Guitar Group - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic Listening Test 2 · Part 1 · Questions 1–10
Audio
Questions
Questions 1–6 Form Completion
Complete the form below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Guitar Group
Coordinator: Gary 1
Level: 2
Place: the 3
4 Street
First floor, Room T347
Time: Thursday morning at 5
Recommended website: ‘The perfect 6’
Questions 7–10 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
A typical 45-minute guitar lesson
|
Time |
Activity |
Notes |
|
5 minutes |
tuning guitars |
using an app or by 7 |
|
10 minutes |
strumming chords using our thumbs |
keeping time while the teacher is 8 |
|
15 minutes |
playing songs |
often listening to a 9 of a song |
|
10 minutes |
playing single notes and simple tunes |
playing together, then 10 |
|
5 minutes |
noting things to practise at home |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | MATHIESON | It’s M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the name is spelled M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N. This means that the letters in the name are M, A, T, H, I, E, S, O, N. Answer Explanation: The answer is MATHIESON. This is the name written in a simple way. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is MATHIESON because it matches the spelling given in the transcript. |
| Q2 | beginners | When I first spoke to Gary on the phone, he said it was a class for beginners | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that when the speaker talked to Gary on the phone, Gary mentioned that the class is for beginners. This means the class is designed for people who are new to playing the guitar. Answer Explanation: The answer 'beginners' means people who are just starting to learn something. In this case, it refers to people who are new to playing the guitar. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'beginners' because the transcript clearly states that Gary said the class is for beginners. This shows that the class is meant for those who have little or no experience with the guitar. |
| Q3 | college | he decided to book a room at the college in town. I prefer going there | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript talks about a person who decided to book a room at a college in town. They say they prefer going to that place. Answer Explanation: The answer 'college' means a school for higher education where people go to learn after high school. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'college' because the person in the transcript specifically mentions they booked a room at the college, making it the place where the guitar group will meet. |
| Q4 | New | It’s just beyond there at the bottom of New Street near the city roundabout. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript tells us where something is. It says it is at the bottom of 'New Street' near a roundabout in the city. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'New'. This means the name of the street is 'New Street'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'New' because the transcript mentions 'New Street' as the location, showing that it is a new street. |
| Q5 | 11 / eleven | We meet on Thursdays. It used to be 10.30 and that suited me well, but now we meet at 11. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the group meets on Thursdays. They used to meet at 10:30, and that time was good for the speaker, but now they meet at 11. Answer Explanation: The answer is 11, which means that the meeting time is 11 o'clock in the morning. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 11 because the transcript explains that the meeting time changed to 11 on Thursday mornings. |
| Q6 | instrument | Well, you can always buy a second-hand one. There’s a website called ‘The perfect instrument’ that sells all kinds of guitars, violins and so on. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript talks about a website where you can buy different musical instruments like guitars and violins. It says that you can find both new and second-hand instruments there. Answer Explanation: The answer 'instrument' means any musical tool that you can play, like a guitar or violin. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'instrument' because the transcript mentions a website called ‘The perfect instrument’ that sells various musical instruments, making 'instrument' the right word to fill in the blank. |
| Q7 | ear | Some people have an app they use, but others do it by ear. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that some people use an app to tune their guitars, but other people can do it without an app by listening closely. This means they hear the sounds and match the notes by themselves. Answer Explanation: The answer 'ear' means using your hearing to help with tuning the guitar. It shows that you can rely on your listening skills. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'ear' because the transcript explains that some people tune their guitars by listening instead of using an app. This listening ability is what using your 'ear' means. |
| Q8 | Clapping | Sometimes we all just start laughing because we’re so bad at keeping time, so Gary starts clapping to help us. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that everyone starts laughing because they are not good at keeping time while playing music. To help them, Gary begins clapping, which is a way to keep the rhythm. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Clapping'. This means making noise with your hands together to help everyone stay on beat while playing music. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Clapping' because it is what Gary does to help the students keep time, as they were having trouble staying in rhythm. |
| Q9 | recording | He often brings a recording of the song and plays it to us first. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the teacher often brings a recording of the song and plays it for the students before they play it themselves. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'recording'. A recording is a copy of a song that you can listen to. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'recording' because the students listen to a recording of a song to help them learn how to play it. |
| Q10 | alone | The only trouble is that he sometimes gets us to play one at a time – you know, alone. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that sometimes the teacher makes the students play by themselves, without anyone else, which is referred to as 'alone.' Answer Explanation: The answer 'alone' means playing by yourself without other people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'alone' because it matches what the teacher does when he asks the students to play one at a time, indicating that they are not playing together. |
Transcript
WOMAN: Hi Coleman, how are you?
