# Kira's University Study Experience and Insights: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 4, Listening Part 3

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 9, Test 4, Listening Part 3. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 21 | A | as I'd already finished a course in it in my country |
| 22 | C | it is more a question of altering your viewpoint towards academic study |
| 23 | approach | Here they're much easier to approach. |
| 24 | mature | Maybe you found them different because you're a more mature student now |
| 25 | interest | but sometimes just about something that might really interest them. |
| 26 | groups | We did these in small groups. |
| 27 | every 2 days | So every second day we went to one of the big hospitals and worked there. |
| 28 | 2 weeks | we had to work full time for two weeks in a hospital. |
| 29 | confident | I do feel much more confident |
| 30 | education system | The biggest problem for me was lack of familiarity with the education system here. |

## Why these answers are right

**21. A.** The question asks what Kira had done in her home country. She says she chose pharmacy because she had already finished a course in it in her country. Finishing a course means she completed it, so A is correct.

**22. C.** The question asks what Kira needed to do to succeed with assignments. She explains that lecturers expect students to be critical, and that the real issue is altering your viewpoint towards academic study rather than reading or writing skills. That is a change in thinking, C.

**23. approach.** The sentence compares lecturers here with those in Kira's home country. When Paul asks if they are the same, Kira says no, here they are much easier to approach, and students can ask questions after lectures. The missing word is approach.

The why and the trap for questions 24 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/kiras-university-study-experience-and-insights/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 3.

**Announcer:** You will hear a conversation between an English teacher called Paul, and a former student of his called Kira.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.

**Announcer:** Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.

**Paul:** Hello, Kira.

**Paul:** How are you?

**Kira:** Fine, thanks, Paul.

**Kira:** How are you?

**Paul:** Well, thanks.

**Paul:** It's good to see you.

**Paul:** It must be 12 months since you did our course.

**Kira:** That's right.

**Kira:** It's nice to come back and say hello.

**Paul:** What course did you enroll in?

**Kira:** Actually, I went straight into 3rd year pharmacy.

**Kira:** They credited me with 2 years which probably made it more difficult for me.

**Paul:** On the other hand, you were lucky to be granted credits.

**Paul:** Is that why you chose the course?

**Kira:** Yes, and as I'd already finished a course in it in my country, I thought it would be easier if I studied something I already knew.

**Paul:** I didn't realize you went into 3rd year.

**Paul:** I thought you started in first year.

**Paul:** No wonder it was so hard.

**Paul:** And what do you think is one of the big differences between studying at a university here and studying in your country?

**Kira:** Well, I found it very difficult to write assignments.

**Kira:** Because I wasn't familiar with that aspect of the system here.

**Kira:** The main problem is that the lecturers expect you to be critical.

**Kira:** That made me feel really terrible.

**Kira:** I thought "How can I possibly do it? How can I comment on someone else's research when they probably spent 5 years doing it?"

**Kira:** I think a lot of people who come from overseas countries have similar problems, but after a while, it became easier for me.

**Kira:** People expect you to have problems with the process of reading and writing, but in fact, it is more a question of altering your viewpoint towards academic study.

**Paul:** Hmm, uh, how was the content of the lectures?

**Paul:** Was it easy for you?

**Kira:** I didn't really have many problems understanding lectures.

**Kira:** The content was very similar to what I'd studied before.

**Paul:** And what about the lecturers themselves?

**Paul:** Are they essentially the same as lecturers in your country?

**Kira:** Uh. Well, actually no.

**Kira:** Here they're much easier to approach.

**Kira:** After every lecture, you can go and ask them something you didn't understand, or you can make an appointment and talk to them about anything in the course.

**Paul:** Maybe you found them different because you're a more mature student now, whereas when you were studying in your country, you were younger and not so assertive.

**Kira:** No, I don't think that's the difference.

**Kira:** Most of the students here do it.

**Kira:** In my faculty, they all seem to make appointments, usually to talk about something in the course that's worrying them, but sometimes just about something that might really interest them.

**Kira:** Something they might want to specialize in.

**Kira:** Hmm. The lecturers must set aside certain times every week when they're available for students.

**Paul:** That's good to hear.

**Announcer:** Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

**Paul:** And how was your timetable?

**Paul:** Was it a very busy year?

**Kira:** Oh, very very busy.

**Kira:** They make you work very hard.

**Kira:** Apart from lectures, we had practical sessions in a lot of subjects.

**Kira:** We did these in small groups.

**Kira:** I had to go and work 4 hours every week in a community pharmacy.

**Kira:** Hmm. Actually, I enjoyed this very much, meeting new people all the time.

**Kira:** Then in 2nd semester, we had to get experience in hospital dispensaries.

**Kira:** So every second day we went to one of the big hospitals and worked there.

**Kira:** And on top of all that we had our assignments, which took me a lot of time.

**Kira:** Oh, I nearly forgot, between 1st and 2nd semesters, we had to work full time for two weeks in a hospital.

**Paul:** That does sound a very heavy year.

**Paul:** So are you pleased now that you did it?

**Paul:** Do you feel some sense of achievement?

**Kira:** Yeah, I do feel much more confident, which I suppose is the most important thing.

**Paul:** And have you got any recommendations for people who are studying from overseas?

**Kira:** Well, I suppose they need very good English.

**Kira:** It would be much better if they spent more time learning English before they enter the university.

**Kira:** Because you can be in big trouble if you don't understand what people are saying, and you haven't got time to translate.

**Paul:** Uh. Anything else?

**Kira:** Well, as I said before.

**Kira:** The biggest problem for me was lack of familiarity with the education system here.

**Paul:** It sounds as if it was a real challenge.

**Paul:** Congratulations, Kira.

**Kira:** Hmm, thanks, Paul.

**Announcer:** That is the end of section 3.

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

[Practice Kira's University Study Experience and Insights](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/kiras-university-study-experience-and-insights)