Cambridge IELTS Book 15 Listening Test 3 Answers with Explanation / Cambridge 15 Listening Test 3 Answers with Explanation

Cambridge IELTS Book 15 Listening Test 3

Part - 1

Question No.	Answer (in bold)	Keywords in the Question	Answer Quotation from Audio Script	Synonyms / Equivalent Expressions	Explanation
1	furniture	produces	"They’re called Home Solutions and they design and make furniture."	produces = design and make	The company is said to "design and make furniture," which directly answers what they produce.
2	meetings	go to ... and take notes	"Then they expect the person they appoint to attend meetings and take notes there..."	go to = attend	The word "attend" is a synonym for "go to", and the person takes notes at "meetings", making "meetings" the correct answer.
3	diary	management of	"And in my last job I also had to manage the diary."	management of = manage	The phrase "manage the diary" matches the keyword "management of", making "diary" the correct one-word answer.
4	detail(s)	attention to	"They want someone who is careful and takes care with details."	attention to = takes care with	"Takes care with details" is synonymous with "attention to detail", confirming it as the answer.
5	1 / one year	minimum of ... experience	"In fact they’re only asking for at least one year, so that’s great."	minimum = at least	The phrase "at least one year" confirms the required minimum experience, so "1" or "one year" is correct.
6	deliveries	managing	"... manage the stock, obviously, and also deliveries."	managing = manage	The answer refers to what else the candidate will manage besides stock—"deliveries".
7	tidy	very organised and ...	"And tidy?"	tidy = neat, orderly	"Tidy" complements being "very organised", making it the correct characteristic required.
8	team	working in a ...	"... one of the things I enjoyed most was being part of a team."	working in a team = being part of a team	Being part of a team implies teamwork experience, which matches "working in a team".
9	heavy	cope with items that are ...	"So you’re OK moving heavy things?"	cope with = move	The person must handle "heavy" items, which matches the blank requiring the type of items.
10	customer	... service	"... and the final thing they mention is customer service."	customer service = client support/assistance	"Customer service" is the type of experience needed, directly matching the gap in the sentence.

Part-2

Street Play Scheme (Questions 11–20):

Question No.	Answer (bold)	Keywords in the Question	Quotation from Audio (Answer Sentence)	Synonyms / Equivalent Expressions	Explanation
11	B	When did the Street Play Scheme first take place?	"So the scheme’s been up and running for three years now."	first take place = been up and running	The idea came six years ago, but the actual scheme started three years ago. So, option B is correct. A and C refer to other time points.
12	A	How often is Beechwood Road closed to traffic now?	"At the moment it’s just once a week."	how often = at the moment	The current frequency is once a week. B (weekends) is what they hope for, and C (once a month) refers to the past.
13	C	Who is responsible for closing the road?	"We have volunteer wardens ... who block off our road at either end."	responsible = who block off; local wardens = volunteer wardens	Local wardens do the closing. Not A (council) or B (police). The police were involved only once or twice.
14	B	Residents who want to use their cars	"as long as they drive at under 20 kilometres per hour."	drive very slowly = under 20 kilometres per hour	They can drive slowly. They don’t need permission (C), and they don’t have to park elsewhere (A).
15	C	Street Play Schemes are most needed in	"especially those who live on busy roads. It’s here that demand is greatest."	areas with heavy traffic = busy roads; most needed = demand is greatest	Street Play is most needed in traffic-heavy areas. Not needed as much in wealthy or suburban areas.
16	B	reaction of residents who are not parents	"On the whole everyone is very supportive and say they’re very happy to see children out on the street."	not parents = not just parents; like seeing children = happy to see children	Most residents (even those without kids) enjoy seeing children play. Option A is false—only a few were unhappy. C is not mentioned.
17 & 18	B, D	benefits for children Alice thinks are most important	"kids develop confidence in themselves ... children get to know the adults in the street – it’s like having a big extended family."	independence = confidence; part of a community = extended family	B and D are emphasized as the most important. A, C, and E are mentioned but not highlighted as key.
19 & 20	A, E	results of King Street experiment surprised Alice	"we were actually amazed that sales in the shops went up ... I hadn’t expected ... how much quieter it would be."	more shoppers = sales went up; less noise pollution = quieter	A and E were unexpected. B and C were expected, so not surprises. D (more relaxed) is not mentioned.

