Cheetahs IELTS listening answers

1 Expert IELTS 5 Teacher’s Online Materials © Pearson Education Limited 2017 Photocopiable Practice Test Audio Script Section 1 Questions 1–10 You will hear a number of different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in four sections. At the end of the test you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Now turn to Section 1. Section 1. You will hear a woman talking to a friend whose town she is planning to visit. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. You will see that an example has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first. Bill: Hello. Lucy: Hello, Bill? It’s Lucy. Bill: Lucy! How are you? Everything all right with your travel plans? Lucy: Yes, absolutely, but I ought to book a hotel so I need your advice on a good place to stay. Bill: OK. Well, the nearest hotel to us is The Ambassador. Lucy: That sounds rather grand. Bill: Well, it is rather, and it’s right next to the sea. The hotel is next to the sea, so ‘sea’ has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6. Bill: Hello. Lucy: Hello, Bill? It’s Lucy. Bill: Lucy! How are you? Everything all right with your travel plans? Lucy: Yes, absolutely, but I ought to book a hotel so I need your advice on a good place to stay. Bill: OK. Well, the nearest hotel to us is The Ambassador. Lucy: That sounds rather grand. Bill: Well, it is rather, and it’s right next to the sea. Lucy: That certainly sounds nice. Bill: It’s got a pretty good reputation, though I’ve heard the service isn’t as brilliant as it used to be. The main attraction is the wonderful views. Lucy: I can imagine, but I’m not sure we’ll have much time to enjoy them with all you’ve got planned for our visit! Bill: Well, that’s true. And it’s expensive, even off season. And I’ve heard they charge even more at weekends. Lucy: Right, well, maybe we should go for something a bit cheaper. Bill: There’s the Oaklands Guest House. Some friends of ours stayed there last year and thought it was quite good. Lucy: Where’s that? Bill: It’s actually in the city centre but that’s only 10 minutes away by car. Our friends say they give you enormous breakfasts, but the restaurant isn’t open for other meals, I’m afraid. Lucy: That’s not a problem for us – we like to get out to eat. Are the room rates reasonable? Bill: Oh yes. But I should mention that it’s on the main road so it can get rather noisy in some of the rooms. And it’s pretty old-fashioned, though I think that’s part of its charm. Lucy: OK. But I’ve just thought, if it’s not particularly modern, are there a lot of stairs? It might be a problem for dad. Bill: Yes, I’m afraid there are. Lucy: That won’t be suitable then. Bill: I think you’re right. Oh, I almost forgot. There’s a new, so-called ‘boutique hotel’ just opened about 5 minutes’ walk from us. It’s called The Blue House. It’s just on the opposite side of the street from the sports centre. Lucy: I remember driving past it, yeah. Bill: I’ve heard the décor’s amazing. It was designed by a local artist. Lucy: That’d be interesting for Jess, ’cos she’s just starting art college. Bill: Yes, of course. Lucy: So do you think this Blue House might be the best option? Bill: Well, just recently the local newspaper gave it a glowing review, saying it was really good value for money. Although it did say you have to pay for parking in addition to the room rate. It’s not much but I thought that was a bit mean. Lucy: Tell you what, I’ll discuss all this with Alex and make a decision soon. Bill: Fine. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 7 to 10. Lucy: In the meantime, we’d like to bring presents for you and the kids. What would they like? Bill: That’s ever so good of you, thank you. We always love getting your gifts. Lucy: Our pleasure. So, starting with Daniel … is he still skateboarding? Bill: Well actually he hasn’t done that for a while now. He’s really into sailing so he’d love anything to do with that. Lucy: Right, I’ve noted that. And last time we bought a small box of chocolates which he really enjoyed? Bill: He loved them but it’d be rather cruel ’cos he’s on a diet at the moment. Lucy: So it’s best not to bring any? Bill: Yes, best avoided. Lucy: No problem. Bill: I’ve got a good idea for Alice. Lucy: Great! Bill: You know she’s off travelling soon? Lucy: Of course, I saw her Facebook posting – I could get her a travel guide, couldn’t I? Bill: She’s already got one on Portugal. Lucy: How about Spain? Bill: Excellent. She’d love that. Lucy: So that just leaves you, Bill. Bill: Well, you know how much I loved the sweater you bought last time … Lucy: Yeah, you wore it a lot. I’ll get you another one. Bill: Well, I’d prefer a shirt, you know, like John’s, if that’s alright? Lucy: You mean with the batik design? Bill: I love those traditional prints, yeah! Lucy: No problem, we’ll get organised now and make a decision … That is the end of Section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to Section 2. 2 Expert IELTS 5 Teacher’s Online Materials © Pearson Education Limited 2017 Photocopiable Practice Test Audio Script Section 2 Questions 11–20 You will hear the manager of a sports club, giving a talk about plans for a new gym and findings from a survey of members. