Cambridge IELTS 14 is the latest IELTS exam preparation. READINGIELTS.COM will help you to answer all questions in cambridge ielts 14 listening test 4 with detail explanations.
Section 1
1. Answer: 85
- Here’s what the speakers say:
ANDREW – Will you be having a sit-down meal or a buffet?
SAM – Probably a sit-down.
ANDREW – And do you know how many people there’ll be?
SAM – Around eighty, I think.
ANDREW – Well we have two rooms that can hold that number. One is the Adelphi Room. That can seat eighty-five, or hold over a hundred if people are standing for a buffet.
- Explanation:
The customer is asking about holding an event at the hotel, and we can tell that they are talking about the rooms for the events, which is the answer for Question 1, so we should focus here. According to Andrew, they have two rooms suitable for the request, one of them is the Adelphi Room, which can seat 85 (= it has enough seats for 85 people), or more than a hundred if it is a standing buffet. However, the customer requires a sit-down meal, so the answer is 85.
- Answer: 85
2. Answer: roses
- Here’s what the speaker says:
ANDREW – […] Now the Adelphi Room is at the back of the hotel, and there are French windows leading out onto the terrace. This has a beautiful display of pots of roses at that time of the year.
- Explanation:
After Question 1, Andrew continues to talk a bit about the services of the Adelphi Room. Candidates need to be careful not to lose their concentration. Andrew mentions the room is “at the back of the hotel”, and the guests can see from the French windows “leading out” to the “pots of roses” on the terrace. Roses is the answer for Question 2.
- Answer: roses
3. Answer: trees
- Here’s what the speaker says:
ANDREW – From the terrace you can see the area of trees within the grounds of the hotel, or you can stroll through there to the river – that’s on the far side, so it isn’t visible from the hotel.
- Explanation:
As Question 3 is also in the part of the “Adelphi Room”, the answer will not be far away from the answer for Question 2. Right after finishing talking about the direction of the room, Andrew continues to describe the view from the terrace. Andrew says that the trees ‘within the grounds’ can be seen ‘from the terrace’. He also mentions the river, but it’s ‘on the far side’, so it’s not ‘visible’ – cannot be seen – from the hotel, or the terrace. So the answer is trees.
- Answer: trees
4. Answer: stage
- Here’s what the speaker says:
ANDREW – Then another option is the Carlton Room. This is a bit bigger — it can hold up to a hundred and ten people — and it has the advantage of a stage, which is useful if you have any entertainment, or indeed a small band can fit onto it.
- Explanation:
Moving on the second room, the Carlton Room, is one of the choices for the event, and by the mention of the name, we know that we are getting closer to the answer to Question 4. The blank clearly needs a noun, and from what Andrew says, we learn that the room has a stage.
- Answer: stage
5. Answer: speech
- Here’s what the speakers say:
ANDREW – As well as a meal, you can have an MC, a Master of Ceremonies, who’ll be with you throughout the party.
SAM – What exactly is the MC’s function? I suppose they make a speech during the meal if we need one, do they?
ANDREW – That’s right. All our MCs are trained as public speakers, so they can easily get people’s attention – many guests are glad to have someone who can make themselves heard above the chatter!
- Explanation:
We know that the answer will be found in the Master of Ceremonies section. ‘Make a speech’ and ‘give a speech’ have the same meaning. The guest asks if the MC can ‘make a speech’ during the meal, which means while they are eating. Andrew confirms that the MC can make a speech, so the answer for Question 5 is ‘speech’.
- Answer: speech
6. Answer: support
- Here’s what the speaker says:
ANDREW – And they’re also your support – if anything goes wrong, the MC will deal with it, so you can relax.
- Explanation:
The words ‘anything goes wrong’ relates to having ‘problems’, and the MC will ‘deal with it’, which is identical to ‘provide support’. So the answer is support.
- Answer: support
7. Answer: cabins
- Here’s what the speakers say:
SAM – Great! I’ll need to ask you about food, but something else that’s important is accommodation. You obviously have rooms in the hotel, but do you also have any other accommodation, like cabins, for example?
ANDREW – Yes, there are five in the grounds, all self-contained. They each sleep two to four people and have their own living room, bathroom and small kitchen.
- Explanation:
The man mentions “accommodation” so we can expect the answer for Question 7 will come next, and we find the word “cabin” appears in the conversation. The following answer also continues to describe the facilities of the cabins, so cabins is the right answer.
- Answer: cabins
8. Answer: C
- Here’s what the speakers say:
SAM – Now you have various facilities, don’t you? Are they all included in the price of hiring the room? The pool, for instance.
