Cambridge IELTS 8 Listening Test 4 Answers

SECTION 1

1. Answer: waiter(s)

2. Answer: day off

3. Answer: break

4. Answer: (free) meal

5. Answer: dark (coloured/colored)

6. Answer: jacket

7. Answer: 28 June

8. Answer: urwin

9. Answer: 12.00(pm)/noon/mid-day

10. Answer: reference

SECTION 2

11. Answer: A. pedestrian safety.

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  Yes, we’ve tried to address some of the concerns that local groups told us about. People we’ve heard from are mainly worried about traffic in the area, and, in particular, the increasing speed of cars near schools. They feel that it is only a matter of time before there is an accident as a lot of the children walk to the school. So we’re trying to do something about that.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (A):
  • community groups = local groups
  • concerned about = worried about
• Explanation:the speaker says that local groups are mainly worried about traffic, but not traffic jams as stated in B.
• C is also wrong, because the speaker does not mention pollution here.
• They are actually concerned about the high chance of an accident happening to children who walk (in other words, “pedestrians”) to school, because cars are travelling very fast. Therefore, the answer is A.

12. Answer: B. buried.

• Here’s what the speakers says:
  • GRAHAM:  Another area of concern is the overhead power lines. These are very old and a lot of people we spoke to asked if something could be done about them. Well, I’m happy to report that the power company have agreed tomove the power lines underground at a cost of $800,000.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
  • buried = underground
• Explanation: The speaker clearly says that the power lines will be moved underground, which means they will be buried. The correct answer is B.

13. Answer: B. the power company.

• Here’s what the speakers say:
  • CAROL:  That’s good to know, but will that mean an increase in rates for the local businesses in that area?
  • GRAHAM:  Well, the power company have agreed to bear the cost of this themselves after a lot of discussion with the council. This is wonderful news as the council now has some extra funds for us to put into other things like tree planting and art work.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
  • expenses = cost
• Explanation: One speaker (Carol) thinks that the cost might lead to “an increase in rates for the local businesses”, which means businesses will have to pay the costs of moving the power lines underground (because they will have to pay for higher rates). However, Graham – the other speaker – says that, the power company will “bear the cost themselves” so the answer is actually B. The power company have agreed to pay after discussion with the council, leaving the council free to spend its money on other things.
• Therefore, neither local businesses nor the council will pay for this work – the power company will “bear the cost” = pay for it.
• The answer is B.

14. Answer: C

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  And on the map we’ve marked the proposed changes.  Firstly, we’ll plant mature pine trees to provide shelter and shade just to the right of the supermarket in Days Road.
• Explanation:  The large building shown in the map on Days Road must be the supermarket.  Just to the right of that building, the letter ‘C’ is marked.  Therefore, the tree planting site must be C.

15. Answer: D

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  In order to address the traffic problems, the pavements on the corner of Carberry and Thomas Street will be widened.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (D):
  • footpath = pavement
• Explanation:  if we find on the map the corner of Carberry Street and Thomas Street (the junction of the two streets), we find the letter ‘D’ marked.  The answer is D.

16. Answer: G

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  We think it’s very important to separate the local residential streets from the main road.  So the roadway at the entry to Thomas Street from Days Road will be painted red.  This should mark it more clearly and act as a signal for traffic to slow down.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (G):
  • road = roadway
• Explanation:  if we locate the entrance to Thomas Street from Days Road, the letter ‘G’ is marked at the junction.  This is the part of the road that will be ‘coloured’/painted red.
• The answer is G.

17. Answer: B

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  One way of making sure that the pedestrians are safe is to increase signage at the intersections.  A ‘keep clear’ sign will be erected at the junction of Evelyn Street and Hill Street, to enable traffic to exit at all times.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
  • sign = signage
• Explanation:  find the intersection (= junction) of Evelyn Street and Hill Street.  The letter ‘B’ is marked here on the map.
• The answer is B.

18. Answer: F

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  Something we’re planning to do to help control the flow of traffic in the area is to install traffic lights half way down Hill Street where it crosses Days Road.
• Explanation:  on the map, find Hill Street.  It is a long street, but you can see where Days Road crosses Hill Street.  This is where traffic lights will be placed, marked as letter ‘F’ on the map.
• The answer is F.

19. Answer: A

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  We’re going to get school children in the area to research a local story, the life of a local sports hero perhaps, and an artist will incorporate that story into paintings on the wall of a building on the other side of Hill Street from the supermarket.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (A):
  • artwork = paintings
• Explanation:  the speaker explains that an artist will do paintings on the wall of a building.  He mentions ‘the other side of Hill Street from the supermarket’.  On the map, this is marked with the letter ‘A’.
• The answer is A.

20. Answer: E

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • GRAHAM:  And finally, we’ve agreed to build a new children’s playground which will be at the other end of Hill Street close to the intersection with Carberry Street.
• Explanation:  at the other end of Hill Street from the artwork/wall painting, we find the junction/intersection with Carberry Street.  Here we find the letter ‘E’ marked – the site of the new children’s playground.
• The answer is E.

