Working as a film makeup artist is the theme of Section 2 of Cambridge IELTS 21 Listening Test 1, and this page covers the whole of it: the complete answer key for Questions 11–20, playable audio, an explanation for every question with the exact transcript line that proves it, and the full recording script. You hear a single voice, the makeup artist Claire Lemarre, on a film-making podcast, and the paper splits into six multiple choice questions (11–16) and a matching task (17–20) that pairs four trainee duties with the ability each one demands.

Every wrong option borrows her exact words, so each mark comes from hearing which phrases she confirms and which she cancels with won’t, don’t and unlikely. Practise that elimination method with the multiple choice strategy before you press play, then set your letters against the complete Cambridge IELTS 21 Listening Test 1 answers page, which brings all four sections of the paper together.

Listening Audio — Section 2

Play the recording once, without pausing, and answer Questions 11–20 before you check the key. In the real exam you hear each section exactly once.

Questions 11–20

Questions 11–16

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

11. What should trainees always expect to get when working on low budget short films? travel expenses a minimum wage meals

• A — travel expenses
• B — a minimum wage
• C — meals

12. According to the speaker, on big budget films trainees may get experience of makeup for special effects. working with different ethnicities. creating a variety of hair styles.

• A — makeup for special effects.
• B — working with different ethnicities.
• C — creating a variety of hair styles.

13. The speaker says a problem for makeup artists is dealing with difficult directors. being shouted at by their supervisor. waiting around for hours doing nothing.

• A — dealing with difficult directors.
• B — being shouted at by their supervisor.
• C — waiting around for hours doing nothing.

14. How did the speaker feel when she met famous actors for the first time? very shy very proud very disappointed

• A — very shy
• B — very proud
• C — very disappointed

15. What advice does the speaker give about makeup kits? Always carry a basic kit with you. Only buy the best products for a makeup kit. Ask other makeup artists to check your kit.

• A — Always carry a basic kit with you.
• B — Only buy the best products for a makeup kit.
• C — Ask other makeup artists to check your kit.

16. What advice does the speaker give about creating a portfolio? Keep print and digital photos. Only include a small selection of photos. Get permission to use photos.

• A — Keep print and digital photos.
• B — Only include a small selection of photos.
• C — Get permission to use photos.

Questions 17–20

What ability is required for each of the following duties?

Write the correct letter, A, B, or C, next to Questions 17-20.

• A. being well-organised
• B. being flexible
• C. working quickly

17. Prepping an actor

18. Continuity

19. General

20. Applying makeup

Working as a Film Makeup Artist Listening Answers

Questions and Answers

Working as a Film Makeup Artist Answer Explanations

11. A (travel expenses) — low budget shorts pay nothing, but the speaker warns “Make sure your transport costs are covered”, which paraphrases travel expenses. B fails because trainees are “working for free”, so there is no wage of any size, and C fails because there is “very unlikely to be any catering provided”, so you bring your own food.

12. B (working with different ethnicities) — on big budget films trainees “work with a range of age groups, as well as different ethnicities”. A fails because special effects makeup is “highly specialised”, with no practical experience offered, and C fails because “makeup and hair styling are separate departments” on these productions.

13. A (dealing with difficult directors) — the makeup department is a high-pressure workplace where top artists stay calm “even when they’re having to work with directors who are impatient”. B fails because the supervisor is the person you follow for calm, and C fails because “There are very few times when you’ll be bored”, so waiting around is not the problem.

14. A (very shy) — describing her first meetings with famous actors, the speaker says “At first, I found it overwhelming and could hardly speak”. B fails because “That’s preferable, by the way, to becoming too excited” rejects that behaviour rather than describing her, and C fails because the line about actors not looking special describes the actors, not her own reaction.

15. A (Always carry a basic kit with you) — every trainee needs a kit that is “expected to have with them at all times”, and “Just the essentials will do for the kinds of tasks you’ll be given”. B fails because essentials, not the best products, are the advice, and C fails because she tells you to look at other artists’ kits, never to have yours checked.

16. C (Get permission to use photos) — the condition attached to the portfolio is the reminder that “you’ll need to get approval from the makeup designer in charge of the department”. A fails because “you won’t need to get photos printed” when the portfolio goes out digitally, and B fails because she says to “take photos of all the work you do”.

17. C (working quickly) — prepping an actor means stepping in and getting the skin ready “without wasting any time”, otherwise the makeup artist will “get behind schedule”. A fails because organisation belongs to the continuity duty in Question 18, and B fails because flexibility belongs to the general duties in Question 19.

18. A (being well-organised) — continuity work requires you to “take photos, log them digitally and print out a hard copy” for each actor’s file, and “This information needs to be kept in good order as a reshoot can mean replicating makeup months later”. Logging, filing and keeping records in order is exactly what being well-organised describes.

19. B (being flexible) — general duties stretch from “getting the teas and coffees to putting on a wash”, and progress comes from “being willing to do whatever is asked of you”. That constant change of task calls for flexibility rather than pure speed or a filing system.

