
Answer: more than 12Right after the cost, when the organiser adds 'Oh, and we do offer...'
Also accepted: over 12
How big must a group be for a special trip?
we do offer to arrange special trips if, you know, there are more than twelve people
Question says → You hear
special trips organised for groups ofarrange special trips if, you know, there are more than twelve people
Why: Special trips need a group bigger than twelve. The gap has room for three words, and 'more than 12' keeps the exact meaning. 'Over 12' is also accepted.
The trap: Writing just 12. Groups of exactly twelve don't qualify, so the bare number is marked wrong.
Question 4
Answer: notice boardWhen the student asks how to reserve a place
Also accepted: noticeboard
Where do you sign up for a trip?
You sign your name on the notice board. … we do ask that you sign up three days in advance
Question says → You hear
sign name on theYou sign your name on the notice board
Why: 'Sign your name on the notice board' matches the note almost word for word. Notice board or noticeboard are both fine.
The trap: 'Three days in advance' comes next, but it is already printed in the note. Don't let it push you into writing a time.
Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 5-10
How to attack this block: The table runs town by town in the same order as the talk, and each row repeats date, seats and optional extra. Track which row you are on by the town name and the date. Two answers are spelled out letter by letter, so be ready to write them exactly.
Question 5
Answer: 13th FebruaryFirst trip in the list, after 'the first one is St Ives'
Also accepted: 13 February / February 13th / February 13
On what date is the St Ives trip?
the first one is St Ives. That's on the 13th of February and we'll have only 16 places available because we're going by minibus
Question says → You hear
St Ives - DateThat's on the 13th of February
Why: The date follows straight after the town name. Write the day and the month: 13th February or 13 February both work.
The trap: Sixteen comes up twice nearby: 16 places on this trip, and the London trip on the 16th of February. Neither is the St Ives date.
Question 6
Answer: Tower of LondonAfter the London date and the 45 seats
Also accepted: the Tower of London
What is the optional extra on the London trip?
the optional extra is the Tower of London. Oh, I've already been there.
Question says → You hear
London - Optional extrathe optional extra is the Tower of London
Why: The organiser names the extra directly. Tower of London fits the three-word limit, with or without 'the'.
The trap: The student says she has been there already. That doesn't change the table: it's still the optional extra.
Question 7
Answer: BristolAfter London, introduced by 'After that there's...'
Which town is the 3rd of March trip to?
After that there's Bristol on the 3rd of March. Where? Bristol. B-R-I-S-T-O-L.
Question says → You hear
Date: 3rd MarchBristol on the 3rd of March
Why: The student asks for the name again, and the organiser spells it. When a name is spelled out, the spelling is being tested.
The trap: The date and seats are printed in this row, so the town is all you need. Don't confuse it with Bath or Salisbury later on.
Question 8
Answer: American MuseumThe last trip, after the 16-seater minibus
Also accepted: the American Museum
What is the optional extra on the Bath trip?
And where's the optional visit? It's to the American Museum. Well worth a visit.
Question says → You hear
Bath - Optional extrawhere's the optional visit? It's to the American Museum
Why: The student asks about the optional visit and the organiser names it straight away. American Museum, with or without 'the'.
The trap: The Roman City is mentioned just before. That describes Bath itself, not the optional extra.
Question 9
Answer: student newspaperNear the end, after 'By the way'
Also accepted: the student newspaper
What can you read to find out more about the trips?
if you want more information about any of the trips, have a look in the student newspaper
Question says → You hear
For further information: Read thehave a look in the student newspaper
Why: 'More information' matches 'further information', and 'have a look in' matches 'read'. Write both words: student newspaper.
The trap: The schedule mentioned earlier hasn't been printed yet, so it isn't something you can read. Newspaper alone may lose the mark, so keep 'student'.
Question 10
Answer: YentobThe very end, when the organiser mentions an assistant
What is the social assistant's surname?
have a word with my assistant. Her name is Jane Yentob. That's Y-E-N-T-O-B.
Question says → You hear
see Social Assistant: Janemy assistant. Her name is Jane Yentob
Why: Jane is printed, so you only need the surname. It's spelled out, so copy the letters exactly with a capital Y.
The trap: Spelling, not meaning. Yentop, Yentab or Ventob all lose the mark.
You hear 'twelve', and plenty of people write just 12. But the trips are for groups of more than twelve, and 'groups of 12 people' says something different. The qualifier is part of the answer.
Dates and numbers pile up: the 13th of February, then 16 places, then the London trip on the 16th of February. The St Ives date is the first one, the 13th.
Yentob is spelled out letter by letter. It's an unusual name, so you can only get it right by writing down the letters as you hear them.
Words from this recording worth keeping
historical interest(Places visited)
connected with the past in a way people want to learn about
guided tours(Places visited)
visits led by someone who explains what you are seeing
in advance(Reserving a seat)
before the event
full refund(Reserving a seat)
all your money given back
confirmed(Weekend trips)
made certain and official
optional extra(Weekend trips)
an additional part you can choose to add
available(Weekend trips)
free to be booked or used
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The rest of Cambridge 4 Test 1 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereSocial Programme
