Holiday Rentals - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 3 Academic Listening Test 6 · Part 1 · Questions 1–10
Audio
Questions
Questions 1–10 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
HOLIDAY RENTALS Dates: Example 10th-22nd July
| Name of Property | Location | Features | Disadvantage(s) | Booking details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • rural
• surrounded by 2 |
• apartment
• two bedrooms • open plan |
distance from 3 | www. 4 .com |
| Kingfisher | • rural
• next to the 5 • nice views |
• house
• three bedrooms • 6 room • living room • kitchen |
expensive? | Phone the owner (01752 669218) |
| Sunnybanks | • in a village
• next to the 7 |
• house
• has private 8 |
no 9 | Contact the 10 |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Moonfleet | Well, there's a place near here called Moonfleet | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Liz starting her list of suggestions by naming the first property as Moonfleet. Answer Explanation: The answer Moonfleet is the name of the first rental home mentioned in the conversation. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified as the first holiday rental Liz suggests to Ken. The transcript mentions that this place, called Moonfleet, is in a rural area, surrounded by fields, and is an apartment with two bedrooms. These details perfectly match the information provided in the first row of the table. |
| Q2 | fields | It's quite a rural location and it's next to the owner's house, but it's got fields all around it, so it's very pretty | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the house is in the countryside and is completely surrounded by open land or grass. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to areas of open land, usually used for farming or covered with grass. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on Liz's description of the first property, Moonfleet. When Ken asks about the location, Liz mentions it is in a 'rural' (countryside) area and specifically notes that it has 'fields all around it'. In the table, the phrase 'surrounded by' means the same thing as having something on all sides, so 'fields' is the missing word. |
| Q3 | shops | Well, it's quite a distance from the nearest shops, that's all | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that one bad thing about the accommodation is its distance from the shops. Answer Explanation: The answer "shops" refers to the stores where people buy things, which are not close to the first rental property. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "shops" because when Ken asks about potential dislikes or disadvantages for the property called Moonfleet, Liz mentions that it is a long way from the nearest places to buy food or items. This matches the gap in the table under the Disadvantage(s) column for the first property. |
| Q4 | summerhouses | Liz: You have to book on the internet. There's a web address. It's www.summerhouses | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Liz explaining that the rental is booked online. She tells Ken the specific name of the website address is "summerhouses." Answer Explanation: The answer "summerhouses" is the name of the website that someone must visit to book the holiday home named Moonfleet. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "summerhouses" because Liz tells Ken that the Moonfleet property must be booked through the internet. She says the web address starts with "www." and then says "summerhouses." This matches the table's format of "www. .com." |
| Q5 | river | It's by the river and it's got nice views | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Liz explaining that the holiday house named Kingfisher is located right next to water, specifically a river. Answer Explanation: The answer is the body of water that the Kingfisher house is located beside. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "river" because when Liz describes the location of the Kingfisher property, she says it is "by the river." The word "by" is a synonym for "next to," which matches the requirement in the table. |
| Q6 | dining | No, it's a three-bedroomed house, and that's got a dining room as well as a separate living room and a kitchen | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the house has three bedrooms and several other areas. One of those areas is a room used for dining (eating), alongside a kitchen and a living room. Answer Explanation: The answer "dining" refers to a room specifically meant for eating meals. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "dining" because Liz describes the Kingfisher property as a house that includes several specific rooms. She lists three bedrooms, a kitchen, a separate living room, and a dining room. Since the table already mentions the bedrooms, living room, and kitchen, the missing word to describe the extra room is "dining." |
| Q7 | sea | Oh yes. It's by the sea, so her children really loved it | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the house is located right next to the ocean, which is why the children enjoyed staying there. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the body of water that is located right next to the Sunnybanks holiday house. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'sea' because Liz describes the location of the Sunnybanks house by saying it is 'by the sea'. In the context of locations, the phrase 'by the' is a synonym for 'next to', which matches the wording used in the table. |
| Q8 | garden | and I know it's got its own garden. It's not very big, but it's not shared with anyone else, and it's supposed to be very pretty | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript confirms that the house has a garden that guests do not have to share, making it private. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to an outdoor area with plants or grass that is for the personal use of the guests. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'garden' because Liz explains that the property called Sunnybanks has its own garden. She mentions it is not shared with anyone else, which matches the description of a 'private' feature in the table. Keywords like 'own' and 'not shared' are synonyms for 'private'. |
| Q9 | parking | The only other thing I can think of is that there's nowhere for parking | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Liz explaining that the only issue with the property is that people cannot park their cars right by the house. Answer Explanation: The answer "parking" means there is no space to leave a car at the holiday house. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "parking" because when Ken asks Liz if there are any "snags" or problems (disadvantages) with the Sunnybanks house, Liz mentions that there is no place to leave a car. She notes that the streets in the village are too small for cars to park there. |
| Q10 | agent | There's an agent you have to contact | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript tells us that instead of calling the owner directly or visiting a website, Ken needs to speak with a professional called an agent to book the house. Answer Explanation: The answer "agent" refers to a person or business that helps organize the rental of the house. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "agent" because Liz explains that this is the person you need to talk to if you want to book Sunnybanks. Ken specifically asks "How do you book it?" and Liz responds that there is an "agent" involved that handles the booking. |
Transcript
Narrator: Test 6, section 1. You will hear a man called Ken talking on the phone to a friend called Liz about holiday accommodation. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. You will see that there is an example which has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.