SECTION 3

21-22 Answer: B. His family are willing to help him., E. A former employer is providing partial funding.

• Here’s what the speakers say:
  • DAN:  It was practically a year ago that I applied to my local council for a grant, and it took them six months to turn me down.
  • JEANNIE:  That’s really slow.
  • DAN:  And I thought I was eligible for government funding, but it seems I was mistaken. So then 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 make acontribution.’
  • JEANNIE:  But what about college grants and scholarships? There must be some you could apply for.
  • DAN:  Yes, there are, but they’re all so small that I decided to leave them until I was desperate.
  • JEANNIE:  Uhuh.
  • DAN:  And in fact I didn’t need to apply. My parents had been saying that as I already had a job, I ought to support myself through college. But in the end they took pity on me, so now I’ve just about got enough.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answers (B&E):
  • employer = boss
  • former = used to
  • family = parents
• Explanation: Dan says that he got turned down by the local council, meaning that they refused to give him support. Thus, D is wrong.
• Also, he thought he had been eligible for government funding, but it didn’t turn out that way – he was mistaken. From this we can infer that Dan wasn’t eligible, so of course the government didn’t give him any money. So A is wrong as well.
• Regarding college grants, Dan didn’t apply because he thought they were too small, (although he may apply later). Hence C is not the answer.
• In fact, he got money from his former boss (the same as “employer”) who said he would “make a contribution”, indicating he would support Dan with partial, not all, the funding.  So E is correct.
• Another source where Dan got money from is his parents. (They said Dan should support himself but then “took pity” on him, which means that they changed their mind and gave him some money because they felt sorry for him).  Therefore another answer is B.
• In conclusion, B and E are correct.

23-24 Answer: A. She is not sufficiently challenged., C. She does not have enough time.

• Here’s what the speakers say:
  • JEANNIE:  Yes, I’m in the drama club. It’s our first performance next week, so we’re rehearsing frantically, and I’ve got behind with my work, but it’s worth it. I’m hoping to be in the spring production, too.
  • DAN:  I’ve never liked acting. Are you doing anything else?
  • JEANNIE:  I enjoyed singing when I was at school, so I joined a group when I came to college. I don’t think the conductor stretches us enough, though so I’ll give up after the next concert. And I also joined the debating society. It’s fun, but with all the rehearsing I’m doing, something has to go, and I’m afraid that’s the one.
  • DAN:  Do you do any sports?
  • JEANNIE:  Yes, I’m in one of the hockey teams. I’m not very good, but I’d really miss it if I stopped. I decided to try tennis when I came to college, and I’m finding it pretty tough going. I’m simply not fit enough.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answers (A&C):
  • leave = give up
• Explanation: Jeannie says she is behind her work due to the drama club’s frantic rehearsal schedule, so we know that this club activity “interferes with her studies”. However, she doesn’t want to quit the drama club (in fact, she even wants to be in another production later on) so B cannot be the reason.
• Likewise, with the hockey team, Jeannie thinks she is not good, but she would miss it if she stopped, from which we can tell that she isn’t going to quit this activity. Thus, E is a wrong answer.
• And she says that she is not fit enough for tennis, in other words, tennis is “too demanding physically”, but it is not mentioned that she joined a tennis club, we only know that she plays tennis and she does not talk about quitting, so D is not the answer either.
• However, we know that Jeannie will leave the singing group and the debating society. In the singing group, the conductor does not stretch her enough (meaning “she is not sufficiently challenged”).  Although the debating society is fun, she has so much rehearsing to do for the drama club, there is not enough time left to take part in everything. She has decided that the debating society activity ‘has to go’, which means that she will quit.Therefore, A and C are the correct answers.

25. Answer: C. The preparation for seminars takes too much time.

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • DAN:  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.
• Explanation: Dan feels that he may be not clever enough compared to other students, because they say clever things he could never think of. This means that he feels “inferior” (meaning “lower in rank, status or quality”).
• Hence, B is correct.

26. Answer: C

• Here’s what the speakers say:
  • DAN: How do you get on with your tutor? I don’t think I’m on the same wavelength as mine, so I feel I’m not getting anything out of the tutorials. It would be more productive to read a book instead.
  • JEANNIE: 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 for the end-of-year exams.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (C):
  • challenging = demanding
  • develop = got better
• Explanation: The one who feels that tutorials aren’t very helpful or efficient is Dan (“I feel I’m not getting anything out of the tutorials”) NOT Jeannie, so A is clearly incorrect.
• Jeannie does say that her tutor is very demanding, which can mean that her tutor is “challenging”, but  we don’t know if her tutor is more demanding than she expected.  She does not say.  Hence, we cannot say that the tutor is more challenging than Jeannie expected; B is also incorrect.
• In fact, the tutor has helped her to get better with her writing skills and to plan her revision before the exam. This indicates that Jeannie has developed her study skills thanks to the tutorials.
• The answer is C.