COLEMAN: Good, thanks.
WOMAN: I wanted to have a chat with you because our friend Josh told me that you’ve joined a guitar group and it sounds interesting. I’d really like to learn myself.
COLEMAN: Why don’t you come along? I’m sure there’s room for another person.
WOMAN: Really? So – who runs the classes?
COLEMAN: He’s called a ‘coordinator’ – his name’s Gary Mathieson.
WOMAN: Let me note that down. Gary. . . . How do you spell his surname?
COLEMAN: It’s M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N.
WOMAN: Right, thanks.
COLEMAN: He’s retired, actually, but he’s a really nice guy and he used to play in a lot of bands.
WOMAN: Thanks. So how long have you been going?
COLEMAN: About a month now.
WOMAN: And could you play anything before you started?
COLEMAN: I knew a few chords, but that’s all.
WOMAN: I’m sure everyone will be better than me.
COLEMAN: That’s what I thought, too. When I first spoke to Gary on the phone, he said it was a class for beginners, but I was still worried that everyone would be better than me, but we were all equally hopeless!
WOMAN: Oh, that’s reassuring. So where do you meet?
COLEMAN: Well, when I joined the group, they were meeting in Gary’s home, but as the group got bigger, he decided to book a room at the college in town. I prefer going there.
WOMAN: I know that place. I used to go to tap dancing classes there when I was at secondary school. I haven’t been since, though and I can’t remember what road it’s in… is it Lock Street?
COLEMAN: It’s just beyond there at the bottom of New Street near the city roundabout.
WOMAN: Yes, of course.
COLEMAN: The guitar club is on the first floor in Room T347.
WOMAN: Right. And when do you meet? Is it at the weekend?
COLEMAN: We meet on Thursdays. It used to be 10.30 and that suited me well, but now we meet at 11. The class that’s in there before us asked if they could have the room for another 30 minutes.
WOMAN: Oh, I see. Well, I’d love to come, but I don’t have a guitar.
COLEMAN: Well, you can always buy a second-hand one. There’s a website called ‘The perfect instrument’ that sells all kinds of guitars, violins and so on. I’m sure you’ll find something there.
-----
WOMAN: So what’s a typical lesson like with Gary?
COLEMAN: Well, he always starts by getting us to tune our guitars. That takes about five minutes.
WOMAN: Uhuh.
COLEMAN: Some people have an app they use, but others do it by ear. Gary goes round and helps them. And while he’s doing that, he tells us what he’s going to do during the lesson.
WOMAN: Right.
COLEMAN: First, we usually spend about ten minutes doing some strumming.
WOMAN: So is that using . . . what are they called . . . plectrums?
COLEMAN: No – we just use our thumbs.
WOMAN: Much easier.
COLEMAN: Gary reminds us where to put our fingers for each chord and then we play them together. Sometimes we all just start laughing because we’re so bad at keeping time, so Gary starts clapping to help us.
WOMAN: Do you learn to play any songs?
COLEMAN: Yes – we do at least one song with words and chords. I mean that’s harder than you think.
WOMAN: Oh, I’m sure it is!
COLEMAN: That part of the lesson takes about 15 minutes. He often brings a recording of the song and plays it to us first. Then he hands out the song and if there’s a new chord in it, we practise that before we play it together – but really slowly.
WOMAN: Do you do any finger picking?
COLEMAN: That’s the last ten minutes of the lesson, when we pick out the individual notes from a tune he’s made up. It’s always quite simple.
WOMAN: That must be hard, though.
COLEMAN: It is, but people like it because they can really concentrate and if we’re all playing well, it sounds quite impressive. The only trouble is that he sometimes gets us to play one at a time – you know, alone.
WOMAN: That’s scary.
COLEMAN: It is, but I’ve got used to it now. At the end he spends about five minutes telling us what to practise for the following week.
WOMAN: Well, thanks Coleman. I’ll go and have a look at that website, I think.