Ocean Biodiversity Hotspots: listening answers and explanations
A student presents research on biodiversity in the oceans. The talk covers the idea of hotspots, findings by Boris Worm and Lisa Ballance, two big survey projects, and four ways to protect ocean species.
One ten-gap note block in order. The speaker moves through the headings by name: hotspots, Boris Worm in 2005, Lisa Ballance in 2007, the Census of Marine Life, the Global Marine Species Assessment, then 'So finally, what can be done' for the recommendations.
Answer key and self-check
Type what you wrote and hit mark. Hide the key first if you haven't done the part yet. Every question number jumps to its explanation.
How to attack this block: The names and dates in the notes are your signposts, so use them to keep your place. Only one word per gap: several answers come inside longer phrases ('high concentrations of food', 'corridors for migration'), and you need just the key noun.
Question 31
Answer: conservationRight after the example of Madagascar
What are hotspots useful for locating targets for?
These hotspots are significant because they allow us to locate key areas for focusing efforts at conservation.
Question says → You hear
important for locating targets forlocate key areas for focusing efforts at conservation
Why: 'Significant' matches 'important', 'locate key areas' matches 'locating targets', and the end of the sentence gives the purpose: conservation.
The trap: 'Efforts' sits just before the answer, but 'targets for efforts' doesn't make sense. The note needs what the efforts are for.
Question 32
Answer: foodWhen the speaker says what Worm expected to find
Also accepted: foods
What were ocean hotspots not always rich in?
they had very high concentrations of food … the remaining hotspot was quite badly off in that regard
Question says → You hear
were not always rich inthe remaining hotspot was quite badly off in that regard
Why: Worm expected high concentrations of food, but only four of the five hotspots had them. 'Not always' is exactly that: one hotspot was badly off for food. Food or foods are both accepted.
The trap: Predators and sharks are named just before, but they are what lives in the hotspots, not what the hotspots were rich in.
Question 33
Answer: surfaceStraight after the point about food, at 'But what he did find'
Where in the ocean were temperatures higher?
the water at the surface of the ocean had relatively … even when it was cool at greater depths
Question says → You hear
had higher temperatures at thethe water at the surface of the ocean had relatively
Why: In all the hotspots the surface water was relatively warm. The gap follows 'at the', so it needs a noun: surface.
The trap: Depths is said in the same sentence, but the water there could be cool. It's the opposite of the answer.
Question 34
Answer: oxygenWhen the speaker says temperature 'wasn't enough on its own'
Also accepted: O2
What did the water need to contain enough of?
he also found that the water needed to have enough oxygen in it
Question says → You hear
had sufficient ... in the waterthe water needed to have enough oxygen in it
Why: 'Sufficient' is a direct synonym for 'enough'. The answer is oxygen. O2 is also accepted, but the word is safer.
The trap: Food is mentioned earlier in this section. The second factor that 'seemed necessary' is oxygen, not food.
Question 35
Answer: mammalsWhen the talk moves to Lisa Ballance in California, 2007
What kind of marine animals was Ballance looking for hotspots for?
but not for fish - what she was interested … in was marine mammals, things like seals
Question says → You hear
looked for hotspots for marinewhat she was interested … in was marine mammals
Why: Ballance was interested in marine mammals. The notes already print 'marine', so the gap is mammals, plural.
The trap: Fish is ruled out ('not for fish'), seals are just an example, and plankton, mentioned later, is what some of these animals eat.
Question 36
Answer: iceWhen the speaker talks about the Census of Marine Life in the Arctic
Where were some new species found living?
of species which live below the ice - sometimes under a layer up to 20 metres thick
Question says → You hear
living under thelive below the ice
Why: 'Below' matches 'under', and the species live beneath ice up to 20 metres thick. The answer is ice.
The trap: Arctic is said just before, but 'under the Arctic' doesn't fit. Volcanoes are already given on the next line of the notes.
Question 37
Answer: declineAfter population size and geographical distribution, at 'and then thirdly'
Also accepted: declining / decrease
What is the third thing considered when listing endangered species?
and then thirdly they calculate the rate at which the decline of the species is happening
Question says → You hear
rate ofthe rate at which the decline of the species is happening
Why: The speaker lists three factors in the same order as the notes, and 'thirdly' marks the last one: the rate of decline. Declining and decrease are also accepted.
The trap: The point about fish being 'so mobile' comes just before, but it belongs to distribution, which is already in the notes.
Question 38
Answer: mapRight after the figures 1,500 and 20,000
What will be made for each species assessed?
use the data they collect on that species to produce … a map showing its distribution
Question says → You hear
make a distribution ... for each onea map showing its distribution
Why: The data on each species is used to produce a map of its distribution. The notes put 'distribution' before the gap, so the noun is map.
The trap: List appears earlier in the same section ('creating a list of endangered species'). That's the overall project, not what they make for each species.
Question 39
Answer: migrationWhen the speaker mentions leatherback turtles and their nesting sites
What kind of corridors should be created, for example for turtles?
create corridors for migration, so they can get from one area to another safely
Question says → You hear
establish ... corridorscreate corridors for migration
Why: 'Corridors for migration' becomes 'migration corridors' in the notes. 'Create' matches 'establish'.
The trap: Nesting sites are mentioned just before, but the corridors are for travelling between areas, not for nesting.
Question 40
Answer: consumptionLast sentence of the talk, after the explanation of by-catch
What is the only purpose fish should be caught for?
so that only the fish wanted for consumption were caught, this problem could be overcome
Question says → You hear
catch fish only for the purpose ofonly the fish wanted for consumption were caught
Why: More selective equipment would mean only fish wanted for consumption get caught. The gap needs a noun after 'of': consumption.
The trap: By-catch is the problem being solved, not the purpose. 'Selective' describes the equipment and doesn't fit the grammar of the gap.
The note says hotspots were 'not always rich in' something. Worm expected lots of food, but that was only true for four of the five, so food is the answer even though the speaker frames it as a surprise.
Distribution is discussed at length just before, with the point about fish being mobile, but it's already in the notes. The third factor is the rate of decline.
This is the last sentence of the talk, after a long explanation of by-catch. Only 'consumption' fits 'for the purpose of'.
Words from this recording worth keeping
hotspots(Biodiversity hotspots)
areas with an unusually high number of different species
predators(Boris Worm, 2005)
animals that hunt and eat other animals
metabolic rate(Boris Worm, 2005)
how fast a body uses energy
congregating(Census of Marine Life)
gathering together in one place
endangered(Global Marine Species Assessment)
at risk of dying out
reserves(Recommendations)
protected areas for wildlife
quotas(Recommendations)
official limits on how much can be caught
overfishing(Recommendations)
catching so many fish that numbers fall too low
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The full Cambridge 11 Test 1 listening paper with the real audio: all four parts, played once, marked the moment you finish. Already done it? Take it again and listen for the traps this page showed you.
Cambridge IELTS 11, Test 1, Listening Part 4. The recording, transcript and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. We quote short extracts of the transcript only as evidence for our own commentary, and the answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full material, or sit the test on Langujet.
