Talk On Jobs In Fashion Design - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–26 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Talk on jobs in fashion design
Questions 27–28 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Questions 29–30 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | A | It’s hard to see through people’s heads, isn’t it? | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript is saying that it is difficult to see because people's heads get in the way. Answer Explanation: The answer is suggesting that Chantal had a problem because her view of the speaker was blocked by someone's head. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the excerpt specifically mentions the difficulty of seeing through people's heads, indicating that Chantal had a problem seeing the speaker, which aligns with option A stating her view of the speaker was blocked. |
| Q22 | B | Yeah, but it looks like there’s a whole range of … areas of work that we hadn’t even thought of – like fashion journalism, for instance. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript suggests that Hugo and Chantal discovered a wide range of job opportunities within fashion design that they were not previously aware of, such as fashion journalism. Answer Explanation: The answer implies that they were surprised to learn about the diversity and range of jobs available in the fashion design field, which they had not realized before. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the excerpt indicates Hugo and Chantal were surprised by the variety of job options within the fashion design field, aligning with the statement that 'There is more variety in it than they had realised.' |
| Q23 | A | Yeah – and we’re only first years, after all. We’ve got a lot to learn. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Hugo and Chantal are acknowledging that they are new to their studies and have a lot to learn. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that Hugo and Chantal feel that the speaker's message was unfair to them at times. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the excerpt implies they may have felt unfairly judged or treated by the speaker, even though they are just starting out and acknowledge they have much to learn. |
| Q24 | C | Well, we had numerous talks on careers, which was good, but none of them were very inspiring. They could have asked more people like today’s speaker to talk to us. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript mentions that Hugo and Chantal had talks about careers in school, but they found them not very motivating. They wished there were more inspiring speakers like the one they have today. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that Hugo and Chantal criticized who gave them the careers advice at their school. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'C' because in the excerpt, Hugo and Chantal express their dissatisfaction with the people who provided them with career advice at school, indicating that they were critical about who gave the advice. |
| Q25 | B | Well. I promised myself that I’d go through this course and keep an open mind till the end. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the speaker made a promise to themselves to have an open mind throughout a course. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that Hugo and Chantal disagree on when to choose a career in fashion. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'B' because the excerpt does not specifically mention discussing the best career or why they want a career in fashion. Instead, it hints at a promise related to the speaker's decision-making process about a course, which aligns more closely with the timing of choosing a career in fashion. |
| Q26 | A | I’m prepared for that, aren’t you? | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript suggests that the speaker is ready or willing to do something. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that the person is realistic about the situation and accepts it as it is. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'He is realistic about the practice' because the excerpt shows Hugo acknowledging and being prepared for being an unpaid assistant, which aligns with being realistic about the situation. |
| Q27 | — | — | |
| Q28 | B / E | And then he was so mean, telling her she was more interested in her own appearance than his! Well, as she said, she should have hidden her negative feelings about him, but she didn’t. |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the speaker's boss criticized her for paying too much attention to how she looked instead of focusing on work. The speaker also mentioned that she should have hidden her negative feelings about her boss. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that the speaker admitted to paying too much attention to how she looked and openly disliking her client as mistakes she made in her first job. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'B - paying too much attention to how she looked' and 'E - openly disliking her client' because these mistakes align with what the speaker mentioned in the excerpt about her boss's criticism and her own regrets about revealing negative feelings. |
| Q29 | — | — | |
| Q30 | A / C | However, it would be useful to know if there’s a gap in the market – you know, an item that no one’s stocking but that consumers are looking for. Yeah. Imagine you worked in an expensive shop and you found out the garments sold there were being returned because they … fell apart in the wash! |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript talks about how helpful it would be to know if there are fashion items that people want but are not available in stores. It also mentions the situation where expensive garments are being returned because they are not washing well. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Hugo and Chantal agree that it would be useful to know what fashion designs people want but cannot find and the reasons why people return fashion items. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A and C because the transcript highlights the importance of understanding if there are items consumers want but are not being stocked, as well as the issues with garments being returned due to quality problems like falling apart in the wash. These align with the information under options A and C in the answer choices. |
Transcript
HUGO: Hi Chantal. What did you think of the talk, then?
