Cambridge IELTS 20 · Listening · Test 1 · Part 2

Listening Test 1, Part 2: answers explained

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 Heather says pottery differs from other art forms because
12 Archaeologists sometimes identify the use of ancient pottery from
13 Some people join Heather's pottery class because they want to
14 What does Heather value most about being a potter?
15 Most of the visitors to Edelman Pottery
16 Heather reminds her visitors that they should
Multiple choice (several answers)
17 Which TWO things does Heather explain about kilns?
18 Which TWO things does Heather explain about kilns?
19 Which TWO points does Heather make about a potter's tools?
20 Which TWO points does Heather make about a potter's tools?

Answers explained

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

Question 11

A

What you hear

don't survive on the earth in the same way that pots do

Why

Heather says baskets and pictures do not survive in the earth the way pots do, so pottery differs because it lasts longer in the ground. B is not claimed: she never compares how many people practise it. C is wrong too, since she mentions pots found in pieces but not easy repair.
Question 12

B

What you hear

examining the impressions on the clay, the scratches from tools

Why

Archaeologists, Heather explains, can tell storage pots from cooking pots by the impressions on the clay and the scratches from tools: the marks on it. A is a distractor, because the clay only reveals where pots came from. C is explicitly ruled out, as the shape may have been lost.
Question 13

C

What you hear

something they create will also last longer than they do

Why

Students, Heather says, hope that something they create will last longer than they do. That is paraphrased in the question as making something that will outlive them. A tempts you because the talk is about ancient pots, but nobody wants a fake antique. B is untouched: she says their work might not even be good.
Question 14

A

What you hear

what I love most is the concentration you need

Why

What Heather loves most is the concentration needed, which takes you away from the stresses of everyday life, and that is the calming effect. The physical benefits for arthritis (C) and the messiness for children (B) are both mentioned, but as extra advantages for other people rather than her own favourite.
Question 15

B

What you hear

this is the first time you will have tried the art

Why

Heather says nearly everyone who comes is trying the art for the first time, so most visitors have never made a pot before. A and C are not said at all: nothing is mentioned about bringing friends, and she promises to keep things simple, which is the opposite of rushing through techniques.
Question 16

C

What you hear

please remove any watches, necklaces etc

Why

She asks everyone to remove watches, necklaces and so on and put them somewhere safe, which the question calls taking off jewellery. B looks possible because she mentions old clothes, but that was in the email already. A is wrong because aprons are provided later, not now.
Question 17

A

What you hear

a kiln, which is basically a very hot oven where you fire the pottery

Why

Heather defines a kiln as a very hot oven where you fire the pottery, and says it removes water from clay so the object sets permanently. That is what its function is. B is only half-addressed, since she says kilns have changed little, with no date for invention. D is rejected: they are too heavy for a house.
Question 18

E

What you hear

Some people fire pottery in a fire pit outside

Why

Alternatives to a kiln are covered: people sometimes use a domestic oven, though it does not get hot enough, or fire pottery in a fire pit outside. So E, what people use instead, is explained. C is a trap, because she says safety procedures exist but doesn't explain how to stay safe.
Question 19

C

What you hear

some basic tools that you will need to handle the clay on the wheel

Why

Heather says there are some basic tools you will need to handle the clay on the wheel, which makes some tools essential. A is not stated anywhere, and B is the opposite of her advice, because she wouldn't recommend spending money on them yet.
Question 20

E

What you hear

We can provide these

Why

On tools, she says "We can provide these", meaning participants can use the workshop's own, which is option E. D is partly tempting, since some have odd names, but she says they are hard to remember, so they are not memorable. Her advice not to buy them also excludes B.

Part 2 audioscript

Part 2 · audioscript

Hello and welcome. My name's Heather McCallum and I'm one of the potters who work here at Edelman Pottery. Before we go into the workshop, I just want to say a bit about the craft of pottery. Then we'll have a look at the equipment and you can try making a pot of your own. Like many people, I'm sure you know that pottery as an art form is tens of thousands of years old. And we know this because it stands the test of time. Things like baskets and pictures don't survive on the earth in the same way that pots do. and even if ancient pots are found in small pieces they still provide a lot of information about the past. There no doubt that pottery has given archaeologists a fascinating insight into how ancient hills lived The shape of an artefact may have been lost but archaeologists can tell whether the pots were for, say, storage or cooking by examining the impressions on the clay, the scratches from tools, and the clay itself can reveal where the pots came from. When I ask people why they want to take a pottery class with me, they sometimes talk about these things. Like our ancestors, they hope that something they create will also last longer than they do, that their work, whether it is good or not, might say something about humanity many years after their death. Of course, you will all have your own reasons for coming here. As far as I'm concerned, what I love most is the concentration you need to make a good pot. That focus takes you away from the stresses of everyday life. If you're elderly, it's also good exercise for hands and wrists and helps with arthritis. And of course, it's a fun activity for children because it's so messy. Here at Edelman Pottery, we show you some of the basic pottery techniques so that you can use these to create whatever you wish. A gift for a friend, perhaps. Like nearly everyone who comes here, I'm sure this is the first time you will have tried the art so we'll keep things simple today. Now, before we move on, can I just say a word about what you're wearing? As we said in our email please remove any watches, necklaces etc and put them somewhere safe. If you have long hair do tie it back now. We provide aprons later but I trust your clothes are old but comfortable, not your favourite T-shirt or jeans.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

So now we're in the workshop. Have a look around. There's a lot going on. To make pottery that will last, you need a potter's wheel, a kiln, which is basically a very hot oven where you fire the pottery, and some tools. So, first, the kiln. If you look over in the far corner, you'll see one of ours. Since their invention, kilns have changed very little, though in the past 20 years a lot of progress has been made in temperature control. Basically, a kiln removes the water from clay at temperatures of around 1000 degrees Celsius. This allows anything you've made to set permanently in shape. It's a pretty ugly heavy object that's hard to keep in a house or flat, so most people don't have one.

You may think, can't I use my oven? Well, that's possible, but domestic ovens don't really get hot enough and eventually the clay will crack and fall apart. Some people fire pottery in a fire pit outside but bear in mind… that can be dangerous. You also need to know about safety procedures for kilns as they release toxic compounds into the air. Every potter needs a potter's wheel. This machine is used to shape the clay into an object with circular walls or sides, such as a bowl. Its invention revolutionised the pottery industry, allowing multiple items to be produced in a day. Lastly, there are a number of different tools that potters use, depending on what they want to make. When you start, your hands can make all kinds of shapes and curves without relying on a sculpting tool. However, there are some basic tools that you will need to handle the clay on the wheel. Some look very strange and have even odder names that you may find hard to remember. Rather than go through them all now, I'll just name a few tools as we go along. We can provide these and I wouldn't recommend spending money on them yet. So, let's try making a pot of your own. If you sit down...

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