Pacton-On-Sea Bus Tour - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–14 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
| PACTON-ON-SEA BUS TOUR | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bus stops | Location | Things to see |
| Bus stop 1 | train station | start of tour |
| Bus stop 2 | the aquarium | dolphins and 11 |
| Bus stop 3 | 12 | yachts and power boats |
| Bus stop 4 | 13 centre | very old 14 |
Questions 15–20 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
- You need to have a 15 to buy a ticket for £10.
- The bus tour lasts 16 in total.
- The cost of the bus ticket includes entrance to the 17.
- You can listen to an audio commentary which has been made by the 18.
- If the weather is wet, it is a good idea to bring 19.
- Don't forget to bring your 20 when you book online.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | sharks | The next stop after the station is the aquarium which is famous for its dolphin show and which has recently expanded to include sharks | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the second stop on the tour is the aquarium, and besides its famous dolphins, it now also features sharks. Answer Explanation: The answer is the type of animal that visitors can now see at the aquarium in addition to dolphins. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is sharks because the transcript describes the second stop of the bus tour as the aquarium. It mentions that while the aquarium is well-known for its dolphin show, it has also grown to include sharks as a new feature for visitors to see. |
| Q12 | old fishing village | Leaving the aquarium, the bus tour goes along the coast road and after a few kilometres comes to the Old Fishing Village where you can get off to stroll along the waterfront. There are some original buildings here but most of the area has been modernised and is now used as a harbour for all kinds of sea craft including yachts and some amazing power boats | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that after the bus leaves the aquarium, it arrives at the Old Fishing Village. It also explains that people can see yachts and power boats at this stop. Answer Explanation: The answer is the Old Fishing Village, which is the name of the third location the bus stops at during the tour. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found by following the order of the bus stops mentioned in the record. The speaker says that after leaving the aquarium (the second stop), the bus travels to a place called the Old Fishing Village. The text confirms this is the correct location because it mentions that this area is used for yachts and power boats, which matches the 'Things to see' section of the table. |
| Q13 | shopping | The tour then heads off to the last stop and this is where most of the shops are. So for those of you keen to do a bit of shopping this is the place for you | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the final stop on the tour is the main area for buying things, which is why it is recommended for people who want to go shopping. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the fourth bus stop is located in the area of town where people go to buy things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the description of the final bus stop. The speaker mentions that this stop is where most of the shops are located and that it is the perfect place for people interested in doing a bit of shopping. Since the table asks for the name of the 'centre' at this location, 'shopping' is the most appropriate word to describe a place focused on shops. |
| Q14 | water fountain / fountain | This area of the town includes an ancient water fountain where many people like to have their photograph taken - so do look out for this | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript mentions that there is a very old (ancient) water fountain in the shopping district where people enjoy taking pictures. Answer Explanation: The answer is the water fountain, which is a structure that shoots water into the air. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the description of the fourth bus stop. The recording explains that this part of the town contains an ancient water fountain. The word 'ancient' is a synonym for the phrase 'very old,' which matches the description in the table for what can be seen at that location. |
| Q15 | student card | student tickets are £10 as long as you have a student card | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the price for a student ticket is 10 pounds, provided that the person has their student card. Answer Explanation: The answer means a special identification card that shows a person is a student at a school or university. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'student card' because the speaker lists various ticket prices for the bus tour. They mention that students can buy a ticket for £10, but they specify that this price is only available to those who possess a student card to prove their status. The mention of '£10' is the key indicator for this specific requirement. |
| Q16 | fifty minutes / 50 minutes | Buses leave every thirty minutes and each tour takes a total of fifty minutes | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that while a new bus departs every 30 minutes, the length of one complete tour is 50 minutes. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the entire bus ride from beginning to end takes 50 minutes to complete. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'fifty minutes' (or 50 minutes) because the speaker directly states the duration of the trip. The words 'takes a total of' indicate the amount of time needed for the whole tour. |
| Q17 | museum | The bus tour tickets do not include entrance to any of these attractions apart from the museum which is located near the aquarium | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that your bus ticket will not pay for most tourist places, but it will pay for the museum. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the museum is the only place you can go inside for free by using your bus tour ticket. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is museum because the speaker explains that the bus tickets usually do not pay for entry to various tourist spots. However, the speaker uses the words 'apart from' to show an exception, meaning the museum is the only place where the entry fee is included in the ticket price. |
