Monologue about Advice on Legal Matters - IELTS Listening Sample Answer

IELTS Listening comprises two conversations and two monologues. This topic - A monologue about advice on legal matters is IELTS Listening section 2. Candidates will mostly come across monologues based on social contexts necessary to know for candidates aspiring to study abroad. Candidates will need to answer the following IELTS listening questions:

• Sentence completion
• Note completion
• Matching statements

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Audio Transcript:

SECTION 2

Presenter: Good afternoon, everybody. My name is Sally Miller and I’m here to offer you some advice on legal matters whilst you are studying at this university. Happily, most international students complete their courses without running into any serious legal problems, but if you do find yourself involved in a legal dispute of any kind, ask for help. There are two options. First, contact the students’ union or welfare officer. Even if they cannot help you directly, they should be able to advise you where to go for help. The second possibility is to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau in your area. You can find them in the local telephone directory. They will be able to recommend a solicitor if you need one, and tell you if there is a local law centre providing free legal advice. They will also be able to tell you whether you can claim legal aid to help pay for any court and legal fees. Let me give you some basic information about the police. The police have the power to stop and search anyone who appears to be behaving in a suspicious manner.

If you are arrested for any reason, even if you know it to be a wrong reason, remember a few very important things. One, don’t be aggressive. Two, do not try to bribe the police officer. Three, if you are arrested by plain-clothes police officers, ask to see some form of identification . Four, give your true name and address if the officer asks you to. Lying to the police is a criminal offence. Five, do not sign any statement until you have received advice from a solicitor. There is always a solicitor on duty at every police station. Six, you will be entitled to make one telephone call. If you use this call to telephone a friend, urge your friend to contact someone from your university or from the students’ union and get advice about what you should do next. If you find yourself in trouble with the police, it is very important to get professional advice. Contact any of the following: your university welfare officer, the students’ union at your university, your local Citizens Advice Bureau, a local law centre.

If you are found guilty of an offence, it could seriously damage your position as an international student, so be sure to ask for help as early in the process as possible. Remember: obey the local laws! The laws here may not be quite the same as in your own country. Here are a few examples of actions that are illegal here. It is against the law to: possess offensive weapons , e.g. knives, guns, chemical sprays used for personal defence—even women are not allowed to carry sprays or other deterrents to protect themselves against possible assault—except for rape alarms, possess or supply hard or soft drugs, disturb the peace — this is called “disorderly conduct”. This means that you can be arrested for being too noisy or rowdy. A few words about drinking. In this country, it is perfectly acceptable for adults to drink alcohol in moderate amounts.

For many people, drinking is an established part of their social life—”going out for a drink” is how they relax or spend time with friends. If you go to a party or visit people at home in the evening, your host will probably offer you a drink. Often a lot of university social life can revolve around drinking, especially for undergraduates. Do not be surprised if people arrange to meet in a bar or if events are held in a pub. But you are not obliged to drink alcohol if you do not want to even if you are in a pub or at a party where everyone else is drinking. You can always ask for a non-alcoholic drink instead . And if you feel uncomfortable going to places that serve alcohol, explain this to your friends— there are lots of other places where you can meet. If you do choose to drink, remember that you should never drive a motor vehicle after drinking alcohol— it is dangerous and the police can impose serious penalties on you.

Also remember that being drunk in public is not acceptable either, and the police can arrest you for it. Drugs and alcohol can cause serious problems. Let me repeat that in this country, it is illegal to use drugs, except under medical supervision. But, if you do use illegal drugs and you develop a problem, there are organisations you can contact. Contact your students’ union or your student counsellor. Anyone over 18 years old can legally buy and consume alcoholic drinks in this country, but if you think you might be drinking too much, get help and advice from your student counsellor or your doctor. Again, there are special organisations that can help you with drug and alcohol problems. Contact them.

Section 2

Questions 11-20

Questions 11-12

Complete the table below. Complete the notes on the Citizens Advice Bureau using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each gap.

11_______________ a solicitor

Suggest where you can find free legal advice

Inform you whether you can get 12______________ to cover legal costs

Question 11:

Answer: recommend

Explanation: The monologue states that the students can contact the Citizen Advice Bureau as they will be able to recommend them a solicitor if the students need one.

Also check:

Question 12:

Answer: legal aid

Explanation: The Citizen Advice Bureau will also be able to help if the candidate can get any legal aid to pay for their fees.

Questions 13-14

Complete the table below. Complete the notes on the police using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each gap

don’t be aggressive

do not try to bribe police officers

ask plain-clothes police officers for 13_____________

give your true name and address if asked

do not sign anything without a solicitor’s 14_____________

you can make one telephone call

Question 13:

Answer: form of identification

Explanation: If the student is arrested in any case, and that too without any reason, they need to maintain three things. Firstly, not be aggressive, secondly, not bribe the police officers, and thirdly, if the police officers are found in plain clothes they should ask for a form of identification.

Question 14:

Answer: advice/advise

Explanation: If arrested, the student needs to provide their original name and address, and if they are asked to sign somewhere, they shouldn’t do that until the solicitor tells them.

Questions 15-16

Complete the table below.Complete the following notes on illegal actions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each gap.

The following three things are illegal:

the possession of 15_____________

the possession or 16_____________ of drugs disorderly conduct

Question 15:

Answer: (offensive) weapon

Explanation: It is against the law to possess offensive weapons, and student possessing it may get arrested.

Question 16:

Answer: supply (hard)

Explanation: Possessing or supplying hard or soft drugs will be marked under ‘disorderly conduct’.

Questions 17-20

Complete the table below. Write the appropriate letters in any order next to 17-20on your answer sheet.

Decide which FOUR of the following statements are true, according to the speaker.

1. It is socially acceptable to drink a lot of alcohol.
2. People often arrange to meet in bars.
3. Drinking non-alcoholic drinks in bars is socially acceptable.
4. You can drink a little and still drive a car.
5. You can drink in public.
6. Doctors can give patients otherwise illegal drugs.
7. You must be over 18 to buy alcohol.
8. Many people use illegal drugs.

Questions 17, 18, 19 and 20:

Answer: B, C, F, G (in any order)

Explanation: According to the speaker, there are many events that take place in a pub or bar, even university meets-ups. The student can ask for a non-alcoholic drink if they are not comfortable consuming alcohol. Drugs usage is only acceptable for medication purposes. The student needs to be 18 years of age or above to buy alcohol.