Professor Jones and Mark’s Conversation - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Road to IELTS Academic Listening Test 4 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–22 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A–E
Questions 23–25 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose ONE letter, A, B or C
Questions 26–30 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Professor Jones’s feedback:
- Mark needs to add 26 to his bibliography
- He should look in the online databases, e.g. Languageline
- His essay has no 27
- Mark plans to explain the theories and show 28 for each of them
- He should 29 the essay before he hands it in
- He can have one 30 for his assignment
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | — | — | |
| Q22 | A / D | You’re the third student I’ve seen today, all with the same request! It beats me why a few people leave their planning to the last minute and then think they can come at a day’s notice and get a reprieve | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that two other people have already come to the professor with the same problem today, and they are all asking for more time only one day before the essay is supposed to be finished. Answer Explanation: The answer is that Mark is the third person asking for more time today, and he is asking just one day before the work is due. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is chosen because Professor Jones correctly guesses why Mark has come to see her based on previous visits and the timing. First, she says he is the 'third student' she has seen that day with the same request, which means two other students have already asked for more time. Second, she mentions that people come at a 'day’s notice,' meaning it is the day before the deadline. This shows that several students are asking for extra time right before the due date. |
| Q23 | C | You see, my twin brother was planning to get married next weekend, but last week his girlfriend told him the wedding was off and he landed on my doorstep. He was really upset. I couldn’t just tell him to go away because I was busy | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Mark's brother was going to get married, but the girlfriend stopped the wedding. The brother was very sad and went to see Mark, so Mark spent time helping him instead of doing his assignment. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'C', which means Mark's brother had a personal or family problem. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because Mark explains that his brother’s wedding was cancelled at the last minute. This made his brother very sad ('upset'), and Mark had to support him instead of focusing on his schoolwork. Mark also specifically mentions that his reason is not a sickness ('a cold') or a computer problem ('computer crashed'), which makes the other options wrong. |
| Q24 | B | Because I was hoping I would still be able to get it done, but I just can’t manage it | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Mark did not ask for help sooner because he believed he could still finish his work by the deadline. "Get it done" is a common way to say "to finish a task." Answer Explanation: The answer means that Mark thought he could finish his assignment by the deadline without needing extra time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Mark tells the professor he didn't visit her a week ago because he believed he could still finish his essay. He uses the phrase "get it done," which means to complete the work. Even though his brother had problems, Mark was "hoping" or planning to finish on schedule. He only came for help once he realized the task was too big to "manage" on his own. |
| Q25 | A | Well, the course handbook states very clearly that at least 5 days’ notice is required for any extension, except in emergencies. Those rules were designed to make it fair for everyone you see. You’re supposed to submit a request on the proper form . and you can send it by email. And you also need to make an appointment and discuss your request in person, as you have done now |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows three rules for asking for more time: first, you must ask 5 days before the due date; second, you must use a special form and email it; and third, you must meet the teacher in person to talk about it. Answer Explanation: The answer is letter A because the school rule says you must ask for more time 5 days before the deadline, not just 3 days. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the question asks which rule is NOT correct. In the transcript, Professor Jones explains the rules for getting an extension (extra time) on an assignment. He says that the handbook requires at least 5 days' notice. This makes choice A (which says 3 days) incorrect. Choice B is correct because the teacher says to use a 'proper form' and send it by 'email.' Choice C is correct because the teacher says you must 'discuss your request in person.' |
| Q26 | three references / 3 references | You need at least three references of your own, see | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the professor explicitly telling Mark that he must provide three sources of his own choosing to fulfill the requirements of the essay task. Answer Explanation: The answer "three / 3 references" means Mark needs to find and include three more sources, such as books or articles that he researched himself, in his list of sources (the bibliography). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "three / 3 references" because Professor Jones reviews Mark's work and notices that while he used the sources she provided, he did not include any of his own. She reminds him that the assignment instructions require him to include at least three sources he found independently. Keywords like "bibliography" and "references of your own" in the transcript match the context of the notes. |
| Q27 | introduction | Well, you just seem to jump straight in to your first point here. I’m not sure where your essay is going. Where’s the introduction | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the professor telling the student that his writing starts too quickly and she cannot find the beginning part of his work. She asks a question to point out that this part is missing. Answer Explanation: The answer 'introduction' refers to the starting section of a piece of writing that prepares the reader for the main information. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'introduction' because while Professor Jones is reviewing Mark's work, she notices that he began his first argument immediately without an opening paragraph. She asks him specifically where this missing part is. Mark then confirms that he has not written it yet because he prefers to write it after finishing the rest of the essay. |
| Q28 | evidence | I think I understand the 3 opposing theories OK, but I don’t really have a strong opinion about which one is correct. I was more thinking of explaining them all as clearly as I can, and then giving the evidence for each one | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Mark telling the professor his plan. He says he will explain all the theories and provide the "evidence" (the proof or facts) for each of them. Answer Explanation: The answer "evidence" refers to the facts, information, or proof that Mark plans to include to support the different ideas or theories he is writing about. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "evidence" because, during the conversation, Mark explains his plan for the essay structure. He mentions that he understands the three different theories and intends to explain them clearly. He specifically states that his goal is to provide the support or facts (synonyms for evidence) for every one of those theories rather than choosing a favorite. In the sentence "giving the evidence for each one," the word "giving" acts as a synonym for "show" used in the task. |
| Q29 | edit | one thing you definitely must do before you submit this assignment is to edit it for grammar and spelling mistakes | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that before Mark gives his assignment to the teacher, he must check it and fix the errors in his writing. Answer Explanation: The answer means to check a piece of writing and fix any mistakes in it. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because Professor Jones looked at Mark's essay and saw many small errors in grammar and spelling. She told him that before he turns in (submits) his work, he needs to fix those mistakes. The word 'edit' is the specific verb used in the transcript to describe this action. |
| Q30 | extra day | So, I’ll give you one extra day on this essay | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the professor agreeing to let Mark turn in his work one day later than planned because she feels sorry for his situation. Answer Explanation: The answer 'extra day' means the professor gives Mark one more day to finish his school project after the first deadline. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found near the end of the conversation. Although Professor Jones was strict at first, she sees that Mark has done some work and feels sorry for his brother's situation. Because of this, she allows him one more day to finish and hand in his assignment. |
Transcript
Jones: Hello Mark. What can I do for you?
