Time Management Strategies - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Collins Practice Tests For IELTS 1 Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
Audio
Questions
Questions 31–37 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 38–40 Multiple Choice (Three Answers)
Choose THREE letters, A-G.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | C | For some people this step up comes very naturally but, in our experience, many students find this new regime a challenge | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that although some people find the change easy, many students think the new university way of life is a difficult task or a 'challenge'. Answer Explanation: The answer means that many students find it hard to adjust to life at university. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the speaker, Mark, explains that many students find the change from school to university difficult. He mentions that at university, students are expected to be responsible for their own learning, and many struggle with managing their time. He uses keywords like 'challenge' to describe this and points out that a high percentage of both male and female students have poor time management skills, which can cause their grades to suffer. |
| Q32 | A | Research I've carried out shows that 65% of male students have poor time management skills. It's not quite so high for females but still a majority of 55% would benefit from developing these skills | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that 65% of men do not manage their time well. It also says that for women, 55% have the same problem and need to improve those skills. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the chart that correctly shows the percentage of boys and girls who are bad at organizing their time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the speaker provides specific percentages for both male and female students regarding their time management. He mentions that 65% of male students have "poor" or weak skills. For females, the number is slightly lower at 55%, but he notes it is still a "majority" (more than half). Chart A would be the one showing these exact figures. |
| Q33 | B | And don't hide it away in a drawer somewhere. Give it pride of place somewhere like on the bedroom wall so you'll have daily reminders of what's approaching | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that students should not put the planner in a hidden place. It tells them to put it in a visible place, such as on a wall, so they can see it every day. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the calendar for school work should be put in a place where you will see it every day. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the speaker tells the students not to hide their calendar in a drawer. Instead, he suggests putting it in a main spot, like a bedroom wall. He says this will give them "daily reminders," which means they will see their schedule every day and not forget what they need to do for school. |
| Q34 | C | During this first week you'll have been given seminar and lecture times, essay deadlines, exams dates and so on. Add these dates to your planner and add any new deadlines such as seminar presentations or tutorial dates as you get them. Those important non-academic occasions shouldn't be ignored either. Trips back home for family celebrations need to be factored in | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that students should put their school schedule, such as classes and due dates, into their planner. It also says they should include personal home visits and family celebrations so they don't forget them. Answer Explanation: The answer means students should write down both their school-related dates and their personal dates on their calendar. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Mark tells students to include school events like lectures, exams, and essay deadlines in their academic planner. He also mentions that personal things, which he calls 'non-academic occasions' like family parties, are important and should also be written down so that students can see their whole schedule clearly. |
| Q35 | A | Looking at your planner, the first thing that will strike you is how much time you have on your hands. Just a few seminars here and there, a couple of lectures on Tuesday and Thursday. Easy, you think. But this is very misleading indeed. Your planner only looks empty because it doesn't show all that essential self-study you'll need to do | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the planner looks empty at first because it only lists classes. This makes students think they have a lot of free time, but that is a wrong idea because it leaves out the important work they must do on their own. Answer Explanation: The answer means that at first, the school schedule book (academic planner) will make it look like there is very little work to do. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Mark states that when you first look at your planner, it seems like you have plenty of spare time. He explicitly uses the word 'misleading' to describe this, which means it gives a false idea or impression. This happens because the planner initially only shows formal classes and not the many hours of 'self-study' (work done alone) that are actually required. |
| Q36 | C | Essentially, structure your days on a 9–5 basis as if you were a full-time employee and start to calculate how you're going to fill those gaps efficiently | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript suggests that students should set up their daily schedule from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, just like someone who works a full-time job, to make sure they use their free time for schoolwork. Answer Explanation: The answer means students should plan their university schedule like a standard job with regular hours. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the tutor advises students to treat their time at university with the same discipline as a professional job. Instead of wasting time between classes, he suggests creating a routine that mimics a full-time worker's schedule. Keywords to notice are 'structure', '9–5 basis', and 'full-time employee', which all point to treating studies like a normal working day. |
| Q37 | B | If there are any cooks amongst you you'll know that putting a nice meal on the table requires more than just well, cooking. You need to research the ingredients, buy them, chop, slice, mix and so on. Cooking itself is a long way into the process. It's the same with that essay you have to write or that presentation you might have to make |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that finishing a meal involves many steps like shopping and cutting food before the actual cooking happens. It then says that writing an essay is exactly the same because it also requires many steps of preparation first. Answer Explanation: The answer means that making a meal and writing a paper for school are similar because they both need a lot of work and preparation before you reach the final step. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the tutor uses an analogy, which is a comparison between two things. He explains that to cook a good meal, you have to do many things first, like find ingredients and chop them. He then says it is 'the same' when you have to write an essay. This shows that cooking and essay writing share the quality of needing a lot of planning and preparation. |
| Q38 | — | — | |
| Q39 | — | — | |
| Q40 | B / D / E | This task-orientated approach will be immensely helpful, forcing you to break your preparation down into individual, achievable steps You'll need time for you, sessions in the gym, evenings when your favourite programmes are on TV. Don't forget to schedule in time for non-academic activities like going shopping or doing the laundry. It's best to have a fixed time each week for jobs like these so they don't interfere with your academic work |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that focusing on specific tasks helps students break work into small, easy parts. It also explains that students should plan time for fun things like TV and set a regular schedule for chores to keep them from interrupting leur study time. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies three pieces of advice given by the teacher: divide your work into smaller parts, make time to watch your favorite TV shows, and do household chores at the same time every week. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B, D, and E because Mark explains how to specifically manage a university schedule. For choice B, he suggests using a 'task-orientated' approach to split big projects into 'achievable steps.' For choice D, he says students should still have 'time for you' and mentions 'favourite programmes on TV.' For choice E, he says that chores like laundry should have a 'fixed time each week' so they do not get in the way of school. |
Transcript
Tanya: Hi everyone. Today Mark has come in to talk to you about time management strategies. If you remember, in the introductory session I told you the difference it can make to your studies so this is an incredibly important session. Thanks Mark.