ANDREW – Normally you’d be able to use it, but it’ll be closed throughout September for refurbishment, I’m afraid.
- Explanation:
The customer asks about other facilities and asks if the access to the pool is included in the price of hiring the room, but there is no information on the extra cost. The pool will be ‘closed’ for ‘refurbishment’ during September, so it is not available right now. Therefore, the answer is C.
- Answer: C
9. Answer: A
- Here’s what the speaker says:
ANDREW – The gym will be available, though, at no extra charge. That’s open all day, from six in the morning until midnight.
- Explanation:
The answer for Question 9 comes right after the answer for Question 8. That’s why candidates need to spend time to look at questions beforelistening and get a gist of what kind of information they need for each question, so they know where to focus on. The gym will be at ‘no extra charge’, which means it is included in the cost of hiring the room, so the answer is A.
- Answer: A
10. Answer: B
- Here’s what the speaker says:
ANDREW – And the tennis courts, but there is a small additional payment for those. We have four courts, and it’s worth booking in advance if you possibly can, as there can be quite a long waiting list for them.
- Explanation:
There is a ‘small additional payment’ for the tennis court, so if you want to use them, you have to pay an extra charge. The tennis courts can be booked in advance and there’s often ‘a long waiting list’, so they are not available right now. The answer is B.
- Answer: B
section 2
11. Answer: G
- Here’s what the speaker says:
One thing you have to do while you’re here is go dolphin watching. On our boat trips, we pretty well guarantee you’ll see dolphins – if you don’t you can repeat the trip free of charge. We organise daily trips for just 35 euros. Unfortunately, there aren’t any places left for this afternoon’s trip, but come and see me to book for later in the week.
- Explanation:
According to the speaker, the guests can ‘repeat the trip free of charge’ but only if they do not see dolphins, so it cannot be considered as no charge. The organisers of the ‘daily trips’ do not have ‘any places left for this afternoon’s trip’ and the guests are advised to ‘book for later in the week’, which means today is already fully-booked. G is the answer.
- Answer: G
12. Answer: D
- Here’s what the speaker says:
lf you re energetic, I’d recommend our forest walk. It’s a guided walk of about seven kilometres. There’ll be a stop half way, and you’ll be provided with a drink and sandwiches.
- Explanation:
In this kind of question, speakers will quickly talk about each part, which is each question, so candidates need to know the choices very well to know what options they have. The words ‘provided with a drink and sandwiches’ means food is included. No information is given on the other options, so the answer is D.
- Answer: D
13. Answer: A
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Then on Thursdays we organise a cycle trip, which will give you all the fun of biking without the effort. We’ll take you and your bike up to the top of Mount Larna, and leave you to bike back – it’s a 700-metre drop in just 20 kilometres so this isn’t really for inexperienced cyclists as you’ll be going pretty fast. And if it’s a clear day, you’ll have fantastic views.
- Explanation:
The trip ‘isn’t really for inexperienced cyclists’ implies that it is not suitable for beginners. There will be fantastic views on a clear day, but this doesn’t mean we can only go in good weather. It’s a ‘700-metre drop’ in 20km from the top of the mountain, which means going/downhill, so the answer is A.
- Answer: A.
14. Answer: E
- Here’s what the speaker says:
On our local craft tour, you can find out about the traditional activities in the island. And the best thing about this trip is that it’s completely free. You’ll be taken to a factory where jewellery is made, and also a ceramics centre. lf you want, you can buy some of the products, but that’s entirely up to you.
- Explanation
It is clearly stated at the beginning of the sentence that he is talking about the craft tour, so we should focus here to find the answer for Question 14. The trip consists of visits to see traditional activities and you are free to buy products if you wish. Especially, the trip is “completely free”, which means there will be no charge, so the answer is E.
- Answer: E
15. Answer: F
- Here’s what the speaker says:
lf you’re interested in astronomy you may already know that the island’s one of the best places in the world to observe the night sky. We can offer trips to the observatory on Friday for those who are interested. They cost 90 euros per person and you’ll be shown the huge telescopes and have a talk from an expert, who’ll explain all about how they work. Afterwards, we’ll head down to Sunset Beach, where you can have a dip in the ocean if you want before we head off back to the hotel.
- Explanation:
After Question 14, the speaker continues to talk a lot about the following trips, but has not mentioned any related information. Candidates need to be careful not to lose their concentration. Finally he mentions that at the end of the trip, the guests will go to Sunset Beach to have a ‘dip in the ocean’, which means it will be possible to swim in the ocean before heading back. The answer is F.