20. C (working quickly) — trainees apply makeup to “only the extras”, and with dozens of extras they must “keep up a swift pace and not spend too long on each person”. Confidence is what it takes to do this well, but the ability the box names is speed, which is why C repeats the answer to Question 17.

Listening Transcript — Section 2

MAN: Hello and welcome to the film making podcast. In this week’s episode, Claire Lemarre talks to us about how to become a makeup artist. Claire’s been working as a makeup artist in the film industry for over 20 years and has lots of useful advice about how to get started.

WOMAN: Thanks Ian. Well, before you can become a makeup artist on films you have to spend about 2 years working as a makeup trainee.

A good place to get your first job would be on a low budget short film. Of course, this means that you’ll be working for free. But it’s often worth it for the experience. Make sure your transport costs are covered – and remember, there’s very unlikely to be any catering provided, so bring plenty of food.

If you’re lucky, you might start out on a big budget film where you’ll get the most useful experience. On productions like this, makeup and hair styling are separate departments – so you won’t need to bring your curling tongs! But you’re likely to get the opportunity to work with a range of age groups, as well as different ethnicities. Doing makeup for special effects is highly specialised, so don’t expect to be offered any practical experience in that.

One problem with working in the makeup department is that it’s a high-pressure environment. There are very few times when you’ll be bored or have nothing to do. It can be stressful but you’ll see that the top makeup artists are very professional – even when they’re having to work with directors who are impatient, or unhappy with the makeup artist’s work. Follow your supervisor’s lead and try to remain calm at all times.

I’ve worked with many very famous actors over the years. At first, I found it overwhelming and could hardly speak. I was so in awe. That’s preferable, by the way, to becoming too excited and asking for selfies. Now meeting the talent is just a normal part of the job and to be honest most actors don’t look that special without all the makeup!

Every makeup trainee will need a makeup kit, which they’ll be expected to have with them at all times. Just the essentials will do for the kinds of tasks you’ll be given – it won’t be anything complicated. It’s worth looking at what the other makeup artists have in their kits – but whatever you do, don’t borrow anything without asking first.

It’s very important to build your portfolio. You should take photos of all the work you do and ideally show the different stages of makeup application if you can. But remember you’ll need to get approval from the makeup designer in charge of the department. As you’ll be sending your portfolio digitally, you won’t need to get photos printed.

So what does a makeup trainee actually do? You need to think about whether you’re the right kind of person to do the job and whether you’d enjoy it. So, to give you some idea, here are some of the things you might be required to do.

You may be asked to help prep an actor ready for makeup. Some actors will arrive having already cleansed and moisturized their skin. But sometimes you’ll need to step in and get this done without wasting any time, otherwise the makeup artist will get behind schedule.

Trainees play a useful role in continuity. It will be your responsibility to take photos, log them digitally and print out a hard copy to put in each actor’s file. This information needs to be kept in good order as a reshoot can mean replicating makeup months later.

General duties mean doing anything from getting the teas and coffees to putting on a wash. Having a positive attitude and being willing to do whatever is asked of you will help you get your next film job.

You won’t be asked to apply makeup to any of the principal cast, only the extras. If there are dozens of extras involved you’ll need to keep up a swift pace and not spend too long on each person. It takes quite a lot of confidence to be able to do this well.

OK now about terms and conditions….

Key Vocabulary and Spelling

Study Tips

Rejection markers decide this section. The speaker cancels options with plain negatives: “don’t expect to be offered any practical experience in that” removes the special effects option in Question 12, “you won’t need to get photos printed” removes printing in Question 16, and “there’s very unlikely to be any catering provided” removes meals in Question 11. When a phrase you recognise is followed by don’t, won’t or unlikely, cross the matching option out at once.

In the matching task, letters are reused, so never cross an ability out of the box after using it once. Working quickly scores twice — for prepping an actor in Question 17 and for applying makeup to extras in Question 20 — while being well-organised and being flexible each score once. Read the four duties and the three abilities before the audio starts and underline the verbs in each duty, using predicting answers before you hear them to guess which ability each duty needs before she begins.

Track the numbers she quotes, because each one anchors a wrong option. The two years as a trainee, the twenty years in the industry and the months-later reshoot all sit near answer-bearing sentences, and only one figure per point matters. Write the letter the whole sentence supports, not the one the nearest familiar word suggests, and change your answer only when a later sentence plainly overrides an earlier one.

Practice More Listening Tests

Score the ten questions, reread the explanation for every miss, and log the result beside your Section 1 marks on the full Cambridge IELTS 21 Listening Test 1 answers page, which holds the keys and transcripts for all four sections. The free IELTS listening practice course from Simply IELTS builds the skills this section grades: eliminating options the speaker rejects and matching duties to abilities at speaking pace. Put both straight to work with this interactive listening test: labyrinths, then move on to Section 3, the Ocean Biodiversity Discussion listening test, where two voices carry the same matching skills further.