Part - 3

Question No.	Answer	Keywords in the Question	Audio Quotation	Synonyms/Equivalent Words	Explanation
21	page	what ___ the item is on	"...the question of which page of the newspaper the item appears on."	page = position/location in newspaper	The page number indicates the editorial importance of the story (e.g., front page vs. back pages).
22	size	the ___ of the item, including the headline	"Then there’s the size – how many column inches..."	size = amount of space, length	The size and headline reflect how much prominence the article is given.
23	graphics	any ___ accompanying the item	"What about graphics – whether there’s anything visual..."	graphics = visuals, images, pictures	Visuals significantly impact reader interpretation, sometimes more than the text itself.
24	structure	the ___ of the item	"...look at how the item is put together: what structure is it given?"	structure = organisation, layout	The structure shows what is prioritised (e.g., putting key info at the beginning).
25	purpose	the writer’s main ___	"what’s the writer’s purpose, or at least the most important one..."	purpose = goal, intention, aim	Reveals whether the aim is to inform, persuade, cause fear, etc.
26	assumptions	the ___ the writer may make	"...the writer may make assumptions about the reader."	assumptions = beliefs, expectations	Indicates how much knowledge or viewpoint the writer expects the reader to have.

Question No.	Answer	Keywords in the Question	Audio Quotation	Synonyms/Equivalent Words	Explanation
27	A	national news item	"...a national news item would be worth analysing – I’m quite keen on politics, so I’ll try and find a suitable topic."	suitable = appropriate, relevant	Hazel confirms interest in national news, so she will definitely look.
28	C	editorial	"...I couldn’t find two on the same topic... I won’t even bother to look."	editorial = opinion article	She decides not to look for an editorial because of lack of material.
29	C	human interest	"I usually find stories like that raise quite strong feelings in me! I’ll avoid that."	human interest = emotional stories	Hazel says she will avoid it, so definitely won’t look for this type.
30	B	arts	"Perhaps I’ll choose an arts topic... I’ll think about that."	arts = culture, reviews, film	She's unsure but considers it, meaning she may choose it.

Part - 4

Question No.	Answer	Keywords in the Question	What We Hear in the Audio (Quoted Sentence)	Synonyms/Equivalent Expressions	Explanation
31	mud	wash off	"...that it rinsed mud off their hands."	wash = rinse, hands = body parts	The sentence clearly states that water was used to rinse mud off hands, making "mud" the only possible answer.
32	clay	cylinders	"Archaeologists discovered cylinders made of clay..."	cylinders = tubes/containers, made of = composed of	The material found was clay, not the contents. "Clay" is directly mentioned as the substance of the cylinders.
33	metal	strigil – scraper made of	"...scraped off the oil and dirt with a metal instrument known as a strigil."	scraper = instrument, made of = composed of	The strigil was described as a metal instrument, clearly identifying "metal" as the correct answer.
34	hair	colour their	"They used this mixture to tint their hair red."	colour = tint, their = belonging to them	The soap mixture was used to tint (i.e., color) their hair, so "hair" fits perfectly.
35	baths	Roman ___ (supplied by aqueducts)	"The first of the famous Roman baths, supplied with water from their aqueducts..."	carried = supplied, Roman baths = public baths	Aqueducts brought water to baths, making "baths" the clear answer.
36	disease	occurrence of	"...unsanitary living conditions were major factors in the outbreaks of disease in the Middle Ages..."	occurrence = outbreaks, Middle Ages = historical period	The sentence directly connects lack of cleanliness with outbreaks of disease, so "disease" is the accurate word.
37	perfume	began to be added to soap	"...along with perfume, apparently for the first time."	added = combined with, first time = began	"Perfume" is mentioned as a new addition to soap, making it the required word.
38	salt	making soda ash from	"...a process for turning salt into soda ash..."	making = turning into, process = method	Salt is the material used to make soda ash; hence, "salt" is the answer.
39	science	soapmaking into a	"...and soapmaking became a science."	turned into = became, discipline = science	The word "science" is explicitly used to describe the transformation of soapmaking.
40	tax	no longer a ___ on soap	"...that was reinforced when the high tax was removed."	no longer = removed, on soap = related to soap	The high tax was removed, making soap more affordable. "Tax" is clearly the right answer.