Mark: Oh, hi Professor Jones. I’ve come to ask you a big favour.
Jones: Let me guess, Mark, you want more time for your essay assignment. You’re the third student I’ve seen today, all with the same request! It beats me why a few people leave their planning to the last minute and then think they can come at a day’s notice and get a reprieve. It’s really not fair to all the students who are well planned and organised is it?
Mark: Yes, you’re right, and I’m really sorry I need to ask. I’ve never asked for an extension before.
Jones: So, Mark, why should I grant you an extension when I said no to everyone else today?
Mark: Well, Professor Jones, I really do have a valid reason. It‘s not just the usual, like I have a cold, and I have a certificate from my doctor, or my computer crashed and I lost all my data. I wouldn’t bother you with those old excuses. You see, my twin brother was planning to get married next weekend, but last week his girlfriend told him the wedding was off and he landed on my doorstep. He was really upset. I couldn’t just tell him to go away because I was busy. And of course I would have had three assignments due this week, and all my study plans just went out the window.
Jones: I see. So, why didn’t you come to see me a week ago when your brother first turned up?
Mark: Because I was hoping I would still be able to get it done, but I just can’t manage it. Well, actually I have written the required number of words, more or less, but frankly, I feel it’s terrible. I don’t want to let myself down by handing it in as it is at the moment, and I really don’t want to drop my grade point average by getting a low mark on this assignment.
Jones: Well, the course handbook states very clearly that at least 5 days’ notice is required for any extension, except in emergencies. Those rules were designed to make it fair for everyone you see. You’re supposed to submit a request on the proper form…. and you can send it by email. And you also need to make an appointment and discuss your request in person, as you have done now. Your problem does come very squarely under the ‘family issues’ category, so you probably would have got some extra time if you’d done that. I’m not really inclined to grant this request now, you know.
Mark: Yes, I know I’ve really messed up. I suppose I’ll just have to hand it in as it is, and take a lower grade.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.
Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
Jones: Well, at least you’ve made a start, which is more than can be said for your other colleagues today. Have you got what you’ve done so far? Come on, we’ll look through it together and I’ll see if I can make a few suggestions for a quick fix, how about that?
Mark: Oh, thank you, yes here it is on my laptop.
Jones: Well, let’s see. Let’s start with the bibliography … Yes, you’ve consulted most of the sources I suggested, but you don’t have any references of your own, and that was part of the task, wasn’t it? You need at least three references of your own, see?
Mark: Yes, I know. I did find one more, McDonald and Ferris 2014.
Jones: OK, that’s a good one, I suggest you look at their reference list, too, and chase up a couple more from there. You should be able to find everything you need in the online library databases, especially Languageline.
Mark: Yes, OK. So, what about the essay structure, and the argument? Are they OK, or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Jones: Well, you just seem to jump straight in to your first point here. I’m not sure where your essay is going. Where’s the introduction?
Mark: Oh right … I always leave the introduction till the end and write it after I’ve finished the rest of the essay. That way, it ties in to what I’ve already written … Well, that’s what we were taught in the study skills course, anyway.
Jones: Yes, and you’re quite right. So, tell me about your ideas. What’s your main argument?
Mark: Well, I’m not really sure. I think I understand the 3 opposing theories OK, but I don’t really have a strong opinion about which one is correct. I was more thinking of explaining them all as clearly as I can, and then giving the evidence for each one. I don’t think there is a clear-cut right or wrong, well, that’s my opinion anyway. Do we need to say that one is better than the other two?
Jones: No, you don’t, and what you are planning to do is often the best way to go about it. Well, I’ve been skimming through what you’ve written while we’ve been talking, and one thing you definitely must do before you submit this assignment is to edit it for grammar and spelling mistakes. There are a lot of errors here, just simple things that are easy to fix. But still, I can see you’ve done the basic work, and I do sympathise with your brother, it must be very difficult for him. So, I’ll give you one extra day on this essay.
Mark: Oh, thank you Professor Jones, thank you! I’ll hand it in before 5pm on Wednesday, then.
Jones: Yes, that’s the final deadline. Goodbye now!
That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
Now turn to section 4.