Dragon Boat Race - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 1 Academic Listening Test 4 · Part 1 · Questions 1–10
Audio
Questions
Questions 1–10 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and/or A NUMBER for each answer.
Race details
Day & date: 1
Place: Brighton 2
Registration time: 3
Sponsorship
- aim to raise over £4 as a team and get a free t-shirt
- free Prize Draw for trip to 5
Team details
- must have crew of 20 and elect a 6
- under 18s need to have 7 to enter
- need to hire 8
- advised to bring extra 9
- must choose a 10 for the team
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Sunday 2nd July / Sun 2nd July | It's taking place on the 2nd July Male: Is that a Saturday? Female: No, it's a Sunday |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript confirms that the race is on the 2nd of July and clarifies that the day of the week is Sunday. Answer Explanation: The answer is Sunday, the 2nd of July. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is the day and date of the event. According to the office worker, the race is scheduled for the 2nd of July. When asked if that is a Saturday, she corrects the caller and states it is actually a Sunday, as it is a more popular day for people to participate. |
| Q2 | MARINA | Female: Yes, it's Brighton Marina, that's MARINA. Do you know where it is | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman confirming the location and spelling the word 'MARINA' so the man can write it down correctly. Answer Explanation: The answer is the second word of the location where the dragon boat race will take place. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'MARINA' because the woman in the transcript explicitly names the location as 'Brighton Marina'. Since 'Brighton' is already provided in the notes, 'MARINA' completes the name of the place. She even spells the word to ensure the man understands. |
| Q3 | 9.30am / 9.30 / 9:30am / 9:30 | Well, the first heats begin at 10.00am - but you need to register half an hour before that - at 9.30 and we really recommend that you aim to be there by 9 | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the race starts at 10:00 am, but people must sign up (register) at 9:30. Answer Explanation: The answer is 9.30 AM, which is the specific time when the race team needs to check in and register for the event. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 9.30(am) because the speaker explicitly states that while the races begin at 10.00 am, registration must happen thirty minutes earlier, which is at 9.30. She also suggests arriving by 9.00 to get ready, but the official time given for registration is 9.30. |
| Q4 | 1,000 / 1000 / one thousand / a thousand | Every crew member will receive a free tournament t-shirt if your team manages to raise £1,000 or more | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that if the whole group collects 1,000 pounds or even more money, everyone will get a special shirt for the race without paying for it. Answer Explanation: The answer is the specific amount of money, which is 1,000 pounds, that a group must collect for the charity to get free shirts for every member. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the woman's explanation about the benefits of raising money. She notes that if the entire team raises at least £1,000, each member will be given a free tournament t-shirt. The keywords to look for in the text are "raise," "team," "free," and "t-shirt." |
| Q5 | Hong Kong | It's a holiday in Hong Kong | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript clearly states that the prize for the lucky draw is a vacation to Hong Kong. Answer Explanation: The answer is the location of the prize trip that participants can win in a lucky draw. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Hong Kong because the speaker explains that every person who enters the boat race will have a chance to win a reward. She describes this reward as a 'holiday in Hong Kong,' which matches the 'trip to' section in the notes. Pay attention to the synonym 'holiday,' which means the same thing as 'trip' in this context. |
| Q6 | team captain / captain | Well, you need to have a crew of 20 people for your dragon boat and you then need to agree on who's going to be the team captain That would probably be you |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that after finding 20 people for the boat, the team must decide on a leader, called a team captain. Answer Explanation: The answer is the person who leads the group of 20 people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'captain' or 'team captain'. In the recording, the woman talks about the rules for forming a team. She says that a crew must have 20 people and they need to choose a 'team captain' to be in charge. The word 'elect' in the notes means to choose or vote for someone, which matches the phrase 'agree on' from the recording. |
| Q7 | parents’ permission | Well there's no age limit as such but if you have a team member who's under 18 then they have to get their parents' permission to take part | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that if a team member is under 18 years old, they are required to have their parents say it is okay for them to compete in the race. Answer Explanation: The answer means that children or teenagers who are not yet 18 years old must get approval from their mother or father to join the competition. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the section of the talk about team rules. The woman mentions that while there isn't a strict age limit, anyone younger than 18 must get 'parents' permission' to join the boat race. This matches the requirement mentioned in the notes for people under 18. |
