MA in Fashion Design - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 2 Academic Listening Test 6 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–23 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the best answer, A, B or C.
Questions 24–27 Matching
What does each university facility have?
Choose your answers from the box and write the correct letter A-G next to the questions.
A. laboratories
B. rooms for individual study
C. inter-disciplinary focus
D. introductory course
E. purpose-built premises
F. cafeteria
G. emphasis on creative use
Questions 28–30 Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
MA in Fashion Design: Assessment
Assessment includes three 28 which take place at the end of the stages of the degree. Final assessment is based on a project, and includes the student's 29, in the form of a written report, and the 30 to which representatives of fashion companies are invited.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | A | And having direct contact with the customers meant I was able to see how they reacted to innovation to new fashion ideas, because with FashionNow, a designer might show something in New York or Milan and there'll be something similar in the shop within weeks. So, that was probably the most useful thing for me | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Julia valued seeing how customers felt about new styles. She says that seeing their reactions was the most important lesson she took from working in the store. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the most important thing Julia learned from her job was how customers feel and react to new clothing styles. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Julia says that talking directly to customers was the most helpful part of her job. She could see how they felt about new fashion designs. The word 'attitudes' in the answer relates to her observing how the customers 'reacted' to these designs. She highlights this by saying it was 'the most useful thing' for her. |
| Q22 | B | I'd be very interested in looking at how new fabrics could be used in children's wear, so I'd like the chance to pursue that line | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Julia has a clear goal: she wants to study how to use new materials to make clothes for children. She wants to 'pursue that line,' which means she wants to follow that specific path of design. Answer Explanation: The answer means Julia wants to take this course so she can focus on a specific branch of fashion design that interests her. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Julia mentions a specific new interest she wants to follow. In her previous studies, she focused on women's clothing, but now she wants to focus on children's clothing ('children's wear') and how to use new types of materials ('fabrics') for them. Choosing to focus on one specific area like this is called specializing. She also mentions that she does not want to focus on management ('managerial skills') or go too deep into the technical side ('technology'), which rules out the other options. |
| Q23 | B | and I'm hoping the course will give me the contacts and skills I need eventually to set up my own enterprise | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Julia's plan is to learn enough and meet enough people to eventually start her own private business. Answer Explanation: The answer B means that Julia wants to start her own company or begin her own business after finishing the course. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Julia clearly says that her goal is to use the skills and professional connections from the course to "set up my own enterprise." In English, an enterprise is a synonym for a business. While she mentions being interested in international links, it is for the purpose of helping her future business, not just to move or work for a company in another country. |
| Q24 | D | the staff run an Information Skills Programme which we recommend all postgraduates do in the first week or two | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the library workers teach a special class called the Information Skills Programme. They want all new students to take this class at the very beginning of their time at the university. Answer Explanation: The answer is D, which means the library offers a short training class for new students when they first arrive. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the library staff organizes an 'Information Skills Programme' for new students. Since Dr. Hilsden suggests students take it in their first 'week or two,' it serves as an introductory course to help them learn how to use the library's resources effectively. |
| Q25 | G | the ethos of the centre is that it's a studio for innovation and creativity, rather than a computer laboratory | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the main goal of the facility is to be a place where students can create and invent new things, rather than just a room full of computers. Answer Explanation: The answer G means that the main focus of the Computer Centre is for students to use technology to be creative and come up with new ideas. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because Dr. Hilsden explains the 'ethos' or the main spirit of the Computer Centre. He says it is designed to be a studio for 'innovation and creativity' instead of just a regular 'computer laboratory.' This shows that the university puts a strong emphasis on using computers for creative and artistic work. |
| Q26 | C | It's a resource for all our students, not just fashion design, and we encourage students to work there producing work that crosses disciplinary boundaries | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Photomedia is for everyone at the university, not just fashion students, and it pushes people to mix different types of study in their work. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the Photomedia facility helps students from different subjects work together. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Dr. Hilsden says that Photomedia is for all students, not just those studying fashion design. He mentions that the facility encourages work that "crosses disciplinary boundaries." The word "inter-disciplinary" is a synonym for crossing different subject areas or fields of study, which matches choice C. |
| Q27 | E | That's in a new building that was specially built for it just last year, but there are plans to expand it as the present facilities are overstretched already | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the facility for Time Based Media is located in a brand-new building that was constructed only for that purpose. Answer Explanation: The answer is E, which means the facility is located in a building that was created specifically for that use. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because Dr. Hilsden mentions that the Time Based Media facility is housed in a new building that was "specially built for it" last year. In English, when something is "specially built" for a specific function, it is described as "purpose-built premises." |
| Q28 | progress reviews | The degree course has four stages, and there are what we call progress reviews at the end of each of the first three | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the Master's course is split into four parts. After each of the first three parts, the university holds special checks known as 'progress reviews' to see how the student is advancing. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the meetings or evaluations that check how well a student is doing at different points in their course. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'progress reviews' because Dr Hilsden explains that the degree is divided into four stages. He mentions that at the end of each of the first three stages, there are specific evaluations. He explicitly uses the term 'progress reviews' to describe these assessments. Keywords to note are 'stages' (parts of the course) and 'end of' (the time when the review happens). |
| Q29 | critical reflection / reflection | You have to produce a report which is a critical reflection on your work | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the final project requires a report, and that the nature of this report is a 'critical reflection' based on what the student did. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to a piece of writing where a student looks back at their own work and thinks deeply about it to judge how they did. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer comes from the part of the conversation where Dr Hilsden explains the final grading process. He mentions that the final assessment involves a project where the student writes a report. He describes this specific report as a 'critical reflection' on the student's work. The term 'critical' is optional but helps describe the deep thinking involved. |
| Q30 | exhibition | There's an exhibition. The projects aren't all focused on clothes as such, some are more experimental, so that seems more appropriate. We ask representatives of fashion companies along, and it's usually well attended | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the school organizes an exhibition instead of a regular clothing show because some student projects are experimental. It also mentions that people from fashion businesses are invited to come and see the work. Answer Explanation: The answer "exhibition" refers to a public display or show where students present the work they have completed during their studies. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "exhibition" because the professor explicitly mentions this event when Julia asks about a fashion show. The summary asks for the specific event where "representatives of fashion companies are invited," and the transcript confirms that these representatives are asked to attend the exhibition where student projects are shown. |
Transcript
Dr Hilsden: Right Julia, so from your CV and portfolio, and what you've already told me, you seem to be very much the sort of person we're looking for on the postgraduate course. So tell me, you finished your Fashion Design course in London four years ago – did you think of carrying straight on and doing a higher degree at the time?
