Cambridge IELTS Book 15 Listening Test 1 Answers with Explanation / Cambridge 15 Listening Test 1 Answers with Explanation

Cambridge IELTS Book 15 Listening Test 1

Part - 1

Cambridge IELTS 15 Listening Test 01 – Part 1:

Question No.	Answer (bold)	Keywords in the Question	Answer Quotation from Audio Script	Synonyms/Equivalent Expressions	Explanation of Answer Choice
1	Jamieson	Name of agent	"The agent I always deal with is called Becky Jamieson."	agent	"Jamieson" is the surname of the agent mentioned; the speaker spells it out clearly.
2	afternoon	Best to call her in the ...	"I wouldn’t call her until the afternoon if I were you – she’s always really busy in the morning."	best time, call	Afternoon is explicitly recommended as the best time to contact her.
3	communication	Must have good ... skills	"It’s communication that really matters – so you’d be fine there."	skills, important for job	The agent values communication more than technical skills for the roles offered.
4	week	Jobs are usually for at least one ...	"But you’re more likely to be offered something for a week at first..."	duration, job length	A week is the typical minimum job duration offered.
5	10	Pay is usually £... per hour	"The hourly rate is about £10, 11 if you’re lucky."	pay, hourly rate	£10 is the most commonly stated hourly rate.
6	suit	Wear a ... to the interview	"I can probably borrow a suit from Mum."	dress smartly, formal wear	A suit is considered appropriate for looking smart in the interview.
7	passport	Must bring your ... to the interview	"Oh yes – they will ask to see that."	bring, document	The passport is the required identification document mentioned.
8	personality	Questions about applicant’s ...	"So there are questions about personality that they always ask candidates."	character, traits	The agency asks personality-related questions to match candidates with jobs.
9	feedback	The ... you receive at interview	"They’ll give you feedback on your performance."	response, evaluation	Feedback is seen as a benefit of the interview process, helping with future opportunities.
10	time	Less ... is involved	"Finding a temporary job this way takes a lot less time."	effort, time-saving	The process is quicker than contacting individual companies, hence "less time" is the correct answer.

Part-2

Matthews Island Holidays:

Multiple Choice Questions (11–14)

Question No.	Answer (Bold)	Keywords in the Question	Answer Quotation from Audio	Synonyms/Equivalent Expressions	Explanation
11	A	company, in business longer than competitors	"we build on our many years’ experience – more than almost any other rail holiday company"	many years’ experience = been in business longer	A is correct because the company emphasizes experience, not destinations or customer numbers. B is incorrect – they offer holidays to a small number of destinations. C is wrong – they do not aim to have more customers.
12	B	where customers meet the tour manager	"Our holiday starts in Heysham, where your tour manager will meet you"	starts in Heysham = meet the tour manager there	B is correct. The manager meets them in Heysham. A (Liverpool) and C (Luton) are travel options, not meeting points.
13	A	how many lunches included	"lunch on the three days when there are organised trips"	three days of trips = three lunches	A is correct. Only three lunches are included. B (four) and C (five) are not mentioned.
14	C	pay extra for what	"you’re welcome to change to an alternative date ... for a small administrative fee"	small administrative fee = extra payment = transferring to another date	C is correct. They charge for date changes. A is incorrect – there's no charge for larger/single rooms. B is wrong – no fee for last-minute bookings.

Complete the Table (15–20)

Question No.	Answer (Bold)	Keywords in the Question	Answer Quotation from Audio	Synonyms/Equivalent Expressions	Explanation
15	river	hotel dining room view	"The dining room looks out at the river"	looks out at = view of	The hotel dining room overlooks the river, making it the correct answer.
16	1422	Tynwald founded in ...	"the earliest surviving reference to it is from 1422"	reference = possible founding date	Although claimed to be from 979, the first evidence is from 1422, making this the answer.
17	top	train to the ... of Snaefell	"an eight-kilometre ride... to the top of Snaefell"	destination = top	The train goes to the top, which is clearly stated.
18	pass	company provides ... for transport and sites	"using the pass which we’ll give you... for local transport and heritage sites"	provides a = give a pass	A pass is provided for free access, clearly matching the question.
19	steam	take the ... railway train	"a ride on the steam railway from Douglas to Port Erin"	railway = steam railway	The correct train type is steam, as stated directly.
20	capital	Castletown was the former ...	"Castletown, which used to be the capital of the Isle of Man"	used to be = former	Castletown was the capital, making it the correct answer.

