Work Placement - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 2 Academic Listening Test 2 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–25 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct answer, A, B or C.
Questions 26–30 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Notes on project
Introduction
- improve the 26 of ideas
- include a 27 of 'Work Placement'
- have separate sections for literature survey and research 28 and methods
Findings
Preparation stage - add summary
29 development - good
Constraints on learning - provide better links to the 30 from research
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | B | But, I felt everyone just kind of assumes it's a good thing and I guess I wanted to find out if that's the case |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Dave wanted to see if the common belief that work experience is helpful is actually correct. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Dave wants to find out if a belief that people have is actually true or not. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Dave says that people generally 'assume' (believe without proof) that work experience is a good thing for students. He explains that his project's goal is to 'find out if that's the case,' which is another way of saying he wants to 'investigate' (study or research) that 'assumption' (belief). |
| Q22 | C | Dr Green: But you don't look at schools or colleges, right? You've stuck to university placement schemes. Dave: Yeah, well, I quickly found that I had to limit my research, otherwise the area was just too big | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dr. Green asking if Dave decided not to look at schools or colleges but instead chose university programs. Dave answers "Yeah," agreeing that he chose only universities to make his research smaller. Answer Explanation: The answer means Dave's study focuses on work programs at universities. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Dr. Green points out that Dave did not include schools or colleges in his research. Dave confirms this, explaining that he decided to focus only on university placement schemes to keep his project from getting too large and difficult to manage. Therefore, his research is limited to universities. |
| Q23 | A | Well, I sent out about 150 questionnaires altogether – you know, 50 of each to university authorities, students and companies, and I got responses from 15 educational institutions, and, er, 30 students in 11 individual companies | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Dave sent surveys to three different groups, but only 15 of the schools or university offices (educational institutions) replied. Answer Explanation: The answer is the number 15. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Dave explains how many people and groups answered his survey. He says that he received replies from 15 'educational institutions.' Educational institutions is another way to say academic organisations. Even though he sent out 150 papers in total, only 15 schools or universities sent them back. |
| Q24 | B | Well, the idea was to have them done by the students' Line Managers, but sometimes they were filled in by the Human Resources manager or even the owner of the company | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Dave's main plan was to get answers from the Line Managers. He notes that while other people sometimes ended up doing it, his goal was to have the Line Managers fill them in. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Dave's original plan was for the people who directly supervise the students to answer his questions. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Dave explicitly states that 'the idea was' to have the Line Managers complete the questionnaires. This phrase indicates his original intention or goal. Although some forms were eventually filled out by Human Resources managers or company owners, his first choice and original 'idea' was specifically for the students' Line Managers to provide the feedback. |
| Q25 | A | Dr Green: Right. I didn't find a full list anywhere, so I think it's very important to provide that, really. You can put it as an appendix at the back. Dave: Right, I've got a record of all the respondents so that'll be easy | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dr. Green pointing out that a full list is missing from the project. Dave then explains that he has a record of all the respondents, confirming that he can easily provide the list she is asking for. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Dr. Green wants Dave to include a complete list of all the people who answered his survey questions. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Dr. Green tells Dave she cannot find a complete list of participants in his draft. She says this list is very important and should be added at the end of the paper. Dave replies that he has a record of all the "respondents," which is a word used to describe the people who provide answers to a survey or questionnaire. |
| Q26 | organisation / organization | First of all, I think you need to make some slight changes to the organisation of your information there, at present it's a bit confused | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dr. Green telling Dave that he needs to fix how he arranges his information because the current layout is difficult to understand. Answer Explanation: The answer 'organisation' refers to the way information and ideas are arranged or ordered within a piece of writing. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from Dr. Green’s critique of the introduction. She mentions that the way Dave has put his information together is currently 'confused' and needs to be changed to make it clearer. In the notes, 'information' is replaced by the synonym 'ideas,' and 'make some slight changes' corresponds to 'improve.' |
| Q27 | definition | Well, you write quite a bit about Work Placement in general, but you never explain what you mean by the term. Dave: So you think I should give a definition? Dr Green: Exactly. And the introduction is the place to do it | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Dave needs to add an explanation of the term 'Work Placement' in the beginning part of his project paper. Answer Explanation: The answer means a clear explanation or meaning of the words 'Work Placement'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'definition' because Dr. Green tells Dave that his writing talks about the topic but does not explain what it actually means. In the discussion about the introduction section, Dave asks if he should provide a 'definition' to fix this, and Dr. Green agrees. |
| Q28 | aims | So, do you think it would be better to have two sections there – like, a survey of the literature as the introduction and then a separate section on the aims of my research |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dave suggesting that he create a specific, separate section to describe the goals of his study. Answer Explanation: The answer 'aims' refers to the goals or specific purposes of the student's research project. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'aims' because Dave asks if he should divide the introduction into two distinct parts. One part would be a 'survey of the literature,' and the second part would cover the 'aims' or objectives of his own work along with the methods used. Dr. Green agrees that this separation would make the paper clearer for the reader. |
| Q29 | Key Skills | What did you think of my second set of findings – on Key Skills development? For me, this is the core of my whole project really | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dave asking for feedback on a specific part of his work called 'Key Skills development', which he considers the most important part of his study. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies 'Key Skills' as the specific type of development Dave studied in the second part of his research project. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Key Skills' because when Dave and Dr Green discuss the second part of Dave's results, Dave specifically names this section as 'Key Skills development'. He mentions it is a very important part of his work, and Dr Green agrees that he wrote it well, which matches the 'good' label in the notes. |
| Q30 | evidence | Yes, that's the one – I think you need to refer to the evidence from your research a bit more closely here | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dr. Green telling Dave that in the section about things that stop learning (constraints), he should mention the proof or facts (evidence) from his study more clearly. Answer Explanation: The answer is "evidence," which means the facts, data, or proof that Dave collected during his study to support his ideas. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "evidence" because when Dr. Green and Dave talk about the chapter on "constraints on learning," Dr. Green suggests that Dave needs to look at the "evidence" he gathered from his research more carefully. She wants him to make stronger connections between his ideas and the actual information (like quotes or student diaries) he found. |
Transcript
Dr Green: Good afternoon, Dave, come on in and take a seat.
