Cambridge IELTS 12 · Listening · Test 2 · Part 4
Conflict at Work — IELTS Listening Answers
All 10 answers for Conflict at Work, Cambridge IELTS 12 Listening Test 2 Part 4, with the transcript evidence and an explanation for each.
← All Cambridge 12 Listening Test 2 answers
Conflict at Work answer key at a glance
Questions 31–40. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this part tests
This part is tested with Note Completion (Q31–40). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 31–40: 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.
“What is conflict in the workplace? Definitions vary, but I’m taking it to refer to a whole range of behaviours that the victim finds unacceptable, from minor, harmless arguments to – at the opposite extreme – physical violence. Much of this is covered by the term bullying”
The range of unacceptable behaviours, from arguments to violence, is 'covered by the term bullying', so bullying is the label.
“often it’s caused by someone who feels the need to show their superiority over someone else”
Conflict often comes from someone who 'feels the need to show their superiority over someone else', so superiority is the motive.
“In some cases one person simply dislikes the other, on the basis that the personality of one is in some way incompatible with that of the other person”
One person may simply dislike another because 'the personality of one is ... incompatible' with the other's, so personality is the cause.
“Some conflicts arise when people are more interested in promoting themselves and their team than in the company as a whole. These conflicts are called ‘structural’”
When people promote themselves and their team rather than the company, 'these conflicts are called structural', so structural is the term.
“Conflict obviously affects the individuals concerned – the situation is likely to be very stressful for victims, resulting in their absence from work, possibly for months”
Stress on victims results in 'their absence from work, possibly for months', so absence names the effect on attendance.
“Many CEOs combine two opposing characteristics: confidence – that is, the belief that they’re capable of great achievements – with a high level of anxiety”
CEOs combine 'confidence – that is, the belief that they're capable of great achievements – with a high level of anxiety', so confidence is the trait.
“it’s particularly difficult to tackle the situation where colleagues, managers and board members are all trying to achieve their own visions. When they can’t agree on strategic issues and on where they see the business going, there are real problems.”
Conflict is hardest when colleagues, managers and board members 'are all trying to achieve their own visions', so visions is the plural noun.
“a company with a more democratic business model, can suffer more, when uncertainty about who to report to leads to conflicting demands.”
A company with a more 'democratic' business model suffers more when nobody knows who to report to, so democratic is the adjective.
“A good manager, at any level, will make efforts to earn the respect of the people they work with”
A good manager 'will make efforts to earn the respect of the people they work with', so respect is what must be earned.
“if one of the parties in a conflict sees human resources as simply a mouthpiece for the chief executive, then an external mediator might be able to help”
If HR is seen as the chief executive's mouthpiece, 'an external mediator might be able to help', so mediator is the neutral outsider.
Learn the question types in this part
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Conflict at Work listening section come from?
It is Part 4 of Cambridge IELTS 12 Listening Test 2, and it covers Questions 31–40.
What question types appear in Conflict at Work?
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.