Enquiry About Bookcases - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 2 Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 1 · Questions 1–10
Audio
Questions
Questions 1–9 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
ENQUIRY ABOUT BOOKCASES
Number of bookcases available: two
Both bookcases
Width: 1
Made of: 2
First bookcase
Cost: £3
Colour: 4
Number of shelves: six (four are 5)
Second bookcase
Colour: dark brown
Other features:
- almost 80 years old
- has a 6 at the bottom
- has glass 7
Cost: £8
Details of seller
Name: Mrs 9
Address: 41 Oak Rise, Stanton.
Questions 10–10 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 75 cms / 75 cm / 75 centimetres / 75 centimeters | Yes, so they're both 75 cm wide and 180 cm high | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says both bookcases have the same width, which is 75 centimeters. Answer Explanation: The answer "75 cm(s)/centimetres" is the measurement of how wide each bookcase is. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 75 cm because Mrs Blake tells Conor the specific measurement for the width (the distance from side to side) of both bookcases. She uses the words "75 cm wide" to describe them. |
| Q2 | wood | I was really looking for something made of wood? Mrs Blake: That's all right, they are, both of them | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Conor asking the lady if the bookcases were built using wood. She replies by saying that they both are made of that material. Answer Explanation: The answer "wood" refers to the material that both bookcases are built from. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is wood because the caller, Conor, mentions that he is looking for furniture made of wood rather than metal. Mrs Blake confirms that both bookcases are indeed made of wood. Keywords like 'made of' and 'both of them' help identify that this material applies to both items. |
| Q3 | 15 / fifteen | No, the first bookcase is quite a bit cheaper. It's just £15.00 | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman telling the man that the first bookcase is much less expensive and costs exactly £15.00. Answer Explanation: The answer is 15 pounds. This is the amount of money Conor needs to pay for the first bookcase. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is £15.00 because when Conor asks about the price, Mrs. Blake explains that the first bookcase is significantly cheaper than the second one and explicitly states its price. In English, 'cost' refers to the price or how much money you need to pay for an item. |
| Q4 | cream | Yes, it's cream at present, but as I say you could easily change that if you wanted to fit in with your colour scheme |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mrs Blake stating that the bookcase is cream-colored right now, even if the new owner decides to change the color later. Answer Explanation: The answer is the color of the first bookcase, which is a very light yellowish-white. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'cream' because the seller, Mrs Blake, identifies this as the current color of the first bookcase. While the buyer, Conor, mentions he might paint it white later, the notes require the current description of the item being sold. Keywords like 'at present' indicate the current state or appearance of the object. |
| Q5 | adjustable | Six - two of them are fixed, and the other four are adjustable so you can shift them up and down according to the sizes of your books | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that out of the six total shelves, four can be changed or moved ('adjustable') so they can sit higher or lower depending on the books. Answer Explanation: The answer 'adjustable' means that the shelves are not stuck in one position and can be moved to different heights. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'adjustable' because Mrs. Blake explains the setup of the six shelves in the first bookcase. She notes that while two shelves are permanently attached or 'fixed,' the remaining four can be moved, which she describes using the word 'adjustable.' This allows the owner to change the space between the shelves based on the size of their books. |
| Q6 | cupboard | Yes, and it's got the six shelves, but it also has a cupboard at the bottom that's really useful for keeping odds and ends in | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that in addition to having six shelves, the second bookcase also has a closed storage area called a cupboard at the base. Answer Explanation: The answer "cupboard" refers to a small storage space with a door, which is built into the lower part of the bookcase. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "cupboard" because Mrs Blake mentions that the second bookcase has this specific feature at its bottom, which can be used to store various small items. |
| Q7 | doors | Oh, and I nearly forgot to say, the other thing about it is it's got glass doors, so the books are all kept out of the dust | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mrs Blake describing the second bookcase and mentioning that it has doors made of glass. Answer Explanation: The answer "doors" refers to the moving panels on the front of the bookcase that are made of glass. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "doors" because Mrs Blake mentions that the second bookcase has glass doors. These doors are a special feature that helps keep dust away from the books inside. This matches the note that says the second bookcase "has glass [input]". |
| Q8 | 95 / ninety-five | Mmm. So what are you asking for that one? Mrs Blake: £95.00 | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Conor asking for the price of the second bookcase he and Mrs Blake were just talking about. Mrs Blake says the price is 95 pounds. Answer Explanation: The answer is the price of the second bookcase, which is 95 pounds. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 95 pounds because Mrs Blake gives this price when Conor asks about the second, more expensive bookcase. This bookcase is high quality and very old, so it costs more than the first one. The symbol '£' stands for pounds, the money used in the UK. |
| Q9 | Blake | Mrs Blake: Sure. I'm Mrs Blake Conor: B-L-A-K-E? Mrs Blake: That's right |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman introducing herself by her name, and then Conor spells the name out loud to make sure it is correct. Answer Explanation: The answer Blake is the family name (last name) of the woman who is selling the bookcases. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified when Conor asks for the seller's information so he can visit her house. Mrs Blake provides her name, and Conor spells it back to her to confirm he has it right. This happens after they agree on the purchase and he asks for the 'details' of where she lives. |
| Q10 | B | Well you take that road, and you go on till you get to a roundabout, go straight on, then Oak Rise is the first road to the right First right. And we're at the end of the road |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that after passing a circular traffic junction, you should take the first turn to the right and follow that street until it stops at the end. Answer Explanation: The answer B is the map that correctly shows where Mrs Blake's house is located. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the directions given by Mrs Blake describe a specific path. She instructs Conor to follow the road toward the university, go straight through a roundabout (a circle where roads meet), and then take the first road on the right side. She clarifies that her house is situated at the very end of that road. This sequence of actions—going past the roundabout, turning right at the first opportunity, and reaching the end—identifies the location shown in Map B. |
Transcript
Mrs Blake: Hello?
