Which Counsellor Should You See? - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Road to IELTS Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–14 Matching
Which counsellor should you see?
Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 11–14.
A. Louise Bagshaw
B. Tony Denby
C. Naomi Flynn
Questions 15–20 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
| Workshop | Content | Target group |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusting | what you need to succeed academically | 15 students |
| Getting Organised | use time effectively, find 16 between study and leisure | all students |
| Communicating | talking with staff, communicating across cultures | all students, especially 17 |
| Anxiety | 18, breathing techniques, meditation, etc. | students about to sit exams |
| 19 | staying on track for long periods | 20 students only |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | A | Louise staffs our drop-in centre throughout the day. If you need to see someone without a prior appointment then she is the one to visit | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Louise works all day at the center where people can just walk in. It says that if you don't have a plan or a set time to see someone, you should go to her. Answer Explanation: The answer is A, which is the counsellor Louise Bagshaw. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the speaker explains that Louise Bagshaw works at the 'drop-in centre.' A 'drop-in' service means you can go there without calling first or making a plan in advance. The text clearly states that if you want to see a counsellor but do not have a pre-existing appointment, she is the person you should go to. |
| Q12 | C | If you’ve never used a counsellor before, then you should make an appointment with Naomi Flynn | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that if a student has not seen a counsellor in the past, they should schedule a meeting with Naomi Flynn. Answer Explanation: The answer C refers to the counsellor named Naomi Flynn. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the speaker specifically mentions that students who have never visited a counsellor before should meet with Naomi Flynn. She is an expert in helping students who are new to the process. In the transcript, the phrase 'never used a counsellor before' is a synonym for 'your first time'. |
| Q13 | B | Tony is our newest addition to the counselling team. He is our only male counsellor and he has an extensive background in stress management and relaxation techniques. We encourage anyone who is trying to deal with anxiety to see him | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Tony has experience in managing stress and teaching ways to relax. It directly suggests that any student who feels anxiety should go to see him. Answer Explanation: The answer is Tony Denby (choice B). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Tony Denby is the counselor who specializes in helping students handle stress and stay calm. The guide specifically mentions that if a student is struggling with anxiety, they are encouraged to visit Tony. |
| Q14 | C | Naomi is also the best option for students who can only see a counsellor outside office hours. She is not in on Mondays, but starts early on Wednesday mornings and works late on Thursday evenings, so you can see her before your first class or after your last class on those days | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that Naomi is the best person for students who cannot visit during regular office times. This is because she begins work early on Wednesday and finishes work late on Thursday, so students can meet her before school or after school. Answer Explanation: The answer is Naomi Flynn, which means she is the person students should see if they cannot visit a counselor during the middle of the day when most offices are open. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Naomi Flynn (C) because she offers special appointment times for students who are busy during normal work hours. The counselor explains that Naomi is the 'best option' for these students since she starts work early on Wednesday mornings and stays late on Thursday evenings. This allows students to have a session before their first class or after their last class. |
| Q15 | first / 1st year | In this workshop, we will introduce you to what is necessary for academic success. As you might expect, we’re targeting first-year students with this offering | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the workshop helps students learn how to be successful in school and that the group of people they want to attend is first-year students. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to students who are in their very first year of study at the college or university. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'first-year' because the speaker describes a workshop called 'Adjusting.' This workshop helps students understand what they need for academic success. The speaker says they are 'targeting,' or focusing on, students who are just starting their first year of education. |
| Q16 | right balance / balance | Here, we’re going to help you break the habit of putting things off, get the most out of your time and discover the right balance between academic and recreational activities | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that this workshop teaches students how to use their time well and how to find a good mix between studying and relaxing. Answer Explanation: The answer '(right) balance' means dividing your time correctly so that you have enough time for school work and enough time for fun, without one side having too much. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is '(right) balance' because the speaker explains that the 'Getting organised' workshop helps students use their time better. Specifically, it helps them find the correct mix, or 'balance', between their 'academic' (school/study) duties and 'recreational' (fun/leisure) activities. |
| Q17 | international students / international / foreign students / foreign | We’ll cover an area that many foreign students struggle with – how to talk with teachers and other staff. We’ll cover all aspects of multicultural communication. International students tend to get a lot out of this class, so we particularly encourage you to come along | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the workshop is designed to help students who have come from other countries. It teaches them how to talk to the staff at the college and helps them understand different cultures. Because this is very helpful for them, the school strongly suggests that international students joined by others should attend. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies international or foreign students as the main group who should attend the Communicating workshop. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the speaker's focus on students from other countries when describing the Communicating workshop. The speaker mentions that the workshop addresses struggles common to foreign students, such as speaking with staff and multicultural communication, and explicitly encourages international students to attend because they benefit the most from it. |