Julia: Yes - but there were financial pressures. So I ended up working in the retail industry, as you can see from my CV. And actually it was a very useful experience.
Dr Hilsden: Mmm. In what way?
Julia: Well, I was lucky to get the job with FashionNow - they're a big store, and, one of my priorities was to get as much experience as possible in different areas, so that was good because I had the chance to work in lots of different departments. And having direct contact with the customers meant I was able to see how they reacted to innovation to new fashion ideas, because with FashionNow, a designer might show something in New York or Milan and there'll be something similar in the shop within weeks. So, that was probably the most useful thing for me.
Dr Hilsden: Right. And so what's made you decide to do a postgraduate course now?
Julia: Erm... Well, while I enjoyed working at FashionNow, and I learned a lot there, I felt ... well, the way forward would have been to develop my managerial skills rather than my skills in fashion design, and I'm not sure that's what I want to do.
Dr Hilsden: Mmm, yes.
Julia: When I was doing my degree in London I'd been interested in women's wear. But I know that there's been a lot of work done in areas like new fabric construction - and, though I'm not intending to go too deeply into the technology – I'd be very interested in looking at how new fabrics could be used in children's wear, so I'd like the chance to pursue that line.
Dr Hilsden: Yes. Good. And are you at all concerned about what it's going to be like coming back into an academic context after being away from it for several years?
Julia: No, I'm looking forward to it. But I'm basically more interested in the application than the theory - or at least that's what I've found so far, and I'm hoping the course will give me the contacts and skills I need eventually to set up my own enterprise. I'm particularly interested by the overseas links that the department has.
Dr Hilsden: Yes, many of our students look overseas or to international companies for sponsorship of their projects.
Julia: And the facilities here look excellent. I just went to look at the library - it's really impressive. There's so much room compared with the one at my old university.
Dr Hilsden: Yes, most students find it's a good place to study. And there are linkups to other universities, of course, and all the usual electronic sources the staff run an Information Skills Programme which we recommend all postgraduates do in the first week or two. Design students find the Special Collections particularly useful.
Julia: Yes.
Dr Hilsden: Then we have a separate Computer Centre, which has its own academic coordinator, Tim Spender - he's got a background in art design, and the ethos of the centre is that it's a studio for innovation and creativity, rather than a computer laboratory.
Julia: Oh, right. I liked the study spaces where students can sit and discuss work together - very useful for joint projects. We always had to do that sort of thing in the cafeteria when I was an undergraduate. And I read in the brochure that there's a separate resource for photography.
Dr Hilsden: Yes, it's called Photomedia. It's not just for photography, but things like digital imaging and new media. It's a resource for all our students, not just fashion design, and we encourage students to work there producing work that crosses disciplinary boundaries. It's well used - in fact, it's doubled in size since it was set up three years ago. And we also have an offshoot from that which is called Time Based Media - this is for students who want to develop their ideas in the area of the moving image or sound. That's in a new building that was specially built for it just last year, but there are plans to expand it as the present facilities are overstretched already.
Julia: Right.
Dr Hilsden: Now, is there anything you'd like to ask about the course itself?
Julia: Erm, ... I know it's a combination of taught modules and a specialist project, but how does assessment fit in?
Dr Hilsden: Well, as you'd expect on a course of this nature, it's an ongoing process. The degree course has four stages, and there are what we call progress reviews at the end of each of the first three. Then the final assessment is based on your project. You have to produce a report which is a critical reflection on your work.
Julia: And is there some sort of fashion show?
Dr Hilsden: There's an exhibition. The projects aren't all focused on clothes as such, some are more experimental, so that seems more appropriate. We ask representatives of fashion companies along, and it's usually well attended.
Julia: Right. And another thing I wanted to ask...