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 11 to 14. Manager: Good afternoon everyone and thanks for coming along to the session. We’re very pleased to have this opportunity to present our plans for the expanded Westgate Sports Club and we’re sure that you, as valued members, will be impressed by these designs. At the end you’ll have the chance to raise any queries or concerns … if you have any. I’ll start with the gym. Let’s look at the plan of the new space, which has been widened to allow for more machines and better access. I’ll talk you through where we’re going to put our most well- used equipment, looking in from the Entrance. Firstly, we want to have our set of stationary bikes in the curved area beyond the rowing machines … between the water fountain and the benches. Incidentally we’re planning to add a couple more of these because there’s often a queue to use the bikes, as many of you will know. Now, turning to our various strength-training machines – cable and stack machines and so on. We’re going to put these along the length of the side wall, next to the warm-up area. This will allow us to have plenty of room between the individual machines, which hasn’t been possible in the smaller space of the existing gym. Then the running machines – we’ve decided to put them near the centre of the gym in a rectangular block directly in front of the weights. We know these machines are often the first place our members go when they come in but we feel this position should be safer, as well as more comfortable for users. Then finally the set of cross trainers – these will go right next to the water fountain … in fact just to the left of the entrance. We’ve put them here to give plenty of space on all sides of the individual machines. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 15 to 20. Manager: What I’ll do now is talk about the different classes and activities which we offer in the club. We’ve conducted some research with our members to find out what issues they have with the existing provision, and where relevant, I’ll explain what we’ve found out. Firstly, yoga – for a long time it’s been an important part of our schedule but it’s declining in popularity and we discovered that some people feel it’s become too easy, with people of different standards in one group. Secondly, basketball – the teachers usually get good ratings, but the court is often used for competitions, so classes frequently don’t run … obviously not ideal. Then there’s the climbing club, using the rock wall. This is becoming more popular with younger members, but it’s still not bringing in older people, despite the fact that the new video on the webpage has been very well received – meaning you can learn the basic moves before you even get to the wall. Moving now to dance, which is slightly different from other classes and activities at the club – it’s the most booked class of all and always has a waiting list. We’re looking at ways to address that – there should be enough classes for everyone who wants them. Now, indoor cycling is growing in popularity, but only amongst older members. As a result we’re currently looking for ways to improve take-up across all groups. And the final activity we looked into was badminton: our members value the flexibility of booking which means they can sign up for a game whenever they want, without an instructor. So, all of this information has been and will continue to be used in our planning for the new schedules. Now if … That is the end of Section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to Section 3. Section 3 Questions 21–30 You will hear a first year language studies student, Beth, discussing with her tutor her research project on sign language for deaf people. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 21 to 24. Bill: So how’re you getting on with your project, Beth? Beth: Well, I’ve decided I want to look at communication used by people with hearing difficulties, in particular sign language … Tutor: Right. Beth: … which I’m defining as language using the hands and other parts of the body to convey meaning, without using speech or other sounds. Tutor: It’s a really interesting topic … but why did you choose it? I imagine it’s not something all your fellow students will know much about. Beth: Yes, but I think that learning about this form of communication sheds light on notions of language in general. Personally I don’t know many deaf people – there’s no one in the family who uses it, for example. Tutor: It would definitely be a skill you can put on your CV … when you’re looking for a job after graduation. Beth: Well, I have to say I did have that in my mind when I was thinking of topics to research … and I think it’s generally very worthwhile. Tutor: Certainly. I think it’ll work well for this particular project. Now, have you done much reading yet? Beth: A few basic texts. I’ve known for a long time that there are different kinds of sign languages, including one called Pidgin International Sign which is recognised all over the world, though not often used … but one thing that did amaze me was that there are so many versions of sign languages. It’s obvious, though that they don’t all have the same status as languages. Tutor: Which mirrors the situation with spoken language of course … Beth: Yes, absolutely. 3 Expert IELTS 5 Teacher’s Online Materials © Pearson Education Limited 2017 Photocopiable Practice Test Audio Script Tutor: And have you picked up anything about the history of sign languages? Beth: Not a great deal yet … but I was astonished to learn that the first one was probably created in the early 1600s. Though it had a limited number of features … Tutor: Mmm, very interesting. