Cambridge 12 Listening Test 2 - Answers With Explanation

1. The instruction allows "ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER," and since the suffix already gives the finishing time ("about 5.30"), the gap needs the matching start time for the opening ceremony, given as "2.45."

2. The blank sits before "will perform" in the opening-ceremony notes, so it needs the type of musical act booked — a "band."

3. "Performance of a ___ about Helen Tungate" asks for the kind of work being staged; a "play" fits as a single-word theatrical form.

4. The parenthetical clarifies who Helen Tungate was, so the gap needs her profession — she was a "scientist."

5. "Evening fireworks display situated across the ___" needs a single-word location typical of a festival fireworks site — the "river."

6. "Videos about relationships that children have with their ___" needs a family member, matching "grandparents."

7. "Venue: ___ House" needs the first part of a proper-noun venue name — "Handsworth."

8. "Performance of ___ dances" needs an adjective describing the style of dance — "traditional."

9. "Venue: the ___ market in the town centre" needs an adjective for the type of market — "outdoor."

10. "Tickets also available from shops which have the festival ___ in their windows" needs the identifying symbol shops display — a "logo."

11. The question asks what the group will have at the airport; the correct option is "coffee" (B) — a brief refreshment on arrival rather than a full meal, which rules out breakfast (A) and lunch (C) as decoys implying a sit-down meal.

12. The group is met by "a tour operator" (C), the neutral logistics contact, rather than someone from the theatre itself — an employee (A) or manager (B), which are plausible-sounding but incorrect distractors.

13. Of the three quoted room rates, the correct nightly price for a double room is the lowest option, "110 euros" (A), with 120 and 150 euros serving as distractor figures.

14. Tuesday evening's restaurant type is specifically Middle Eastern — "a Lebanese restaurant" (B) — distinguishing it from the Italian (A) and "typical of the region" (C) distractor cuisines.

15. Wednesday afternoon's meeting is with "a theatre director" (C), not an actor (A) or a playwright (B), who are named separately elsewhere in the itinerary.

16. Wednesday's performance is matched to option F, "The play will be performed for the first time" — i.e. a premiere.

17. Thursday's performance is matched to option B, "The play was written to celebrate an anniversary."

18. Friday's performance is matched to option E, "The play will be performed outdoors."

19. Saturday's performance is matched to option G, "The performance will be attended by officials from the town."

20. Monday's performance is matched to option C, "The play will be performed inside a historic building."

21. The reason James chose Scandinavian Studies is "a number of Danish people visited his family" (C) as a child — distinct from being taken to Denmark himself (A) or his mother speaking Danish to him (B), both of which describe closer personal exposure than what actually happened.

22. After graduating, James would like to "work in the media" (B), rather than continue to a postgraduate course (A) or become a translator (C).

23. The course ending this term is "Scandinavian literature" (C), distinguished from ongoing courses on Swedish cinema (A) or Danish television (B).

24. James's literature paper this term is agreed to focus on "19th century playwrights" (A), rather than the Icelandic sagas (B) or modern novels (C).

25. Beth's recommendation is that the paper should be "a study of the social background to the literature" (C), rather than a historical overview of the genre (A) or an in-depth analysis of one writer (B).

26. The flow-chart's first step after choosing a topic corresponds to reading a source described in the answer box as option E, following directly from the label "He'll read a ___ and choose his topic."

27. The next step, borrowing something from Beth, corresponds to option G, matching the label "He'll borrow a ___ from Beth."

28. Planning the structure of the paper corresponds to option D, matching the label "He'll plan the ___ of the paper."

29. Reading source material and producing written notes corresponds to option C, matching the label "He'll read some source material and write ___."

30. The final preparatory step before writing the complete paper corresponds to option A, matching the label "He'll write the paper using ___."

31. "Conflict mostly consists of behaviour in the general category of" needs the broad category most conflict falls under — "bullying."

32. The note explains conflict is "often a result of people wanting to prove their" — a single word for dominance over others: "superiority."

33. Conflict is "also caused by differences in" — a single word for individual character traits: "personality between people."

34. The label describes conflicts where "people [are] more concerned about their own team than about the company" — this is named as a type of conflict tied to organisational structure: "structural."

35. "Conflict-related stress can cause" a period of time off work "that may last for months" — "absence."

36. "Some managers have both" — one trait alongside anxiety, linked to not liking their decisions questioned: "confidence."

37. "There may be conflict between people who have different" — a plural noun for differing ideas about direction: "visions."

38. "Other managers: a structure that is more" — an adjective for a management style that can create uncertainty about who staff report to: "democratic."

39. "Minimising conflict: bosses need to try hard to gain" — a single word for what staff should feel toward their boss: "respect."

40. "Someone from outside the company may be given the role of" — a single word for a neutral conflict-resolution role: "mediator."