A speaker from PS Camping gives an evening talk about the company. She covers its history, where its campsites are, the children's activities and site rules, insurance and recommendations, and then what you'll find in and around the tents.
Questions 11-16 run in order through the first half of the talk: history, countries, children's activities, the noise rule, insurance, then recommending friends. Questions 17-20 come in the last section, when she moves on to the tents, and the four items appear in the same order as the 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.
How to attack this block: Almost every option is said out loud, usually as a number or a place in a list. Before the recording starts, mark what each question really asks (organising holidays, most sites, every day, after which time), because the speaker gives the other options as close neighbours.
Question 11
Answer: BThe background section, right at the start
How long has PS Camping been running holidays?
The company started twenty-five years ago. It actually opened as a retail chain selling camping equipment, and then twenty years ago, it bought a small number of campsites
Question says → You hear
organising holidays fortwenty years ago, it bought a small number of campsites
Why: Twenty years ago the company bought campsites and began offering camping holidays. Before that it was only a shop chain, so holidays have run for 20 years.
The trap: 25 years is said first, but it's when the shop chain opened. Fifteen years comes next, but that's only holidays in continental Europe.
Question 12
Answer: ARight after the figure for Italy
In which country does the company have most of its sites?
In Italy we now have some 64 sites that we either own, or have exclusive use of. France is where … we have the majority of sites
Question says → You hear
most camping siteswe have the majority of sites
Why: 'The majority of sites' is the paraphrase for 'most camping sites', and she says it about France.
The trap: Italy comes first with an actual number, 64, which makes it feel like the answer. Switzerland is only a plan to expand into.
Question 13
Answer: BWhen she describes how each day is organised for children
Which children's activity happens every day?
Each day kicks off with a sports match, perhaps football, or volleyball, followed by an hour of drama for … everyone.
Question says → You hear
every day of the weekEach day kicks off with a sports match … followed by an hour of drama
Why: Every day has a sports match and then an hour of drama, so drama happens daily.
The trap: Football is only one possible sport ('perhaps football, or volleyball'), so it isn't guaranteed every day. Model making is one of the afternoon art activities, which change each day.
Question 14
Answer: CWhen she says the sites are child-friendly
From what time does the no-noise rule apply?
Children's evening activities usually finish at 9.30, or occasionally 10, and from 10.30 holiday-makers are expected to be quiet
Question says → You hear
'no noise' rule afterfrom 10.30 holiday-makers are expected to be quiet
Why: 'Expected to be quiet' is the no-noise rule, and it starts at 10.30.
The trap: 9.30 and 10 are both said first, but they're when children's activities finish, not when everyone must be quiet.
Question 15
Answer: CWhen she says she wants all customers to be insured
What is true of the insurance PS Camping offers?
you'll need to take out the low-cost cover we offer … require that you arrange this when you make your holiday reservation.
Question says → You hear
taken out at the time of bookingarrange this when you make your holiday reservation
Why: If you don't already have insurance, you must arrange theirs 'when you make your holiday reservation'. Reservation means booking.
The trap: 'Annual' is said, but about a policy of your own, not their cover. Nothing says it's included in the price: it's described as 'low-cost', so you pay extra.
Question 16
Answer: AWhen she talks about the advantages of recommending the company
What do you get for recommending PS Camping to friends?
your friends can benefit from ten per cent off their holiday, or book a luxury tent for the price of a standard one. In return, we'll send you a thank-you present
Question says → You hear
will receivewe'll send you a thank-you present
Why: 'A thank-you present' you choose from a list is the free gift. 'Send you' tells you it's for the person who recommends.
The trap: The ten per cent discount and the luxury tent are both offers for your friends, not for you.
Matching (A-C)
Questions 17-20
How to attack this block: Only three labels: in every tent, in the central areas, or on request. Listen for the phrase attached to each item: 'if you ask', 'ask for' and 'can be hired' mean on request; 'all tents have' or 'inside' means provided; 'central areas' is the giveaway for B.
Question 17
Answer: CWhen she moves on to cooking outside the tent
What does she say about barbecues?
If you don't want to cook indoors, you can borrow a barbecue if you ask in advance for one to be made available
Question says → You hear
available on requestif you ask in advance
Why: You only get a barbecue 'if you ask in advance', which means it's available on request.
The trap: It's listed among the tent equipment, so A is tempting. But the oven and cooking rings are the standard kit; the barbecue needs asking for.
Question 18
Answer: ARight after the picnic blanket
What does she say about toys?
Inside, a box of games and toys can be found, and children's tents can be hired if … required.
Question says → You hear
provided in all tentsInside, a box of games and toys can be found
Why: The box of games and toys is 'inside' the tent as standard, so it's provided in all tents.
The trap: 'Can be hired if required' comes straight after, but that's the children's tents, not the toys.
Question 19
Answer: CAfter she says all tents have a fridge
What does she say about cool boxes?
All tents have a fridge, and if you want to spend the day on the beach, for example, ask for a specially designed PS Camping cool box
Question says → You hear
available on requestask for a specially designed PS Camping cool box
Why: You have to 'ask for' a cool box, so it's on request.
The trap: 'All tents have a fridge' is said in the same breath, and that's the A phrase. It's the fridge that's in every tent, not the cool box.
Question 20
Answer: BWhen she talks about washing facilities
What does she say about mops and buckets?
with washing machines and clothes lines in the central areas, along with mops and buckets in case your tent needs … cleaning
Question says → You hear
found in central areas of the campsitein the central areas, along with mops and buckets
Why: 'Along with' attaches the mops and buckets to the washing machines and clothes lines 'in the central areas'.
The trap: 'In case your tent needs cleaning' makes people think of the tent and choose A. The mops are kept centrally, not in each tent.
The discount and the luxury tent upgrade are for your friends. What you get is a thank-you present, so the answer is the free gift.
Words from this recording worth keeping
retail chain(Company history)
a group of shops owned by one company
exclusive use(Where the sites are)
the right to be the only company using something
upgraded(Where the sites are)
improved to a higher standard
kicks off(Children's activities)
starts
take out cover(Insurance)
buy insurance
benefit from(Recommending friends)
get an advantage from
made available(Tent equipment)
provided for you to use
chilled(Tent equipment)
kept cold
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 7 Test 1 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 1, 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.
