Greek Island Holidays: listening answers and explanations
Ms Nash phones the travel company Greek Island Holidays about apartments in Arilas, on Corfu, that a friend recommended. The man compares four places and their prices, then explains how the company's travel insurance compares with a policy she already has.
Two tables, both in order. Questions 1-5 go apartment by apartment (Blue Bay, Sunshade, the Grand). Questions 6-10 start when Ms Nash says 'could I just check a couple of points about insurance', and the man gives the company's figures; the last answer is his surname.
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 1-5 · Table completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
How to attack this block: Each row is one apartment, and they come in the order of the table. Prices and distances are often corrected or compared, so wait for the final figure. Use the printed facts in each row (salt-water pool, terrace, Greek paintings) to know which apartment you're on.
Question 1
Answer: 300After the salt-water swimming pool at Blue Bay
How far is Blue Bay from the beach?
And it isn't far from the beach, either - only 300 metres, and only around half a kilometre to some shops
Question says → You hear
just ... metres from beachisn't far from the beach, either - only 300 metres
Why: The beach is only 300 metres away. 'Metres' is printed, so write 300.
The trap: Half a kilometre is the distance to the shops, and the table says only 'near shops'. Don't convert it to 500 and put it in the beach gap.
Question 2
Answer: SunshadeWhen Ms Nash can't read her own writing
What is the name of the third apartments?
Something to do with sun ... Sunshine, is it? … I think you meant the Sunshade Apartments.
Question says → You hear
... Apartmentsthe Sunshade Apartments
Why: She guesses wrongly and the man corrects her. The name is Sunshade, with a capital S.
The trap: Sunshine is her guess, and it's the first name you hear. The corrected name is the answer.
Question 3
Answer: balconyWhen the man says the Grand is 'quite reasonable'
What does the Grand have besides Greek paintings?
It's an older style house with Greek paintings in every room, and a balcony outside.
Question says → You hear
Greek paintings,Greek paintings in every room, and a balcony outside
Why: Greek paintings are printed, and the next facility is a balcony. One word, singular.
The trap: The sun terrace belongs to Sunshade, the apartment before, and is already printed in its row.
Question 4
Answer: forestWhen Ms Nash asks what the views are like
Also accepted: forests
What is the Grand surrounded by?
What are the views like? … Well, there are forests all round and they hide a supermarket just down the road
Question says → You hear
overlookingWhat are the views like? … there are forests all round
Why: The view is of forests all round, which fits 'overlooking ...'. Forest or forests are both accepted.
The trap: The supermarket and the disco are near, but they're already printed in the row. The forests hide the supermarket.
Question 5
Answer: 319Straight after the disco, when Ms Nash asks the price
How much does the Grand cost?
£319 at that time, but if you leave it till November it goes down by 40%. … Too late, I'm afraid.
Question says → You hear
Cost: ££319 at that time
Why: 'At that time' means the last week of October, when she wants to go. The £ is printed, so write 319.
The trap: The 40% November discount doesn't apply: she says that's too late. Don't work out a lower price.
Table completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 6-10
How to attack this block: Ms Nash reads her own policy and the man answers with his company's. Every row has two versions, hers and his, and the table wants his. Listen for 'we' and 'our' to know you have the company's figure.
Question 6
Answer: 10,000The first insurance point, after Ms Nash gives her own policy's figure
Also accepted: 10000
What is the most you can claim for cancellation?
you can claim £8,000. … We can improve on that, Ms Nash. For Greek Island holidays, our maximum is £10,000.
Question says → You hear
Cancellation: £our maximum is £10,000
Why: The table is about Greek Island Holidays, and 'our maximum' is £10,000. Write 10,000 or 10000.
The trap: £8,000 is her other policy, said first. £1,000 comes right after too, but that's what their holiday costs.
Question 7
Answer: relativeAfter the £600 hospital figure
Who can the insurance pay to travel to the resort?
And we also allow a relative to travel to your holiday resort. … My policy just says their representative will help you.
Question says → You hear
Additional benefit allows a ... to travel to resortwe also allow a relative to travel to your holiday resort
Why: The company allows a relative to travel to the resort. The table copies his sentence almost word for word.
The trap: 'Representative' is Ms Nash's policy, and it sounds similar. Their representative helps you, it doesn't travel to you.
Question 8
Answer: missedWhen the man asks what happens if you don't get on the plane
What kind of departure is covered?
Don't you have missed departure? … We pay up to £1,000 for that, depending on the reason.
Question says → You hear
departure: Up to £1000. Depends on reasonWe pay up to £1,000 for that, depending on the reason
Why: The row is 'missed departure', paid up to £1,000 depending on the reason. The gap is missed, the past participle.
The trap: Spelling and form: 'miss' or 'mist' lose the mark. It must be missed.
Question 9
Answer: itemWhen the man says they're 'particularly generous' about personal belongings
What is the £500 limit for?
up to £3,000, but not more than £500 for a single item.
Question says → You hear
£500 for onenot more than £500 for a single item
Why: 'A single item' becomes 'one ...' in the table, so the gap is item.
The trap: Laptop comes next, but as Ms Nash's joke about what not to take. It's an example of an item, not the rule.
Question 10
Answer: LudlowThe end of the call, when Ms Nash asks his name
What is the Assistant Manager's surname?
Ben - Ludlow. That's L-U-D-L-O-W. I'm the Assistant Manager here.
Question says → You hear
Name of Assistant Manager: BenBen - Ludlow. … I'm the Assistant Manager here
Why: He spells it out, so write exactly Ludlow, with a capital L.
The trap: Spelling only. The phone numbers that follow are already printed.
There are a lot of prices in this call. For the Grand you hear £319, then a 40% reduction in November. She's going in October, so the full £319 stands.
Ms Nash's policy offers help from a 'representative'. The company allows a 'relative' to travel. The two words sound alike, and only relative is the company's benefit.
Words from this recording worth keeping
studio flat(Rose Garden Apartments)
a small flat with one main room
jotting down(Rose Garden Apartments)
writing quickly
energetic(Blue Bay)
having a lot of energy for physical activity
well-equipped(Sunshade Apartments)
having all the facilities you need
within our budget(Sunshade Apartments)
affordable with the money we have
brochure(End of the apartments)
a small magazine with information about a product or service
policy(Insurance)
an insurance contract
cover(Insurance)
protection given by insurance
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Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 3, Listening Part 1. 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.
The rest of Cambridge 9 Test 3 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereGreek Island Holidays