| Q18 | tourist office | However, we cannot guarantee that every bus will have a guide and so we also have an audio commentary that has been specially recorded for the bus tour by the tourist office | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that they cannot promise a person will be there to talk on every bus, so they have a recording (audio commentary) created by the tourist office for passengers to use. Answer Explanation: The answer "tourist office" refers to the official organization in the town that made the recorded audio recording for people to listen to while they are on the bus. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "tourist office" because the speaker explains that since a human tour guide isn't always available on every bus, they provide an audio recording instead. They explicitly say that this recording was made by the tourist office. Key words to listen for are "audio commentary" (the recording) and "recorded by" (who made it). |
| Q19 | rain-wear / rainwear | And of course, it does occasionally rain here in the summer so if the weather looks bad, remember to bring some rainwear | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that it sometimes rains, so if the weather looks like it will be rainy, you should bring clothes meant for the rain. Answer Explanation: The answer is rainwear, which means special clothes like jackets or coats that people wear to stay dry when it rains. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the section of the talk about the weather. The speaker mentions that even though it is usually sunny, it can sometimes rain. They advise visitors to bring 'rainwear' if the weather looks 'bad' or wet. |
| Q20 | e-ticket / eticket / e ticket | When you do it online you can print your e-ticket which you must remember to bring with you | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that if you buy your ticket using the internet (online), you get a special e-ticket. You must remember to have this ticket with you when you go on the bus. Answer Explanation: The answer means if you use the internet to buy a ticket, you must bring the electronic ticket (e-ticket) that you printed. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is e-ticket because the speaker explains that when people buy tickets on the internet, they can print an e-ticket. The speaker also says it is important to remember to take it with you on the trip. Keywords to notice are online, which means on the internet, and bring, which means to take something with you. |
Transcript
Thank you for calling the phoneline for the Pacton-on-Sea bus tour. This is a recorded message lasting approximately four minutes and it provides general information on the town bus tour.
Pacton-on-Sea is a beautiful west coast town and has attracted tourists for many years. One of the best ways of getting to know the town is to take the bus tour, which provides a wonderful viewing experience from one of our open-top buses. The tour is a round-trip of the town and there are a total of 4 stops where passengers can get on and off the bus. A lot of people start at the first stop which is at the train station as this is where many tourists arrive in the town. The next stop after the station is the aquarium which is famous for its dolphin show and which has recently expanded to include sharks. This is well worth a visit and is very reasonably priced. Leaving the aquarium, the bus tour goes along the coast road and after a few kilometres comes to the Old Fishing Village where you can get off to stroll along the waterfront. There are some original buildings here but most of the area has been modernised and is now used as a harbour for all kinds of sea craft including yachts and some amazing power boats. The tour then heads off to the last stop and this is where most of the shops are. So for those of you keen to do a bit of shopping this is the place for you. Our advice is to go to this part of the town in the morning when it is relatively quiet. It does get very busy in the afternoons, especially at the height of the season. This area of the town includes an ancient water fountain where many people like to have their photograph taken - so do look out for this.
[pause]
Now some details of the costs and timings. A family ticket, which includes two adults and up to three children, costs £30. An adult ticket costs £15, children under the age of fifteen are £5 and student tickets are £10 as long as you have a student card. All tickets are valid for 24 hours, which means that you can get on and off the bus as many times as you like within a 24-hour period. So you could, for example, start the tour in the afternoon and complete it the following morning. The first bus of the day leaves the station at 10 am and the last one of the day leaves at 6 pm. Buses leave every thirty minutes and each tour takes a total of fifty minutes. There are many attractions at each of the stops, so wherever you get off the bus there will be plenty to do. The bus tour tickets do not include entrance to any of these attractions apart from the museum which is located near the aquarium. Some buses have local guides, who will point out places of interest and will provide information on the town. However, we cannot guarantee that every bus will have a guide and so we also have an audio commentary that has been specially recorded for the bus tour by the tourist office. Headphones are available on the bus and these are easy to operate. There is no extra charge for these - just plug in, select the required language and adjust the volume.
Due to the winter months being rather cold and wet in Pacton-on-Sea, the bus tours only operate from March to September. The weather is usually warm and sunny during these months so remember to bring some sun protection, especially on hot days. And of course, it does occasionally rain here in the summer so if the weather looks bad, remember to bring some rainwear. The bus tours are available no matter what the weather.
At the height of the summer the tours can get very busy so you are advised to book. You can book tickets online, over the phone and also at the station and at any of the other tour stops. When booking over the phone you can collect your tickets at any of the stops at the start of your tour. When you do it online you can print your e-ticket which you must remember to bring with you.
Thank you for calling the Pacton-on-Sea phoneline and we look forward to seeing you soon on one of our tour buses.