Rented Properties - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 08 Academic Listening Test 3 · Part 1 · Questions 1–10
Audio
Questions
Questions 1–3 Form Completion
Complete the form below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
|
Rented Properties Customer's Requirements |
|
| Name: | Steven Godfrey |
| Example
No. of bedrooms: |
Answer
four |
| Preferred location: | in the 1 area of town |
| Maximum monthly rent: | £ 2 |
| Length of let required: | 3 |
| Starting: | September 1st |
Questions 4–8 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
| Address | Rooms | Monthly rent | Problem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakington Avenue | living/dining room, separate kitchen | £550 | no 4 |
| Mead Street | large living room and kitchen, bathroom and a cloakroom | £580 | the 5 is too large |
| Hamilton Road | living room, kitchen-diner, and a 6 | £550 | too 7 |
| Devon Close | living room, dining room, small kitchen | £ 8 | none |
Questions 9–10 Two Choices
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | central | What about the location? MAN: It'd be nice to be central | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman asking where the man wants the house to be located, and he replies that he wants to be in the middle of the town. Answer Explanation: The answer 'central' refers to the middle part of the town. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'central' because the man directly says he would like the house to be in that area. In English, 'central' means staying in or near the middle of a city or town, which is often close to shops and transportation. When the woman asks about where he wants to live (the 'location'), he uses the words 'nice to be central' to describe his preference. |
| Q2 | 600 | but we could go up to £600 if we have to. But we can't go beyond that | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the man saying he is able to pay 600 pounds if he must, but he is not able to pay any more money than that. Answer Explanation: The answer is the highest amount of money the man is willing to pay for rent every month. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 600 because the man says he can pay up to £600 if necessary, but he cannot pay more than that. In a form, 'maximum' refers to the highest limit or the top amount allowed. The man uses the phrase 'go up to' and 'can't go beyond that' to show that £600 is his final limit. |
| Q3 | 2 years / 2 year | We're at college here for two years, and we don't want to have to move during that time if we can avoid it | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the man explaining that they will be at college for two years. He also mentions that they want to stay in the house for all of that time to avoid moving. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the person wants to rent the house for a total of two years. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 2 year(s) because the man says he and his friends will be studying at college for two years. He specifies that they want to stay in the same house for that whole period so they do not have to move. The phrase 'two years' tells us the length of time they need to rent the house. |
| Q4 | garage | It doesn't have a garage, though you can park in the road | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the house lacks a private parking space, so the only option for a car is to leave it on the side of the street. Answer Explanation: The answer "garage" refers to a special room or small building next to a house where you can park a car to keep it safe. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "garage" because the woman states clearly that the house on Oakington Avenue does not have one. The table needs to list a "problem" or something the house is missing, and since the man wants a place for a car, the lack of a garage is the correct detail to include. |
| Q5 | garden | Oh, and there's a big garden. MAN: I don't think we could cope with that, to be honest. We'll be too busy to look after it | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows the woman describing a house with a large outdoor area for plants. The man explains that they would not be able to take care of such a large area because they will have no free time. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the outdoor area of a house where plants and grass grow. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified as a negative point for the house on Mead Street. When the woman mentions that the house includes a 'big garden,' the man responds that they would not be able to 'cope with that' (manage it) because they are 'too busy to look after it.' This confirms that the size of the garden is a problem for the man and his friends. |
| Q6 | study | Okay. Then there's this older house in Hamilton Road: living room, kitchen-diner, and it has a study. 550 a month | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript identifies the rooms in the Hamilton Road house as a living room, a kitchen-diner, and a study. Answer Explanation: The answer "study" is a room in a house. It is a quiet place used for reading, writing, or working. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found when the woman describes the house on Hamilton Road. She lists the specific rooms it contains: a living room, a kitchen-diner, and a study. The table needs the name of the final room mentioned in this list. |
| Q7 | noisy | MAN: Oh, that'll be very noisy. I know the area | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the man worries the house will have too much sound because of its location on Hamilton Road. Answer Explanation: The answer is "noisy," which describes a place where there is a lot of loud or unpleasant sound. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "noisy" because the man expresses concern about the level of sound at the Hamilton Road house. When the agent tells him where on the road the house is, he says it will be "very noisy" because he knows that part of the town. This explains why the "problem" column in the table should be filled with this word. |
| Q8 | 595 | It's got a living room, dining room and small kitchen, and it's 595 a month | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript describes which rooms are in the house and then gives the exact price for the monthly rent. Answer Explanation: The answer is the amount of money the person must pay to live in the house for one month. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 595 because the woman says the house in Devon Close costs 595 pounds a month. She explains that the rent is lower than other houses in that popular area because it has not been painted or updated for a few years. Keywords like 'rent' or 'a month' indicate the price. |
| Q9 | — | — | |
| Q10 | B / E | In fact the swimming pool's already opened, ahead of schedule, and it's attracting a lot of people MAN: I think I heard something about a plan to replace the existing concert hall with a larger one. WOMAN: Ah, that's due to start next year |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript confirms the swimming pool is open because it says it 'already opened.' It also shows that the concert hall is available because the man refers to the 'existing' (current) hall, and the woman says changes won't begin until 'next year.' Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the swimming pool and the concert hall as the two places people can visit right now in the area. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B and E because the transcript explicitly states that the swimming pool is 'already opened,' meaning it is currently available for use. Additionally, the conversation mentions an 'existing' concert hall, and the woman notes that work to replace it is 'due to start next year.' This implies the current concert hall remains open until then. In contrast, the sports centre is 'under construction,' the cinema 'closed down last year,' and the film museum is still 'in the process of being converted.' |
Transcript
WOMAN: Good morning. How can I help you?