Dave: Hi, Dr Green ... thanks.
Dr Green: Hang on a minute, I'll just find the first draft of your project paper and we can have a look at it together. Now yours is the one on Work Placement, isn't it?
Dave: Yeah, that's right.
Dr Green: So what made you choose that for your project?
Dave: Well, I suppose it was because sending students off to various companies for work experience seems to be such a typical part of educational courses these days – I mean, even school kids get to do it. But, I felt everyone just kind of assumes it's a good thing ... and I guess I wanted to find out if that's the case.
Dr Green: But you don't look at schools or colleges, right? You've stuck to university placement schemes.
Dave: Yeah, well, I quickly found that I had to limit my research, otherwise the area was just too big. Do you think that was OK?
Dr Green: I think it's very sensible, especially as the objectives might be very different. So how many schemes did you look at?
Dave: Well, I sent out about 150 questionnaires altogether – you know, 50 of each to university authorities, students and companies, and I got responses from 15 educational institutions, and, er, 30 students in 11 individual companies.
Dr Green: Great, that sounds like a good sample. And who did you send your company questionnaires to?
Dave: Well, the idea was to have them done by the students' Line Managers, but sometimes they were filled in by the Human Resources manager or even the owner of the company.
Dr Green: Right. I didn't find a full list anywhere, so I think it's very important to provide that, really. You can put it as an appendix at the back.
Dave: Right, I've got a record of all the respondents so that'll be easy. I hope other things were OK. I mean, I've already put such a lot of work into this project, identifying the companies and so on.
Dr Green: Oh, I can tell ... I think you've done a good job overall.
Dr Green: I thought your questionnaires were excellent, and you'd obviously done lots of background reading, but there were a few problems with the introduction ... First of all, I think you need to make some slight changes to the organisation of your information there, at present it's a bit confused.
Dave: OK. What did you have in mind?
Dr Green: Well, you write quite a bit about Work Placement in general, but you never explain what you mean by the term.
Dave: So you think I should give a definition?
Dr Green: Exactly. And the introduction is the place to do it. And then ... look, you start talking about what's been written on the topic – but it's all a bit mixed up with your own project.
Dave: So, do you think it would be better to have two sections there – like, a survey of the literature as the introduction ... and then a separate section on the aims of my research?
Dr Green: I do. You can include your methods for collecting data in the second section too. It would be much clearer for your reader ... you know, establish the background first, then how your work relates to it ... it would flow quite nicely then.
Dave: Yes, I see what you mean.
Dr Green: Anyway, moving on ... I like the way you've grouped your findings into three main topic areas.
Dave: Well, it became very obvious from the questionnaires that the preparation stage was really important for the whole scheme to work. So I had to look at that first. And I found a huge variation between the different institutions, as you saw.
Dr Green: I was wondering if you could give a summary at the end of this stage of what you consider to be the best practice you found ... I think that would be very helpful ...
Dave: Right, I'll just make a note of that. What did you think of my second set of findings – on Key Skills development? For me, this is the core of my whole project really ...
Dr Green: And you've handled it very well. I wouldn't want you to make any changes – you've already got a nice final focus on good practice there.
Dave: Thanks.
Dr Green: Right, now I think the last part, which deals with the reasons why students don't learn ...
Dave: What? The constraints on learning chapter?
Dr Green: Yes, that's the one – I think you need to refer to the evidence from your research a bit more closely here. You know, maybe you could illustrate it with quotations from the questionnaires, or even use any extracts from a student 'diary' if you can. And refer back to what you've written about good practice ...