# Family Excursions: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 12, Test 1, Listening Part 1

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 12, Test 1, 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 | mountains | And don't forget to take pictures of the mountains. ... They're all around you when you're on the boat |
| 2 | horse | there's also a 40-minute trek round the farm on a horse |
| 3 | garden | There are some very beautiful gardens along the side of the lake, which also belong to the farm. |
| 4 | lunch | And can we get lunch there? ... though it's not included in the basic cost. |
| 5 | map | They'll give you a map when you get your ticket for the cruise, there's no extra charge. |
| 6 | experience | it needs someone who's got a bit more experience. |
| 7 | Ratchesons | It's called Ratchesons. ... RATCHESONS. |
| 8 | helmet | And I assume I can rent a helmet from the bike place. ... Sure, you should definitely get that. |
| 9 | shops | You won't see any shops round there or anywhere to stay |
| 10 | 267 | Then I'm afraid it's $267, because she has to pay the adult fare |

## Why these answers are right

**1. mountains.** The gap needs the thing visitors can photograph that surrounds the lake. The employee tells the visitor not to forget to take pictures of the mountains, then adds that they are all around you on the boat, which matches "surround the lake".

**2. horse.** The note describes a 40-minute ride, so you need what visitors ride on. The employee mentions a 40-minute trek round the farm on a horse, and the visitor's worry that his son has never done it before confirms this is horse riding.

**3. garden.** You need a place that belongs to the farm, beside the lake, where visitors can walk. The employee says some very beautiful gardens along the side of the lake also belong to the farm, so "gardens" (or "garden") fills the gap.

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

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 1.

**Announcer:** You will hear a man inquiring in a tourist center about activities suitable for families.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4.

**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.

**Tc Employee:** Hi. Can I help you?

**Visitor:** I'd like to find out if you have any excursions suitable for families.

**Tc Employee:** Sure.

**Tc Employee:** How about taking your family for a cruise?

**Tc Employee:** We have a steamship that takes passengers out several times a day.

**Tc Employee:** It's over 100 years old.

**Announcer:** The cruise takes place on a steamship.

**Announcer:** So, steamship 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 4.

**Tc Employee:** Hi. Can I help you?

**Visitor:** I'd like to find out if you have any excursions suitable for families.

**Tc Employee:** Sure.

**Tc Employee:** How about taking your family for a cruise?

**Tc Employee:** We have a steamship that takes passengers out several times a day.

**Tc Employee:** It's over 100 years old.

**Visitor:** That sounds interesting.

**Visitor:** How long is the trip?

**Tc Employee:** About an hour and a half.

**Tc Employee:** And don't forget to take pictures of the mountains.

**Tc Employee:** They're all around you when you're on the boat, and they look fantastic.

**Visitor:** OK, and I assume there's a cafe or something on board?

**Tc Employee:** Sure.

**Tc Employee:** How old are your children?

**Visitor:** Uh. My daughter's fifteen, and my son's 7.

**Tc Employee:** Right.

**Tc Employee:** Well, there are various things you can do once you've crossed the lake to make a day of it.

**Tc Employee:** One thing that's very popular is a visit to the country farm.

**Tc Employee:** You're met off the boat by the farmer, and he'll take you to the holding pens where the sheep are kept.

**Tc Employee:** Children love feeling them.

**Visitor:** My son would love that.

**Visitor:** He really likes animals.

**Tc Employee:** Well, there's also a 40-minute trek round the farm on a horse, if he wants.

**Visitor:** Do you think he'd manage it?

**Visitor:** He hasn't done that before.

**Tc Employee:** Sure, it's suitable for complete beginners.

**Visitor:** Ah, good.

**Tc Employee:** And again visitors are welcome to explore the farm on their own, as long as they take care to close gates and so on.

**Tc Employee:** There are some very beautiful gardens along the side of the lake, which also belong to the farm.

**Tc Employee:** They'll be just at their best now.

**Tc Employee:** You could easily spend an hour or two there.

**Visitor:** OK, well, that all sounds good.

**Visitor:** And can we get lunch there?

**Tc Employee:** You can, and it's very good, though it's not included in the basic cost.

**Tc Employee:** You pay when you get there.

**Visitor:** Right.

**Announcer:** Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10.

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.

**Visitor:** So, is there anything else to do over on that side of the lake?

**Tc Employee:** Well, what you can do is take a bike over on the ship, and then go on a cycling trip.

**Tc Employee:** There's a trail there called the Back Road.

**Tc Employee:** You could easily spend three or four hours exploring it, and the scenery's wonderful.

**Tc Employee:** They'll give you a map when you get your ticket for the cruise, there's no extra charge.

**Visitor:** What's the trail like in terms of difficulty?

**Tc Employee:** Quite challenging in places, it wouldn't be suitable for your 7 year old, it needs someone who's got a bit more experience.

**Visitor:** Hmm, well my daughter loves cycling, and so do I.

**Visitor:** So maybe the two of us could go, and my wife and son could stay on the farm.

**Visitor:** That might work out quite well, uh, but we don't have bikes here.

**Visitor:** Is there somewhere we could rent them?

**Tc Employee:** Yes, there's a place here in the city.

**Tc Employee:** It's called Ratchesons.

**Visitor:** I'll just make a note of that.

**Visitor:** Uh. How do you spell it?

**Tc Employee:** RATCHESONS.

**Tc Employee:** It's just by the cruise ship terminal.

**Visitor:** OK.

**Tc Employee:** You'd also need to pick up a repair kit for the bike from there to take along with you, and you'd need to take along a snack and some water.

**Tc Employee:** It would be best to get those in the city.

**Visitor:** Fine, that shouldn't be a problem.

**Visitor:** And I assume I can rent a helmet from the bike place.

**Tc Employee:** Sure, you should definitely get that.

**Tc Employee:** It's a great ride, but you want to be well prepared, because it's very remote.

**Tc Employee:** You won't see any shops round there or anywhere to stay, so you need to get back in time for the last boat.

**Visitor:** Yeah.

**Visitor:** Uh. So what sort of prices are we looking at here?

**Tc Employee:** Let's see, that would be one adult and one child for the cruise with Farm tour.

**Tc Employee:** That's 117 dollars, and an adult and a child for the cruise only, so that's $214 altogether.

**Tc Employee:** Oh, wait a minute.

**Tc Employee:** How old did you say your daughter was?

**Visitor:** 15.

**Tc Employee:** 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.

**Visitor:** That's OK.

**Visitor:** Er, so how do...

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

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

[Practice Family Excursions](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/family-excursions)