Health Centres: listening answers and explanations
A man who has just moved to the area with his family asks a woman at an information desk where they can register with a doctor. She describes three health centres, explains which services are free at the one he picks, and lists some talks for patients.
All answers come from the woman, in order. Questions 1-4 go through the three health centres, 5-6 come when he asks whether Shore Lane's services are free, and 7-10 follow the list of patient talks, one talk at a time.
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: Three centres, one row each. Two answers are names she spells out, so be ready to write letter by letter. For the advantages, listen for 'particularly good' or 'very good with'.
Question 1
Answer: babiesThe first centre she mentions, the Harvey Clinic
Who is Dr Green especially good with?
there's Doctor Green at The Harvey Clinic. … recommend her for babies, because she's very good with them
Question says → You hear
especially good withshe's very good with them
Why: 'Them' refers back to babies, so she's especially good with babies. Plural.
The trap: The man's youngest child is five, so this clinic is no use to him. That doesn't change the answer: the table records what the clinic is good at.
Question 2
Answer: EshcolWhen the man asks if there's anywhere else
What is the name of the second practice?
the Eshcol Health Practice is the next one on my list. … E-S-H-C-O-L.
Question says → You hear
The ... Health Practicethe Eshcol Health Practice
Why: He asks how to spell it, and she spells it out. Write Eshcol, with a capital E.
The trap: Spelling only: the 'sh' and 'c' together are easy to get wrong.
Question 3
Answer: eveningAfter 'the facilities are all very modern'
What kind of appointments does Dr Fuller's practice offer?
it's particularly good if you're busy during the day, because they also, do appointments in the evening. They're closed on Saturday, though.
Question says → You hear
offers ... appointmentsdo appointments in the evening
Why: 'Particularly good' marks the advantage: appointments in the evening. The gap is before 'appointments', so write evening.
The trap: Saturday is said next, but it's a disadvantage: they're closed then. 'Modern' is an advantage too, but it describes the facilities, not appointments.
Question 4
Answer: GormleyWhen she says Shore Lane is the only other place on the list
What is the doctor's name at Shore Lane?
You can register with Doctor Gormley, that's G-O-R-M-L-E-Y.
Question says → You hear
Drregister with Doctor Gormley
Why: She spells it out: Gormley, with a capital G.
The trap: Spelling only. 'Gormly' or 'Gourmley' lose the mark.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 5-6
How to attack this block: She runs through Shore Lane's services one by one, saying which are free and which you pay for. Tick or cross each option as you hear it. Watch for services that are only planned, and for words that sound like an option but aren't quite it.
Question 5-6
Answer: B and E (in either order)When the man asks whether all the services will be free
Which two Shore Lane services are free?
If you need to be vaccinated before any trips abroad, you won't have to pay for this. … if you need to prove you're healthy … before a new employer will accept you, you can get a free fitness check-up there
Question says → You hear
vaccinationsIf you need to be vaccinated … you won't have to pay for this
employment medicalsbefore a new employer will accept you, you can get a free fitness check-up
Why: E: vaccinations before trips abroad are free ('you won't have to pay'). B: a free check-up to satisfy a new employer is an employment medical.
The trap: D, travel advice, is the strongest distractor: 'trips abroad' is about the vaccinations, and advice is never offered. A, acupuncture, is only a plan, and part of the pay-to-use service. C, sports injury treatment, is 'on a paying basis'.
Table completion (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 7-10
How to attack this block: Each talk has a date, a time, a place and who it's for. The dates and room numbers are printed, so use them to stay on track. One place changes from what you'd expect: not the Health Centre.
Question 7
Answer: heartThe first talk, on giving up smoking
Besides asthma, which patients is the smoking talk useful for?
the talk will stress the health benefits particularly for people with asthma or heart disease.
Question says → You hear
useful for people with asthma or ... problemsparticularly for people with asthma or heart disease
Why: 'Heart disease' becomes 'heart problems' in the table. 'Problems' is printed, so write heart.
The trap: Don't write 'heart disease': with 'problems' after it, that doubles the noun.
Question 8
Answer: primary schoolWhen the man asks if the talk will be at the Health Centre
Where is the healthy eating talk?
Will that be at the Health Centre? … Erm, actually it's at the primary school on Shore Lane.
Question says → You hear
the ... (Shore Lane)it's at the primary school on Shore Lane
Why: 'Actually' corrects his guess. The talk is at the primary school, and the table prints '(Shore Lane)' after it.
The trap: The Health Centre is the man's guess, and all the other talks are in rooms there. This one isn't.
Question 9
Answer: 4.30The third talk, on the ninth of March
Also accepted: 4:30
What time is the talk on avoiding injuries?
It's on the ninth of March. Oh, it's a late afternoon talk, at four thirty, and it'll be in Room 6.
Question says → You hear
9th March aton the ninth of March … at four thirty
Why: The time is four thirty. Write 4.30 or 4:30, digits are safest.
The trap: 'Late afternoon' describes the time but isn't a time. Room 6 is said straight after and is printed.
Question 10
Answer: agesStraight after Room 6
Who is the injuries talk suitable for?
It also says the talk is suitable for all ages.
Question says → You hear
for allthe talk is suitable for all ages
Why: 'For all' is printed, and she says 'all ages'. Plural.
The trap: 'All welcome' was said about the healthy eating talk, which is the row above.
Nobody says 'employment medical'. She describes it: a check-up to prove you're healthy before a new employer accepts you. And 'travel advice' is a trap built from vaccinations before 'trips abroad'.
The man asks if the healthy eating talk is at the Health Centre, and the answer is no: it's at the primary school on Shore Lane. Two words, and 'Shore Lane' is already printed.
'Late afternoon' comes before the time, and some students write that. The table wants the time: 4.30.
Words from this recording worth keeping
register with(Start of the conversation)
put your name on an official list, here to become a doctor's patient
reputation(Shore Lane)
what people generally think of something
vaccinated(Free services)
given an injection to protect you from a disease
on a paying basis(Free services)
you have to pay for it
nutritional therapy(Free services)
treatment through changes in diet
alternative therapies(Free services)
treatments outside standard medicine, like acupuncture
pilot scheme(Talks for patients)
a small trial to test an idea before it starts fully
asthma(Talks for patients)
an illness that makes breathing difficult
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 9 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 9, Test 4, 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 4 Listening
Part 1 · Questions 1-10 · You're hereHealth Centres
