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IELTS Practice Listening: Choose Single Answer ID: #56977 Easy Holly
Instructions ›
Choose the correct option for the following.
You will hear a conversation between a student and a tutor discussing a work placement organizing a sports event for children. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Hello, Dr. Green. I'm here to talk to you about my work placement. Oh, yes, it's Holly, isn't it? Yes. So, which work placement have you chosen? I decided to go for the Orion Stadium placement. The event I'll be managing is 1 where I'm helping to set up a sports competition for primary school children. Yep, that's always a popular placement, even though it can be tougher than you think, working with children. I know, but it's the fresh air that attracts me. Organising something indoors doesn't have the same appeal, even though it might be fun. Okay. So obviously safety is going to be one of your key concerns for this event. Yes, I've already thought about that. I'll need to make sure none of the equipment's damaged. Well, you'll be working with schools, so the equipment will be their responsibility. However, the grounds and what goes on there will be yours. Oh, I see. That'll include keeping everyone within the boundary once they're in their kit and on the field. Exactly. You'll need to inspect areas like changing rooms as well, for anything someone can trip over. But your main priority will be not to lose anyone. Right. I'll need staff to help with that. And don't forget about the spectators. I was thinking that many of them will be parents who could help run the event. I wouldn't rely on that. They'll be more interested in filming their children than volunteering. I'll need to make sure they don't interfere with events doing that. And that's not always easy, especially when a proud parent's trying to get a snap of their child and you want them to move elsewhere. Okay. What about the scheduling? With sporting events, there are all sorts of things that can alter the timetable, like rain, for instance, though so far we've always been lucky with that. And I was thinking about what to do if someone got hurt as well. I know that last year that caused a terrible delay. You have to be prepared for such things. Oh, what if a match ends in a draw? Do you let the teams keep going until someone wins? That'll be up to you. And again, you need to plan for it. Right.
1
Holly has chosen the Orion Stadium placement because
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Detail question - asks for Holly's reason for choosing the placement

Correct Answer: B

Why this is correct: The answer is it is outdoors because Holly clearly explains that the fresh air attracts her. She directly contrasts outdoor work with indoor organising, which she says has less appeal.

Passage Reference: I know, but it's the fresh air that attracts me. Organising something indoors doesn't have the same appeal, even though it might be fun.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'the fresh air that attracts me' = Option: 'it is outdoors'

Tips: When you hear the speaker give a reason, listen carefully for phrases like because, that attracts me, or the reason is.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • A: Students may choose it involves children because the event is for primary school children. However, Holly never says this is her reason. This is a context shift trap.
  • C: Students may pick it sounds like fun because she says it "might be fun". However, she says that about indoor work, not her reason for choosing this placement. This is a distractor trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • appeal = attraction
  • indoors = inside a building

Question Focus: Detail question - asks which safety issue is most important

Correct Answer: A

Passage Reference: You'll need to inspect areas like changing rooms as well, for anything someone can trip over. But your main priority will be not to lose anyone.

Why this is correct: The answer is ensuring children stay in the stadium because Dr Green clearly says your main priority will be not to lose anyone. This shows it is the most important safety concern.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'not to lose anyone' = Option: 'ensuring children stay in the stadium'

Tips: Listen for phrases like main priority or most important. These often signal the correct answer.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • B: Students may choose checking the equipment because equipment safety is mentioned. However, Dr Green says the equipment is the schools' responsibility, not Holly's main concern. This is a partial truth trap.
  • C: Students may pick removing obstacles in changing rooms because he mentions inspecting changing rooms. However, he says this after and then clearly states a different main priority. This is a sequence trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • boundary = edge or limit
  • priority = most important thing

Question Focus: Attitude question - asks how Dr Green feels about spectators

Correct Answer: A

Passage Reference: I wouldn't rely on that. They'll be more interested in filming their children than volunteering. I'll need to make sure they don't interfere with events doing that. And that's not always easy, especially when a proud parent's trying to get a snap of their child and you want them to move elsewhere.

Why this is correct: The answer is They can be hard to manage because Dr Green explains that spectators focus on filming and that it's not always easy to control them.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'that's not always easy' = Option: 'can be hard to manage'

Tips: For attitude questions, listen for opinion phrases like I wouldn't, that's not easy, or the problem is.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • B: Students may choose They make useful volunteers because Holly suggests parents could help. However, Dr Green disagrees and says not to rely on that. This is a wrong speaker trap.
  • C: Students may pick They shouldn't take photographs because photos are mentioned. However, Dr Green does not say they are forbidden, only that they can cause problems. This is a paraphrase trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • rely on = depend on
  • interfere = get in the way

Question Focus: Detail question - asks about a past scheduling problem

Correct Answer: B

Passage Reference: And I was thinking about what to do if someone got hurt as well. I know that last year that caused a terrible delay.

Why this is correct: The answer is an injury because Dr Green says that last year someone got hurt and that caused a terrible delay.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'someone got hurt' = Option: 'an injury'

Tips: Pay attention to time words like last year, in the past, or before. They tell you when something happened.

Why the other options are wrong:

  • A: Students may choose bad weather because rain is mentioned. However, Dr Green says they have always been lucky with weather, so it did not cause delays. This is a distractor trap.
  • C: Students may pick extra time because they hear about matches ending in a draw. However, this is discussed as a future possibility, not something that happened in the past. This is a context shift trap.

Key Vocabulary:

  • delay = something taking longer than planned
  • schedule = timetable

General Tips:

  • MCQ questions follow the order of the recording - use the previous answer to predict where the next one is coming.
  • Listen carefully when the speaker corrects or disagrees with an idea. The correct answer often comes after but or however.
  • Do not choose an option just because you hear the same word. Always check the meaning.
  • For reasons and opinions, focus on phrases that explain why, not just what is mentioned.

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