Mark: Hello. Yes, I'm Mark. I lecture over in the Business School but I have a bit of a reputation for being rather evangelical about time management and I'm often invited in to other courses to talk about it. So here I am!
You've now come to the end of your first week at university and you've probably noticed how different it is from school or college. For some people this step up comes very naturally but, in our experience, many students find this new regime a challenge. People aren't watching over you anywhere near as much and you're expected to be far more responsible for your own learning. Research I've carried out shows that 65% of male students have poor time management skills. It's not quite so high for females but still a majority of 55% would benefit from developing these skills. Students who don't will see their grades and general progress suffer as deadlines are missed or work gets rushed, with a decline in the quality of work as a result.
In a nutshell, you need to be aware of the big picture, to know what's coming down the line at any given time and what needs prioritising. Start by creating that big picture, using our yearly academic planner. And don't hide it away in a drawer somewhere. Give it pride of place somewhere like on the bedroom wall so you'll have daily reminders of what's approaching. During this first week you'll have been given seminar and lecture times, essay deadlines, exams dates and so on. Add these dates to your planner and add any new deadlines such as seminar presentations or tutorial dates as you get them. Those important non-academic occasions shouldn't be ignored either. Trips back home for family celebrations need to be factored in.
Looking at your planner, the first thing that will strike you is how much time you have on your hands. Just a few seminars here and there, a couple of lectures on Tuesday and Thursday. Easy, you think. But this is very misleading indeed. Your planner only looks empty because it doesn't show all that essential self-study you'll need to do. And as there's no-one else structuring this time for you you'll need to manage this yourself. You don't want to waste those hours between lectures or seminars in the café. Use this time to read through your lecture notes, prepare for the next seminar or do some research for that next assignment. Essentially, structure your days on a 9–5 basis as if you were a full-time employee and start to calculate how you're going to fill those gaps efficiently.
Start by considering how you're going to meet all these deadlines. If there are any cooks amongst you you'll know that putting a nice meal on the table requires more than just ... well, cooking. You need to research the ingredients, buy them, chop, slice, mix and so on. Cooking itself is a long way into the process. It's the same with that essay you have to write or that presentation you might have to make. They need careful planning beforehand and that time needs to be built into your preparation. Start prioritising what needs doing and when. Download our monthly and weekly planners to help you map it all out.
And here's an important point: when you're planning what to do, be task-orientated rather than time-orientated and set achievable goals. 'Finding images for a presentation' for example, is measurable. Simply writing 'research 10 a.m.–11 a.m.' isn't. This task-orientated approach will be immensely helpful, forcing you to break your preparation down into individual, achievable steps.
Try to assess when busy periods are likely to occur such as the week leading up to an assignment deadline. Are there any evenings during the week you could put aside for extra work? And, just as importantly, make a note of any times you won't want to be working. You'll need time for you, sessions in the gym, evenings when your favourite programmes are on TV. Don't forget to schedule in time for non-academic activities like going shopping or doing the laundry. It's best to have a fixed time each week for jobs like these so they don't interfere with your academic work.
Finally, decide where you're going to do your self-study. Will you be distracted by the TV, the Internet or friends if you stay in your room? Perhaps the library will be a better place. Anywhere that encourages you to prevaricate should be avoided at all costs.
Starting with the big picture and then working towards individual goals will leave you feeling in control rather than being pulled here and there, firefighting as the next deadline looms ...