Dr Thompson’s Company - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 3 Academic Listening Test 5 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–25 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 26–30 Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Major Problems of a Company
Since the company opened, there have been many problems with employment, but there is no 26. He needs to find a venue for financial training. It is very hard to run an organisation and the 27 is of great importance to staying organised. To enhance the organisation skills, there is a section on 28 in the library where some valuable books can be found. In addition, the library contains some useful resources, such as a collection of documentaries on personal organisation, the literature on 29, and the articles on the 30.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | B | The hardest part was structuring the business, as I had no formal template so I had to create it myself | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that setting up how the company was organized was the most difficult job because there was no example or pattern for him to follow. Answer Explanation: The answer B means that the biggest challenge was not having a pre-made plan or system for how the business should be organized. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Mr. Thompson explicitly states that the "hardest part"—which means the most difficult problem—was "structuring the business." He notes that he had no "formal template," which matches the idea of having no formal structures. Although he mentions that finding a place to work (premises) was very difficult, he identifies the lack of a template for the business structure as the most challenging task of all. |
| Q22 | B | gave them the opportunity to share with me the issues they had with the allocation of the work | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the manager allowed the workers to talk about the problems they had with how the work was handed out to different people. Answer Explanation: The answer is the way work is given or divided among the employees. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the transcript mentions that the staff had problems or 'issues' regarding the 'allocation' of their work. 'Allocation' is a synonym for how work is assigned or distributed among a group. While Mr. Thompson talked about the 'type of work' and 'appreciation', he specifically used the word 'issues' when referring to how the work was shared out. |
| Q23 | C | I employed someone else to take on the role of the manager, however, he never consulted me before making decisions so I was forced to let him go and hire someone else | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the manager made decisions without speaking to the owner first, which was a problem that led to him being replaced. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the first manager didn't talk to the boss or ask for advice before making choices. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Mr. Thompson explains that when he hired a manager to help him, that person never 'consulted' him. To 'consult' someone means to ask for their opinion or permission before doing something. Because the manager made all the decisions alone without asking, Mr. Thompson had to fire him and find a different person for the job. |
| Q24 | C | They had a great deal of respect for him. It definitely helped that I consulted with them before hiring him. They were surprised that he has been so successful in his role at the company, despite the longer meeting hours | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the workers respected the manager and felt surprised because he did such a good job, even with long meetings. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the workers are very impressed and shocked that the new manager is doing a great job. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Dr. Thompson mentions that the staff members were 'surprised' (which means amazed) by how 'successful' (which means doing it well) the new manager has been. While Choice A mentions meeting times, the transcript actually says the meeting hours are 'longer', not shorter. Choice B is wrong because the staff had a 'great deal of respect' for him, meaning they did not feel annoyed. |
| Q25 | A | I wanted a mural painted to brighten up our entrance area, so I decided it would be a great idea to invite the local primary school to create one for us. The youngsters had a great time and I know they were thrilled to be included | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Mr. Thompson asked kids from a local school to create a wall painting for his office's entrance, and he considers this a proud accomplishment. Answer Explanation: The answer means that local school kids helped paint a large picture, called a mural, on a wall near the front door of the building. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Mr. Thompson mentions a specific success he is very proud of. He explains that he wanted to decorate the entrance with a mural and asked the local primary school children to paint it. In the text, he uses the word "achievement" to describe this event and refers to the children as "youngsters." |
| Q26 | solution | Yes, we are always encountering issues with employment because it is very hard to find people who are qualified for the roles that we were offering, but unfortunately there is no solution to this | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mr. Thompson stating that hiring is difficult because they cannot find the right people for the jobs, and sadly, there is no way to fix (solution) that situation. Answer Explanation: The answer 'solution' means there is no fix or way to solve the problem of finding skilled workers for the company. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'solution' because Mr. Thompson explains that his company faces constant trouble with employment. He notes that it is hard to find people with the right skills (qualified) for the jobs. He specifically uses the phrase 'no solution to this' to describe how they cannot fix this specific problem. |
| Q27 | role of motivation | Whilst I was learning how to stay organised, I realised that the role of motivation is essential | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mr. Thompson explaining that when he was practicing how to keep things well-ordered, he learned that being motivated is a big part of that process. Answer Explanation: The answer means that having a reason to work hard and being excited about your goals is very important if you want to be organized. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer comes from the part of the conversation where Mr. Thompson talks about the challenges of being organized. He explains that while he was learning how to keep things in order, he found that 'the role of motivation' was 'essential,' which means it is extremely important or necessary for success. |
| Q28 | culture | I also suggest that you visit the library, as there is a section on culture that will have some very valuable material on how to develop your organisation skills | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mr. Thompson telling the student to go to the library. He mentions a specific area called the "section on culture." He says this section contains helpful information for learning how to organize things better. Answer Explanation: The answer "culture" is a subject or category in the library. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "culture" because Mr. Thompson tells Alexandra to go to the library. He explains that the "culture" part of the library has useful information for improving her organization skills. This matches the summary sentence about finding valuable books in a specific section to improve skills. |
| Q29 | management of change | They also have a collection of documentaries on the subject of personal organisation and I suggest that you look up the literature on management of change | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Dr. Thompson tells the student to find and read written materials (literature) that focus on leadings others during times when a business is making changes. Answer Explanation: The answer means a topic about how a company handles big adjustments or new ways of doing things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found when Dr. Thompson gives advice about useful things to read in the library. He mentions 'literature', which is a formal word for professional books or written works. He specifically suggests looking for the literature on the topic of 'management of change' to help with learning about the business. |
| Q30 | nature of volunteering | I advise that you look at Section 2 where you will find articles on the nature of volunteering | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mr. Thompson telling the student to look at a specific part of the library to find articles about why people volunteer and what volunteering is like. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the specific subject or topic of the articles located in the library's second section. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified when Mr. Thompson recommends various study materials to Alexandra. He highlights that articles are resources she should use. Specifically, he mentions that in Section 2 of the university library, she can find articles written about the 'nature of volunteering'. This fits the blank in the summary which asks for the topic of the articles. Key terms like 'articles' and 'Section 2' lead directly to this specific topic. |
Transcript
ALEXANDRA: Excuse me, Dr Thompson. May I speak to you for a minute?
