# Planning John's Farewell Party: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 4, Test 4, Listening Part 1

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 4, Test 4, 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 | College Dining Room | I think a hotel will probably work out rather expensive. ... And I've been looking at the college dining room. |
| 2 | office staff | And the director. ... The office staff. |
| 3 | students | And all the teachers and all the students. |
| 4 | 10th December | What about the 15th of December? ... there are exams on the 16th, better avoid them. ... Hmm. 10th. |
| 5 | coffee break | We usually go around with an envelope during coffee break, don't we? |
| 6 | 6 | We suggested $6 last time. ... Yeah, plenty I would have thought. |
| 7 | set of dictionaries | And also I thought maybe you know a set of dictionaries. |
| 8 | music | Well, uh, oh, some music. ... there'll be a tape deck there in the room |
| 9 | photos | So we should ask the guests to bring photos. |
| 10 | speech | Now the last thing is who shall we ask to do the speech? ... OK, then I'll ask her. |

## Why these answers are right

**1. College Dining Room.** The venue line needs a place. Tony offers the college or a hotel, and Lisa rules out the hotel as too expensive before saying she has looked at the college dining room, which she calls pretty reasonable. Tony agrees, so the venue is the college dining room.

**2. office staff.** The invitation list goes John and his wife, the director, then a gap after "the". Right after naming the director, Tony adds "The office staff", so the missing guests are the office staff, which fits the two words before "all the teachers".

**3. students.** The note reads "all the teachers" followed by "all the" plus a gap. Lisa completes the list with "all the teachers and all the students", so the word that belongs after the second "all the" is students.

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

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 1.

**Announcer:** You'll hear two teachers discussing arrangements for a goodbye party for a colleague.

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

**Announcer:** You'll see that there is an example that has been done for you, on this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.

