All answers on this page include the question number, correct answer and a brief explanation of where to find it in the passage or audio. Use these alongside the original Cambridge IELTS books for the best practice experience.
Test 3 Listening Answers with Clear Explanations
Find all 40 Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 3 Listening answers with clear explanations. This answer key applies to both Academic and General Training candidates.
Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 3 Listening Answer Key
Use this answer key for quick marking. Accepted alternatives are shown with a slash. Read each part below for a clear explanation.
Part 1: Wayside Camera Club
Questions 1 to 10Part 2: Picking wild mushrooms
Questions 11 to 20Part 3: The Luddites and the future of work
Questions 21 to 30Part 4: Space Traffic Management
Questions 31 to 40Part 1: Wayside Camera Club
A caller discusses joining a camera club and receives feedback on photography competitions.
1Home address: 52 ____ Street, Peacetown
Answer: Marrowfield
The recording states that home address: 52 Marrowfield Street, Peacetown. This confirms Marrowfield as the missing answer.
2Heard about the club from a ____.
Answer: relative
The recording states that heard about the club from a relative. This confirms relative as the missing answer.
3Reason for joining: to ____.
Answer: socialise / socialize
The recording states that reason for joining: to socialise. The accepted forms include socialise or socialize.
4Type of membership: ____ membership (£30)
Answer: full
The recording states that type of membership: full membership (£30). This confirms full as the missing answer.
5Title of competition: “____”. A scene in the home, the picture’s composition was not good.
Answer: Domestic Life
The recording states that title of competition: “Domestic Life”. A scene in the home, the picture’s composition was not good. This confirms Domestic Life as the missing answer.
6“Beautiful Sunsets”: scene must show some ____.
Answer: clouds
The recording states that “Beautiful Sunsets”: scene must show some clouds. This confirms clouds as the missing answer.
7“Beautiful Sunsets”: the ____ was wrong.
Answer: timing
The recording states that “Beautiful Sunsets”: the timing was wrong. This confirms timing as the missing answer.
8Title of competition: “____”.
Answer: Animal Magic
The recording states that title of competition: “Animal Magic”. This confirms Animal Magic as the missing answer.
9“Animal Magic”: scene must show ____.
Answer: movement / animal movement
The recording states that “Animal Magic”: scene must show movement. The accepted forms include movement or animal movement.
10“Animal Magic”: the photograph was too ____.
Answer: dark
The recording states that “Animal Magic”: the photograph was too dark. This confirms dark as the missing answer.
Part 2: Picking wild mushrooms
Dan gives advice and warnings about picking, storing and eating wild mushrooms.
11Which TWO warnings does Dan give about picking mushrooms?
Answer: B or C
The recording links this point with Don’t pick mushrooms near busy roads. or Don’t eat mushrooms given to you.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
12Which TWO warnings does Dan give about picking mushrooms?
Answer: C or B
The recording links this point with Don’t eat mushrooms given to you. or Don’t pick mushrooms near busy roads.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
13Which TWO ideas about wild mushrooms does Dan say are correct?
Answer: B or D
The recording links this point with Mushrooms eaten by animals may be unsafe. or Brightly coloured mushrooms can be edible.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
14Which TWO ideas about wild mushrooms does Dan say are correct?
Answer: D or B
The recording links this point with Brightly coloured mushrooms can be edible. or Mushrooms eaten by animals may be unsafe.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
15What advice does Dan give about picking mushrooms in parks?
Answer: C - Get there early.
The recording links this point with Get there early.. This makes C the correct choice.
16Dan says it is a good idea for beginners to
Answer: B - join a group.
The recording links this point with join a group.. This makes B the correct choice.
17What does Dan say is important for conservation?
Answer: B - picking a limited amount of mushrooms
The recording links this point with picking a limited amount of mushrooms. This makes B the correct choice.
18According to Dan, some varieties of wild mushrooms are in decline because there is
Answer: C - a rise in building developments locally.
The recording links this point with a rise in building developments locally.. This makes C the correct choice.
19Dan says that when storing mushrooms, people should
Answer: A - keep them in the fridge for no more than two days.
The recording links this point with keep them in the fridge for no more than two days.. This makes A the correct choice.
20What does Dan say about trying new varieties of mushrooms?