| Q8 | 20 life jackets / twenty life jackets / life jackets | Well, you need to have a crew of 20 people for your dragon boat It isn't dangerous but we do have boats that turn over in the water and for that reason we insist that everyone wears a life jacket as well and you can hire life jackets from us when your team arrives |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript first explains that a team is made up of 20 people. It then explains that because boats might flip over, the staff requires everyone to wear a life jacket, which the team can rent (hire) upon arrival. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the 20 safety vests (called life jackets) that the team must pay to use during the race. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "(20/twenty) life jackets" because the speaker mentions that a full team has 20 people and that for safety, everyone must wear a life jacket. She explains that these jackets can be "hired" (rented) from the organizers when the team arrives at the event. The note asks what needs to be hired, and the transcript directly answers this with "life jackets." |
| Q9 | clothes / clothing / set of clothes | In fact, it's a very good idea to bring some spare clothes | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman telling the man that bringing more clothes is a very smart choice for the team members. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'clothes' or 'clothing.' These are items you wear, like shirts and pants, that you should bring in addition to what you are already wearing. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the woman's suggestion during the conversation. She tells the man it is a 'very good idea' to bring 'spare clothes.' In this context, 'advised' means the same as saying it is a good idea, and 'extra' is a synonym for 'spare.' She recommends this because people can get cold or wet during the race. |
| Q10 | name | Have you got a name for your team? Male: Oh, not yet, no. Female: Well you need to decide on one and then put it on the entrance form which I'll send you | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman asking for the team's name and then telling the man that he must pick a name so he can fill out the application paper. Answer Explanation: The answer 'name' refers to the title or label that the group of people must pick to identify their team. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'name' because the female speaker asks the man if he has thought of a name for his group. Since the team does not have one yet, she explains that they need to 'decide on' (which means the same as 'choose') a name so they can write it on the official entrance form. This confirms that picking a specific name for the team is a required part of the registration process. |
Transcript
Female: Scope charity office, how can I help you?
Male: Oh hello. I'm ringing about the Dragon Boat Race that you're asking people to take part in.
Female: Oh yes, we still need a few more teams. Are you interested in joining the race?
Male: Yes, we want to enter a team but we don't know anything about it? Could I ask you for some more information first?
Female: Of course.
Male: I don't even know when it's being held.
Female: It's taking place on the 2nd July ...
Male: Is that a Saturday?
Female: No, it's a Sunday. It's a much more popular day and more people can take part then.
Male: Right. And where's it being held?
Female: ... at the Brighton Marina.
Male: Oh, I'm an overseas student ... Could you spell that for me?
Female: Yes, it's Brighton Marina, that's MARINA. Do you know where it is?
Male: I'm not sure.
Female: It's a couple of miles past the Palace Pier.
Male: Oh yes, I know it.
Female: You take a right turning off the coast road or you can cycle along the seafront.
Male: That's good. What time does the race start?
Female: Well, the first heats begin at 10.00am - but you need to register half an hour before that - at 9.30 and we really recommend that you aim to be there by 9. It's a good idea to arrange a meeting place for your team.
Male: Right ... And the race is to help raise money for charity?
Female: It is. We're asking every team member to try and raise £35 by getting friends and/or relatives to sponsor them. Every crew member will receive a free tournament t-shirt if your team manages to raise £1,000 or more.
Male: Oh that's quite good.
Female: Also we're holding a raffle ... every crew member who takes part in the race this season will be entered into a free Prize Draw.
Male: Oh, what's the prize?
Female: It's a holiday in Hong Kong.
Male: Sounds great.
Female: Is there anything else you need to know?
Male: Could you just tell me a little bit more about the teams?
Female: Well, you need to have a crew of 20 people for your dragon boat ... and you then need to agree on who's going to be the team captain ... That would probably be you ...
Male: Fine. Um, I've got a group of 20 people who are interested ... do all the team members have to be a certain age?
Female: Well there's no age limit as such but if you have a team member who's under 18 then they have to get their parents' permission to take part.
Male: Yes, that makes sense.
Female: It isn't dangerous but we do have boats that turn over in the water and for that reason we insist that everyone wears a life jacket as well and you can hire life jackets from us when your team arrives.
Male: What do you advise people to wear?
Female: Well, most people wear a t-shirt, shorts and trainers. I certainly wouldn't recommend that you wear jeans or boots. In fact, it's a very good idea to bring some spare clothes.
Male: OK.
Female: It can get quite cold and wet if the weather's bad. And there's quite a bit of hanging around especially if you qualify for the semi-finals or the final ...
Male: I see what you mean.
Female: Have you got a name for your team?
Male: Oh, not yet, no.
Female: Well you need to decide on one and then put it on the entrance form which I'll send you ...
Male: Oh OK.
Female: So if you'd like to give me your address ...