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IELTS Practice Listening: Choose Single Answer ID: #56969 Hard Chloe
Instructions ›
Choose the correct option for the following.
You will hear a conversation between two students discussing a business studies course at a university. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Oh, hi, Ivan. Hi, Chloe. I'm glad I bumped into you because I've been looking at this prospectus about courses at the university. I'm thinking of doing a business studies degree. Isn't that what you're doing? Yes, I'm about to start my third year. I think you'd enjoy it. Is there something on the course that you're not sure about? Well, you know I've been working for a publisher for the last four years as a production assistant. That will be really valuable experience because a lot of people go to university straight from school and don't have that kind of background. Yeah, I know. And I'm used to dealing with figures and percentages and things. But it's been a while since I've sat down and put my ideas into an essay. I was never that good at it, and I'm not sure I can do it now. But you did OK at school, so I'm sure you'll soon get into it again. I was worried about different things when I started, like if I'd be able to use all the computer programmes. But you only really need the basics. You have to do a lot of presentations, and I thought that would be hard, but we'd actually had such a lot of practice at school. It was fine. But did you find writing essays easy? It was okay, but I was hopeless at getting them in by the deadline, and I was always late for lectures, so I had to work hard at that, and I tend to be early now. It's good that you've sorted yourself out before you go and get a job, or you might not have it very long. I think the course looks really interesting. It is. And it also gave me the chance to spend six months working in a local business last year. That's not so important for me, unless I could go abroad to use my foreign languages. But that doesn't seem to be on offer, which is a shame. What really appeals to me, though, is the idea of being assessed throughout the year. I think that's a much more productive way of learning, instead of everything being decided in an exam at the end. It's good for people like you who are hard working all year round. You'll be spending all your time in the library. They've just expanded it too. That's good. Well, yes and no. They've made the study area bigger, but it means they've taken some of the magazines and periodicals away. So I think it was better as it was. The university is expanding all the time, and there are lots of new courses coming next year. Well, that's great news, isn't it? means the college will have a better reputation, as more people will hear about it. So that's good for us. I agree, but they really need to add more lecture rooms, as we often have lectures in tiny rooms. Well, you obviously think overall it's a good place to do a degree. I should probably go and have a look round. Well, it's holidays now, and there's not much going on there. Oh, so it's probably not worth going in now. But you could e-mail my tutor. I know he'd be happy to answer any questions. I can give you his e-mail address. I looked at quite a lot of other universities and read loads of prospectuses, but I thought this one was the best.
1
What is Chloe concerned about?
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Detail question - asks what Chloe is worried about

Correct Answer: B

Why this is correct: The answer is her ability to write essays because Chloe clearly says she has not written essays for a long time and is not sure she can do it now. This shows a direct worry about essay writing.

Passage Reference: But it's been a while since I've sat down and put my ideas into an essay. I was never that good at it, and I'm not sure I can do it now.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'put my ideas into an essay' = Option: 'ability to write essays'

Tips: Listen carefully for words like worried, not sure, or concerned. These usually point directly to the answer.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • A: Students may pick her knowledge of maths because Chloe mentions figures and percentages. However, she says she is used to dealing with figures, so this is not a worry. This is a distractor trap.
  • C: Students may choose her lack of business experience, but Chloe actually says her work experience is really valuable. This is the opposite of a problem. This is a negation trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • figures = numbers
  • background = experience

Question Focus: Detail question - asks what Ivan says he improved

Correct Answer: C

Passage Reference: I was hopeless at getting them in by the deadline, and I was always late for lectures, so I had to work hard at that, and I tend to be early now.

Why this is correct: The answer is his time management because Ivan explains he used to miss deadlines and be late, but now he is early. This clearly shows improvement in managing time.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'early now' = Option: 'improved time management'

Tips: When a speaker compares past and present, listen for improvement language like used to, but now, or these days.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • A: Students may choose his computer skills because Ivan mentions computer programmes. However, he says he only needed the basics, not that he improved. This is a partial truth trap.
  • B: Students may pick his presentation skills because presentations are discussed. But Ivan says they were fine because of school practice, not something he improved later. This is a context shift trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • deadline = latest time to finish
  • hopeless = very bad

Question Focus: Detail question - asks what Chloe especially likes

Correct Answer: A

Passage Reference: What really appeals to me, though, is the idea of being assessed throughout the year. I think that's a much more productive way of learning, instead of everything being decided in an exam at the end.

Why this is correct: The answer is she won't have to do a final examination because Chloe likes being assessed throughout the year rather than everything depending on one exam.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'assessed throughout the year' = Option: 'won't have to do a final examination'

Tips: Pay attention to phrases like what really appeals to me. This signals something the speaker likes most.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • B: Students may pick working in a business because the course offers this. However, Chloe says this is not so important for me. This is a distractor trap.
  • C: Students may choose study a foreign language, but Chloe says this option doesn't seem to be on offer. This is a negation trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • assessed = graded
  • appeals = attracts

Question Focus: Detail question - asks what Ivan is pleased about

Correct Answer: C

Passage Reference: The university is expanding all the time, and there are lots of new courses coming next year. Well, that's great news, isn't it? means the college will have a better reputation, as more people will hear about it. So that's good for us.

Why this is correct: The answer is more courses because Ivan reacts positively and says this is good for us, linking it to the university's reputation.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'new courses coming next year' = Option: 'more courses'

Tips: Always check who is speaking. Opinions from the wrong person are a common trap.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • A: Students may choose more lecture rooms because lecture rooms are mentioned. However, Ivan says they need more, meaning it is a problem, not something he is pleased about. This is a negation trap.
  • B: Students may pick a larger library, but Chloe actually says it might be worse because magazines were removed. Ivan does not say he is pleased. This is a wrong speaker trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • reputation = public opinion
  • expanding = growing

Question Focus: Detail question - asks what advice Ivan gives

Correct Answer: A

Passage Reference: But you could e-mail my tutor. I know he'd be happy to answer any questions. I can give you his e-mail address.

Why this is correct: The answer is contact his tutor because Ivan directly suggests e-mailing his tutor and even offers the e-mail address.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'e-mail my tutor' = Option: 'contact his tutor'

Tips: Advice questions often use verbs like could, should, or why don't you. Listen closely after these words.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • B: Students may choose read about some other universities because Ivan mentions he did this himself. However, he is talking about the past, not giving advice. This is a context shift trap.
  • C: Students may pick visit the university, but Ivan explains it is holidays and not worth going now. This is a negation trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • tutor = academic advisor
  • worth = useful

General Tips:

  • MCQ questions follow the order of the recording. Use the previous answer to predict when the next one is coming.
  • Listen for signpost words like but, however, and actually. The correct answer often comes after these.
  • Do not choose options just because they sound logical in real life. Only choose what the speaker clearly says.
  • Pay attention to negatives like not, no, or doesn't. Missing these leads to wrong answers.
  • You hear the recording only once, so stay focused and move on if you miss something.

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