# Arranging University Hall Accommodation: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 2, Listening Part 1

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 2, Listening Part 1. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Bhatt | It's Anu Bhatt. |
| 2 | 31 March | March 31st, 1972. |
| 3 | nursing | I'm doing a course in nursing. |
| 4 | 2 | But I'd only like to stay in hall for two. |
| 5 | meat | Yes, I don't take red meat. |
| 6 | bedsit | I think the bedsit sounds the best option |
| 7 | theatre | I love the theater. |
| 8 | mature | the first thing is I'd prefer a hall where there are other mature students |
| 9 | town | And I'd prefer to be out of town. |
| 10 | shared | I would like somewhere with a shared area |

## Why these answers are right

**1. Bhatt.** The form already shows her first name, Anu, so the gap needs her family name. She gives her full name as Anu Bhatt and then spells it letter by letter, which confirms the spelling B-H-A-T-T for the surname.

**2. 31 March.** The officer asks for her date of birth, and she replies March 31st, 1972. Any standard way of writing that day and month is accepted, such as 31 March or 31st March, with or without the year added.

**3. nursing.** The note asks for her course of study. When the officer asks what she will be studying, Anu says she is doing a course in nursing, so the single word nursing completes the line on the form.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/arranging-university-hall-accommodation/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 1.

**Announcer:** You will hear a student talking to the student accommodation officer at a college.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5.

**Announcer:** You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.

**Announcer:** On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.

**Man:** Good morning.

**Man:** Can I help you?

**Woman:** Yes, I've just been accepted on a course at the university, and I'd like to try and arrange accommodation in the hall of residence.

**Man:** Yes, certainly.

**Man:** Please sit down.

**Man:** What I'll do is fill in a form with you to find out a little more about your preferences and so forth.

**Woman:** Thank you.

**Announcer:** The student wishes to arrange accommodation in a hall of residence, so hall has been written in the space.

**Announcer:** Now we shall begin.

**Announcer:** You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time.

**Announcer:** Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.

**Man:** Good morning.

**Man:** Can I help you?

**Woman:** Yes, I've just been accepted on a course at the university, and I'd like to try and arrange accommodation in the hall of residence.

**Man:** Yes, certainly.

**Man:** Please sit down.

**Man:** What I'll do is fill in a form with you to find out a little more about your preferences and so forth.

**Woman:** Thank you.

**Man:** So, first of all, um, can I take your name?

**Woman:** It's Anu Bhatt.

**Man:** Could you spell your name please?

**Woman:** Yes, ANU BHATT.

**Man:** Thanks, and could I ask your date of birth?

**Woman:** March 31st, 1972.

**Man:** Thank you.

**Man:** And where are you from?

**Woman:** India.

**Man:** Oh, right.

**Man:** And um what will you be studying?

**Woman:** I'm doing a course in nursing.

**Man:** Right, thank you.

**Man:** And how long would you want to stay in hall do you think?

**Woman:** Well, it'll take 3 years.

**Woman:** But I'd only like to stay in hall for two.

**Woman:** I'd like to think about living outside for the third year.

**Man:** Fine.

**Man:** And what did you have in mind for catering?

**Man:** Do you want to cook for yourself, or have all your meals provided, that's full board?

**Woman:** Is there something in between?

**Man:** Yes, you can just have evening meal provided, which is half board.

**Woman:** That's what I'd prefer.

**Man:** Yes, a lot of students opt for that.

**Man:** Now, with that in mind, do you have any special diet, anything we should know about?

**Woman:** Yes, I don't take red meat.

**Man:** No red meat.

**Announcer:** Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10.

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.

**Man:** Now, thinking about the room itself, we have a number of options.

**Man:** Uh. You can have a single study bedroom, or you can have a shared one.

**Man:** These are both what we call simple rooms.

**Man:** The other alternative is to opt for a single bedsit, which actually has more space and better facilities.

**Man:** Uh. There's about GBP 20 a week difference between them.

**Woman:** Well, actually my grant is quite generous, and I think the bedsit sounds the best option.

**Man:** Lovely.

**Man:** I'll put you down for that, and we'll see what availability is like.

**Man:** Now, can I ask some other personal details which we like to have on record?

**Woman:** Yes, of course.

**Man:** I wonder if you could let us know what your interests are.

**Man:** This might help us get a closer match for placing you in a particular hall.

**Woman:** Ummm. Well, I love the theater.

**Man:** Right.

**Woman:** And I enjoy sports, uh, particularly badminton.

**Man:** Ah, that's worth knowing.

**Man:** Now, what we finish with on the form is really a list from you of what your priorities are in choosing a hall, and we'll do our best to take these into account.

**Woman:** Well, the first thing is I'd prefer a hall where there are other mature students, if possible.

**Man:** Yes, we do have halls which tend to cater for slightly older students.

**Woman:** Hmm.

**Woman:** Uh. And I'd prefer to be out of town.

**Man:** That's actually very good for you, because we tend to have more vacancies in out-of-town halls.

**Woman:** Ah. Lucky.

**Man:** Yes, uh, anything else?

**Woman:** Well, I would like somewhere with a shared area, a TV room for example, or something like that.

**Woman:** It's a good way to socialize.

**Man:** Certainly is.

**Woman:** That's it.

**Man:** Now we just need a contact telephone number for you.

**Woman:** Oh, sure, I'll just find it.

**Woman:** Um. It's 667549.

**Man:** Great, so we'll be in contact with you as soon as possible.

**Announcer:** That is the end of section 1.

**Announcer:** You now have half a minute to check your answers.

[Practice Arranging University Hall Accommodation](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/arranging-university-hall-accommodation)