The National Arts Centre: listening answers and explanations
Dave Green, host of a local radio arts programme, introduces The National Arts Centre. He describes what it is famous for and what it contains, its history and who runs it, then recommends three events for the coming week: an opera, a film and an art exhibition.
The notes (11-16) come in the first half: what it's known for, the facilities, the history in date order, who manages it and how many days it opens. Then 'to give you some idea of what's on' leads into the table (17-20), event by event from Monday to the weekend.
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 11-16 · Note completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Note completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 11-16
How to attack this block: The notes follow the talk closely. Several dates and numbers come close together in the history, so match each to its line (1940, the 60s, the 70s, 1983). The last two gaps are a name and a number that are easy to mishear.
Question 11
Answer: classical musicRight after 'today the focus is on The National Arts Centre'
Also accepted: classical music concerts / concerts
What is the centre best known for?
It's famous throughout the world as one of the major venues for classical music.
Question says → You hear
Well known forIt's famous throughout the world
Why: 'Famous throughout the world' matches 'well known for', and what it is famous for is classical music. Two words, within the limit.
The trap: Dave then says it is 'much more than just a place to hear concerts', and lists other arts. Those are extras, not what it's known for.
Question 12
Answer: bookshopAt the end of the list of what the building houses
Also accepted: bookstore
What shop does the complex include?
as well as service facilities including three restaurants and a bookshop
Why: The list ends with restaurants and a bookshop. The notes already have restaurants, so the gap after 'a' is bookshop.
The trap: The public library comes just before and is also about books, but it's printed in the notes already.
Question 13
Answer: plannedWhen Dave explains how such a big complex came to be built
What happened to the Centre in the 1960s?
it was planned in the 60s, built in the 70s and eventually opened to the public in 1983
Question says → You hear
1960s-1970s - Centre was ... and builtplanned in the 60s, built in the 70s
Why: The 60s go with planned and the 70s with built. The note has 'built' already, so the gap is planned.
The trap: 'Destroyed' and 'bombs' belong to 1940, which the note covers in the line above.
Question 14
Answer: 1983Straight after 'planned in the 60s, built in the 70s'
Also accepted: the 1980s / 1980s
When did the Centre open to the public?
eventually opened to the public in 1983
Question says → You hear
opened to publicopened to the public in 1983
Why: It opened to the public in 1983. Write the year in digits.
The trap: 1940 is the other year in the history, and it's when the area was bombed.
Question 15
Answer: City CouncilWhen Dave says the Centre has been a great success
Who runs the Centre?
It is not privately owned, like many arts centres, but is still in public hands - it's run by the City Council.
Question says → You hear
Managed byit's run by the City Council
Why: 'Run by' is 'managed by', and the body is the City Council. Two words, with capitals.
The trap: The National Symphony Orchestra and the National Theatre Company come next, but they helped plan the project and perform there. They don't manage it.
Question 16
Answer: 363When Dave mentions the orchestra and theatre company performing every week
How many days a year is the Centre open?
as the Centre is open 363 days of the year, there are plenty of performances to choose from
Why: It's open 363 days of the year. Write the digits.
The trap: 365 is the number people expect to hear. The number is two days short, so listen to the end of it.
Table completion (NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 17-20
How to attack this block: Each row starts with a day and time, which act as your signposts. Titles and venue names need capitals and exact wording. For the film price, two prices are given and only one is what you pay.
Question 17
Answer: Garden HallThe first recommendation, for Monday or Tuesday at 7.30
Also accepted: the Garden Hall
Where is The Magic Flute being performed?
probably the most popular of all Mozart's operas. It's in the Garden Hall and tickets start at only £8.00
Question says → You hear
VenueIt's in the Garden Hall
Why: The opera is in the Garden Hall. Write Garden Hall with capitals.
The trap: £8.00 comes right after, but it's printed in the table already. Don't write a cinema or gallery name from the later rows.
Question 18
Answer: Three LivesWhen Dave moves on to the cinema, Wednesday at 8pm
What is the Canadian film called?
the new Canadian film which is showing on Wednesday evening at 8pm in Cinema 2. And that's called 'Three Lives.'
Question says → You hear
Canadian filmthe new Canadian film
Why: The film is called 'Three Lives'. Two words, with capitals.
The trap: Cinema 2 is in the same sentence but is printed as the venue. The title comes after 'that's called'.
Question 19
Answer: 4.50Straight after the film's title and its reviews
How much is a ticket for the film?
tickets cost just £4.50, which is a reduction on the usual price of £5.50
Question says → You hear
Ticket pricetickets cost just £4.50
Why: The ticket costs £4.50 this week. The £ is printed, so write 4.50.
The trap: £5.50 is the usual price, said afterwards. The table wants what you pay for this showing.
Question 20
Answer: Faces of ChinaThe weekend recommendation, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 10 pm
What is the art exhibition called?
It's a collection of Chinese Art called 'Faces of China'
Question says → You hear
art exhibitiona collection of Chinese Art
Why: The exhibition is called 'Faces of China'. Three words, the limit for this table.
The trap: 'Chinese Art' is the type of exhibition, not its name. The name comes after 'called'.
Two prices: £4.50 now and the usual £5.50. Tickets 'cost just £4.50', so that's the answer.
Words from this recording worth keeping
spotlight(Introduction)
special attention given to something
venues(What the Centre is known for)
places where events take place
caters for(Facilities)
provides what a group of people needs
complex(Facilities)
a group of buildings used for a shared purpose
in public hands(Management)
owned by the state or local government
star attractions(What's on)
the most popular or important events
reviews(The film)
critics' published opinions of a film or show
reduction(The film)
an amount by which a price is lowered
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 8 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 8, Test 3, 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.