Liz: Hello.
Ken: Hi, Liz. It’s Ken here.
Liz: Hi, Ken. Nice to hear from you. Are you...
Ken: This is just a quick call, but Mary and I have just been talking about our summer holiday. We haven’t booked a place yet and we’ve left it a bit late. We were just wondering if you know of any holiday rentals in your area. It’s so nice there.
Liz: Well, yes. I can think of two or three places that are very nice. What dates have you got in mind?
Ken: The 10th of July to the 22nd of July.
Narrator: Ken says that they need accommodation from the 10th to the 22nd of July. So the 10th to the 22nd of July has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.
Liz: Hello.
Ken: Hi, Liz. It’s Ken here.
Liz: Hi, Ken. Nice to hear from you. Are you...
Ken: This is just a quick call, but Mary and I have just been talking about our summer holiday. We haven’t booked a place yet and we’ve left it a bit late. We were just wondering if you know of any holiday rentals in your area. It’s so nice there.
Liz: Well, yes. I can think of two or three places that are very nice. What dates have you got in mind?
Ken: The 10th of July to the 22nd of July.
Liz: Oh yes, that is quite soon, isn't it? Well, there's a place near here called Moonfleet.
Ken: Is that M-double O-N-F-L-double E-T?
Liz: That's right. It's quite a rural location and it's next to the owner's house, but it's got fields all around it, so it's very pretty.
Ken: Hmm, sounds okay. Can you tell me a bit more about it?
Liz: Well, it's an annex to the owner's house and it's an apartment with two bedrooms and an open-plan living area.
Ken: Well, I like the sound of it. Is there anything we might not like about it?
Liz: Well, it's quite a distance from the nearest shops, that's all.
Ken: Okay. And well, I'll tell Mary, but I don't think she'd mind that. Do you know how you book it?
Liz: You have to book on the internet. There's a web address. It's www.summerhouses
Ken: One word?
Liz: Yes. Then .com. You'll be able to look at a photograph on that.
Ken: Okay. And what about the others? Where are they?
Liz: The second one I'm thinking of is called Kingfisher, and that's even more rural. It's a really beautiful location, in fact. It's by the river and it's got nice views. It overlooks woodland on the other side.
Ken: Is that an apartment?
Liz: No, it's a three-bedroomed house, and that's got a dining room as well as a separate living room and a kitchen. But I expect it's more expensive. You'll have to check the prices.
Ken: Hmm, it's probably a bit bigger than we need, but our nephew might be joining us, we're not sure yet. How do you book Kingfisher?
Liz: You have to phone the owner directly. Shall I give you the number? I've got it here in my phone book. It's 01752 669218.
Ken: Right.
Narrator: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.
Ken: And you mentioned a third place?
Liz: Yes, there's a house that my sister stayed in last year. It's called Sunnybanks.
Ken: Nice name.
Liz: And the location of that one is rather different. It's in the center of a village, but it's a very small and quaint place.
Ken: Did your sister like it?
Liz: Oh yes. It's by the sea, so her children really loved it.
Ken: What's the accommodation like?
Liz: I'm not sure about the number of rooms, because I haven't been in it myself, but I think she said it's quite spacious, and I know it's got its own garden. It's not very big, but it's not shared with anyone else, and it's supposed to be very pretty.
Ken: Any snags? Problems?
Liz: The only other thing I can think of is that there's nowhere for parking. The streets are too narrow, so you have to leave your car somewhere else and then walk to the house. It's only about 10 minutes away, but...
Ken: Okay. Well, I don't think it matters personally. How do you book it?
Liz: There's an agent you have to contact. I don't know his details, but I can ask my sister and let you know tomorrow.
Ken: Thanks, Liz. That would be great. I'll talk to Mary and see what she says. Thanks for your help.
Liz: That's okay, Ken. I'll speak to you again tomorrow. I hope you find what you're looking for!
Narrator: That is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section 2.