# Counsellor's Interview with Overseas Students: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 1, Test 2, Listening Part 1

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 1, 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 | student accommodation | I went straight into student accommodation. ... It was a kind of student hostel. |
| 2 | awful food | the food at the hostel was awful. |
| 3 | not friendly | People seem to keep to themselves. ... They're not really very friendly. |
| 4 | lecturers busy | there hasn't been enough contact with the lecturers. ... They all seem to be incredibly busy. |
| 5 | regular meetings | I think it would be helpful to have meetings with lecturers on the course ... Regular meetings. |
| 6 | family | I stayed with a family for 3 months. |
| 7 | lot of noise | they had three young children, and I found it difficult to study. |
| 8 | student house | and now I live with two other students in a student house. |
| 9 | Computing | I'm doing a Bachelor of Computing. |
| 10 | reserve computer time | But it would certainly help if we could reserve computer time. |

## Why these answers are right

**1. student accommodation.** The notes ask what kind of place Kate lived in when she arrived. She says she went straight into student accommodation and then adds that it was a kind of student hostel, so either phrase fits within the three-word limit.

**2. awful food.** This gap needs Kate's feelings about the place she lived. She did not have to cook, but she says she sometimes wished she had, because the food at the hostel was awful, so her complaint is the awful food.

**3. not friendly.** Asked about the other students, Kate says she has not made many friends because people seem to keep to themselves and are not really very friendly. Either "not friendly" or "kept to themselves" sums up her view in three words or fewer.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/counsellors-interview-with-overseas-students/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 1.

**Announcer:** In this section, you will hear two overseas students, Kate and Luki, being interviewed by a university counselor.

**Announcer:** First look at questions 1 to 5.

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

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

**Counsellor:** Hi, there, Kate.

**Counsellor:** Come on in.

**Counsellor:** How are you today?

**Kate:** Fine, thanks.

**Counsellor:** Hi, Luki.

**Counsellor:** How's things?

**Luki:** OK.

**Counsellor:** Well, as I explained on the phone, I'm a counselor here at the Student Services section of the university.

**Counsellor:** And I'm interviewing overseas students to help me draw up a guide for new students.

**Counsellor:** So, I'd be grateful if you could tell me a little about your time since you've been here in Cambridge.

**Kate:** Right.

**Counsellor:** Now, Kate, let's start with you.

**Counsellor:** OK, um, this is your 2nd semester, isn't it?

**Counsellor:** Could you tell us something about your first impressions of the town when you arrived?

**Kate:** Uh. Yeah, well, first of all, I was struck by how quiet it is here in the evening.

**Announcer:** Kate's first impression of the town is that it is quiet in the evening.

**Announcer:** So, quiet is the answer.

**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:** Now listen to the first interview with Kate, and complete the notes by filling in the numbered spaces 1 to 5.

**Counsellor:** Hi, there, Kate.

**Counsellor:** Come on in.

**Counsellor:** How are you today?

**Kate:** Fine, thanks.

**Counsellor:** Hi, Luki.

**Counsellor:** How's things?

**Luki:** OK.

**Counsellor:** Well, as I explained on the phone, I'm a counselor here at the Student Services section of the university.

**Counsellor:** And I'm interviewing overseas students to help me draw up a guide for new students.

**Counsellor:** So, I'd be grateful if you could tell me a little about your time since you've been here in Cambridge.

**Kate:** Right.

**Counsellor:** Now, Kate, let's start with you.

**Counsellor:** OK, um, this is your 2nd semester, isn't it?

**Counsellor:** Could you tell us something about your first impressions of the town when you arrived?

**Kate:** Uh. Yeah, well, first of all I was struck by how quiet it is here in the evening.

**Counsellor:** Yeah, I suppose Cambridge is a quiet place.

**Counsellor:** Um.

**Counsellor:** Where did you live when you first arrived?

**Kate:** Well, I went straight into student accommodation.

**Kate:** It was a kind of student hostel.

**Counsellor:** All right, so, uh, you didn't have to worry about doing your own cooking or anything like that.

**Kate:** No.

**Kate:** But sometimes I wished I had, the food at the hostel was awful.

**Counsellor:** Oh, dear.

**Counsellor:** But how were the other students?

**Kate:** Ha, to be honest, I haven't managed to make many friends, even though the place is full.

**Kate:** People seem to keep to themselves.

**Kate:** They're not really very friendly.

**Counsellor:** Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

**Counsellor:** Um. Well, what about the actual course?

**Counsellor:** You're studying... um...

**Kate:** I'm doing a master's by course work in environmental studies.

**Counsellor:** All right, and how are you finding that?

**Kate:** Yeah, well, it's been pretty good really.

**Kate:** I've enjoyed the course, but I feel there hasn't been enough contact with the lecturers.

**Kate:** Uh. They all seem to be incredibly busy.

**Kate:** The only chance I've really had to talk to them was on the field trip.

**Counsellor:** Well, that's no good.

**Counsellor:** Uh huh. Um, could anything be done to improve the course in your opinion?

**Kate:** Well.

**Kate:** I think it would be helpful to have meetings with lecturers on the course, say once a fortnight - something like that.

**Counsellor:** Regular meetings.

**Counsellor:** Yes, that could certainly help.

**Counsellor:** Now Kate we'll come back to you in a minute, but I'd just like to ask Luki some questions.

**Announcer:** Before they continue the interview, look at questions 6 to 10.

**Announcer:** As you listen to the rest of the interview, complete the notes.

**Counsellor:** Luki, where are you from?

**Luki:** I am from Indonesia.

**Counsellor:** And how did you find Cambridge when you first arrived?

**Luki:** Well, I like it here.

**Luki:** I think the city is very beautiful.

**Counsellor:** What about your accommodation?

**Counsellor:** Was that OK?

**Luki:** Yes, OK.

**Luki:** At first, I stayed with a family for 3 months.

**Luki:** They were very kind to me, but they had three young children, and I found it difficult to study.

**Counsellor:** Right, I see.

**Luki:** So, after 3 months, I moved out, and now I live with two other students in a student house.

**Luki:** It's much cheaper, and we like it there.

**Counsellor:** Good.

**Counsellor:** And then, what about your studies?

**Counsellor:** What are you studying?

**Luki:** I'm doing a Bachelor of Computing.

**Counsellor:** Computing, I see.

**Counsellor:** Um, apart from the language difficulties,

**Counsellor:** if you can separate them, how have you found the course?

**Luki:** OK, but...

**Counsellor:** Yes, go on.

**Luki:** Well the main difficulty for me is getting time on the computers in the computer room.

**Luki:** It's always busy, and this makes it very hard to do my practical work.

**Counsellor:** Yes.

**Counsellor:** I'm sure it would.

**Counsellor:** Can you reserve time in the computer room?

**Luki:** No, you can't.

**Luki:** But it would certainly help if we could reserve computer time.

**Counsellor:** Yes.

**Counsellor:** I'll look into that and see if something can be done to improve things over there.

**Counsellor:** Now, let's go back to Kate...

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

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

[Practice Counsellor's Interview with Overseas Students](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/counsellors-interview-with-overseas-students)