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 25 to 30. Bill: So you’ve got a solid basic understanding of sign language from your reading. Now you’ll need to plan your own research sequence. Have you got any ideas? Beth: Well my overall plan is to get data from a variety of different people involved in using sign language. But I’d like to start by actually trying to learn some signing myself. Tutor: That’s a good starting point – yeah. Beth: Yes, I don’t think I need to assess how well I do this – I just think it’ll give me a clearer idea of what’s involved. Tutor: Yes, but nonetheless, I think you might find it useful to gather some data on your experience. Beth: What do you advise? … videoing my efforts? Tutor: I was thinking more of writing a diary – it’s more straightforward. Beth: Oh okay, yeah – for the whole period I’m learning? Tutor: Yes. That kind of data gathering is never wasted – you never know when you’ll be able to use it. Beth: Right. And then I’ll need to look at some academic articles with summaries of previous investigations on learning sign language. Tutor: Have you got any in mind? I could give you some pointers. Beth: That’d be a real help – thanks. Basically, I want to get ideas for how to design my questionnaire – I’m not sure where to start. Tutor: Well, start by creating a draft, jotting down the key items. Beth: And should I try the questions out beforehand, on people with hearing impairments? Tutor: For small-scale research like this, you’re probably better just getting some of your classmates to try it out and give you feedback. Beth: That’s great. Then at some point I know I need to fill in an ethics form … to make sure I’m following university policies on this. Tutor: You should submit that after your trial – when you’ll have many of your ideas firmed up. Beth: Right. And then I’ll do the main research – gathering data and analysing it. Tutor: Yes. Beth: And then I’ll have a set of findings which I want to present, not to classmates and other students but actually to people in the deaf community. And I’d like to try to use some of the signs I’ll have learnt. But I’d also aim to use an interpreter. Tutor: Well, that’s a very creative idea, I think these plans are very good starting points … That is the end of Section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to Section 4. Section 4 Questions 31–40 You will hear a zoology student giving a presentation on cheetahs, to fellow students. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 33. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 31 to 33. Good afternoon. Today I’m going to talk about recent research on one of the most interesting members of the big cat family – the cheetah. But I’ll start my presentation with some basic background information. The cheetah lives and hunts in open savannah or grassland, using the tall grass as camouflage while it stalks its prey, which is mainly gazelle and other species of antelope. Unfortunately, cheetah populations are currently in decline. In the past, pressure came from hunting when the cheetah was prized for its fur. Nowadays its decline is mainly due to the destruction of habitat and other forms of environmental change. In 1900, there were in excess of 100,000 animals ranging from South Africa to India. Today only an estimated 9,000 to 12,000 cheetahs remain in the wild in east, central and south-west Africa and just 200 in Iran. However, the cheetah remains a fearsome presence, and numerous adaptations make it an extremely successful predator. For example it has striking black ‘tear marks’ either side of its nose, which reduce the amount of sunlight shining into its eyes, aiding long-distance vision. It also has very long legs and a slender body which is built for speed. Furthermore, having big nostrils and an enlarged heart, as well as big lungs, improves its ability to take in and circulate oxygen. All of which helps to generate the required bursts of speed. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 34 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer the questions 34 to 40. I’m turning now to a brief summary of recent research on cheetahs by a group of veterinary specialists. These scientists realised that previous research had focused on hunting during the daytime, and on chases in a straight line – this meant that it’d failed to capture the full dynamic range of the cheetahs’ movement. The scientists wanted to track individual animals in the wild over long periods of time, so they designed a collar which could be fitted comfortably round the necks of wild cheetahs. These didn’t need to be replaced at regular intervals, because they were designed to run using a combination of solar power and more conventional batteries. It was also important that the animals could be monitored over long distances in the African bush, so the collars were designed to be controlled from an aircraft which would fly closely overhead. The findings confirmed those of previous research, but they also gave a much more detailed picture of wild cheetah behaviour. It’s well known that the cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal, but the research found that more important than sheer speed for success in hunting is acceleration and agility. Its claws have evolved to be semi-retractable which help it turn quickly – this is necessary because during the hunt, antelopes and other prey take evasive action with frequent shifts in direction and the cheetah needs to follow. Another adaptation is the cheetah’s tail which acts rather like the rudder on a boat – it helps it steer whilst chasing its prey. The research also showed that this kind of agility requires tremendous muscle power. The scientists made a comparison with Olympic sprinters, and found that cheetah leg muscles are stronger than 4 Expert IELTS 5 Teacher’s Online Materials © Pearson Education Limited 2017 Photocopiable Practice Test Audio Script those of the quickest human – by a factor of four. They also made some interesting discoveries about differences between males and females – male cheetahs are more sociable, living in sibling groups, whereas females tend to be isolated. I’d be happy to answer … That is the end of Section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. In the IELTS test you would now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the Listening Answer sheet.