| Q18 | relaxation | Come to this workshop and we’ll teach you all about relaxation and how to breathe properly, as well as meditation and other strategies to remain calm | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that during the Anxiety workshop, students will be taught about relaxation, breathing, and meditation to help them feel less worried. Answer Explanation: The answer "relaxation" is one of the methods taught in the Anxiety workshop to help students stay calm. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "relaxation" because the speaker lists it as the first skill taught in the Anxiety workshop. The workshop is designed to help students manage nerves before exams by teaching them relaxation, correct breathing, and meditation. |
| Q19 | motivation | Finally, we have the Motivation workshop. The big topic here is how to stay on target and motivated during long-term research projects | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that the speaker introduces the last session by calling it the Motivation workshop and explains it helps people finish long tasks or projects. Answer Explanation: The answer is the name of the final class, or workshop, mentioned in the speech. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the speaker's description of various workshops. The table asks for the name of the workshop that focuses on 'staying on track for long periods' for 'research students.' The transcript explicitly names this final session as the Motivation workshop, which matches those details. Key phrases to look for include staying on target and long-term research projects. |
| Q20 | research / advanced | This workshop is strictly for research students, as less-advanced students already have several workshops catering to their needs | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that this specific talk is only for students doing research. Since it mentions that students at a lower level (less-advanced) have other options, it confirms that this group is for students in the advanced or research part of their studies. Answer Explanation: The answer means students who are doing research work or are at a high level of study. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is research or advanced because the speaker states that the Motivation workshop is only for students working on research projects. By mentioning that students who are 'less-advanced' already have other classes, the speaker clarifies that this specific target group consists of those at a higher, more advanced level of education. |
Transcript
Section 2
You will hear a guidance counsellor talking to a group of students. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.
[20 seconds]
Listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
SPEAKER:
Hello everyone. I’m the counselling administrator here at St. Ive’s College and I’ve been asked to come and talk to you about our counselling team and the services that we offer.
We have three professional counsellors here at St. Ives: Louise Bagshaw, Tony Denby and Naomi Flynn. They each hold daily one-on-one sessions with students, but which counsellor you see will depend on a number of factors.
If you’ve never used a counsellor before, then you should make an appointment with Naomi Flynn. Naomi specialises in seeing new students and offers a preliminary session where she will talk to you about what you can expect from counselling, followed by some simple questions about what you would like to discuss. This can be really helpful for students who are feeling a bit worried about the counselling process. Naomi is also the best option for students who can only see a counsellor outside office hours. She is not in on Mondays, but starts early on Wednesday mornings and works late on Thursday evenings, so you can see her before your first class or after your last class on those days.
Louise staffs our drop-in centre throughout the day. If you need to see someone without a prior appointment then she is the one to visit. Please note that if you use this service then Louise will either see you herself, or place you with the next available counsellor. If you want to be sure to see the same counsellor on each visit, then we strongly recommend you make an appointment ahead of time. You can do this at reception during office hours or by using our online booking form.
Tony is our newest addition to the counselling team. He is our only male counsellor and he has an extensive background in stress management and relaxation techniques. We encourage anyone who is trying to deal with anxiety to see him. Tony will introduce you to a full range of techniques to help you cope with this problem such as body awareness, time management and positive reinforcement.
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.
[20 seconds]
Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
Each semester the counselling team runs a number of small group workshops. These last for two hours and are free to all enrolled students.
Our first workshop is called Adjusting. We’ve found that tertiary education can come as a big shock for some people. After the structured learning environment of school, it is easy to feel lost. In this workshop, we will introduce you to what is necessary for academic success. As you might expect, we’re targeting first-year students with this offering.
Getting organised follows on from the first workshop. Here, we’re going to help you break the habit of putting things off, get the most out of your time and discover the right balance between academic and recreational activities. With Getting organised, we’re catering to a broader crowd, which includes all undergraduates and postgraduates.
Next up is a workshop called Communicating. The way people interact here may be quite different to what you’re used to, especially if you’ve come from abroad. We’ll cover an area that many foreign students struggle with – how to talk with teachers and other staff. We’ll cover all aspects of multicultural communication. International students tend to get a lot out of this class, so we particularly encourage you to come along, but I must say that sometimes students from a local background find it helpful too. So, everyone is welcome!
The Anxiety workshop is held later on in the year and deals with something you will all be familiar with – the nerves and anxiety that come when exams are approaching. Many students go through their entire academic careers suffering like this, but you don’t have to. Come to this workshop and we’ll teach you all about relaxation and how to breathe properly, as well as meditation and other strategies to remain calm. We’ve tailored this workshop to anyone who is going to sit exams.
Finally, we have the Motivation workshop. The big topic here is how to stay on target and motivated during long-term research projects. This workshop is strictly for research students, as less-advanced students already have several workshops catering to their needs.
Well, that’s it, thanks for your time. If you have any questions or want more information about our services, do come and see us at the Counselling Service.
NARRATOR:
That is the end of section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
[30 seconds]
Now turn to section 3.