Answer: A - Experiment with different recipes.
The recording links this point with Experiment with different recipes.. This makes A the correct choice.
Part 3: The Luddites and the future of work
Two students discuss the Luddites, predictions about work and changes in different occupations.
21Which TWO opinions about the Luddites do the students express?
Answer: A or E
The recording links this point with Their actions were ineffective. or Their attitude is understandable.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
22Which TWO opinions about the Luddites do the students express?
Answer: E or A
The recording links this point with Their attitude is understandable. or Their actions were ineffective.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
23Which TWO predictions about the future of work are the students doubtful about?
Answer: B or D
The recording links this point with Unemployment will fall. or Working hours will be shorter.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
24Which TWO predictions about the future of work are the students doubtful about?
Answer: D or B
The recording links this point with Working hours will be shorter. or Unemployment will fall.. The accepted choices may appear in either order.
25Accountants
Answer: G - Both employment and productivity have risen.
The recording links this point with Both employment and productivity have risen.. This makes G the correct choice.
26Hairdressers
Answer: E - Higher disposable income has led to a huge increase in jobs.
The recording links this point with Higher disposable income has led to a huge increase in jobs.. This makes E the correct choice.
27Administrative staff
Answer: B - Their role has become more interesting in recent years.
The recording links this point with Their role has become more interesting in recent years.. This makes B the correct choice.
28Agricultural workers
Answer: C - The number of people working in this sector has fallen dramatically.
The recording links this point with The number of people working in this sector has fallen dramatically.. This makes C the correct choice.
29Care workers
Answer: F - There is likely to be a significant rise in demand for this service.
The recording links this point with There is likely to be a significant rise in demand for this service.. This makes F the correct choice.
30Bank clerks
Answer: A - These jobs are likely to be at risk.
The recording links this point with These jobs are likely to be at risk.. This makes A the correct choice.
Part 4: Space Traffic Management
A lecture explains the need for a coordinated Space Traffic Management system.
31The system would aim to set up legal and ____ ways of improving safety.
Answer: technical
The recording states that the system would aim to set up legal and technical ways of improving safety. This confirms technical as the missing answer.
32Satellites are now quite ____ and therefore more widespread.
Answer: cheap
The recording states that satellites are now quite cheap and therefore more widespread. This confirms cheap as the missing answer.
33There are constellations made up of ____ of satellites.
Answer: thousands
The recording states that there are constellations made up of thousands of satellites. This confirms thousands as the missing answer.
34Satellites are not required to transmit information to help with their ____.
Answer: identification
The recording states that satellites are not required to transmit information to help with their identification. This confirms identification as the missing answer.
35There are few systems for ____ satellites.
Answer: tracking
The recording states that there are few systems for tracking satellites. This confirms tracking as the missing answer.
36Operators may not share details of satellites used for ____ or commercial reasons.
Answer: military
The recording states that operators may not share details of satellites used for military or commercial reasons. This confirms military as the missing answer.
37It may be hard to collect details of the object’s ____ at a given time.
Answer: location
The recording states that it may be hard to collect details of the object’s location at a given time. This confirms location as the missing answer.
38Scientists can only make a ____ about where the satellite will go.
Answer: prediction
The recording states that scientists can only make a prediction about where the satellite will go. This confirms prediction as the missing answer.
39The information should be combined in one ____.
Answer: database
The recording states that the information should be combined in one database. This confirms database as the missing answer.
40A coordinated system must be designed to create ____ in its users.
Answer: trust
The recording states that a coordinated system must be designed to create trust in its users. This confirms trust as the missing answer.
Academic and General Training Listening Answers
Are the Cambridge IELTS 18 Academic and GT Test 3 Listening Answers the Same?
Yes. Academic and General Training candidates use the same Cambridge IELTS 18 Test 3 Listening recording, questions and answer key. The Reading and Writing tests are different.
Can I Use This Page for Cambridge IELTS 18 General Training Test 3?
Yes. Every answer and explanation on this page applies to the General Training Listening test.
Are Alternative Answers Included?
Yes. We show alternatives only when they are accepted for this test. Examples include socialise or socialize, and movement or animal movement.
What to Do After Marking
Label each error as a listening error, spelling error, distractor error, or instruction error. Replay only the difficult part after completing one full timed attempt.