This IELTS Listening post is based on the solutions and explanations for Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Test 5 Listening Section 1. All the questions in this section have been discussed with their solutions along with the best explanations. I hope this post will help new learners of IELTS and candidates to understand different problems related to IELTS Listening and guide them properly to attain a good band score.

In the IELTS Listening test, you will hear some recordings from which you have to answer questions that are printed in a booklet. You’ll hear the recordings for 30 minutes and you’ll need to answer the questions while you listen. There are 4 parts to this test; each part contains 10 questions and a single piece of recording related to the questions. At the end of the test, you’ll have 10 minutes to transfer your answers from the question booklet to the answer sheet. You must use a pencil; no pen or coloured markers are allowed.

In this post, we’re looking at the solutions and explanations for Cambridge 12 Academic Test 5 Section 1 (Questions 1-10).

Cambridge 12 Academic Test 5 Part 1:

 

Questions 1-10: Completing notes with ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

The title of the notes is: FAMILY EXCURSIONS

Play the following recording:

As you get around 30-40 seconds to have a look at questions 1-4, you must underline the keywords (words that help us to find out answers for each question) correctly.

Let’s have a quick look at the questions and mark the KEYWORDS with a pencil:

(I’ve marked the KEYWORDS with a yellow marker to help you understand better; don’t do that in the exam, YOU MUST USE A PENCIL.)

The yellow lines and circles are the keywords of the questions which can help us find the answers.

Now, let’s listen to each part of the recording and find the answer for questions 1-4.

Question no. 1:

• Can take photos of the _________ that surround the lake

Here, in this question, our KEYWORDS are take photos and surround the lake, which means that we need to listen to any information given about taking photos of something that surrounds the lake. We must listen carefully to the person (the lady) detailing about the excursion. Let’s listen to the recording.

As you listen to the last part of this clip, the lady (the excursion information provider) says, “…. . .. And don’t forget to take pictures of the mountains. They’re all around you when you’re on the boat and they look fantastic.”

Here, take pictures matches with take photos in the question. Also, They’re all around you when you’re on the boat = surround the lake in the question.

So, the answer is: mountains

Question no. 2:

• Visit can include a 40-minute ride on a __________

Here, our KEYWORDS are 40-minute ride on, which means we need to find information about any transport which is used for the 40-minute ride. Let’s listen to the recording:

Listen to the last half part of the clip where you’ll hear the lady talking about the 40-minute ride. She says, “.. .. .. Well, there’s also a 40-minute trek round the farm on a horse, if he wants. .. ..”

Here, 40-minute trek means 40-minute ride and the ride is on a horse.

So, the answer is: horse

Question no. 3:

• Visitors can walk in the farm’s ________ by the lake

Here, our KEYWORDS are walk in, farm’s and by the lake, which means we need to listen to the lady if she talks about an area inside the farm where visitors can walk around. The area is by or beside the lake. Ok? Let’s listen to the recording:

Again, if you listen to the last half of the clip, the lady talks about a place that is situated by the side of the lake where visitors can walk. “.. .. There are some very beautiful gardens along the side of the lake which also belong to the farm – they’ll be just at their best now. You could easily spend an hour or two there.”

Here, along the side of the lake = by the lake, belong to the farm = farm’s, You could easily spend an hour or two there = Visitors can walk in,

So, the answer is: gardens

Question no. 4:

• _________ is available at extra cost

Here, our KEYWORDS are available and extra cost. So, we need to find information about any service that is available during the cruise or farm visit that is not included in the basic service price but can be acquired if people pay extra for that. Let’s listen to the recording:

In the clip, the gentleman asks, “And can we get lunch there?” The lady replies, “You can, and it’s very good, though it’s not included in the basic cost. You pay when you get there.”

Here, You can means the lunch is available, though it’s not included in the basic cost means extra cost.

So, the answer is: lunch

This is the end of the first part of Listening Section 1. Now, you are given 30 seconds to check your answers.

TIP: You shouldn’t spend the time checking the answers now. You have 10 minutes at the end of the test to write the answers in the answer sheet. You can check the answers that time.

Now, you should read ahead questions 5-10.

Let’s have a quick look at the questions and mark the KEYWORDS with a pencil:

(I’ve marked the KEYWORDS with a yellow marker to help you understand better; don’t do that in the exam, YOU MUST USE A PENCIL. And don’t take more than 30 seconds to read this part of the question.)