Conor: Oh, hello. I'm ringing about the advertisement in yesterday's newspaper... the one for the bookcases... can you tell me if they're still available?
Mrs Blake: We've sold one, but we still have two available.
Conor: Right. Er... can you tell me a bit about them?
Mrs Blake: Sure, er... what do you want to know?
Conor: Well, I'm looking for something to fit in my study, so, well, I'm not too worried about the height, but the width's quite important. Can you tell me how wide each of them is?
Mrs Blake: They're both exactly the same size... let me see, I've got the details written down somewhere. Yes, so they're both 75 cm wide and 180 cm high.
Conor: OK, fine, that should fit in OK. And I don't want anything that looks too severe... not made of metal, for example. I was really looking for something made of wood?
Mrs Blake: That's all right, they are, both of them.
Conor: So, are they both the same price as well?
Mrs Blake: No, the first bookcase is quite a bit cheaper. It's just £15.00. We paid £60.00 for it just five years ago, so it's very good value. It's in perfectly good condition, they're both in very good condition in fact, but the first one isn't the same quality as the other one. It's a good sturdy bookcase, it used to be in my son's room, but it could do with a fresh coat of paint...
Conor: Oh, it's painted?
Mrs Blake: Yes, it's cream at present, but as I say you could easily change that if you wanted... to fit in with your colour scheme.
Conor: Yes, I'd probably paint it white if I got it. Let's see, what else... how many shelves has it got?
Mrs Blake: Six - two of them are fixed, and the other four are adjustable so you can shift them up and down according to the sizes of your books.
Conor: Right, fine. Well that certainly sounds like a possibility.
Mrs Blake: But the second one's a lovely bookcase too. That's not painted, it's just the natural wood colour, a dark brown. It was my grandmother's, and I think she bought it sometime in the 1930s so I'd say it must be getting on for eighty years old, it's very good quality, they don't make them like that nowadays.
Conor: And you said it's the same dimensions as the first one?
Mrs Blake: Yes, and it's got the six shelves, but it also has a cupboard at the bottom that's really useful for keeping odds and ends in.
Conor: Right.
Mrs Blake: Oh, and I nearly forgot to say, the other thing about it is it's got glass doors, so the books are all kept out of the dust. So it's really good value for the money. I'm really sorry to be selling it but we just don't have the room for it.
Conor: Mmm. So what are you asking for that one?
Mrs Blake: £95.00. It's quite a bit more, but it's a lovely piece of furniture - a real heirloom.
Conor: Yes... all the same, it's a lot more than I wanted to pay... I didn't really want to go above thirty or forty. Anyway, the first one sounds fine for what I need.
Mrs Blake: Just as you like.
Conor: So is it all right if I come round and have a look this evening, then if it's OK I can take it away with me?
Mrs Blake: Of course. So you'll be coming by car, will you?
Conor: I've got a friend with a van, so I'll get him to bring me round, if you can just give me the details of where you live.
Mrs Blake: Sure. I'm Mrs Blake,...
Conor: B-L-A-K-E?
Mrs Blake: That's right, and the address is 41 Oak Rise, that's in Stanton.
Conor: OK... so I'll be coming from the town centre, can you give me an idea of where you are?
Mrs Blake: Yes, you know the road that goes out towards the university?
Conor: Yes.
Mrs Blake: Well you take that road, and you go on till you get to a roundabout, go straight on, then Oak Rise is the first road to the right.
Conor: Out towards the university, past the roundabout, first left?
Mrs Blake: First right. And we're at the end of the road.
Conor: Got it. So I'll be round at about 7.00, if that's all right. Oh, and my name's Conor... Conor Field.
Mrs Blake: Fine. I'll see you then, Conor. Goodbye.
Conor: Goodbye.