Module 5. LISTENING. Tips & Practice

Here are specific tips and strategies for your students to master the Social Problems & Inequality listening exam. You can share this guide with them before they start.

🎧 Part 1: Three Short Extracts (Multiple Choice)

The Context: You will hear three unrelated clips: a report on food banks, a debate on the digital divide, and an expert on ageism.

Tip 1: Listen for the "Corrective" Word In social issue discussions, speakers often mention common assumptions before correcting them with the real reason.

• Example (Question 1): The speaker might say, "People assume food banks are for the unemployed (Distractor A), but actually, the sharpest rise is among working families whose wages haven't kept up (Correct Answer B)."

• Strategy: Don't panic if you hear words from all three options. Wait for words like "actually," "in reality," or "the primary driver is..." to confirm the right answer.

Tip 2: Distinguish "Fact" from "Feeling"

• Question 2 asks what the volunteer finds most shocking.

• Strategy: The speaker might list several bad statistics (facts), but you must listen for the specific emotion. Look for phrases like: "What really keeps me up at night is..." or "The aspect that completely stunned me was..."

📝 Part 2: Sentence Completion (The Monologue)

The Context: A documentary narration about the cost of living crisis.

Tip 1: The "Cues" are Synonyms The words on your exam paper will rarely match the audio exactly before the gap. You must listen for synonyms (paraphrases).

• Exam Paper: "community centers are acting as a _______ for local residents."

• Audio: "...these local hubs have essentially become a lifeline for the people living nearby..."

• Strategy: When you read "acting as a," be prepared to hear "become a," "serve as a," or "function as a."

Tip 2: Grammatical Prediction Before the audio starts, predict the type of word you need.

• Question 12: "risen _______" -> You need an adverb (e.g., sharply, dramatically).

• Question 10: "completely _______" -> You likely need a strong negative adjective (e.g., unsuitable, unbearable).

Tip 3: Exact Word Only If the speaker says "families," do not write "family." If the speaker says "heating," do not write "heat." In Part 2, spelling and exact word form count.

🎙️ Part 3: Long Interview (Multiple Choice)

The Context: An in-depth interview about the structural causes of poverty.

Tip 1: Follow the "Signposts" Interviews on complex social topics follow a logical structure. The interviewer's questions act as signposts.

• Strategy: When the interviewer asks, "And what about the impact on the younger generation?", you know you have moved to Question 18 or 19. If you are still thinking about the previous question, stop and move on, or you will get lost.

Tip 2: Watch for "Nuanced" Agreement Experts rarely agree 100% or disagree 100%. They use "Yes, but..." logic.

• Example (Question 16): "Some say the welfare system is too generous (Distractor A). While that is a popular headline, the data suggests it no longer provides the basic safety net it was designed for (Correct Answer B)."

• Strategy: Listen for the speaker's final stance, not just the arguments they mention.

🧩 Part 4: Multiple Matching (5 Speakers)

The Context: Five people sharing personal stories about "Growing Up Poor."

Tip 1: Identify the "Persona" In this specific exam, the speakers are likely parents or children/teenagers. Identifying who is speaking helps narrow down the options.

• Strategy: A child is more likely to talk about school uniforms or bullying (Task 1, Options B or D). A parent is more likely to talk about heating bills or fear of eviction (Task 1, Options C or G).

Tip 2: Vocabulary of Attitude (Task 2) Task 2 asks how they feel. You need to listen to their tone of voice as much as their words.

• Resignation (Option A): A flat, tired voice. "It is what it is," "We just have to get on with it."

• Determination (Option B): A stronger, firmer voice. "I won't let this define me," "I'm going to make sure my kids have it better."

• Shame (Option C): A quieter, hesitant voice. "I didn't want anyone to know," "I used to hide it."

📚 Essential Vocabulary for "Social Problems"

To help your students succeed, pre-teach these C1/C2 terms that appear in the exam:

1. Systemic: Something that affects the whole system (e.g., "systemic poverty" is not just about one person's bad luck).

2. Precarious: Not securely held or in position; likely to fall or collapse (e.g., "precarious employment" or "gig economy").

3. Safety Net: Government systems (like benefits/welfare) intended to help people in trouble.

4. Social Mobility: The ability to move up in class/wealth status.

5. Gentrification: The process of changing a poor neighborhood by wealthier people moving in, often pushing original residents out.

6. Destitution: Extreme poverty; lack of the means to provide for oneself.

7. Marginalized: Treated as insignificant or peripheral (e.g., "marginalized communities").

8. Stigma: A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance (e.g., "the stigma of using a food bank").