- Answer: F
16. Answer: B
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Finally, there’s horse riding. This is organised by the Equestrian Centre over near Playa Cortino and it’s a great experience if you’re a keen horseback rider, or even if you’ve never been on a horse before.
- Explanation:
The trip is a ‘great experience’ not only for a keen horseback rider, but also for people who ‘have never been on a horse before’, so it’s suitable even for beginners. B is the answer.
- Answer: B
17-18. Answer: B. You must book it in advance. D. You can meet the performers.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Well, the number one attraction’s called ‘Musical Favourites’. Guests enjoy a three-course meal and unlimited free drinks, and watch a fantastic show, starting with musicals set in Paris and then crossing the Atlantic to Las Vegas and finally Copacabana. At the end the cast members come down from the stage, still in their stunning costumes, and you’ll have a chance to chat with them. It’s hugely popular, so let me know now if you’re interested because it’s no good leaving it until the last minute. It’s on Friday night. Tickets are just 90 euros each, but for an extra 10 euros you can have a table right by the stage.
- Explanation:
With this kind of question, make sure that you understand all the choices you have before listening as the speaker will paraphrase it and say it in a different way, and the number of choices may confuse you if you do not know them well. The speaker is talking about an attraction called ‘Musical Favourites’, where you can enjoy meals and drink while enjoying a fantastic show. The guests can “have a chance to chat” and meet the performers at the end of the show (answer D). As it is very popular, it’s “no good leaving it until the last minute”, which means you have to book early (answer B). There’s no information on whether you have to pay extra for the drink (answer A), getting discount on purchasing two tickets (answer C) or joining in the show (answer E). So the answers are B and D
- Answers: B, D (in either order)
19-20. Answer: A Visitors can dance after the meal., D Knives and forks are not used.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
lf you’d like to go back in time, there’s the Castle Feast on Saturday evening. It’s held in a twelfth-century castle, and you eat in the great courtyard, with ladies in long gowns serving your food. You re given a whole chicken each, which you eat in the medieval way, using your hands instead of cutlery, and you re entertained by competitions where the horseback riders attempt to knock one another off their horses. Then you can watch the dancers in the ballroom and join in as well if you want.
- Explanation:
The speaker may say some words used in the answers, but in a different context to make candidates confused. So, be careful, especially because in IELTS Listening it is common that the examiners will paraphrase the words you hear in the script. The speaker describes Castle Feast, an event held in an ancient castle. You are given a “whole chicken”, which means you cannot choose the type of food (answer B). You have to eat by hand without knives and forks (answer D) while being entertained by horseback riders knocking each other off their horses. So, this is NOT horse racing (answer E). There’s no rule about dress code for the guests (answer C), but they can join in the dancing in the ballroom (answer A). So, the answers are A and D,
- Answers: A, D (in either order).
Section 3
21. Answer: A. the fact that authors may not realise what values they’re teaching
- Here’s what the speaker says:
TREVOR – And whether the teaching should be factual – giving them information about the world – or ethical, teaching them values. What’s fascinating is that the writer isn’t necessarily conscious of the message they’re conveying. For instance, a story might show a child who has a problem as a result of not doing what an adult has told them to do, implying that children should always obey adults.
- Explanation:
Trevor mentions that literature can be factual or ethical, so we can exclude answer B. There’s no information on the fact that children are expected to act like fictional characters, so C is not the answer He finds that the writers are not “necessarily conscious” of what they are delivering, which means they may not recognise their own values. So the answer is A
- Answer: A
22. Answer: C. decide to start writing some children’s stories.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
TREVOR – That module made me realise how important stories are – they can have a significant effect on children as they grow up. Actually, it inspired me to have a go at it myself, just for my own interest. l know l can’t compete with the really popular stories, like the Harry Potter books – they’re very good, and even young kids like my seven-year-old niece love reading them.
- Explanation:
Thanks to the module, Trevor realised the important effect of children’s stories on children, which motivates him to “have a go” at creating his own children’s stories (answer C). He wants to write them for his own satisfaction, not to compete with popular stories that young kids read, because those popular stories are very good – so answer B is incorrect. The module only made him aware of the importance of stories, but did not motivate him to analyse children’s stories, so A is also incorrect. The answer is C.
- Answer: C
23. Answer: A. she intends to become an illustrator.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
STEPHANIE – I remember some frightening ones I saw as a child and I can still see them vividly in my mind, years later! Pictures can be so powerful, just as powerful as words. I’ve always enjoyed drawing, so that’s the field I want to go into when I finish the course.
