Advice on exam preparation: listening answers and explanations
Two students, Dan and Jeannie, catch up on college life. Dan explains how he finally got the money for his course, Jeannie talks about the clubs she's in and which she'll drop, they compare seminars and tutorials, and Jeannie gives Dan step-by-step advice on revising for exams.
The questions follow the chat in order: Dan's funding (21-22), Jeannie's clubs (23-24), seminars and tutorials (25-26), then Jeannie's revision advice, which matches the flow-chart step by step (27-30). Watch who is speaking: 21-22 and 25 are about Dan, 23-24 and 26 about Jeannie.
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: Dan names five possible sources of money, and three of them fall through: the council said no, the government said he wasn't eligible, and he never applied for college grants. Keep the two that actually came through.
Question 21-22
Answer: B and E (in either order)At the start, after Jeannie asks if he has got the money yet
Which two sources are paying for Dan's course?
I asked the boss of the company I used to work for if they would sponsor me, and much to my surprise, he said they'd … contribution. … end they took pity on me
Why: His old company's boss agreed to make a contribution, which is partial funding from a former employer (E). His parents wanted him to support himself, but in the end they took pity on him, so his family is helping (B).
The trap: The council took six months 'to turn me down', so D is wrong. He wasn't eligible for government money (A), and he didn't apply for the small college grants (C).
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 23-24
How to attack this block: Jeannie talks about five activities but only gives up two of them: singing and debating. Match her reason for leaving each to an option. The problems she has with the clubs she's keeping are distractors.
Question 23-24
Answer: A and C (in either order)When Dan asks if she's doing anything besides drama
What two reasons does Jeannie give for leaving clubs?
I don't think the conductor stretches us enough … And I also joined the debating society. It's fun, but with all the rehearsing I'm doing, something has to go
Why: She'll leave the singing group because the conductor doesn't stretch them: she isn't challenged (A). She'll leave debating because all the drama rehearsing means 'something has to go': she doesn't have enough time (C).
The trap: Drama makes her fall behind with work (B), but she's staying in it. Tennis is physically tough (D) and she isn't good at hockey (E), but she's keeping both.
Multiple choice
Questions 25-26
How to attack this block: Q25 is Dan's view of seminars and Q26 is Jeannie's view of tutorials. Each speaker also comments on the other topic, so make sure you take the right person's opinion.
Question 25
Answer: BWhen Jeannie says she wishes they had more seminars
How does Dan feel about the seminars?
All those people saying clever things that I could never think of - it's quite interesting, but I wonder if I'm clever enough to be doing this course.
Question says → You hear
feel inferior to the other studentsI wonder if I'm clever enough
Why: Dan compares himself with the clever students and doubts he's clever enough. That's feeling inferior, option B.
The trap: The other students talk a lot, but he never says they stop him speaking (A). Preparation time (C) isn't mentioned.
Question 26
Answer: CWhen Dan says he's not on the same wavelength as his tutor
What does Jeannie say about her tutorials?
Oh, mine's very demanding. She gives me lots of feedback and advice, so I've got much better at writing essays. And she's helping me plan my revision
Question says → You hear
develop her study skillsI've got much better at writing essays
Why: Her essay writing has improved and her tutor is helping her plan revision. Those are study skills, option C.
The trap: 'Very demanding' sounds like B, but she doesn't say tutorials are harder than she expected. A is Dan's view of his own tutorials, not hers.
Flow-chart completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 27-30
How to attack this block: Jeannie's advice follows the flow-chart exactly, with clear signposts ('Then', 'But that isn't enough', 'Maybe you need to', 'And as I revise'). The words you need are said almost as printed.
Question 27
Answer: prioritiesAfter the step about getting past papers
What should you work out for revision and write on a card?
Then you can sort out your revision priorities, based on what's most likely to come up. I put these on a card
Question says → You hear
Work out your ... for revisionsort out your revision priorities
Why: 'Sort out your revision priorities' becomes 'work out your priorities for revision', and she writes them on a card. Plural: priorities.
The trap: 'Revision' is already in the chart. Don't write 'revision priorities' and repeat it.
Question 28
Answer: timetableWhen Jeannie says 'But that isn't enough in itself'
What should you make and keep where you can see it?
You also need a timetable, to see how you can fit everything in, in the time available. Then keep it in front of you while you're studying.
Question says → You hear
keep it in viewkeep it in front of you
Why: She advises a timetable and keeping it in front of you, which the chart puts as 'in view'.
The trap: The card from the step before is also something you read regularly, but it holds the priorities. The thing you keep in view is the timetable.
Question 29
Answer: tasksWhen Dan says a timetable hasn't helped him before
Also accepted: small tasks
What should revision be broken into for each day?
if you break … down your revision into small tasks, and allocate them to
Question says → You hear
Divide revision intobreak … down your revision into small tasks
Why: Breaking revision down into small tasks matches 'divide revision into'. Tasks or small tasks are both accepted.
The trap: 'Big topics' come straight after, but as what makes you put off starting. Topics is the wrong answer here.
Question 30
Answer: paragraphWhen Jeannie says 'And as I revise each topic'
Also accepted: single paragraph
What should you write about each topic?
And as I revise each topic I write a single paragraph about it
Question says → You hear
Write one ... about each topicI write a single paragraph about it
Why: 'A single paragraph' matches 'one paragraph'. Paragraph or single paragraph is accepted.
The trap: Exam answers come next, but they are the final step, already printed. Each topic gets one paragraph.
Dan doesn't say other students stop him speaking. He says they say clever things he 'could never think of' and wonders if he's 'clever enough': he feels inferior.
Words from this recording worth keeping
grant(Funding the course)
money given for a purpose, such as study, that you don't pay back
eligible(Funding the course)
allowed to have something because you meet the conditions
sponsor(Funding the course)
pay for someone's training or activity
took pity on(Funding the course)
felt sorry for someone and helped them
stretches(College clubs)
makes someone use all their skill
stamina(College clubs)
the energy to keep doing something for a long time
on the same wavelength(Tutorials)
thinking in a similar way to someone
allocate(Revision advice)
give something a particular use or time
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 8 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 8, 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.
