A lecturer argues that tree planting is not a simple fix for the climate crisis. She explains how to choose the right trees and the right land, how drones help with planning, and gives two examples: fig trees in Lampang Province, Thailand, and mangroves in Madagascar.
One ten-gap note block, strictly in order, under four headings: what reforestation projects should do (31-34), large-scale planning (35-36), Lampang Province (37-38) and involving local communities (39-40). There's no pause, so the place names are your best signposts.
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: Every gap is a single noun. The notes paraphrase a lot (rearing cattle becomes keeping, exploited for agriculture becomes being used for), so listen for meaning, not matching words. Several gaps sit in lists where one item is printed and you supply the other.
Question 31
Answer: competitionWhen the lecturer explains which trees to choose
Why should invasive species be avoided?
Invasive species are a significant contributor to the current global biodiversity crisis and are often in competition with native species
Question says → You hear
because of possible ... with native speciesare often in competition with native species
Why: The note keeps 'with native species', so the gap is the noun before it: competition.
The trap: 'Survival' comes right after, but it's what the native species might lose. The gap needs the noun that goes before 'with'.
Question 32
Answer: foodWhen she says a project should have several goals
What should projects provide for local people?
These could include selecting trees that can contribute to wildlife conservation, improve the availability of food for the local community
Question says → You hear
provide sustainable sources of ... for local peopleimprove the availability of food for the local community
Why: 'For the local community' becomes 'for local people', so the gap is food.
The trap: Wildlife conservation and soil stability are other goals in the same list. The note covers them as 'protect the environment'.
Question 33
Answer: diseaseWhen she talks about choosing seeds
What does high genetic diversity help trees resist, besides climate change?
Using seeds with low genetic diversity generally lowers the resilience of restored forests which can make them vulnerable to disease and unable to adapt to climate change.
Question says → You hear
increase resistance to ... and climate changevulnerable to disease and unable to adapt to climate change
Why: The lecturer gives the negative: low diversity makes forests vulnerable to disease. The note turns that round: high diversity increases resistance to disease.
The trap: 'Survival' and 'resilience' are nearby, but they're what diversity protects, not what trees resist.
Question 34
Answer: agricultureAt the end of the section on choosing the right location
What land use should projects avoid?
Reforesting areas which are currently exploited for agriculture should be avoided as this often leads to other areas being deforested.
Question says → You hear
not select land which is being used forareas which are currently exploited for agriculture should be avoided
Why: 'Exploited for' becomes 'being used for', and 'should be avoided' becomes 'not select'. The gap is agriculture.
The trap: Grasslands, savannas and wetlands are also to be avoided, but because they're natural landscapes, not land being used. Recreation is a benefit, not a land use to avoid.
Question 35
Answer: mapsAt the start of the large-scale reforestation section
What should planning decisions be based on?
Having detailed and up-to-date maps identifying high-priority areas for intervention is essential.
Question says → You hear
information from accuratedetailed and up-to-date maps
Why: 'Detailed and up-to-date' becomes 'accurate', and the information comes from maps. Keep the plural.
The trap: Drones come next, but they're in the following line of the note.
Question 36
Answer: cattleWhen she mentions drones being used in the Amazon
Which activity, along with illegal logging, is damaging areas in Brazil?
how parts of the Amazon are being devastated by human activities such as rearing cattle and illegal logging
Question says → You hear
endangered by keeping ... and illegal loggingdevastated by human activities such as rearing cattle and illegal logging
Why: 'Rearing' becomes 'keeping', so the gap is the animals: cattle.
The trap: 'Rearing' is the verb the note replaces with 'keeping'. Write the noun, cattle.
Question 37
Answer: speedIn the Lampang Province example, when she explains why figs matter
What do fig trees increase in the recovery process?
They are central to tropical reforestation projects as they accelerate the speed of the recovery process by attracting animals and birds which act as natural seed dispersers.
Question says → You hear
increasing the ... of recovery by attracting animals and birdsaccelerate the speed of the recovery process by attracting animals and birds
Why: 'Accelerate' becomes 'increasing', and 'by attracting animals and birds' is kept word for word. The gap is speed.
The trap: Diversity comes in the next sentence, but it's a result of seed dispersal, not what figs speed up.
Question 38
Answer: monkeysAt the end of the Lampang example, 'At this site, for example'
Which animals were soon attracted to the Thai site?
after only three rainy seasons, monkeys started visiting to eat the fig fruits
Question says → You hear
were soon attracted to the areaafter only three rainy seasons, monkeys started visiting
Why: 'After only three rainy seasons' is 'soon', and 'started visiting' is 'attracted'. The animals are monkeys.
The trap: Birds are mentioned earlier in general terms, but monkeys are the specific example. Keep the plural.
Question 39
Answer: fishingIn the Madagascar example, when she describes the damage
What industry did people find it hard to make a living from?
also badly affected the fishing industry, which was a major source of employment for local people living in coastal areas
Question says → You hear
made it difficult for people to make a living frombadly affected the fishing industry, which was a major source of employment
Why: The fishing industry was the main employer, and destroying the mangroves damaged it. The gap is fishing.
The trap: Plant and animal life were also affected, but that's not how people earned money.
Question 40
Answer: floodingNear the end, after the healthy aquatic ecosystem
What higher risk do the mangroves protect against?
The mangroves also act as a defence against the increased threat of flooding caused by climate change.
Question says → You hear
protects against the higher risk ofact as a defence against the increased threat of flooding
Why: 'Defence against' becomes 'protects against', and 'increased threat' becomes 'higher risk'. The gap is flooding.
The trap: Climate change is the cause, not the risk. The answer is the word after 'threat of'.
The lecturer lists several goals: wildlife conservation, food for local people and soil stability. The note's 'sustainable sources of ... for local people' only fits food.
'Accelerate the speed of the recovery process' becomes 'increasing the ... of recovery'. The word is speed; 'accelerate' is a verb and doesn't fit.
Words from this recording worth keeping
offset(Introduction)
balance out something harmful
invasive(Choosing trees)
spreading fast and harming local species
biodiversity(Choosing trees)
the variety of living things in an area
resilience(Choosing trees)
the ability to recover from damage
degraded(Planning)
damaged and in poor condition
keystone species(Lampang Province)
a species that a whole ecosystem depends on
dispersers(Lampang Province)
animals that spread seeds
aquatic(Madagascar)
living in or connected with water
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
The full Cambridge 19 Test 4 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 19, Test 4, 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.