MR THOMPSON: Of course. Please come in.
ALEXANDRA: I'm Alexandra Jones. I'm studying Business here at the university and for my assignment I have to carry out a survey of people who own their own organisations. I heard that you are the founder of your own company, and I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about it.
MR THOMPSON: Yes, of course, please fire away.
ALEXANDRA: OK great, we'll get started! Did you encounter any problems whilst you were starting your company?
MR THOMPSON: Actually it was not as hard as I anticipated. I started out with very clear objectives, so I knew exactly what I wanted my corporate identity to be. It was very difficult to find the correct premises as the property market in London is so competitive, but eventually I found the perfect site. The hardest part was structuring the business, as I had no formal template so I had to create it myself.
ALEXANDRA: Yes, that is very impressive. Was it difficult dealing with staff?
MR THOMPSON: It's always tricky trying to satisfy a group of people with varying interests, however, I didn't encounter many problems. I found it very important to make the staff feel appreciated, so I hosted a staff day where we could all introduce ourselves and get to know each other as individuals. I was also able to talk to them about the type of work that they would be doing and gave them the opportunity to share with me the issues they had with the allocation of the work.
ALEXANDRA: OK. Did you hire a management team or did you take on the role of the manager?
MR THOMPSON: Oh no, I already had enough tasks to take care of. I employed someone else to take on the role of the manager, however, he never consulted me before making decisions so I was forced to let him go and hire someone else.
ALEXANDRA: And what did the other staff think of the new manager?
MR THOMPSON: They had a great deal of respect for him. It definitely helped that I consulted with them before hiring him. They were surprised that he has been so successful in his role at the company, despite the longer meeting hours.
ALEXANDRA: Since the company opened, has it had any great achievements?
MR THOMSON: There are many aspects of the company that I am pleased with, however, there is one achievement of which I am particularly proud. I wanted a mural painted to brighten up our entrance area, so I decided it would be a great idea to invite the local primary school to create one for us. The youngsters had a great time and I know they were thrilled to be included.
ALEXANDRA: Oh, that's lovely.
ALEXANDR: Have you encountered any major problems since you opened the company?
MR THOMPSON: Yes, we are always encountering issues with employment because it is very hard to find people who are qualified for the roles that we were offering, but unfortunately there is no solution to this. One of our administrators also recently left to go on maternity leave, which put us in a tricky situation, however, we have managed to find a temporary replacement for her. It's also now approaching the period when we must carry out our financial training so I need to find a venue with enough space to hold everyone. It will be interesting trying to organise that event!
ALEXANDRA: Oh gosh, I can imagine. I find it hard enough to organise myself!
MR THOMPSON: Organisation is a difficult thing to master, but it is also essential for success! Whilst I was learning how to stay organised, I realised that the role of motivation is essential.
ALEXANDRA: OK, that's great!
MR THOMPSON: I also suggest that you visit the library, as there is a section on culture that will have some very valuable material on how to develop your organisation skills.
ALEXANDRA: OK, I'll head to the library when we're finished.
MR THOMPSON: I think you will find it very useful. They also have a collection of documentaries on the subject of personal organisation and I suggest that you look up the literature on management of change. I personally found these sources incredibly useful. Articles are also a valuable resource and we have a whole collection of them in our university library. I advise that you look at Section 2 where you will find articles on the nature of volunteering.
ALEXANDRA: That's great, thank you so much for your help.
MR THOMPSON: No problem.