Matthews Island Holidays - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–14 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Matthews Island Holidays
Questions 15–20 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
| Timetable for Isle of Man holiday | ||
| Activity | Notes | |
| Day 1 | Arrive | Introduction by manager
Hotel dining room has view of the 15 |
| Day 2 | Tynwald Exhibition and Peel | Tynwald may have been founded in 16 not 979. |
| Day 3 | Trip to Snaefell | Travel along promenade in a tram; train to Laxey; train to the 17 of Snaefell |
| Day 4 |
Free day |
Company provides a 18 for local transport and heritage sites. |
| Day 5 | Take the 19 railway train from Douglas to Port Erin | Free time, then coach to Castletown – former 20 has old castle. |
| Day 6 | Leave | Leave the island by ferry or plane |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | A | What we do is build on our many years’ experience – more than almost any other rail holiday company | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript means that the company has a lot of experience compared to almost all other rail holiday companies. Answer Explanation: The answer suggests that the company has been in business longer than most of its competitors. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the excerpt states that the company has more years of experience than almost any other rail holiday company. This implies that the company has been in business for a longer period compared to its competitors. |
| Q12 | B | Our holiday starts in Heysham, where your tour manager will meet you | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript mentions that the holiday begins in Heysham, and that is where the tour manager will be waiting for customers. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that customers can meet the tour manager in Heysham. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because according to the excerpt, the tour manager will meet customers in Heysham before traveling to the Isle of Man, as stated in the provided information. |
| Q13 | A | You have five nights in the hotel, and the price covers five breakfasts and dinners, and lunch on the three days when there are organised trips | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the price of the holiday includes five nights in the hotel. It also mentions that the price covers five breakfasts and dinners, as well as lunch on three specific days when there are organized trips. Answer Explanation: The answer 'A' means that three lunches are included in the price of the holiday. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'A' because the excerpt clearly states that lunch is provided on only three days when there are organized trips, correlating with the option 'three lunches.' Therefore, 'A' is the correct choice based on the information provided. |
| Q14 | C | If you make a booking then need to change the start date, for example because of illness, you’re welcome to change to an alternative date or a different tour, for a small administrative fee. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that if you need to change the start date of your booking due to reasons like being sick, you can switch to a different date or tour by paying a small administrative fee. Answer Explanation: The answer choice C is about transferring to another date, which matches the situation described in the excerpt where customers can change their start date by paying a fee. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because it directly relates to the option given in the excerpt, which mentions customers being able to transfer to another date by paying a fee if needed. |
| Q15 | river | The dining room looks out at the river | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the dining room in the hotel has a view of the river, which means guests can see the river from there. Answer Explanation: The answer 'river' refers to a flowing body of water like the Amazon or Nile. It's a natural water source. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'river' because it fits the context of looking out at a natural waterway, which aligns with the description of the dining room view in the hotel. |
| Q16 | 1422 | However, the earliest surviving reference to it is from 1422, so perhaps it isn’t quite as old as it claims! | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that although the Tynwald may be very old, the first proof we have of it existing is from the year 1422. Answer Explanation: The answer means the year 1422. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 1422 because the excerpt says that the earliest time we know for sure that Tynwald existed is from that year. |
| Q17 | top | From there it’s an eight-kilometre ride in the Snaefell Mountain Railway to the top. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript talks about taking a ride on the Snaefell Mountain Railway to the highest point. Answer Explanation: The answer 'top' refers to the highest point, which is the summit or peak of the mountain. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'top' because the excerpt mentions traveling to the top, which indicates reaching the summit of the mountain during the railway ride. |
