# University Life: Starting a New Term: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 2, Test 1, Listening Part 3

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 2, 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 | Friday | Sorry, Friday, not Saturday. |
| 22 | Biology | and you're doing biology |
| 23 | 57 | Well, I counted 57, I could hardly believe it. |
| 24 | 43 | There are 43. I don't know how I'm gonna get through them all. |
| 25 | Wednesday | The day after, it's my busiest day. |
| 26 | record them | I'm going to use a cassette recorder and record them all. |
| 27 | skim the book | My approach is to skim the book first to see what's important and what isn't. |
| 28 | French Revolution | it's a lecture on the French Revolution. |
| 29 | Why study history | He's given us the title, "Why study history?" |
| 30 | animal language | I've got to write about animal language. |

## Why these answers are right

**21. Friday.** The table needs the day Jane arrived. She first says she got there on Saturday, then stops to check what day it is and corrects herself to Friday, not Saturday, so the final answer is Friday.

**22. Biology.** This cell asks for Jane's subject. Tim remembers that she is doing biology, and Jane agrees, adding only that she had once thought about geography as well, so the subject in her column is Biology.

**23. 57.** You need the number of books on Tim's reading list. He shows Jane what he calls an amazingly long list and says he counted 57, which he could hardly believe, so his column gets 57.

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-starting-a-new-term/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 3, you will hear two new students, Jane and Tim, talking about their university studies.

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

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

**Jane:** Hi, Tim.

**Tim:** Jane.

**Jane:** How are you?

**Tim:** Fine.

**Jane:** I've been wondering when I'd run into you.

**Jane:** Have you been here long?

**Tim:** I arrived yesterday, uh, on Sunday.

**Tim:** How about you?

**Jane:** I got here a few days ago, on Saturday.

**Jane:** Um. No, wait a minute.

**Jane:** What's today?

**Jane:** Uh. Sorry, Friday, not Saturday.

**Tim:** But we didn't have to be here till today.

**Jane:** Yes, I know, but I wanted to get my things moved into my room, and just take a look around.

**Jane:** So, did you decide to do English in the end?

**Tim:** No, I changed my mind and opted for history instead.

**Tim:** Oh, and you're doing biology, if I remember correctly.

**Jane:** Yes, although to start with, I couldn't decide between that and geography.

**Tim:** How much reading have you got?

**Tim:** I was given an amazingly long list of books to read.

**Tim:** See?

**Jane:** Wow, it does look pretty long.

**Tim:** Well, I counted 57, I could hardly believe it.

**Tim:** What's your list like?

**Jane:** Well, it's not as long as yours, but it's still pretty big.

**Jane:** There are 43. I don't know how I'm gonna get through them all.

**Tim:** Well, you don't have to read them all this week.

**Tim:** You just have to stay ahead of the lectures and seminars.

**Tim:** Hmm. Have you got your class schedule yet?

**Jane:** Yep. It came with the reading list.

**Jane:** When's your first lecture?

**Tim:** Tuesday.

**Tim:** How about you?

**Jane:** The day after, it's my busiest day.

**Jane:** I've got two lectures in the morning and one in the afternoon.

**Announcer:** Before the discussion continues, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

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

**Jane:** It's gonna be different from school, isn't it?

**Tim:** Yeah, particularly the lectures.

**Tim:** Hmm. Have you got any special strategy for listening to lectures?

**Jane:** Well, I'm going to use a cassette recorder and record them all.

**Tim:** What!

**Tim:** Are you allowed to?

**Jane:** Sure, lots of people do it nowadays.

**Jane:** It means you can listen to the lectures all over again later and make really good notes.

**Tim:** I couldn't do that.

**Tim:** I like to take notes as I'm listening.

**Tim:** I usually find I get all the important points.

**Tim:** Reading is different, of course.

**Tim:** My approach is to skim the book first to see what's important and what isn't.

**Tim:** It saves hours of time.

**Jane:** But what if you miss something?

**Tim:** You don't mean you're going to read every word, do you?

**Jane:** Well, that's what I usually do.

**Tim:** Well, that's up to you, but I think you're crazy.

**Jane:** What's your first lecture on anyway?

**Tim:** Oh, it's a lecture on the French Revolution.

**Jane:** The French Revolution, how boring.

**Tim:** It's not boring at all.

**Tim:** It was an amazing period of history.

**Tim:** It changed everything in Europe.

**Tim:** So what's your first lecture about?

**Jane:** It's about animal behavior.

**Jane:** It sounds really interesting.

**Tim:** Look, I was on my way to the library.

**Tim:** I'm going to get some of these books out and start reading for the first essay I've got to write.

**Jane:** And what have you got to write about?

**Tim:** Well, you'll never believe it.

**Tim:** I think our professor must have a sense of humor.

**Tim:** He's given us the title, "Why study history?"

**Jane:** That's a good one.

**Jane:** When you find the answer, let me know.

**Tim:** I'm gonna enjoy writing it.

**Tim:** Have you been given any writing assignments yet?

**Jane:** Yes, I've got to write about animal language.

**Tim:** Hmm, that sounds a challenge.

**Tim:** I suppose you'll be off to the zoo to do field research...

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

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

[Practice University Life: Starting a New Term](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/university-life-starting-a-new-term)