# Talk on jobs in fashion design: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 18, Test 1, Listening Part 3

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 18, Test 1, 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 | this guy sat right in front of me, and he was so tall |
| 22 | B | there's a whole range of areas of work that we hadn't even thought of ... I wasn't expecting so many career options. |
| 23 | A | It was a bit harsh though. ... we're only first years after all |
| 24 | C | but not by the experts who really know stuff ... They could have asked more people like today's speaker to talk to us. |
| 25 | B | I think it's better to pick an area of the industry now ... we'll just have to differ on that issue |
| 26 | A | I'm prepared for that, aren't you? |
| 27 | B, E | she was more interested in her own appearance than his ... she did realize he was right about that |
| 28 | B, E | she should have hidden her negative feelings about him, but she didn't |
| 29 | A, C | it would be useful to know if there's a gap in the market ... An item that no one's stocking, but that consumers are looking for. |
| 30 | A, C | They also take things back to the store if they aren't right. ... it would be good to know that kind of thing |

## Why these answers are right

**21. A.** Chantal says she had to move seats because a very tall man sat directly in front of her. Not being able to see past his head is what option A calls a blocked view of the speaker.

**22. B.** Hugo mentions a whole range of areas of work they had never considered, and Chantal adds that she was not expecting so many career options. Not expecting is the surprise in the question, and the range of options is the variety in B.

**23. A.** Chantal calls the speaker's message a bit harsh, and Hugo agrees, pointing out that they are only first-year students with a lot to learn. Feeling that criticism was too severe for beginners like them matches unfair to them at times.

The why and the trap for questions 24 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/talk-on-jobs-in-fashion-design/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Part 3, you will hear two students called Hugo and Chantal discussing a talk they have just attended at the start of their course in fashion design.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26 now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

**Hugo:** Hi, Chantal.

**Hugo:** What did you think of the talk then?

**Chantal:** Hi, Hugo.

**Chantal:** I thought it was good once I'd moved seats.

**Hugo:** Oh, were the people beside you chatting or something?

**Chantal:** It wasn't that.

**Chantal:** I went early so that I'd get a seat and not have to stand, but then this guy sat right in front of me, and he was so tall.

**Hugo:** It's hard to see through people's heads, isn't it?

**Chantal:** Impossible.

**Chantal:** Anyway, to answer your question, I thought it was really interesting.

**Chantal:** Especially what the speaker said about the job market.

**Hugo:** Me too.

**Hugo:** I mean we know we're going into a really competitive field, so it's obvious that we may struggle to get work.

**Chantal:** That's right.

**Chantal:** And we know we can't all have that dream job.

**Hugo:** Yeah, but it looks like there's a whole range of areas of work that we hadn't even thought of.

**Hugo:** Like fashion journalism for instance.

**Chantal:** Yeah, I wasn't expecting so many career options.

**Hugo:** Hmm, overall she had quite a strong message, didn't she?

**Chantal:** She did.

**Chantal:** She kept saying things like 'I know you all think this, but...' and then she'd tell us how it really is.

**Hugo:** Perhaps she thinks students are a bit narrow-minded about the industry.

**Chantal:** It was a bit harsh though.

**Chantal:** We know it's a tough industry.

**Hugo:** Yeah, and we're only first years after all.

**Hugo:** We've got a lot to learn.

**Chantal:** Exactly.

**Chantal:** Do you think our secondary-school education should have been more career focused?

**Hugo:** Well, we had numerous talks on careers, which was good, but none of them were very inspiring.

**Hugo:** They could have asked more people like today's speaker to talk to us.

**Chantal:** I agree.

**Chantal:** We were told about lots of different careers, just when we needed to be, but not by the experts who really know stuff.

**Hugo:** So, did today's talk influence your thoughts on what career you'd like to take up in the future?

**Chantal:** Well, I promised myself that I'd go through this course and keep an open mind till the end.

**Hugo:** But I think it's better to pick an area of the industry now, and then aim to get better and better at it.

**Chantal:** Well, I think we'll just have to differ on that issue.

**Hugo:** One thing's for certain though.

**Hugo:** From what she said, we'll be unpaid assistants in the industry for quite a long time.

**Chantal:** Mmm.

**Hugo:** I'm prepared for that, aren't you?

**Chantal:** Actually, I'm not going to accept that view.

**Hugo:** Really?

**Hugo:** But she knows it's the case, and everyone else says the same.

**Chantal:** That doesn't mean it has to be true for me.

**Hugo:** OK, well I hope you're right.

**Announcer:** Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

**Chantal:** I thought the speaker's account of her first job was fascinating.

**Hugo:** Yeah, she admitted she was lucky to get work being a personal dresser for a musician.

**Hugo:** She didn't even apply for the job, and there she was, getting paid to choose all his clothes.

**Chantal:** It must have felt amazing.

**Chantal:** Though she said all she was looking for back then was experience, not financial reward.

**Hugo:** Mmm.

**Hugo:** And then he was so mean telling her she was more interested in her own appearance than his.

**Chantal:** But - she did realize he was right about that, which really made me think.

**Chantal:** I'm always considering my own clothes, but now I can see you should be focusing on your client.

**Hugo:** She obviously regretted losing the job.

**Chantal:** Well, as she said, she should have hidden her negative feelings about him, but she didn't.

**Hugo:** It was really brave the way she picked herself up and took that job in retail.

**Hugo:** Fancy working in a shop after that.

**Chantal:** Yeah, well, she recommended we all do it at some point.

**Chantal:** I guess as a designer, you'd get to find out some useful information.

**Chantal:** Like how big or small the average shopper is.

**Hugo:** I think that's an issue for manufacturers, not designers.

**Hugo:** However, it would be useful to know if there's a gap in the market, you know.

**Hugo:** An item that no one's stocking, but that consumers are looking for.

**Chantal:** Yeah, people don't give up searching.

**Chantal:** They also take things back to the store if they aren't right.

**Hugo:** Yeah.

**Hugo:** Imagine you worked in an expensive shop, and you found out the garments sold there were being returned because they fell apart in the wash.

**Chantal:** Yeah, it would be good to know that kind of thing.

**Chantal:** Yeah.

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

**Announcer:** You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part 3.

[Practice Talk on jobs in fashion design](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/talk-on-jobs-in-fashion-design)