Part - 3

Birth Order and Personality / Academic Achievement / Sibling Rivalry

Q. No.	Answer (bold)	Keywords of the Question	Answer Quotation from Audio	Synonyms/Equivalents	Explanation
21	G (caring)	eldest child	"they were thought to be good at nurturing"	nurturing = caring	"Nurturing" implies looking after others, which aligns with being caring.
22	F (co-operative)	middle child	"they are easier to get on with" / "eager to please and helpful"	easier to get on with = co-operative	The phrases describe being agreeable and helpful, qualities of a co-operative person.
23	A (outgoing)	youngest child	"supposed to have been a sociable and confident child who made friends easily"	sociable, confident = outgoing	Outgoing people are confident and friendly, matching this description.
24	E (introverted)	a twin	"a twin is likely to be quite shy in social situations"	shy = introverted	"Shy" is directly related to being introverted, especially in social situations.
25	B (selfish)	only child	"branded them as loners who think the world revolves around them"	world revolves around them = selfish	The self-centered nature described reflects a selfish attitude.
26	C (independent)	child with much older siblings	"expected to do basic things for themselves"	do things for themselves = independent	Being expected to manage tasks alone shows independence.
27	C	evidence – birth order and academic success	"what many of them didn’t take into consideration was family size"	didn’t consider = neglected to include	Option C is correct; other studies ignored important variables like family size.
28	A	Ruth’s surprise about oldest children’s academic success	"they benefit from being teachers for their younger siblings, by verbalising processes"	acting as teachers = explaining, verbalising	Ruth found it surprising that this teaching role led to better performance.
29	B	sibling rivalry valuable experience	"I know how to defend myself"	defend myself = stand up for oneself	Ruth says this made her stronger, implying self-defense.
30	D	sibling rivalry valuable experience	"we had to put up with each other"	put up with = tolerate = learning to be tolerant	Their co-existence reflects tolerance developed through rivalry.

Part - 4

 The Eucalyptus Tree in Australia 

Q. No.	Answer (bold)	Keywords in the Question	What We Hear in the Audio (Quotation)	Synonyms/Equivalent Words	Explanation
31	shelter	provides ___ and food	"it gives shelter to creatures like birds and bats"	gives = provides	The tree provides both a home and food, matching "shelter" exactly.
32	oil	leaves provide ___	"a disinfectant made from oil extracted from eucalyptus leaves"	extracted = taken from	The word "oil" is the substance derived from the leaves and used in disinfectants.
33	roads	lime used for making ___	"lime… was being used in the construction of roads"	construction = making	Lime from road construction washed into the ground and harmed the trees.
34	insects	___ feed on eucalyptus leaves	"insects settle on the leaves and eat their way round them"	feed = eat	Insects damage the leaves, leading to disease, fitting the blank perfectly.
35	grass(es)	growth of ___	"very frequent bushfires... encourages grass to grow afterwards"	encourages = results in growth	High-frequency bushfires promote grass growth instead of eucalyptus.
36	water	make more ___ available	"species... would consume water needed by eucalyptus trees"	needed = required; available = accessible	Fire removes competitors, leaving more water for eucalyptus.
37	soil	quality of the ___	"they harm the eucalyptus... by affecting the composition of the soil"	quality = composition	Fires preserve soil quality needed by eucalyptus.
38	dry	growth of ___ rainforest	"this reduced frequency... led to what's known as 'dry rainforest'"	dry = not wet	A unique ecosystem grows with fewer bushfires.
39	simple	a ___ ecosystem	"this type of ecosystem is usually a simple one"	simple = not complex; limited variety	Contrasts with tropical rainforests which are diverse.
40	nests	environment for the ___ of bell-miner	"the bell-miner bird... builds its nests in the undergrowth there"	builds = constructs	The dense vegetation supports nesting for bell-miners.