Skyrocket your IELTS speaking band score by 1-2 points in under a month with real-time AI conversations!
Practice dictation & shadowing on the Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Listening Part 3 Test 2.
Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Listening Test 2 Part 3
0 / 53
Speaker 1 (1)
Did you make notes while you were watching the performances of Romeo and Juliet, Gemma?
Speaker 2 (2)
Yes, I did. I found it quite hard, though. I kept getting too involved in the play.
Speaker 1 (3)
Me too. I ended up not taking notes.
Speaker 1 (4)
I wrote down my impressions when I got home.
Speaker 1 (5)
Do you mind if I check a few things with you, in case I've missed anything?
Speaker 1 (6)
And I've also got some questions about our assignment.
Speaker 2 (7)
No. It's good to talk things through. I may have missed things too.
Speaker 1 (8)
Okay. Great. So first of all, I'm not sure how much information we should include in our reviews.
Speaker 2 (9)
Right. Well, I don't think we need to describe what happens, especially as Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's most well known plays.
Speaker 1 (10)
Yeah. Everyone knows the story.
Speaker 1 (11)
In an essay, we'd focus on the poetry and Shakespeare's use of imagery, etc., but that isn't really relevant in a review.
Speaker 1 (12)
We're supposed to focus on how effective this particular production is.
Speaker 2 (13)
Mmm. We should say what made it a success or a failure.
Speaker 1 (14)
And part of that means talking about the emotional impact the performance had on us. I think that's important.
Speaker 2 (15)
Yes. And we should definitely mention how well the director handled important bits of the play, like when Romeo climbs onto Juliet's balcony.
Speaker 1 (16)
And the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt.
Speaker 2 (17)
Yes. It would also be interesting to mention the theatre space and how the director used it, but I don't think we'll have space in 800 words.
Speaker 1 (18)
No. Okay. That all sounds quite straightforward.
Speaker 1 (19)
So what about the Emporium Theatre's production of the play?
Speaker 2 (20)
I thought some things worked really well, but there were some problems too.
Speaker 1 (21)
Yeah. What about the set, for example?
Speaker 2 (22)
I think it was visually really stunning.
Speaker 2 (23)
I'd say that was probably the most memorable thing about this production.
Speaker 1 (24)
You're right. The set design was really amazing, but actually, I have seen similar ideas used in other productions.
Speaker 2 (25)
What about the lighting? Some of the scenes were so dimly lit it was quite hard to see.
Speaker 1 (26)
I didn't dislike it. It helped to change the mood of the quieter scenes.
Speaker 2 (27)
That's a good point.
Speaker 1 (28)
What did you think of the costumes?
Speaker 2 (29)
I was a bit surprised by the contemporary dress, I must say.
Speaker 1 (30)
Yeah. I think it worked well, but but I'd assumed it would be more conventional.
Speaker 2 (31)
Me too. I liked the music at the beginning, and I thought the musicians were brilliant.
Speaker 2 (32)
But I thought they were wasted because the music didn't have much impact in Acts 2 and 3.
Speaker 1 (33)
Yes. That was a shame.
Speaker 2 (34)
One problem with this production was that the actors didn't deliver the lines that well. They were speaking too fast.
Speaker 1 (35)
It was a problem I agree, but I thought it was because they weren't speaking loudly enough, especially at key points in the play.
Speaker 2 (36)
I actually didn't have a problem with that.
Speaker 1 (37)
It's been an interesting experience watching different versions of Romeo and Juliet, hasn't it?
Speaker 2 (38)
Definitely. It's made me realize how relevant the play still is.
Speaker 1 (39)
Right. I mean, a lot's changed since Shakespeare's time, but in many ways nothing's changed.
Speaker 1 (40)
There are always disagreements and tension between teenagers and their parents.
Speaker 2 (41)
Yes. That's something all young people can relate to, more than the violence and the extreme emotions in the play.
Speaker 1 (42)
How did you find watching it in translation?
Speaker 2 (43)
Really interesting. I expected to find it more challenging, but I could follow the story pretty well.
Speaker 1 (44)
I stopped worrying about not being able to understand all the words and focused on the actors' expressions.
Speaker 1 (45)
The ending's pretty powerful.
Speaker 2 (46)
Yes. That somehow intensified the emotion for me.
Speaker 1 (47)
Did you know Shakespeare's been translated into more languages than any other writer?
Speaker 2 (48)
What's the reason for his international appeal, do you think?
Speaker 1 (49)
I was reading that it's because his plays are about basic themes that people everywhere are familiar with.
Speaker 2 (50)
Yeah. And they can also be understood on different levels.
Speaker 2 (51)
The characters have such depth.
Speaker 1 (52)
Right - which allows directors to experiment and find new angles.
Speaker 2 (53)
That's really..