Hotels and the tourist industry: listening answers and explanations
A lecturer on a Hospitality and Tourism module talks about the luxury end of the hotel market. She reports research on why guests don't feel at home in luxury hotels, describes a company offering serviced apartments, and explains how holiday hotels attract guests.
All in order. Questions 31-34 cover the research on luxury hotels. Questions 35-37 start with the 'Take Your Home With You' company. Questions 38-40 come after 'finally I want to consider the psychology', signposted by 'Firstly', 'Secondly' and 'And not far removed from this'.
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.
How to attack this block: The lecturer builds a picture before giving the point, so the key idea often comes at the end of a long sentence. Several options repeat words she uses (luxury, chains, expensive), so check the meaning, not just the word.
Question 31
Answer: BIn the opening scenario, waking up in a strange hotel
How might a guest feel in a luxury hotel, according to the speaker?
disoriented most probably from jet lag, when even the most expensive surroundings can seem empty and dispiriting.
Question says → You hear
depressed by the experiencecan seem empty and dispiriting
Why: 'Empty and dispiriting' describes a low, depressed feeling, even in expensive surroundings.
The trap: 'Paid a great deal of money' sounds like C, but she doesn't say the guest worries about it. 'Contemporary technology' sounds like A, but then she says 'all is not well'.
Question 32
Answer: BWhen she reports the research by a travel and PR company
What need do luxury hotels overlook, according to the research?
seem to have underestimated the most basic needs of their customers … the need to feel at home in surroundings which are both familiar and inviting.
Question says → You hear
overlook the need tounderestimated the most basic needs
create a comfortable environmentfeel at home in surroundings which are both familiar and inviting
Why: 'Underestimated' matches 'overlook', and feeling at home in familiar, inviting surroundings is a comfortable environment.
The trap: 'Be they travelling for work or pleasure' might suggest important business guests (A), but it means all guests. A personal welcome is never mentioned.
Question 33
Answer: ARight after she asks whether the findings apply only to certain areas
What kind of hotels did the research cover?
The company's research covered a whole range of different hotel types, both independent hotels and those which are part of I large chains.
Question says → You hear
a wide variety of hotelsa whole range of different hotel types
Why: 'A whole range of different hotel types' is a wide variety. She then lists city, country and beach hotels.
The trap: Large chains are mentioned, but alongside independent hotels. Tropical beach hotels are just one of the examples, so 'exotic' is too narrow.
Question 34
Answer: CAfter the list of city, country and beach hotels
How does the outside environment affect a hotel guest?
And the research concluded that what was outside the hotel building simply didn't matter.
Question says → You hear
It has no effect whatsoeverwhat was outside the hotel building simply didn't matter
Why: 'Simply didn't matter' is no effect at all. She calls it 'a fascinating revelation'.
The trap: Her earlier question, whether the environment 'can affect a guest's well-being', sounds like A. But it's a question, and the research answers no.
Note completion (ONE WORD ONLY)
Questions 35-40
How to attack this block: Two short lists of three. The first follows the serviced-apartment company's aims; the second follows her 'Firstly, Secondly' points. Each answer is one word she says, so pick the noun or verb that fits the note's grammar.
Question 35
Answer: businessWhen she introduces the 'Take Your Home With You' company
What kind of traveller is the serviced-apartment company aimed at?
Those in the business travel industry maintain that these serviced apartments dispense with all the unwanted and expensive hotel services that business travellers don't want
Question says → You hear
cater specifically for ... travellersbusiness travellers don't want, while maximising the facilities they do want
Why: The apartments drop the services business travellers don't want and keep the ones they do. The note copies 'travellers', so the gap is business.
The trap: 'Luxury' describes the apartments, not the travellers. 'Business' is the word to copy.
Question 36
Answer: kitchenWhen she gives an example of the facilities
What stylish facility can guests use?
not only sleeping and living accommodation, but also a sleek modern kitchen that allows guests to cook and entertain if they wish
Question says → You hear
a stylish ... for guests to usea sleek modern kitchen that allows guests to cook
Why: 'Sleek modern' becomes 'stylish', and the facility is a kitchen.
The trap: 'Living accommodation' is said first, but 'not only ... but also' points to the second item. And accommodation isn't described as stylish.
Question 37
Answer: worldWhen she says the attractions of these facilities are obvious
Where does the company want to set a lasting trend?
it'll be interesting to see whether the company manages to establish a trend all over the world and make a lasting impact
Question says → You hear
set a trend throughout theestablish a trend all over the world
which becomes permanentmake a lasting impact
Why: 'All over the world' becomes 'throughout the world', and 'lasting impact' becomes 'permanent'. The gap is world.
The trap: 'Market' follows ('the luxury accommodation market'), and 'throughout the market' sounds possible. But the trend is set 'all over the world'.
Question 38
Answer: escapeThe first of her points about the psychology of holiday hotels, 'Firstly'
What chance do holiday hotels offer about everyday routine?
Firstly, hotels exploit people's need to escape the predictability of their everyday lives.
Question says → You hear
offering the chance to ... their ordinary routine lifepeople's need to escape the predictability of their everyday lives
Why: The gap follows 'to', so it needs a verb: escape. 'Predictability of their everyday lives' becomes 'ordinary routine life'.
The trap: 'Exploit' is a verb too, but it's what hotels do to people, not the chance they offer. 'Indulge' follows, but it isn't about routine.
Question 39
Answer: babyHer second point, 'Secondly'
What are guests cared for like?
there is something very powerful in our need to be pampered and looked after, it's almost as if we return to being a baby
Question says → You hear
cared for in all respects - like apampered and looked after … as if we return to being a baby
Why: 'Pampered and looked after' is being cared for, and 'as if ... a baby' gives the comparison: like a baby.
The trap: 'Safe and secure' follows, but they're feelings, not something you're cared for like.
Question 40
Answer: chocolateHer last point, 'And not far removed from this'
Also accepted: chocolates
Besides cosmetics, what small treat might be left in rooms?
given little treats - like the miniscule bottles of shampoo and tiny bars of soap, the chocolate on your pillow at night
Question says → You hear
small treats in their rooms - e.g. cosmetics orlittle treats - like … the chocolate on your pillow
Why: Shampoo and soap are the cosmetics, which are printed. The other treat is the chocolate on your pillow (chocolates is also accepted).
The trap: 'Shampoo' and 'soap' come first, but they're the cosmetics already in the note. 'Pillow' is where the chocolate is, not the treat.
The questions she asks ('Is it possible that the external environment can affect...?') make it sound important. The answer comes later: it 'simply didn't matter'.
'All over the world' gives world, and 'make a lasting impact' gives 'which becomes permanent'. 'Market' comes in the same sentence and tempts people, but it belongs to the lasting impact, not the trend.
Words from this recording worth keeping
disoriented(Opening scenario)
confused about where you are
dispiriting(Opening scenario)
making you feel low and unhappy
opulent(The research)
very rich and luxurious
underestimated(The research)
thought something was less important than it is
revelation(The outside environment)
a surprising discovery
dispense with(Serviced apartments)
get rid of, do without
predictability(Psychology of holiday hotels)
the quality of being always the same
pampered(Psychology of holiday hotels)
looked after with too much care and comfort
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 7 Test 3 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 3, Listening Part 4. 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.
