Cambridge IELTS 20 · Listening · Test 2 · Part 1

Listening Test 2, Part 1: answers explained

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

Table completion
1 a ______
2 how much ______ the caring involves •
3 ○ helping her have a ______
4 ○ dealing with ______
5 ○ loss of ______
6 ○ ______ her
7 ○ preventing a ______
8 transport costs, e.g. cost of a ______
9 car-related costs, e.g. fuel and ______
10 help to reduce ______

Answers explained

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

Question 1

break

What you hear

they sometimes need a break

Why

Tom explains that the council understands carers have other responsibilities and sometimes need a break. The table's "a ..." with an article in front points to a singular countable noun, which fits "a break". Time off is the support on offer here, as opposed to the practical help with housework mentioned later.
Question 2

time

What you hear

the amount of time you spend looking after your mother every day

Why

Tom begins the list of assessment questions with the amount of time the woman spends looking after her mother each day. The table's "how much ... the caring involves" paraphrases that exactly. Tasks come next in the conversation, so don't be tempted to write a task word here.
Question 3

shower

What you hear

I help her get into the shower in the morning

Why

Among the tasks she does, the woman says she helps her mother get into the shower in the morning. The gap follows "helping her have a", so a noun is needed. Getting dressed is the first task Tom suggests, but that is already printed in the table.
Question 4

money

What you hear

they might support you financially

Why

Once the assessment is described, the next topic is what the council might do for her, and Tom opens it with "they might support you financially". The table's "dealing with ___" is a loose paraphrase, so money is the word to supply. The specific examples, taxi fares and petrol, appear in the following rows, so they are not what this heading needs.
Question 5

memory

What you hear

she's started to have quite bad problems with her memory

Why

After Tom asks about difficulties, the woman reports that her mother has quite bad problems with her memory, to the point of forgetting to eat. The table's "loss of" turns the phrase round into a noun. Not knowing the day is just another symptom of this.
Question 6

lifting

What you hear

Lifting her, for example?

Why

Tom asks about physical difficulties, offering lifting her as the example, and the woman confirms that she's heavy and she fears hurting her back. The -ing form is needed since the table says "... her", following the pattern of tasks. Her back injury is the consequence, not the difficulty.
Question 7

fall

What you hear

how to avoid the possibility of your mum having a fall

Why

Tom says the council can give advice about the back problem and also about how to avoid the possibility of her mum having a fall. The table's "preventing a" turns that into a noun. A fall is the thing prevented, whereas hurting her back is the carer's risk.
Question 8

taxi

What you hear

if you have to get a taxi to take your mother for an appointment

Why

As an example of transport costs, Tom mentions getting a taxi to take her mother to an appointment. The table says "cost of a", so a singular noun with an article fits. The woman then says she usually drives herself, which moves the conversation to petrol rather than another form of transport.
Question 9

insurance

What you hear

you can claim for the insurance too

Why

The table already gives "fuel", which the woman calls petrol. Tom says she could claim it and "you can claim for the insurance too". The second item in the pair is therefore insurance. The "and" in the table's wording signals one more car-related cost, not a repeat of fuel.
Question 10

stress

What you hear

you under quite a bit of stress

Why

At the end Tom says she seems under quite a bit of stress, and she agrees. He then advises telling the council because they may give advice on how to minimise it. Minimise becomes "reduce" in the table. Housework help was mentioned just before, but that is a separate service.

Part 1 audioscript

Part 1 · audioscript

WOMAN It's really good to see you, Tom. Since I had to give up work, I feel I'm losing touch with my friends and colleagues.

MAN We really miss you in the office. We were all so sorry you had to leave. But you must be relieved to have more time to look after your mother. How is she?

WOMAN Well she is very cheerful, but she needs a lot of help.

MAN Have you tried to get any support from the local council?

WOMAN No, I didn't know I could.

MAN Yes, they offer different kinds of practical support. They realise that carers sometimes need time for all the other responsibilities they have, apart from the person they're caring for, and also that they sometimes need a break.

WOMAN Absolutely. OK, so tell me more. How do I go about getting this support?

MAN Well, you'd have to have an assessment of your mother's needs. That means someone would come round and talk to you about the situation and what you need. So, for a start, they'd want to know the amount of time you spend looking after your mother every day.

WOMAN OK.

MAN Then they'll probably ask you what sorts of tasks you do for your mother during the day. Things like if she needs help with getting dressed, for example.

WOMAN Right. I help her with that. And also I help her get into the shower in the morning.

MAN Yes, that sort of thing.

WOMAN Yes, that's becoming a bit of a problem. She used to be very good at it, but not anymore.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions five to ten. you Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.

MAN And be ready to tell them about anything you find particularly difficult about caring for your mother.

WOMAN So, recently I've noticed she's started to have quite bad problems with her memory. If I wasn't there, I think she'd forget to eat, for example. And often she doesn't seem quite sure what day it is.

MAN Yes, tell them about that. And are there any physical difficulties you have caring for her? Lifting her, for example?

WOMAN Yes, she's quite heavy and I'm afraid of hurting my back. I'd be in real trouble if that happened.

MAN They can give you advice about that and also about how to avoid the possibility of your mum having a fall.

WOMAN Great. So once they've done this assessment, if I'm eligible, what happens next?

MAN Well, they might support you financially. So they might help you with transport costs, like if you have to get a taxi to take your mother for an appointment, for example.

WOMAN I usually drive her myself, actually. So, could I claim the petrol?

MAN You could. And you can claim for the insurance too.

WOMAN Oh, right.

MAN And if you need help with the housework, they can arrange for someone to come along once or twice a week. And one other thing. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but it important you

look after yourself And it seems to me you under quite a bit of stress

WOMAN I am yes

MAN Well tell the council because they may be able to give you some advice on how to minimise it

WOMAN Really? Though, actually, I feel so much better having talked to you. I'll get in touch with the council straight away. Now, shall we go for coffee or something?

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