Geography presentation: listening answers and explanations
Two students, Julie and Trevor, plan a geography presentation on education in a group of islands off West Africa. They check the timing, argue about which topics to include, and decide where to get the projector, maps and statistics.
Three blocks in order. Questions 21-22 come in the first few lines about timing and assessment. Questions 23-26 follow the four topics in the list's order as they discuss each one. Questions 27-30 start when Julie says Dr White wants plenty of visuals, and go projector, maps, then statistics.
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 21-22 · Sentence completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
How to attack this block: Two quick details at the very start. Several numbers come in a few seconds (three per hour, twenty, fifteen, five), so be ready before the recording begins.
Question 21
Answer: 5The opening lines, when Julie asks how long the presentation is
Also accepted: five
How many minutes are there for questions?
So about twenty minutes? … it'll be fifteen minutes per presentation. … And five minutes for questions.
Question says → You hear
minutes for questionsAnd five minutes for questions
Why: Twenty minutes in total: fifteen for the presentation and five for questions. Write 5 or five.
The trap: Twenty is the whole slot, and fifteen is the presentation, which is printed.
Question 22
Answer: assessedRight after the timing
What will not happen to the presentation?
And is this one going to be assessed? … No... not this time round. . . because it's the first one.
Question says → You hear
will not beis this one going to be assessed? … No
Why: Trevor asks if it will be assessed and Julie says no, because it's the first. The gap needs the past participle: assessed.
The trap: The question is asked by Trevor and answered by Julie, so put the two together. 'Assessment' is the wrong word form after 'be'.
Matching (A-C)
Questions 23-26
How to attack this block: Yes, maybe, or no for each topic. The two students don't always agree, so listen for the final decision: 'definitely not', 'let's think about that one later', 'Of course', 'that goes in the Language Policy Seminar'.
Question 23
Answer: ARight after Julie rejects historical background
What do they decide about geographical location?
I think we ought to say something about the geographical location . . . cos not a lot of people know where the islands are … Yes...OK... I'll take notes, shall I?
Question says → You hear
They will definitely include this topicYes...OK... I'll take notes
Why: Trevor suggests it, Julie agrees and starts writing it down: 'So... geographical location'. That's A.
The trap: Historical background, rejected 'definitely not' just before, is not on the list. Don't let its C carry over to location.
Question 24
Answer: BWhen Julie asks 'Shouldn't we say something about the economy'
What do they decide about the economy?
But it's pretty important when you think about it … Look . . . let's think about that one later shall we?
Question says → You hear
They might include this topiclet's think about that one later
Why: Julie wants it in, Trevor says Dr White doesn't want that detail, and they put off the decision. That's B, might include.
The trap: Trevor's objection sounds like C, and Julie's 'pretty important' sounds like A. 'Let's think about that one later' means it's still open.
Question 25
Answer: AAfter they put off the economy
What do they decide about the overview of the education system?
Then we ought to give an overview of the whole education system. … OK ...so... general overview of education … Of course
Question says → You hear
They will definitely include this topicgeneral overview of education … Of course
Why: Trevor proposes it, Julie writes it down and Trevor says 'Of course'. Definitely in: A.
The trap: It's suggested before the economy discussion and confirmed after it, so some people miss the confirmation.
Question 26
Answer: CRight after 'general overview of education'
What do they decide about the role of English?
and then the role of English language … Nope. . . that goes in the Language Policy Seminar . . . don't you remember? … Positive.
Question says → You hear
They will not include this topicNope. . . that goes in the Language Policy Seminar
Why: Julie says 'Nope': it belongs in a different seminar, and she's 'Positive'. So C.
The trap: Trevor asks 'Are you sure?', which sounds like doubt. Julie's 'Positive' settles it.
Table completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS)
Questions 27-30
How to attack this block: Each item has a source, and some sources get rejected before the right one (the encyclopaedia). The last gap is a different shape: it asks what they need, not where from.
Question 27
Answer: media roomWhen Trevor says the most important thing is the overhead projector
Where will they get the overhead projector?
No problem... we'll get that from the media room. . . must remember to book it
Question says → You hear
Overhead projector - Where from? thewe'll get that from the media room
Why: 'Get that from' answers 'where from', and the place is the media room.
The trap: The Resources Room comes shortly after, but that's for the map of West Africa.
Question 28
Answer: resources roomWhen Trevor says 'And one of West Africa'
Where will they get the map of West Africa?
Well, the West African one is no problem . . . There's one in the Resources Room.
Question says → You hear
Map of West Africathe West African one is no problem . . . There's one in the Resources Room
Why: 'There's one in the Resources Room' tells you where the West Africa map is.
The trap: The tourist brochure comes next, but it's for the map of the islands, which is printed.
Question 29
Answer: embassyWhen Julie says they also need statistics
Where will they get literacy figures?
How about the encyclopaedia? … not up-to-date enough! … why don't we call the embassy?
Question says → You hear
Literacy figures - Where from?why don't we call the embassy
Why: The encyclopaedia is rejected as out of date, and Trevor suggests calling the embassy, which Julie accepts.
The trap: The encyclopaedia is the first source said. 'Not up-to-date enough' rules it out.
Question 30
Answer: statisticsThe end of the materials discussion
Also accepted: stats
What else do they need on school places?
We can find out statistics on school places from them as well.
Question says → You hear
... on school places - Where from? as abovestatistics on school places from them as well
Why: 'From them as well' is 'as above', the embassy. What they're finding out is statistics.
The trap: The gap asks for the thing, not the source, so 'embassy' is wrong here. 'Places' is already printed.
Trevor says Dr White doesn't want that detail, and Julie argues it's important. Neither wins: 'let's think about that one later'. Still undecided, so B.
Twenty minutes and fifteen minutes come first. Fifteen is the presentation (printed), and the gap is the five minutes for questions.
Words from this recording worth keeping
assessed(Timing and assessment)
given a mark that counts
historical background(Choosing topics)
the past events that explain a topic
overview(Choosing topics)
a general summary
agricultural produce(Economy)
crops and food from farming
visuals(Materials)
pictures, maps and charts used in a talk
overhead projector(Materials)
a machine that shows images on a wall
literacy rates(Statistics)
the share of people who can read and write
embassy(Statistics)
a country's official office in another country
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The full Cambridge 7 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 7, Test 4, Listening Part 3. 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.
