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IELTS Practice Listening: Note/Summary Completion ID: #57101 Medium Cycling holiday
Instructions ›
Write no more than TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
You will hear a conversation about a cycling holiday in Austria. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Holidays for you. Sean speaking. Can I help you? Oh, hi. I've been looking at your website. I'm interested in a cycling holiday in Austria in April. We have two trips in April. One lasts 14 days and the other 10 days. I think the 10-day trip is better. So let's see. I've got a calendar here. What are the dates? Well, that trip is in the middle of the month. It starts on the 17th of April and it finishes on the 27th. That suits me. I can't leave work before the 10th of April. Let me see if there are any spaces. Is it just for yourself? Myself and my sister, so two of us. Yes, we have spaces. Is it a big group? At the moment, there are 12 people booked on this trip, and with you two, that will be 14. The maximum number is 16, so it's almost fully booked. We can't go over that because it's hard to keep a larger group together. I need to check that I'm fit enough for this, but the distances look okay. The website says we'll ride approximately 45 kilometres A day. Is that right? That's correct. And I've got the exact distances here. It really depends on which part of the trip. Some days are only 35 kilometres, and some are more. But you'll never have to cycle more than 50 kilometres in one day. Oh, okay. I can manage that. And we stay in hotels. Yes, they all have restaurants and the rooms have en-suite facilities. And do they have pools? It's how I relax after a long day. There is a swimming pool in a few of the hotels, but none of them has a gym. I don't think we'll need a gym after all that cycling. I'd better find out how much the holiday costs before I get too excited. Including flights, it's 1177 pounds for one person. Oh, we'll book our own flights on the internet. That's just 1013 pounds then. And we can book insurance for you if you want. And which meals are included in that price? Well, breakfast, of course. And the hotels will provide you with a packed lunch each day. We do stop during the afternoon in a village somewhere for a rest, so any snacks you buy then are extra. Then dinner will be in the hotel every evening, and that's included in the price of the holiday. And you provide the bicycles, of course. What else? A lock and a bell come with the bike, as well as lights, although you shouldn't need to cycle in the dark. There's a small bag, or pannier, on the front of the bike, where you can put the things you want to take with you during the day, like water or fruit. But we won't allow you to cycle unless you bring a helmet. We don't provide these locally because, like walking boots on a walking holiday, it's really important it fits properly. Okay. If there's any special gear you need for your holiday, we recommend a particular website, and you can get a discount by quoting your booking reference. Great. What is it? It's www..ballantine.com. That's all one word, and I'll spell it for you. www.b.a.l.a.n.t.y.n.e.com. Good. I've got that down. I've been looking at your website while we've been talking. I see we cycle along the River Danube. Yes, it's one of Europe's most well-known areas for cycling. It looks fascinating. Lots of beautiful countryside and things to see. I should warn you that we do reserve the right to make some alterations to the route if the weather is bad. Some of the tracks sometimes get very muddy. Okay, well, hopefully it won't rain too much. I know we stop in towns and villages, but do we get a chance to look around? Because I'm really interested in history. Yes, you get opportunities to explore. Is there something in particular you want to see? There's a theatre in a town called Grein. A friend of mine went there last year and said it was amazing. Let's see... yes, there's a guide who'll take you round the building. We don't have any other tours arranged, but you can visit several castles and museums on the holiday. Well, thank you for all that information. I'd like to book that then. Right, I'll just...
11 blanks 2 words max

Cycling holiday in Austria

Most suitable holiday lasts  days.

Holiday begins on .

No more than  people in cycling group.

Each day, group cycles   on average.

Some of the hotels have a .

Holiday costs £ per person without flights.

All food included except .

Essential to bring a .

Discount possible on equipment at www..com

Possible that the  may change.

Guided tour of a  is arranged.

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Choosing the most suitable holiday length

Correct Answer: 10

Why this is correct: You hear the speaker explain there are two trips, and the caller says the 10-day trip is better. This shows the most suitable holiday lasts 10 days.

Passage Reference: We have two trips in April. One lasts 14 days and the other 10 days.

Common Mistake: Some students write 14 because it is mentioned first. This is a distractor trap because the speaker then chooses the 10-day option.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'the other 10 days' = Summary: 'lasts ___ days'

Tips: Always listen for which option the speaker chooses, not just the options listed.

Key Vocabulary:

  • lasts = continues
  • trip = holiday

Question Focus: Start date of the holiday

Correct Answer: 17th april

Passage Reference: It starts on the 17th of April and it finishes on the 27th.

Why this is correct: The speaker clearly says the trip starts on the 17th of April. That directly answers when the holiday begins.

Common Mistake: Some students write 27th April, which is the finishing date. This is a number trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'starts on the 17th of April' = Summary: 'Holiday begins on ___'

Tips: Listen carefully for start versus finish dates. IELTS often gives both.

Key Vocabulary:

  • starts = begins
  • finishes = ends

Question Focus: Maximum group size

Correct Answer: 16

Passage Reference: The maximum number is 16, so it's almost fully booked. We can't go over that because it's hard to keep a larger group together.