MAN: Hello. I'm interested in renting a house somewhere in the town.
WOMAN: Right. Could I have your name please?
MAN: Yes, it's Steven Godfrey.
WOMAN: And tell me how many bedrooms you're looking for.
MAN: Well, we'd need four, because I'm going to share the house with three friends.
WOMAN: Okay, there are several of that size on our books. They mostly belong to families who are working abroad at the moment. What about the location?
MAN: It'd be nice to be central.
WOMAN: That might be difficult, as most houses of that size are in the suburbs. Still, there are a few. What's your upper limit for the rent?
MAN: We'd like something around £500 a month, but we could go up to £600 if we have to. But we can't go beyond that.
WOMAN: Do you know how long you want to rent the house for? The minimum let is six months, as you probably realise.
MAN: We're at college here for two years, and we don't want to have to move during that time if we can avoid it.
WOMAN: Right. And how soon do you want to move in? All our lets start on the first of the month.
MAN: Well, as soon as possible, really, so that means September 1st.
WOMAN: Okay, let me have a look at what we've got . . . We have photographs of all the houses on our books, so you can get an idea of what they're like. There's this one in Oakington Avenue, at £550 a month. Combined living room and dining room, with a separate kitchen. It doesn't have a garage, though you can park in the road.
MAN: Ah, we'd prefer to have one, if possible.
WOMAN: Right. Then have a look at this house, in Mead Street. It's got a very large living room and kitchen, bathroom, cloakroom . . .
MAN: How much is it?
WOMAN: That one's 580. It's very well furnished and equipped. It also has plenty of space for parking, and it's available for a minimum of a year. Oh, and there's a big garden.
MAN: I don't think we could cope with that, to be honest. We'll be too busy to look after it.
WOMAN: Okay. Then there's this older house in Hamilton Road: living room, kitchen-diner, and it has a study. 550 a month.
MAN: That looks rather nice. But whereabouts in Hamilton Road?
WOMAN: Towards the western end.
MAN: Oh, that'll be very noisy. I know the area.
WOMAN: Yes, it's pretty lively. Some people like it, though. Well, what about this house in Devon Close?
MAN: That looks lovely.
WOMAN: There's a big demand for houses in that area, so prices tend to be quite high. But this one hasn't been decorated for a few years, which has kept the rent down a bit. It's got a living room, dining room and small kitchen, and it's 595 a month. I think it would suit you, from what you've said.
MAN: It sounds fine.
MAN: Why's that part of town so popular?
WOMAN: Well, there's a big scheme to improve the district, and it'll soon have the best facilities for miles around.
MAN: What sort of thing?
WOMAN: There's a big sports centre under construction, which will be very impressive when it's finished. In fact the swimming pool's already opened, ahead of schedule, and it's attracting a lot of people.
MAN: What about cinemas: are there any in the area?
WOMAN: The only one closed down last year, and it's now in the process of being converted into a film museum. The local people are trying to get a new cinema added to the scheme.
MAN: I think I heard something about a plan to replace the existing concert hall with a larger one.
WOMAN: Ah, that's due to start next year.
MAN: Well it sounds an interesting area to live in. Could I go and see the house, please?
WOMAN: Yes, of course.