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IELTS Practice Listening: Match Headings ID: #57417 Medium Amused
Instructions ›

Which attitude is associated with the following people during the conversation?

Choose the options and drag them to the right ones.

People

Cressida's fellow students -  1

Cressida -  2

Ainsley Webb -  3

Dr Erskine -  4

Professor Jenkins -  5

TV news centre start -  6


You will hear a conversation between a journalism student and her tutor discussing a recent work placement at a television news center. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Cressida, that was an interesting presentation you gave yesterday on your placement at the TV News Centre. Thank you, Doctor Erskine. I did work hard on it. Yes, and you did entertain the class. They enjoyed your humour. But you informed them too. But I felt there was a bit of a backstory. You know, something you weren't telling us. So how was it really? Yeah, well, I learned a lot, as I said. But I think some of the lessons weren't ones I wanted to share with the whole group. I mean, my expectations about what it would be like were too high. I'd been fantasizing a bit about what I'd be doing. I mean, it all worked out okay in the end. But I got off to a bad start. Yes, I heard something similar from the producer, Ainsley Webb, who assessed your performance. He was quite negative about some of the things you did and your initial attitude, I'm afraid. Would you like to give me your version? I didn't prepare properly as the main thing. On my first morning, I hadn't checked my commuting route properly, and I didn't notice that it says the buses don't start till six. I had to run all the way to the studio, but I was still late, and I looked a mess. Better at this stage of your career than later. To be honest, I made the same kind of mistakes when I was your age. But anyway, as I say, I think the presentation yesterday went extremely well, and I will bear that in mind when I grade your work experience overall. Thank you for being so understanding. Right. Now, have you completed your diary of what you did there? Professor Jenkins hasn't received it, he says. Yes, I have finished it, but I wanted to just tidy it up a bit. Some of it was written in a bit of a hurry. I'll e-mail it to him this afternoon. Okay, but I'm afraid he says this will have to be the last time you submit late. Journalism is all about deadlines, and if you can't manage them on your course, he can't give you a diploma saying you're competent, can he? Yes, I'll do it straight after this. I didn't realise. Well, he can be a bit abrupt if he's kept waiting. It's the one thing he really doesn't like. I'm sure everything is going to be fine. You're getting very good grades on your work, so as long as you remember that. Yes. Now, did you manage okay generally, do you think? Yeah, okay, I think. Well, it took a while to get to grips with all the equipment. Some of it was quite old, not as fast as what we have here in college. And at first I kept thinking it was my fault. I wasn't pressing the right buttons or something. The thing was, none of the TV center staff asked me if I wanted instructions. If I asked them how to do some particular operation, they were perfectly civil and would show me, and even say thank you for what I did do. But I I felt awkward to keep asking.
6 gaps
Options
amused
critical
forgetful
impatient
polite
relaxed
sympathetic
unrealistic
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Attitude of the students listening to Cressida's presentation

Why this is correct: The speaker clearly says the students enjoyed her humour, which shows they felt entertained and amused. This is about their reaction, not her performance quality.

Passage Reference: Yes, and you did entertain the class. They enjoyed your humour. But you informed them too.

Tips: Listen for words showing emotional reaction, like laughed, enjoyed, or liked.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • relaxed: There is no mention that the students felt calm or relaxed. This is a paraphrase trap because enjoying humour does not mean being relaxed.
  • sympathetic: The students are not described as feeling sorry for her. This is a context shift trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • humour = jokes
  • enjoyed = liked

Question Focus: Cressida's attitude before starting the placement

Passage Reference: I think some of the lessons weren't ones I wanted to share with the whole group. I mean, my expectations about what it would be like were too high. I'd been fantasizing a bit about what I'd be doing.

Why this is correct: Cressida admits her expectations were too high and she was fantasizing. That clearly shows she was unrealistic about the placement.

Tips: When someone admits a mistake about expectations, listen for attitudes like unrealistic or overconfident.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • forgetful: Forgetting things comes later and is about preparation, not her attitude beforehand. This is a partial truth trap.
  • relaxed: She actually describes problems and disappointment, not a calm attitude. This is a paraphrase trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • expectations = what you think will happen
  • fantasizing = imagining unreal things

Question Focus: Ainsley Webb's view of Cressida's performance

Passage Reference: He was quite negative about some of the things you did and your initial attitude, I'm afraid.

Why this is correct: The speaker says Ainsley Webb was quite negative when assessing her performance. That directly shows a critical attitude.

Tips: Words like negative, disappointed, or not happy usually signal a critical attitude.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • impatient: There is no mention of waiting or deadlines with him. This is a wrong person trap.
  • sympathetic: Being negative is the opposite of being understanding. This is a contrast trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • negative = disapproving
  • assessed = judged

Question Focus: Dr Erskine's attitude towards Cressida's mistakes

Passage Reference: Better at this stage of your career than later. To be honest, I made the same kind of mistakes when I was your age.

Why this is correct: Dr Erskine shares his own past mistakes, showing understanding and kindness. This is a clear sign of a sympathetic attitude.

Tips: When someone says they had the same problem before, the attitude is usually sympathetic.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • critical: He does not blame or judge her here. This is a paraphrase trap.
  • impatient: He is calm and reflective, not annoyed. This is a tone trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • mistakes = errors
  • at this stage = at this time

Question Focus: Professor Jenkins' attitude to late work

Passage Reference: Well, he can be a bit abrupt if he's kept waiting. It's the one thing he really doesn't like.

Why this is correct: He dislikes being kept waiting, which shows impatience. Deadlines are very important to him.

Tips: Listen for reactions to waiting or lateness to identify impatience.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • critical: He is strict about time, not judging her work quality. This is a partial truth trap.
  • forgetful: He clearly remembers the delay, so this is wrong. This is a direct contradiction trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • kept waiting = made to wait
  • deadlines = time limits

Question Focus: How the TV news centre staff behaved towards Cressida

Passage Reference: If I asked them how to do some particular operation, they were perfectly civil and would show me, and even say thank you for what I did do.

Why this is correct: She says the staff were perfectly civil and even said thank you, which clearly shows polite behaviour.

Tips: Words like polite, civil, or thank you point directly to polite attitudes.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • sympathetic: They were polite but did not show emotional understanding. This is a partial truth trap.
  • relaxed: There is no mention of being easy-going or informal. This is a paraphrase trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • civil = polite
  • instructions = help

General Tips:

  • Listen for adjectives that describe feelings or reactions. These often give you the attitude directly.
  • Match attitudes to the correct person. Be careful of the wrong speaker trap.
  • The recording follows order. Use the previous answer to know when the next one is coming.
  • Notice signpost phrases like but or however. They often introduce the real attitude.
  • Do not choose an option just because you hear a similar word. Always check the meaning.

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