CHANTAL: Hi Hugo. I thought it was good once I’d moved seats.
HUGO: Oh- were the people beside you chatting or something?
CHANTAL: It wasn’t that. I went early so that I’d get a seat and not have to stand, but then this guy sat right in front of me and he was so tall!
HUGO: It’s hard to see through people’s heads, isn’t it?
CHANTAL: Impossible! Anyway, to answer your question, I thought it was really interesting, especially what the speaker said about the job market.
HUGO: Me too. I mean we know we’re going into a really competitive field so it’s obvious that we may struggle to get work.
CHANTAL: That’s right – and we know we can’t all have that ‘dream job’.
HUGO: Yeah, but it looks like there’s a whole range of … areas of work that we hadn’t even thought of – like fashion journalism, for instance.
CHANTAL: Yeah – I wasn’t expecting so many career options.
HUGO: Mmm. Overall, she had quite a strong message, didn’t she?
CHANTAL: She did. She kept saying things like ‘I know you all think this, but …’ and then she’d tell us how it really is.
HUGO: Perhaps she thinks students are a bit narrow-minded about the industry.
CHANTAL: It was a bit harsh, though! We know it’s a tough industry.
HUGO: Yeah – and we’re only first years, after all. We’ve got a lot to learn.
CHANTAL: Exactly. Do you think our secondary-school education should have been more career-focused?
HUGO: Well, we had numerous talks on careers, which was good, but none of them were very inspiring. They could have asked more people like today’s speaker to talk to us.
CHANTAL: I agree. We were told about lots of different careers – just when we needed to be, but not by the experts who really know stuff.
HUGO: So did today’s talk influence your thoughts on what career you’d like to take up in the future?
CHANTAL: Well. I promised myself that I’d go through this course and keep an open mind till the end.
HUGO: But I think it’s better to pick an area of the industry now and then aim to get better and better at it.
CHANTAL: Well, I think we’ll just have to differ on that issue!
HUGO: One thing’s for certain, though. From what she said, we’ll be unpaid assistants in the industry for quite a long time.
CHANTAL: Mmm.
HUGO: I’m prepared for that, aren’t you?
CHANTAL: Actually, I’m not going to accept that view.
HUGO: Really? But she knows it’s the case- and everyone else says the same.
CHANTAL: That doesn’t mean it has to be true for me.
HUGO: OK. Well – I hope you’re right!
—————
CHANTAL: I thought the speaker’s account of her first job was fascinating.
HUGO: Yeah – she admitted she was lucky to get work being a personal dresser for a musician. She didn’t even apply for the job and there she was getting paid to choose all his clothes.
CHANTAL: It must have felt amazing – though she said all she was looking for back then was experience, not financial reward.
HUGO: Mmm. And then he was so mean, telling her she was more interested in her own appearance than his!
CHANTAL: But – she did realise he was right about that, which really made me think. I’m always considering my own clothes but now I can see you should be focusing on your client!
HUGO: She obviously regretted losing the job.
CHANTAL: Well, as she said, she should have hidden her negative feelings about him, but she didn’t.
HUGO: It was really brave the way she picked herself up and took that job in retail. Fancy working in a shop after that!
CHANTAL: Yeah – well, she recommended we all do it at some point. I guess as a designer you’d get to find out some useful information, like how big or small the average shopper is.
HUGO: I think that’s an issue for manufacturers, not designers. However, it would be useful to know if there’s a gap in the market – you know, an item that no one’s stocking but that consumers are looking for.
CHANTAL: Yeah, people don’t give up searching. They also take things back to the store if they aren’t right.
HUGO: Yeah. Imagine you worked in an expensive shop and you found out the garments sold there were being returned because they … fell apart in the wash!
CHANTAL: Yeah, it would be good to know that kind of thing.
HUGO: Yeah.