Cambridge IELTS 1 · Listening · Test 2 · Part 2
Buying a Bicycle — IELTS Listening Answers
All 10 answers for Buying a Bicycle, Cambridge IELTS 1 Listening Test 2 Part 2, with the transcript evidence and an explanation for each.
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Buying a Bicycle answer key at a glance
Questions 11–20. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this part tests
This part is tested with Note Completion (Q11–20). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 11–20: Note Completion
Strategy: Predict the word class from the note, find the paraphrase of the note's keyword in the transcript, then copy the answer exactly within the word limit.
“Well, the range of bicycles is enormous — there are racing bikes, touring bikes, mountain bikes or just plain ordinary bikes for riding round town”
Bike types include 'mountain bikes', so the modifier mountain fits before the given word bikes.
“They vary enormously in two basic ways: price and quality”
Bikes vary in 'two basic ways: price and quality', so quality pairs with the price already noted.
“However, in broad terms you can spend anything from $50 to $2,000 on a bike so, you’ll need to know what you are looking for”
Prices run 'from $50 to $2,000', so the upper figure is 2,000, written with a comma or space.
“Single speed cycles — that is bikes with no gears, are really only suited to short, casual rides”
Single-speed bikes 'are really only suited to short, casual rides', so short rides is the answer.
“Three speed cycles on the other hand are all that is really necessary for most town riding, going to the shops and things like that”
Three-speed bikes are 'all that is really necessary for most town riding', going to the shops and so on.
“Five and ten speed bicycles are best suited to riding over long distances or hilly terrain and to serious touring, so if it’s serious touring you’re interested in, get a five or ten speed bike”
Five- and ten-speed bikes are best for long distances and 'serious touring', a phrase the speaker repeats.
“So I would tend to recommend the ten speed bike as the price is similar — however you’ll be getting better quality components”
The ten-speed is recommended because 'the price is similar', so no extra money is needed.
“So I would tend to recommend the ten speed bike as the price is similar — however you’ll be getting better quality components”
For that similar price 'you'll be getting better quality components', the added benefit named.
“Now the next thing we need to look at is size. Buying a cycle is like buying clothes, first of all you find the right size and then you try it on to see if it fits”
Choosing a cycle is compared to 'buying clothes': find the right size, then try it on.
“Contrary to what you might imagine, the size of the cycle is not determined by the size of the wheels (except in children’s cycles), but by the size of the frame”
Size 'is not determined by the size of the wheels... but by the size of the frame', so frame is the key word.
Learn the question types in this part
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Buying a Bicycle listening section come from?
It is Part 2 of Cambridge IELTS 1 Listening Test 2, and it covers Questions 11–20.
What question types appear in Buying a Bicycle?
The part is tested with Note Completion. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.