Cambridge IELTS 13 · Listening · Test 1 · Part 2

Listening Test 1, Part 2: answers explained

Traffic Changes in Granford

The recording and its 10 questions (11–20). Every answer is explained with the words that give it away.

Take the whole test, timed Show the answers

Part 2 recording

Play it once, as in the exam, and answer the questions below as you listen.

Questions 11–20

Multiple choice
11 Why are changes needed to traffic systems in Granford?
12 In a survey, local residents particularly complained about
13 According to the speaker, one problem with the new regulations will be
Plan, map or diagram labelling
14 New traffic lights
15 Pedestrian crossing
16 Parking allowed
17 New ‘No Parking’ sign
18 New disabled parking spaces
19 Widened pavement
20 Lorry loading/unloading restrictions

Answers explained

Answer the questions first: finding the evidence yourself teaches more than reading it. The answers stay folded until you ask.

Question 11

B

What you hear

overall rise in the volume of traffic of all kinds

Why

Phil gives two reasons and only one is the real concern: the overall rise in the volume of traffic of all kinds, which is B. He says there has been no increase in accidents so far, so A is untrue. Heavy lorries at the new hospital site are just one example, which is why C is too narrow.
Question 12

C

What you hear

lack of visibility on some roads due to cars parked

Why

Cars parked along the roadside block drivers’ view, and residents were most worried about that: the visibility problem is the ‘inconvenience from parked cars’ in C. Phil says school congestion wasn’t top of the list and fumes from lorries were raised only by some, so B is not the main complaint. Parents appear only in the school-run congestion, never as dangerous drivers, so A is out.
Question 13

B

What you hear

a way of making sure that everyone obeys them

Why

Phil says new rules are no good unless there is a way of making sure that everyone obeys them, and that is the area still being worked on: B. He has just said the proposals fit the budget, which removes the money worry in A, and the police are helping with enforcement rather than withholding support as C suggests.
Question 14

E

What you hear

another set at the other end, at the School Road junction

Why

Phil says one set of lights already stands at the High Street junction with Station Road, so the new set goes at the other end of the High Street, where School Road meets it. On the map that junction is E. A sits at the Station Road end, which is the existing set you must not choose.
Question 15

D

What you hear

locate it on the High Street, crossing the road in front of the supermarket

Why

Two sites come up, and Phil rejects the first: a crossing on School Road outside the school, which would cause congestion. He settles on the High Street, in front of the supermarket, which on the map is D, between the chemist and the supermarket. G, outside the school, is the abandoned idea.
Question 16

B

What you hear

parking isn’t allowed on the High Street outside the library, but we’re going to change that

Why

Parking is currently banned outside the library, and Phil says that will change. B is the spot beside the library on the High Street. He adds that parking is still not allowed at the other end near School Road, so the letters at the School Road end are the trap, even though that end is mentioned.
Question 17

G

What you hear

just by the entrance to the school

Why

Phil places the new ‘No Parking’ sign on School Road just by the school entrance, which is G, on the road level with the school gate. The bend to the north, F, is the pull of the distractor: he mentions it only as the place where visibility improves, not as the sign’s position.
Question 18

C

What you hear

two new disabled parking spaces on the side road up towards the bank

Why

The old disabled bays outside the supermarket get blocked by lorries, so Phil moves them: two new spaces on the side road up towards the bank. That is C, the road running north from the High Street beside the bank. The supermarket frontage is the arrangement being replaced, not the answer.
Question 19

H

What you hear

the bend just before you get to the school, on the same side of the road

Why

Phil wants an extra half-metre of pavement on the bend just before the school, on the same side of the road. On the map that is H, below the school on the school’s own side of School Road. G is across the road at the entrance, and F lies beyond the school, so neither fits ‘just before’.
Question 20

I

What you hear

the supermarket on School Road

Why

Both supermarkets are mentioned, and Phil separates them: the 8 am rule for lorries is for the supermarket on School Road, while the High Street store keeps its existing arrangements. So the answer is I, beside School Road, not the supermarket at the crossing.

Part 2 audioscript

Part 2 · audioscript

Good evening everyone. My name’s Phil Sutton, and I’m chairman of the Highways Committee. We’ve called this meeting to inform members of the public about the new regulations for traffic and parking we’re proposing for Granford. I’ll start by summarising these changes before we open the meeting to questions.

So, why do we need to make these changes to traffic systems in Granford? Well, we’re very aware that traffic is becoming an increasing problem. It’s been especially noticeable with the increase in heavy traffic while they’ve been building the new hospital. But it’s the overall rise in the volume of traffic of all kinds that’s concerning us. To date there’s not been any increase in traffic accidents, but that’s not something we want to see happen, obviously.

We recently carried out a survey of local residents, and their responses were interesting. People were very concerned about the lack of visibility on some roads due to cars parked along the sides of the roads. We’d expected complaints about the congestion near the school when parents are dropping off their children or picking them up, but this wasn’t top of the list, and nor were noise and fumes from trucks and lorries, though they were mentioned by some people.

We think these new traffic regulations would make a lot of difference. But we still have a long way to go. We’ve managed to keep our proposals within budget, just, so they can be covered by the Council. But, of course, it’s no good introducing new regulations if we don’t have a way of making sure that everyone obeys them, and that’s an area we’re still working on with the help of representatives from the police force.

OK, so this slide shows a map of the central area of Granford, with the High Street in the middle and School Road on the right. Now, we already have a set of traffic lights in the High Street at the junction with Station Road, but we’re planning to have another set at the other end, at the School Road junction, to regulate the flow or traffic along the High Street.

We’re decided we definitely need a pedestrian crossing. We considered putting this on School Road, just outside the school, but in the end we decided that could lead to a lot of traffic congestion so we decided to locate it on the High Street, crossing the road in front of the supermarket. That’s a very busy area, so it should help things there.

We’re proposing some changes to parking. At present, parking isn’t allowed on the High Street outside the library, but we’re going to change that, and allow parking there, but not at the other end of the High Street near School Road.

There’ll be a new ‘No Parking’ sign on School Road, just by the entrance to the school, forbidding parking for 25 metres. This should improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians, especially on the bend just to the north of the school.

As far as disabled drivers are concerned, at present they have parking outside the supermarket, but lorries also use those spaces, so we’ve got two new disabled parking spaces on the side road up towards the bank. It’s not ideal, but probably better than the present arrangement.

We also plan to widen the pavement on School Road. We think we can manage to get an extra half-metre on the bend just before you get to the school, on the same side of the road.

Finally, we’ve introduced new restrictions on loading and unloading for the supermarket, so lorries will only be allowed to stop there before 8 am. That’s the supermarket on School Road - we kept to the existing arrangements with the High Street supermarket.

OK. So that’s about it. Now, would anyone …

Part 2 recording

Questions 11–20

Answers explained

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 17

Question 18

Question 19

Question 20

Part 2 audioscript