- Explanation:
The impact of visual images has influenced Stephanie since she was young, when she happened to see some frightening (not beautiful) images (thus we can exclude answer B). Pictures and words have the same power – therefore illustration are not more important than words (answer C is incorrect). She wants to work in the illustration field as she really enjoys drawing. So the answer is A.
- Answer: A
24. Answer: B. have the potential for being useful.
- Here’s what the speakers say:
TREVOR – We also studied comics in that module, but I’m not convinced of their value, not compared with books. One of the great things about words is that you use your imagination, but with a comic you don’t have to.
STEPHANIE – But children are so used to visual input – on TV, video games, and so on. There are plenty of kids who wouldn’t even try to read a book, so I think comics can serve a really useful purpose.
TREVOR – You mean, it’s better to read a comic than not to read at all? Yes, I suppose you’re right.
- Explanation:
Trevor is not convinced of the value of comics as – unlike when reading books –children don’t have to use ‘imagination’ when reading comics. However, Stephanie disagrees and suggests that comics can provide ‘visual input’ for children, and this might encourage children to try to read a book. Trevor supposes she is right. We also need to make sure that they agree and move on to the next part, in case the other candidate does not agree and they change their idea. In this question, Trevor agrees that comics can be useful.
- Answer: B
25. Answer: B. how few books were aimed at both girls and boys
- Here’s what the speaker says:
TREVOR – For years, lots of stories, in English, at least, assumed that boys went out and did adventurous things and girls stayed at home and played with dolls. I was amazed how many books were targeted at just one sex or the other. Of course this reflects society as it is when the books are written.
- Explanation:
Trevor stated that there were lots of books in England intended for only one gender. This implies that the books that targeted both genders, boys and girls, were very rare and he was amazed by how few they were. So the answer is B.
- Answer: B
26. Answer: F
- Here’s what the speakers say:
TREVOR – So does that mean you’ve read Perrault’s fairy tales? Cinderella,The Sleeping Beauty, and so on.
STEPHANIE – Yes. They must be important, because no stories of that type had been written before, these were the first.
- Explanation:
Stephanie claims that reading a lot of children’s stories motivated her to take the course. Trevor then mentions the works of Perrault such as Cinderella or The Sleeping Beauty and so on. Stephanie says that those fairy tales are important, and refers to them as ‘the first’ because ‘no stories of that type had been written before’, implying that these fairy stories had started a new genre/type at that time. Therefore, the answer is F.
- Answer: F
27. Answer: E
- Here’s what the speaker says:
STEPHANIE – The English name makes it sound as though Robinson is the family’s surname, but a more accurate translation would be The Swiss Robinsons, because it’s about a Swiss family who are shipwrecked, like Robinson Crusoe in the novel of a century earlier.
- Explanation:
The name of the book should have a “more accurate translation”: The SwissRobinsons which is about a Swiss family who are “shipwrecked”. The speaker then compares the book to another novel “of a century earlier”, Robinson Crusoe, which leads to the answer E.
- Answer: E
28. Answer: C
- Here’s what the speakers say:
STEPHANIE – Have you read Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King?
TREVOR – Wasn’t that the basis for Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker?
- Explanation:
The answer for Question 28 comes right after the answer for Question 27. That’s why candidates need to spend time to take a quick look at all the questions before listening, and draft out what kind of information they need for each question, so they know where to focus on. As Stephanie mentions, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King was originally a children’s book by Hoffman, but was later used as “the basis for Tchaikovsky’s ballet”, in a different area of art. So C is the answer.
- Answer: C
29. Answer: B
- Here’s what the speaker says:
STEPHANIE – I struggled with Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings — three long books, and l gave up after one.
- Explanation:
Stephanie mentions that she ‘struggled’ with Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, which means it was difficult reading it. After that, she ‘gave up’ on the books after the first one, which implies that this series is very hard to read. So the answer is B,
- Answer: B
30. Answer: G
- Here’s what the speakers say:
STEPHANIE – Another one I’ve read is War Horse.
TREVOR – It’s about the First World War, isn’t it? Hardly what you’d expect for a children’s story.
- Explanation:
With previous questions and answers given, we know that the speakers continue to talk about children’s stories and they mention one about the First World War. This is a story about war, so we ‘hardly expect’ to find a story about war in a book for children. It is an unlikely topic for a children’s book, so the answer is G.
- Answer: G
Section 4
31. Answer: spring
- Here’s what the speaker says:
The village contained an impressive monument: seven half-tonne stones standing in a semicircle around a spring, that might have been used for ceremonial purposes.