Why this is correct: The speaker says the maximum number is 16, which answers how many people there can be in the cycling group.

Common Mistake: Some students write 14, which is the expected group size, not the maximum. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'maximum number is 16' = Summary: 'No more than ___ people'

Tips: When you hear words like 'maximum' or 'no more than', listen for the limit, not the current number.

Key Vocabulary:

  • maximum = highest
  • group = team

Question Focus: Average daily cycling distance

Correct Answer: 45 kilometres

Passage Reference: The website says we'll ride approximately 45 kilometres A day. Is that right?

Why this is correct: The caller checks the website, and the speaker confirms they cycle approximately 45 kilometres a day on average.

Common Mistake: Some students write 50 kilometres, which is only the maximum distance. This is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'approximately 45 kilometres a day' = Summary: 'cycles ___ on average'

Tips: Average and maximum are different. IELTS often tests this difference.

Key Vocabulary:

  • approximately = about
  • distance = length

Question Focus: Hotel facilities

Correct Answer: pool

Passage Reference: There is a swimming pool in a few of the hotels, but none of them has a gym.

Why this is correct: The speaker says there is a swimming pool in a few of the hotels, so some hotels have a pool.

Common Mistake: Some students write gym, but the speaker says none has a gym. This is a negation trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'swimming pool in a few of the hotels' = Summary: 'Some of the hotels have a ___'

Tips: Listen for negatives like 'none' or 'not'. They often change the answer.

Key Vocabulary:

  • facilities = services
  • pool = place to swim

Question Focus: Cost without flights

Correct Answer: 1013

Passage Reference: That's just 1013 pounds then.

Why this is correct: When flights are excluded, the speaker says the cost is 1013 pounds per person.

Common Mistake: Some students write 1177, which includes flights. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'That's just 1013 pounds then' = Summary: 'costs £___ without flights'

Tips: Always check what is included or excluded in the price.

Key Vocabulary:

  • costs = price
  • including = with

Question Focus: Food not included

Correct Answer: snacks

Passage Reference: any snacks you buy then are extra.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains that snacks bought during stops are extra and not included.

Common Mistake: Some students write lunch, but packed lunches are included. This is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'snacks you buy then are extra' = Summary: 'All food included except ___'

Tips: Listen carefully when the speaker lists exceptions.

Key Vocabulary:

  • snacks = small food
  • extra = not included

Question Focus: Essential equipment

Correct Answer: helmet

Passage Reference: we won't allow you to cycle unless you bring a helmet. We don't provide these locally because, like walking boots on a walking holiday, it's really important it fits properly.

Why this is correct: The speaker clearly says you won't be allowed to cycle unless you bring a helmet.

Common Mistake: Some students write lock or lights, but those are provided. This is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'bring a helmet' = Summary: 'Essential to bring a ___'

Tips: When you hear rules or conditions, the answer is usually important.

Key Vocabulary:

  • essential = necessary
  • helmet = head protection

Question Focus: Website for equipment discount

Correct Answer: ballantyne

Passage Reference: It's www..ballantine.com. That's all one word, and I'll spell it for you.

Why this is correct: The speaker spells the website clearly, and the name is ballantyne.

Common Mistake: Spelling errors are common here. This is a spelling trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'I'll spell it for you' = Summary: 'Discount possible at www.___.com'

Tips: Write exactly what you hear when spelling is given.

Key Vocabulary:

  • discount = lower price
  • equipment = gear

Question Focus: Possible changes to the trip

Correct Answer: route

Passage Reference: we do reserve the right to make some alterations to the route if the weather is bad. Some of the tracks sometimes get very muddy.

Why this is correct: The speaker warns that they may make alterations to the route if the weather is bad.

Common Mistake: Some students write weather, but that is the reason, not what changes. This is a cause-effect trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'alterations to the route' = Summary: 'Possible that the ___ may change'

Tips: Focus on what changes, not why it changes.

Key Vocabulary:

  • route = path
  • alterations = changes

Question Focus: Guided tour location

Correct Answer: theatre

Passage Reference: There's a theatre in a town called Grein. A friend of mine went there last year and said it was amazing. Let's see... yes, there's a guide who'll take you round the building.

Why this is correct: The speaker says there is a guide who will take you round the theatre, so a guided tour of a theatre is arranged.

Common Mistake: Some students write castle or museum, but those are not guided. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'guide who'll take you round the building' = Summary: 'Guided tour of a ___ is arranged'

Tips: Listen for where a guide is specifically mentioned.

Key Vocabulary:

  • guided tour = visit with a guide
  • theatre = performance building

General Tips:

  • FIB answers follow the order of the recording. Use the previous answer to know when the next one is coming.
  • Do not write more than the word limit. Extra words make the answer wrong.
  • Copy the exact word or number from the transcript. Do not change it to a synonym.
  • Watch out for distractors where the speaker gives two numbers or options.
  • Pay special attention to spelling when the speaker spells a word or website.

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