101 Helpful Hints for IELTS
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS - SPECIFY THE TOPIC O
In a question which asks you to provide a short answer to a question, you should first accurately v
out the question topic in order to give the correct answer.
• Look at Questions 24 and 25 in Listening Test One:
Q24. What does Julie like most about her job?
Q25. What is Julie's main responsibility when on duty?
In Question 24 the topic is not simply what Julie likes about her job, but what Julie likes i
about her job. Therefore, the answer is
"meeting new people", and not
"going to place,
has never been before ", nor any of the other reasons she mentions.
Similarly, in Question 25 the topic is not simply Julie's responsibilities when on duty
Julie's
main responsibility when on duty. Therefore, the answer is
"passenger comfort'
not any one of the other responsibilities she mentions.
Check with the Practice Listening Test One Tapescript in Appendix 2 starting on page 1^
you are unsure of what Julie says.
If you do not read the question carefully, and do not accurately specify the topic, you might e
give the wrong answer.
Before the passage is played, or as you listen, circle the topic of each questior
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS - SUMMING UP Q
The speaker often sums up what he or she says in answer to a specific question. It is natural
speaker to be sometimes unable to give an instant answer to a question. The speaker will thei
of many connected things before stating directly what he or she wishes to give as the answer;
end of the reply.
• Look at part of the tapescript of Section 3 of Listening Test One:
Sue: Then tell me, what is your main responsibility during a flight?
Julie: That's hard to say really. Well, we're responsible for all the
needs and demands of each and every passenger, for up to 10
hours on some long haul flights. Not to mention the safety of
the plane and all the passengers. I suppose, if I have to come
up with a single answer, it'd be passenger comfort.
The above excerpt gives the answer to Question 25 in Listening Test One.
Julie cannot instantly give a direct answer to Sue's question, but eventually
sums up and-
her answer directly -
"passenger comfort".
You should wait for the speaker to sum up before giving your short answer to a question. If y
not, you run the risk of writing down an answer which may be incorrect or only partly correct
might also be too busy writing down what you think is the answer, and not hear the correct ai
in the speaker's summing up.
26
Listening Test Hints
SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS - STEP BY STEP
O
Before you listen:
Read the instructions carefully.
(See IELTS Test - Basic Hints 7 and 8.)
Always look at and listen for the example.
(See IELTS Test - Basic Hint 9.)
• As
you listen:
Accurately specify the topic before choosing the keywords/phrases to listen for, and
be aware of the question changing.
(See IELTS Test - Basic Hint 10 and Listening Hints 20 and 27.)
If necessary, wait for the speaker to sum up.
(See Listening Hint 28.)
d In the time given to you at the end of the short-answer questions:
Make sure your words and numbers are easy to read.
(See IELTS Test - Basic Hints 14 and 15.)
Guess the answers to unanswered questions - do not leave blanks.
(See IELTS Test - Basic Hint 11.)
Check that your answers are given in grammatically correct English.
i.e. for answers that should be in plural form.
(See IELTS Test - Basic Hint 12.)
PRACTICE FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Most candidates say that they find the multiple choice question tasks easier than the other listening
tasks. This is because in a question with four choices you have a 25% chance of being correct.
However, you also have a 75% chance of being wrong, which is why multiple choice questions are
harder than they seem. Of course, if you are given 5 choices, your chance is lowered to only 20%!
The IELTS multiple choice question tasks require you to listen to a passage of spoken English, often
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: 