Now, let’s listen to each part of the recording and find the answer for questions 5-10.

Question no. 5:

• Cyclists explore the Back Road
• A _______ is provided

Here, our KEYWORDS are, Cyclists explore, Back Road, and provided. This means we need to listen to the recording for something that is provided (given to the cyclists which they can use to explore the Back Road). Let’s listen to the recording:

In this clip the lady talks about the Cycling trips. She says, “. . . . and then go on a cycling trip. There’s a trail there called the Back Road – you could easily spend three or four hours exploring it, and the scenery’s wonderful. They’ll give you a map when you get your ticket for the cruise – there’s no extra charge.”

Here, cycling trip means the trip where Cyclists explore, give means provided,

So, the answer is: map

Question no. 6:

• Only suitable for cyclists who have some _________

For this question, we need to listen to something (some sort of skills or experience perhaps) that cyclists need. (You can guess this answer and check whether your guess is correct or not; if not correct, don’t be upset; guessing will come to you gradually.) Let’s listen to this recording:

Here, in this clip, the man asks about the difficulty of the 40-minute cycle trip. The lady answers, “ . . .Quite challenging in places. It wouldn’t be suitable for your seven-year-old. It needs someone who’s got a bit more experience.”

Here, It needs someone = Only suitable for,

So, the answer is: experience 

Question no. 7:

• – bikes can be hired from ____________ (near the Cruise Ship Terminal)

The question asks us to find out the name of the place from where bikes can be hired. Let’s listen to the recording:

In this clip, the man asks if he could hire a bike from any place. The lady replies, “Yes, there’s a place in the city. It’s called Ratchesons.” The man then asks her to spell it and the lady spells the name for him, “R-A-T-C-H-E-S-O-N-S. It’s just by the Cruise Ship Terminal.”

So, the answer is: Ratchesons   

Question no. 8:

• Cyclists need:
• a repair kit
• food and drink
• a ________ (can be hired)

Our KEYWORDS for this question are a repair kit, food and drink and can be hired. This means we will find the answer just after the lady mentions a repair kit and food and drink. Let’s listen to the recording:

In this clip, when the lady mentions that the man needs to take a repair kit and food (snack) and drink (water) for the ride, the man asks, “And I assume I can rent a helmet from the bike place?” The lady replied positively.

Therefore, along with the repair kit and food and drink, the man also needs to hire (rent) helmet.

So, the answer is: helmet

Question no. 9:

• – There are no _________ or accommodation in the area.

The question indicates that there are two matters/things which are not available in this area. One of them is accommodation. We need to listen for the other. Let’s listen:

Here, in this clip, the lady says, “ .. . It’s a great ride but you want to be well prepared because it’s very remote – you won’t see any shops round there, or anywhere to stay,  .. .. ..”

Here, won’t see = no, stay = accommodation,

So, the answer is: shops

Question no. 10:

Cost:

• Total cost for whole family of cruise and farm visit: $ ________

The question asks us to listen to the recording and find out the total cost for the cruise and farm visit for the man, his wife and his son (child) and daughter (adult). Let’s listen to the recording carefully and count the amount of money to be paid:

Ok, here’s the problem We hear the lady mentioning the amount of money 5 times. So? Which one is the correct answer.

First She says, “Let’s see, that’d be one adult and one child for the cruise with farm tour, that’s $117, and an adult and a child for the cruise only so that’s $214 dollars altogether. Oh, wait a minute; how old did you say your daughter was?”

This means she had mistaken his daughter as a child and included her cost as a child’s cost. When she learns that the daughter is 15, she says, “Then I’m afraid it’s $267 because she has to pay the adult fare, which is $75 instead of the child fare which is $22 – sorry about that.”

So, the answer is: 267

Special Tips:

1. Be careful about capital letters/ block letters for Proper nouns. In this section, the word ‘Ratchesons’ is a proper noun; so the word must be written with a capital letter in the beginning. Otherwise, your answer will be WRONG.
2. Be careful about the dollar ($) or pound (£) sign or symbol. If it’s included in the question paper, you can’t write it as your answer. Here, in this question, the sign is already on the question paper. So, the answer will be the number only.