Cambridge University Press

978-0-521-68089-9 - New Insight into IELTS Student’s Book with Answers

Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell
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The Listening module

When you go to university or move to an
English-speaking country, you will have to
interact with many different people in a
number of situations. The IELTS Listening
test is designed to reflect some of these
real-world listening situations. The level
of difficulty increases through the paper
and there is a range of topics and tasks
which test your comprehension skills,
such as listening for specific information,
listening for detail, understanding gist and
understanding speaker opinion. As you
work your way through the Listening units
of this book, you will be introduced to a
wide range of IELTS question types and
additional exercises to help improve your
overall listening strategies.

Listening for IELTS

Listening test format
Section 1 A conversation between two
speakers in a social or semi-
official context
Section 2 A talk by a single speaker based
on a non-academic situation
Section 3 A conversation with up to four
speakers based on academic
topics or course-related
situations
Section 4 A university-style lecture or talk
The Listening test is the first part of the IELTS examination and takes place at the
beginning of the day. It consists of four recorded sections, each covering a different
type of language and context. There are ten questions in each section and each
question carries one mark.
As you hear each recording once only it is very important to understand exactly what
you are being asked to do in each question. You are given time to read the questions
in each part, before you listen. The question types vary; for example, some questions
involve completing a form, chart or diagram, others may require you to complete
some notes or match some things in a list to what you hear about them. In addition
there may be note-taking exercises and multiple choice questions.
You write all your answers on the question paper as you listen. The Listening part
of the test takes about 30 minutes. After the recording has finished, you have ten
minutes to transfer your answers onto the answer sheet (see page 190).
All aspects of the Listening test, as well as additional skills, are covered in this book.

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Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-68089-9 - New Insight into IELTS Student’s Book with Answers
Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell
Excerpt
More information

Listening

1 Orientating yourself to the text

■

■
Who are the speakers?
Where are they?
Why are they speaking?
In order to understand what people are saying, it helps to
know what their relationship is to each other and why they
are speaking. The language they use will depend on this
relationship and the situation. Knowing these helps us to
anticipate what the speakers are going to talk about.

Predicting the situation

1 Look at pictures a–d. Try to work out who the people are, where they are and
what they are doing.
2 Look at pictures a–d again. Try to imagine what the people are saying. Work with a
partner and use some of the words and phrases in the vocabulary box to help you.

a b Vocabulary
where? live
when? afford
how much? wait
how long? arrive
which? watch
accommodation time
c d flights news
TV channel suburb
programme area
problem bus

3 How did you decide what the people were saying? Compare your ideas with the
rest of the class.
4 Look at pictures a–f, which show people in different situations. Try to imagine
what they are saying.

a c d
b e
f

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Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-68089-9 - New Insight into IELTS Student’s Book with Answers
Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell
Excerpt
More information

Listening 1

5 02 You will hear six short conversations. As you listen, complete the first part
of the table by matching each conversation to a picture (a–f ).Then say what the
situation is and how many speakers there are.
6 Listen to the conversations again and write the key words that help you
understand the situation. If there are two speakers, say whether they know each
other or not. Write your answers in the final two columns of the table below.

other? ach
ords
speak r of

know rs
ers
on

e
e
e

Numbe
Situati

Do the
Key w

speak
Pictur

1 f Talk on first day at a 1 Welcome you … Introducing the No

college teaching staff
2

7 Look at the set of notes below and say what the topic is.
8 On the right, write what type of words you need to complete the notes.
9 03 Listen and answer questions 1–4.

Drive from Melbourne to Phillip Island:

Type of words
• approx 1 km
1 a number
• takes about 2
People go there to: 2

• observe the 3 returning 3

home
4
• watch seals from 4 or
through telescopes.

© Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org

Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-68089-9 - New Insight into IELTS Student’s Book with Answers
Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell
Excerpt
More information

Listening 1

IELTS Listening test practice Form-filling

Form-filling is a common IELTS Listening task, particularly in Section 1. You often have to
Test tip provide factual information, including numbers. Use the words on the form as a guide to the
All questions like information you need to listen for.
form/notes/
summary/ 10 Work with a partner. Together look at the form below and discuss the situation
diagram/flowchart and the relationship of the speakers. Then discuss what type of answers you
and sentence need to listen for.
completion must
11 04 Listen and answer questions 1–4.
be answered using
three words or
less. The Complete the form below.
instructions tell Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
you the MAXIMUM
NUMBER OF Hotel Novena
WORDS to use. Guest Registration Form
Example Answer
Name of guest: Matthews
Room: 1
Wake-up call at: 2
Type of breakfast: 3
Payment by: 4

IELTS Listening test practice Note completion

You often have to complete some notes in the IELTS Listening test. You should read the notes
carefully before you listen, to work out what type of words are missing. The vocabulary in the
notes can also help you predict the situation.
12 Look at the set of notes below and say what the topic is.
Test tip
13 On the right, write what type of words you need to complete the notes.
Notes are
not complete 14 05 Listen and answer questions 1–3.
sentences and may
not always contain Complete the notes below.
articles or full Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
verb forms.
Train now arriving at
1 . Type of words
Meet boys outside station 1 a time
2 .
2
Bring leather jacket.
Bring 3 to repay 3
Charlie.

10

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Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-68089-9 - New Insight into IELTS Student’s Book with Answers
Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell
Excerpt
More information

Listening

2 Listening for specific information

■

■
What are the missing words?

How can we prepare before we

listen?
Sometimes when we listen, we are only interested
in finding out very specific information such as a
date, a time, a name or other details.
We can try to work out what type of words we are
listening for. This will help us find the answer.

Predicting what type of words you need

1 Find out information from two other students to complete this questionnaire. Use
your own words to form questions (e.g. for Date of birth ask, When were you born?).

? Questionnaire Student 1 Student 2

How Name
When Nationality
What Date of birth
Telephone number
Where Usual wake-up time
Which Means of travel to college

2 You are going to hear five voicemail messages. Say what type of word(s) you
need to listen for in each message and write it (them) in the table below.
3 06 Listen and complete gaps 1–10.
4 Listen to the recording again and make a note of the words each speaker said
which helped you to answer the questions. The first one has been done for you.

Voicemail messages Type of word What the speaker said Test tip
A Julia confirming dinner on 1 day/date I’m coming for dinner You need to be
at 2 . time/place on Friday night able to recognise
paraphrases, i.e.
B 3 ready. words which have a
Cost of repairs 4 $ . similar meaning to
C 5 called. those used in the
Can’t get textbook because it is 6 . question.

D Dr Boyd is ill with 7 .

New appointment on 8 .
E Sam rang. 9 for Prof. Hall on Saturday.
Please ring this number: 10 .

11

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