- Explanation:
Question 31 is in the introduction part, so the answer is probably in the first part of the speech. We pay attention here. The word ‘half-tonne’ implies a very large stone, and it stands “in a semicircle around a spring”, so the answer for the question is ‘spring’.
- Answer: spring
32. Answer: tools
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Research on the buildings, tools and the human remains has revealed how the bustling village once functioned, and even what diseases some of its residents suffered from.
- Explanation:
In the task of completing notes, candidates should pay attention to the title of each part, as it will tell you where the answer belongs, where to focus on. According to the speaker, there has been research on buildings, or types of structures, tools and the human remains to reveal the life of people in the past. The answer for this question is tools.
- Answer: tools
33. Answer: maps
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Autonomous underwater vehicles, or AUVs, are used in the oil industry, for instance, to create maps of the seabed before rigs and pipelines are installed.
- Explanation:
Candidates should be aware of what information they need for each answer. The answer we are looking for focuses on things that the oil industry makes, not what it uses to make things. In the talk, the speaker stated that the oil industry used both Autonomous underwater vehicles or AUVs and later on used rigs and pipelines to create “maps of the seabed”, so the answer is maps.
- Answer: maps
34. Answer: heavy
- Here’s what the speaker says:
To navigate they use sensors, such as compasses and sonar. Until relatively recently they were very expensive, and so heavy that they had to be launched from a large vessel with a winch.
- Explanation:
The answer for Question 34 comes right after the answer for Question 33. That’s why candidates need to spend time to look at questions before listening and get a gist of what kind of information they need for each question, so they know where to focus on. The phrase “launched from a large vessel with a winch” is to emphasise the weight which causes the problems. It is clear that the missing word is an adjective. So heavy is the right answer.
- Answer: heavy
35. Answer: marble
- Here’s what the speaker says:
For example, in a trial in 2015, three AUVs searched for wrecks at Marzamemi, off the coast of Sicily. The site is the final resting place of an ancient Roman ship, which sank in the sixth century AD while ferrying prefabricated marble elements for the construction of an early church.
- Explanation:
After the question about the problems of the AUVs, the speaker talks about a lot of other issues. Candidates need to be careful not to lose their concentration. The speaker then mentions that at the site where the Roman ship sank, “prefabricated marble elements” were found, which once were carried by the ships. The speaker says that these were to be used to build a church, so this is related to architecture. As there can only be one word, the answer is marble.
- Answer: marble
36. Answer: light
- Here’s what the speaker says:
For short distances, AUVs can share data using light, while acoustic waves are used to communicate over long distances.
- Explanation:
The speaker mentions “for short distances”, which indicates that this is where we should focus on to find the answer for Question 36. And right after that, AUVs are stated to be able to communicate at short distance using light. The speaker also continues to talk about the use of acoustic waves in long distance communication, this means there’s no other answer and “light” is the right answer.
- Answer: light
37. Answer: cameras
- Here’s what the speaker says:
So if an AUV surveying the seabed finds an intriguing object, it can share the coordinates of the object – that is, its position – with a nearby AUV that carries superior cameras, and arrange for that AUV to make a closer inspection of the object.
- Explanation:
It’s mentioned that when doing the survey, an AUV can share the position of an intriguing object with an AUV nearby which has superior – or better – cameras and which is therefore more suitable to inspect the object more closely. The answer is cameras.
- Answer: cameras
38. Answer: medical
- Here’s what the speaker says:
In 1974, a 2000-year-old Roman vessel was discovered here, in 18 metres of water. When it sank, it was carrying medical goods, in wooden or tin receptacles.
- Explanation:
The AUVs have huge potential that makes marine archaeologists very excited, as they are planning to explore the area where a 2000-year-old Roman ship/ vessel is located. It is said that the vessel carried with it various types of medical goods when it went down into the sea. The answer is medical.
- Answer: medical
39. Answer: eyes
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Its cargo gives us insight into the treatments available all those years ago, including tablets that are thought to have been dissolved to form a cleansing liquid for the eyes.
- Explanation:
The answer of question 39 comes right after the previous answer. The speaker mentions the treatment methods from years ago, when tablets were believed to have been made into a liquid for eye cleansing. The answer for this question is eyes.
- Answer: eyes
40. Answer: wine
- Here’s what the speaker says:
Other Roman ships went down nearby, taking their cargo with them. Some held huge pots made of terracotta. Some were used for transporting cargoes of olive oil, and others held wine.
- Explanation:
There were several ships carrying different things that went down in the sea. We need to focus on the sentence in which the speaker describes the ships carrying oil, and it is clear that some of the ships held wine. So the answer is wine.
- Answer: wine
Cambridge IELTS Listening Test Solutions