| Q18 | pass | Day four is free for you to explore, using the pass which we’ll give you. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript means that on day four, you have the freedom to explore different places using a pass provided by the company. Answer Explanation: The answer 'pass' in this context refers to a document or ticket that allows you to access certain services or places without paying each time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'pass' because the excerpt mentions that the company will provide you with a pass for local transport and heritage sites, which implies a ticket or document giving access without further payment. |
| Q19 | steam | The last full day, day five, is for some people the highlight of the holiday, with a ride on the steam railway, from Douglas to Port Erin. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript is talking about the last day of the holiday where people get to enjoy a ride on a special type of railway. Answer Explanation: The answer 'steam' refers to the type of train that runs on steam power. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is appropriate because the steam railway mentioned in the transcript runs on steam power, which is a defining characteristic of this type of historic train. |
| Q20 | capital | From there you continue to Castletown, which used to be the capital of the Isle of Man, and its mediaeval castle. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that Castletown was once the most important city of the Isle of Man. Answer Explanation: The answer 'capital' refers to the most important city in a country or region. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer 'capital' is right because the transcript says Castletown was the former 'capital' of the Isle of Man, meaning it was the most important city in the past. |
Transcript
Good morning. My name’s Erica Matthews, and I’m the owner of Matthews Island Holidays, a company set up by my parents. Thank you for coming to this presentation, in which I hope to interest you in what we have to offer. We’re a small, family-run company, and we believe in the importance of the personal touch, so we don’t aim to compete with other companies on the number of customers. What we do is build on our many years’ experience – more than almost any other rail holiday company – to ensure we provide perfect holidays in a small number of destinations, which we’ve got to know extremely well.
I’ll start with our six-day Isle of Man holiday. This is a fascinating island in the Irish Sea, with Wales to the south, England to the east, Scotland to the north and Northern Ireland to the west. Our holiday starts in Heysham, where your tour manager will meet you, then you’ll travel by ferry to the Isle of Man. Some people prefer to fly from Luton instead, and another popular option is to go by train to Liverpool and take a ferry from there.
You have five nights in the hotel, and the price covers five breakfasts and dinners, and lunch on the three days when there are organised trips: day four is free, and most people have lunch in a café or restaurant in Douglas.
The price of the holiday includes the ferry to the Isle of Man, all travel on the island, the hotel, and the meals I’ve mentioned. Incidentally, we try to make booking our holidays as simple and fair as possible, so unlike with many companies, the price is the same whether you book six months in advance or at the last minute, and there’s no supplement for single rooms in hotels. If you make a booking then need to change the start date, for example because of illness, you’re welcome to change to an alternative date or a different tour, for a small administrative fee.
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OK, so what does the holiday consist of? Well, on day one you’ll arrive in time for a short introduction by your tour manager, followed by dinner in the hotel. The dining room looks out at the river, close to where it flows into the harbour, and there’s usually plenty of activity going on.
On day two you’ll take the coach to the small town of Peel, on the way calling in at the Tynwald Exhibition. The Isle of Man isn’t part of the United Kingdom, and it has its own parliament, called Tynwald. It’s claimed that this is the world’s oldest parliament that’s still functioning, and that it dates back to 979. However, the earliest surviving reference to it is from 1422, so perhaps it isn’t quite as old as it claims!
Day three we have a trip to the mountain Snaefell. This begins with a leisurely ride along the promenade in Douglas in a horse-drawn tram. Then you board an electric train which takes you to the fishing village of Laxey. From there it’s an eight-kilometre ride in the Snaefell Mountain Railway to the top. Lunch will be in the café, giving you spectacular views of the island.
Day four is free for you to explore, using the pass which we’ll give you. So you won’t have to pay for travel on local transport, or for entrance to the island’s heritage sites. Or you might just want to take it easy in Douglas and perhaps do a little light shopping.
The last full day, day five, is for some people the highlight of the holiday, with a ride on the steam railway, from Douglas to Port Erin. After some time to explore, a coach will take you to the headland that overlooks the Calf of Man, a small island just off the coast. From there you continue to Castletown, which used to be the capital of the Isle of Man, and its mediaeval castle.
And on day six it’s back to the ferry – or the airport, if you flew to the island – and time to go home.
Now I’d like to tell you …