27. Answer: priorities

• Here’s what the speakers say:
  • DAN:  Mm.  Would it help to get hold of some past papers?
  • JEANNIE:  Yes.  They’ll help make it clear.
  • DAN:  Right, I’ll do that.  Then what?
  • JEANNIE:  Then you can sort of your revision priorities, based on what’s likely to come up.  I put these on a card and read them through regularly.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (priorities):
  • work out = sort out
• Explanation:  Jeannie says that after Dan has found (‘got hold of’) some past exam papers, he should decide on (‘sort out’) his priorities for revision, and write these on a card.
• The answer is priorities.

28. Answer: timetable

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • JEANNIE:  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.
• Explanation:  next, Jeannie says that a timetable is necessary, which you should keep in front of you (‘keep in view’) when you are studying.
• The answer is timetable.

29. Answer: small tasks

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • JEANNIE:  Maybe you need to do something different every day, so if you break down your revision into small tasks, and allocate them to specific days, there’s more incentive to tackle them.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (small tasks):
  • divide = break down
• Explanation:  Jeannie explains the idea that if you divide revision into small tasks, it becomes easier and you are more motivated to tackle them.
• The answer is (small) tasks.

30. Answer: (single) paraghraph

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • JEANNIE:  And as I revise each topic I write a single paragraph about it – then later I can read it through quickly.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (paragraph):
  • one = a single
• Explanation:  Jeannie now mentions writing something – a single paragraph about each topic.
• The answer is (single) paragraph.

SECTION 4

31. Answer: C

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • However, they didn’t go as far as the Modern style, which is known as ‘x-ray’ because it actually makes a feature of the internal skeleton as well as the organs of animals and humans.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (C):
  • bones = skeleton
• Explanation: It is said that the Modern style features the “internal skeleton” (in other words, “bones”) of figures of animals, so C is the correct answer.

32. Answer: B

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • The Yam style of painting got its name from the fact that it featured much curvier figures that actually resemble the vegetable called a yam, which is similar to a sweet potato.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
  • rounded = curvier
• Explanation: The figures in Yam style are curvy (in other words, “rounded”) so B is clearly the answer.

33. Answer: C

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • The Modern paintings are interesting because they include paintings at the time of the first contact with European settlers. Aborigines managed to convey the idea of the settlers’ clothing by simply painting the Europeans without any hands, indicating the habit of standing with their hands in their pockets!
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (C):
  • missing = without
• Explanation: It is stated that the Modern paintings show figures “without any hands”, so this can be considered as “parts missing” (the parts refer to the Europeans’ hands). The answer is C.

34. Answer: A

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • The more recent images tend to be life size or even larger, but the Dynamic figures are painted in miniature.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (A):
  • smaller = miniature
• Explanation: The speaker clearly says that Dynamic figures are “miniature” (meaning “of a much smaller size than normal”) as opposed to recent images that are usually life size. From this we can understand that Dynamic figures are much smaller than the life size. The answer is A.

35. Answer: B

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • In fact, fish didn’t start to appear in paintings until the Yam period along with shells and other marine images.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
  • sea = marine
• Explanation: “sea creatures”, or “marine creatures”, refer to things like fish and shells, etc. which appear in the Yam period. Therefore the answer must be B.

36. Answer: B

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • In fact, fish didn’t start to appear in paintings until the Yam period along with shells and other marine images.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
  • sea = marine
• Explanation: “sea creatures”, or “marine creatures”, refer to things like fish and shells, etc. which appear in the Yam period. Therefore the answer must be B.

37. Answer: animal

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • The Rainbow Serpent, which is the focus of my most recent project, gets its name from its snake or serpent-like body and it first appeared in the Yam period 4 to 6,000 years ago.  Many believe it is a curious mixture of kangaroo, snake and crocodile.  But we decided to study the Rainbow Serpent paintings to see if we could locate the animal that the very first painters based their image on.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (animal/creature):
  • identify = locate
• Explanation:the speaker talks about the most recent project – the study of the Rainbow Serpent paintings.  Some people think that they are a mixture of kangaroo, snake and crocodile.  The aim of the project is to identify exactly which animal the paintings represent (‘based their image on’).
• The answer is animal.

38. Answer: sea level(s)/water level(s).

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • The Yam period coincided with the end of the last ice age.  This brought about tremendous change in the environment, with the sea levels rising and creeping steadily inland.
• Explanation:In this period, the big environmental change was higher sea levels (= ‘sea levels rising’) and the sea moving inland.  The answer is sea level(s)/water level(s).

39. Answer: hunting

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • This flooded many familiar land features and also caused a great deal of disruption to traditional patterns of life, hunting in particular.
• Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (hunting):
  • activities = patterns of life
• Explanation:the floods caused by rising sea levels affected (= ‘caused a great deal of disruption to’) the traditional way of life of the aborigines.  In particular, it became more difficult to hunt animals in the traditional way.
• The answer is hunting.

40. Answer: creation

• Here’s what the speaker says:
  • Even today, Aborigines see the Rainbow Serpent as a symbol of creation…
• Explanation:because a lot of vegetation (plants) and animals appeared at this time, including sea creatures of course, in the flooded areas, aboriginal culture saw the Rainbow Serpent as a symbol of the creation of all this new life.  The answer is creation.