# University Life for Martina and George: answers and explanations

The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS, Test 2, Listening Part 3

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS, Test 2, 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 | B, D | My favorite subject was history |
| 22 | B, D | I decided to opt for English, which was my second favorite subject. |
| 23 | mathematics | But it's maths that I'm struggling with. |
| 24 | theory | it's nearly all theory. |
| 25 | jet engines | working on jet engines. |
| 26 | seminars | But we also have a lot of seminars. |
| 27 | A | But they are very friendly. |
| 28 | B | It's more a question of finding out what I need to do, where to go, and so on. |
| 29 | C | we have to hand our first one in at the end of next month. |
| 30 | C | so I'd prefer to live with a family somewhere |

## Why these answers are right

**21. B, D.** One of the two subjects is D. When George assumes art was her best subject, Martina corrects him and says her favorite subject was history, although she could not see what career it would lead to, so history was a top subject for her.

**22. B, D.** The other answer is B. Martina says she chose to study English, which was her second favorite subject, so English joins history as one of the two subjects she liked best before university. Science is wrong because she never enjoyed it.

**23. mathematics.** The summary asks which part of the course George finds hardest. He lists materials science, machine design, physics and mechanics as fine, then says it is maths that he is struggling with, so maths is the most difficult subject.

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

## Transcript

**Announcer:** You will hear two students talking about their university studies.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.

**Martina:** Oh, hi, George.

**Martina:** How's it going?

**George:** Hi, Martina.

**George:** It's going well.

**George:** How about you?

**George:** How's university life?

**Martina:** Well, it's great.

**Martina:** Apart from the studying, of course.

**George:** Yeah, me too.

**George:** What are you studying?

**George:** I seem to remember that you were going to do art.

**George:** That was your best subject, wasn't it?

**Martina:** No, not really.

**Martina:** I just liked the teacher.

**Martina:** He was French and had an amazing accent.

**Martina:** My favorite subject was history, but I couldn't see what career that would give me.

**George:** Ah, right.

**George:** So what did you choose?

**Martina:** Well, I found it really difficult to decide.

**Martina:** I was really good at science, but I must admit, I never really enjoyed studying it.

**Martina:** So, in the end, I decided to opt for English, which was my second favorite subject.

**Martina:** And I thought it would be more useful to me than studying anything else.

**Martina:** So, that's what I'm doing.

**Martina:** And how are you finding university?

**George:** Well, it's a bit of a challenge I suppose.

**Martina:** Are you finding it difficult?

**George:** Well, some of it, I'm doing Mechanical Engineering, which is really interesting.

**George:** But it covers quite a lot of areas, like materials science, machine design, physics, and of course mechanics, and they're all fine.

**George:** But it's maths that I'm struggling with.

**George:** It's a lot harder than it was at school.

**Martina:** I can believe it.

**Martina:** Oh. It all sounds very difficult to me.

**Martina:** But then, I never was very good at mechanical things.

**Martina:** I suppose it must involve some practical work.

**George:** Well, not at the moment, currently, it's nearly all theory.

**George:** So it's a bit heavy going.

**Martina:** I guess you need to start with that, so that you can get a grasp of the concepts, and learn a few facts before you start putting it into practice.

**Martina:** It must be a lot different to the course that I'm taking.

**George:** Yes, but in a few weeks we'll be having a lot more practical experience.

**George:** In fact, I've got a great assignment this term, working on jet engines.

**George:** Which means I'll be going on a few field trips to a nearby airport.

**Martina:** Oh, that's great.

**Martina:** It sounds like you're going to be very busy.

**George:** Yes, I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with the work.

**George:** We have a lot of lectures, and that's fine.

**George:** The lecturers are very knowledgeable, and I learn a lot from them.

**George:** But we also have a lot of seminars.

**George:** And I find with so many people expressing their views, it can get quite frustrating.

**George:** It would be better if we didn't have so many of those.

**Martina:** Yes, it's the same for me.

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

**Martina:** Um - how are the students at your place?

**George:** Well, I haven't really met anyone yet.

**George:** They all seem a bit quiet.

**Martina:** Perhaps they're working hard.

**Martina:** They don't appear to be very studious here.

**Martina:** But they are very friendly.

**Martina:** I must say, I've been doing a lot of sitting around and chatting over the last week or so.

**George:** Well that's good.

**George:** The only person I've spoken to really is my tutor.

**George:** He's very approachable, and seems to understand how difficult it can be starting university.

**Martina:** It's good to have someone you can talk to.

**Martina:** And he may help you meet other students.

**George:** Actually, that doesn't bother me.

**George:** I'm bound to get to know some people sooner or later.

**George:** It's more a question of finding out what I need to do, where to go, and so on.

**George:** I hope he can help me with that.

**Martina:** Oh, I would have thought so.

**Martina:** Well, we certainly have a lot of work ahead of us.

**Martina:** It seems like a long time, doesn't it?

**Martina:** Studying for three years.

**George:** Yes, it does, but I'm sure it'll go quickly.

**George:** You know I'm really dreading the first assessment.

**Martina:** Yes, for the course I'm doing, we have to hand our first one in at the end of next month.

**George:** Really?

**George:** So have you got the topic yet?

**Martina:** No, but we'll get it soon.

**Martina:** I'm not sure how much we have to write yet, not too much I hope.

**George:** I know what you mean.

**George:** And it's hard to study, especially where I am now.

**Martina:** Oh, where are you living?

**George:** I'm living in a hall of residence.

**George:** I thought that would be a good idea, as there'd be a lot of people around.

**George:** But I'm finding it a bit noisy.

**George:** I can see that I'm going to have problems when I really need to get down to some work.

**Martina:** So, I guess you need to be somewhere on your own then.

**George:** Yes.

**George:** Well, I do like to have some people around me, so I'd prefer to live with a family somewhere, in a house not too far from the university.

**Martina:** Well, good luck with that.

**George:** Yes, thanks.

**George:** And good luck to you as well.

**George:** Oh, I have to dash now.

**George:** I've another lecture in 10 minutes.

**George:** Bye for now.

**Martina:** Bye.

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

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

[Practice University Life for Martina and George](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/university-life-for-martina-and-george)