Cambridge IELTS 18 · Listening · Test 1 · Part 1

Listening Test 1, Part 1: answers explained

Transport survey

The recording and its 10 questions (1–10). Every answer is explained with the words that give it away.

Take the whole test, timed Show the answers

Part 1 recording

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

Questions 1–10

Note completion
1 Postcode: ______
2 Date of bus journey: ______
3 Reason for trip: shopping and visit to the ______
4 Travelled by bus because cost of ______ too high
5 Got on bus at ______ Street
6 bus today was ______
7 frequency of buses in the ______
8 Goes to the ______ by car
9 Dislikes travelling by bike in the city centre because of the ______
10 Doesn’t own a bike because of a lack of ______

Answers explained

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

Question 1

DW30 7YZ

What you hear

DW3Q 7YZ

Why

Sadie reads her postcode as one unit: DW3 plus a single further character, then a gap and 7YZ. Copy exactly what you hear, keeping the space. The man's question about Wells is a red herring. She tells him it is in Harborne, and that makes no difference to the code itself.
Question 2

24(th) April

What you hear

It’s the 24th of April

Why

The interviewer suggests the 24th of April, Sadie wonders aloud whether it is the 25th, then immediately retracts it: "you're right". So the date stays the 24th. Her brief wobble is the trap; only the final confirmed date counts as the answer.
Question 3

dentist

What you hear

the main reason I came here was to go to the dentist

Why

Shopping is mentioned first, but Sadie says that was not the main purpose. The gap follows 'shopping and visit to the', so you need the place she actually visited: the dentist. She adds it was only a check-up, which confirms the noun without changing it.
Question 4

parking

What you hear

parking was so difficult to find and it costs so much

Why

Driving is the tempting word, because Sadie says she stopped doing it. But she pins the expense on something more specific: parking was hard to find and costs so much. The thing whose price is too high is parking, not the driving itself or the bus fare.
Question 5

Claxby

What you hear

At the bus stop on Claxby Street

Why

The street name is simply stated, then the interviewer checks the spelling letter by letter: C-L-A-X-B-Y. Sadie confirms, so the spelling Claxby is safe. The word 'Street' is already printed after the gap, so write only the name.
Question 6

late

What you hear

this morning it was late

Why

Asked about satisfaction, Sadie praises the bus as convenient and quick when it is on time, but says that this morning it was late, by about ten minutes. 'On time' is the opposite of the answer, so listen for the 'but' that reverses her praise.
Question 7

evening

What you hear

any time I’ve been in town in the evening

Why

Sadie mainly travels in the daytime, so the complaint she raises is about a different period: when she has been in town for dinner or the cinema, buses are infrequent. 'Day' would be the wrong time slot; the evening is when you wait a long time.
Question 8

supermarket

What you hear

Mainly just to go to the supermarket

Why

Sadie rarely uses her car and names the supermarket as the main trip. The golf club is also mentioned, but that is her husband's weekend use, not hers. The note says 'Goes to the ___ by car', so the supermarket, which she mentions first for herself, is correct.
Question 9

pollution

What you hear

I’m not keen on cycling there because of all the pollution

Why

The man asks about the rental city bikes, and Sadie answers with her reason for avoiding them: the pollution makes cycling there unpleasant. Her wish to own a bike for getting to work follows straight away, but that is a different point from what she dislikes about riding in the centre.
Question 10

storage

What you hear

it doesn’t have any storage

Why

Sadie lives in a second-floor flat, and the flat has no storage, so a bike would have to sit in the hallway outside. The notes ask for a 'lack of' something, which matches her 'doesn't have any storage'. Her flat's floor number is a detail, not the reason.

Part 1 audioscript

Part 1 · audioscript

MAN

Excuse me. Would you mind if I asked you some questions? We’re doing a survey on transport.

SADIE

Yes, that’s OK.

MAN

First of all, can I take your name?

SADIE

Yes. It’s Sadie Jones.

MAN

Thanks very much. And could I have your date of birth – just the year will do, actually. Is that all right?

SADIE

Yes, that’s fine. It’s 1991.

MAN

So next your postcode, please.

SADIE

It’s DW3Q 7YZ.

MAN

Great. Thanks. Is that in Wells?

SADIE

No it’s actually in Harborne- Wells isn’t far from there, though.

MAN

I really like that area. My grandmother lived there when I was a kid.

SADIE

Yes, it is nice.

MAN

Right, so now I want to ask you some questions about how you travelled here today. Did you use public transport?

SADIE

Yes. I came by bus.

MAN

OK. And that was today. It’s the 24th of April, isn’t it?

SADIE

Isn’t it the 25th? No, actually, you’re right.

MAN

Ha ha. And what was the reason for your trip today? I can see you’ve got some shopping with you.

SADIE

Yes. I did some shopping but the main reason I came here was to go to the dentist.

MAN

That’s not much fun. Hope it was nothing serious.

SADIE

No, it was just a check-up. It’s fine.

MAN

Good. Do you normally travel by bus into the city centre?

SADIE

Yes. I stopped driving in ages ago because parking was so difficult to find and it costs so much.

MAN

I see.

SADIE

The bus is much more convenient too. It only takes about 30 minutes.

MAN

That’s good. So where did you start your journey?

SADIE

At the bus stop on Claxby Street.

MAN

Is that C-L-A-X-B-Y?

SADIE

That’s right.

MAN

And how satisfied with the service are you? Do you have any complaints?

SADIE

Well, as I said, it’s very convenient and quick when it’s on time, but this morning it was late. Only about 10 minutes, but still.

MAN

Yes, I understand that’s annoying. And what about the timetable? Do you have any comments about that?

SADIE

Mmm. I suppose I mainly use the bus during the day, but any time I’ve been in town in the evening – for dinner or at the cinema – I’ve noticed you have to wait a long time for a bus - there aren’t that many.

MAN

OK, thanks. So now I’d like to ask you about your car use.

SADIE

Well, I have got a car but I don’t use it that often. Mainly just to go to the supermarket. But that’s about it really. My husband uses it at the weekends to go to the golf club.

MAN

And what about a bicycle?

SADIE

I don’t actually have one at the moment.

MAN

What about the city bikes you can rent? Do you ever use those?

SADIE

No - I’m not keen on cycling there because of all the pollution. But I would like to get a bike – it would be good to use it to get to work.

MAN

So why haven’t you got one now?

SADIE

Well, I live in a flat - on the second floor and it doesn’t have any storage – so we’d have to leave it in the hall outside the flat.

MAN

I see. OK. Well, I think that’s all...

Part 1 recording

Questions 1–10

Answers explained

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Part 1 audioscript