**Lisa:** Hi, Tony.

**Lisa:** Thanks ever so much for coming.

**Lisa:** You know we've been asked to organize something for John's farewell.

**Tony:** Yeah, sure.

**Tony:** Uh. It's about time we started working out details.

**Lisa:** Exactly.

**Lisa:** We don't want to leave it so late that it's double the work.

**Tony:** Hmm, right.

**Tony:** Uh. Do you want me to take notes?

**Lisa:** Oh, that would be great, thanks.

**Tony:** Right, first thing is when is the best time to hold it?

**Lisa:** Well, he leaves on the 24th of December.

**Tony:** So what about the 22nd?

**Lisa:** Yeah, I think that's about right.

**Lisa:** We want it quite near the time, don't we?

**Announcer:** The date of the goodbye party is the 22nd of December.

**Announcer:** So 22nd December 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.

**Lisa:** Hi, Tony.

**Lisa:** Thanks ever so much for coming.

**Lisa:** You know we've been asked to organize something for John's farewell.

**Tony:** Yeah, sure.

**Tony:** Uh. It's about time we started working out details.

**Lisa:** Exactly.

**Lisa:** We don't want to leave it so late that it's double the work.

**Tony:** Hmm, right.

**Tony:** Uh. Do you want me to take notes?

**Lisa:** Oh, that would be great, thanks.

**Tony:** Right, first thing is when is the best time to hold it?

**Lisa:** Well, he leaves on the 24th of December.

**Tony:** So what about the 22nd?

**Lisa:** Yeah, I think that's about right.

**Lisa:** We want it quite near the time, don't we?

**Tony:** Sure, uh, and what about a venue?

**Tony:** In college, uh, a hotel?

**Lisa:** I think a hotel will probably work out rather expensive.

**Lisa:** And I've been looking at the college dining room.

**Lisa:** That seems pretty reasonable.

**Tony:** Hmm.

**Tony:** Fine.

**Tony:** Yeah, why not?

**Lisa:** And then we ought to be thinking about invitations.

**Tony:** Hmm.

**Lisa:** Um. Who mustn't we forget to invite?

**Tony:** Well, well obviously John and his wife.

**Lisa:** Oh, right.

**Tony:** And the director.

**Tony:** The office staff.

**Lisa:** Yep.

**Lisa:** And all the teachers and all the students.

**Tony:** Uh, anyone else?

**Lisa:** Uh. Faculty heads?

**Tony:** Hmm. No, better draw the line.

**Tony:** I don't think it's necessary.

**Lisa:** Yeah, you're right.

**Tony:** I don't mind writing the invitations.

**Tony:** Uh. When shall we get them out for?

**Lisa:** Hmm. Enough time, but not too early.

**Lisa:** Uh. What about the 15th of December?

**Tony:** Well, there are exams on the 16th, better avoid them.

**Lisa:** Hmm. 10th.

**Tony:** Yeah, that should do it.

**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.

**Lisa:** So, what does that leave?

**Lisa:** Oh, yes, um, a present.

**Tony:** Um. Would you mind doing that?

**Lisa:** No, not at all.

**Lisa:** We usually go around with an envelope during coffee break, don't we?

**Tony:** Yeah, coffee breaks always the best time, cause people have got their money handy.

**Lisa:** Yeah, exactly.

**Lisa:** Uh. Do we suggest an amount or does it seem a bit unfair?

**Tony:** No, I think people welcome it.

**Tony:** We suggested $6 last time.

**Tony:** Is that OK?

**Lisa:** Yeah, plenty I would have thought.

**Lisa:** Which should leave us with about $90, have you any ideas for presents?

**Lisa:** Well, I've been having a little think, I thought, well, you know, um, he loves music.

**Tony:** Hmm. Yeah, and books.

**Lisa:** So, I thought I'd check on prices for well, uh, perhaps CD players.

**Tony:** Hmm. Yeah, that's that's a good idea.

**Tony:** And also I thought maybe you know a set of dictionaries.

**Tony:** I heard him say he needed a good one.

**Lisa:** The other thing he was saying last week was that his computer printer had broken.

**Tony:** Um. No, uh, I'd be really frightened about getting the wrong type.

**Lisa:** OK, yeah.

**Tony:** The other thing is something for the home.

**Tony:** Uh. Jill suggested a coffee maker.

**Lisa:** Oh, yeah.

**Lisa:** I'll certainly find out what they cost.

**Lisa:** Uh. OK.

**Lisa:** Have you got all that down?

**Tony:** Uh. Yes.

**Lisa:** Now we need to think a little more about the money.

**Lisa:** I know we've got a set amount from the social fund.

**Tony:** Hmm, right.

**Tony:** Uh. What does that cover?

**Lisa:** It's meant to cover the cost of the room.

**Tony:** Yeah.

**Lisa:** And a certain amount for food.

**Tony:** And also drinks?

**Lisa:** Oh, yeah, certainly.

**Tony:** But will it be enough?

**Lisa:** What we've done in the past is to ask guests to bring some snacks.

**Tony:** Right.

**Lisa:** We don't ask them to bring more drinks, because we figure that's well, that should come from the social fund.

**Tony:** OK, uh, anything else for the guests to bring?

**Lisa:** Well, uh, oh, some music.

**Lisa:** Because there'll be a tape deck there in the room, and we can have some dancing later on.

**Tony:** Uh. Anything else?

**Lisa:** Well, it's just a thought, but a couple of years ago we had a really good party where we set up, you know, some simple games.

**Tony:** Yeah, great.

**Tony:** Uh. Wasn't it based on photos from the students and teachers?

**Lisa:** That's right.

**Tony:** Uh. So we should ask the guests to bring photos.

**Tony:** OK, I'll put it on the invitations.

**Lisa:** Now the last thing is who shall we ask to do the speech?

**Tony:** Hmm. Don't you think it might be nice to have one of the students?

**Lisa:** Well, uh, then the student leader.

**Tony:** Yeah, much better than the director giving speeches again.

**Lisa:** OK, then I'll ask her.

**Lisa:** Hmm. Lovely.

**Lisa:** So, is that all?

**Tony:** It looks like it.

**Lisa:** Great.

**Lisa:** Thanks ever so much.

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

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

[Practice Planning John's Farewell Party](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/planning-johns-farewell-party)