Reclaiming urban rivers: listening answers and explanations
A lecturer talks about rivers in big cities: how people used them in the past, how industry and growing populations polluted them, how cities are now cleaning them up and redeveloping their banks, and how rivers could carry passengers and goods again.
Ten gaps, strictly in order, under three headings. Q31-32 come in the history section ('But as industries developed'), Q33-37 in 'But in recent years', and Q38-40 after 'to make the most of our rivers'. The lecturer usually gives an example right after each idea, and the answer is often in that example.
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: One word only, so no articles or adjectives. The notes paraphrase a lot ('biologically' for 'in biological terms', 'goods' for 'parcels'), so listen for the idea, not the exact words. Watch for plurals: factories, apartments, beaches and bikes all need the s.
Question 31
Answer: factoriesAfter the lecturer explains how sewage increased as cities grew
What on the river bank caused pollution besides sewage?
other types of pollution increased as factories were built beside the river, and discharged their waste materials into the water
Question says → You hear
pollution from ... on the river bankfactories were built beside the river
Why: Factories 'built beside the river' are on the river bank, and they discharged waste into the water. The gap needs a plural noun: factories.
The trap: Sewage comes first, but it's already printed in the notes as coming from houses. The gap is the second source of pollution.
Question 32
Answer: deadWhen the lecturer gives the date 1957
How was the Thames described in 1957?
scientists at London's Natural History Museum declared that the River Thames was dead in biological terms
Question says → You hear
declared biologicallydeclared that the River Thames was dead in biological terms
Why: 'Dead in biological terms' becomes 'biologically dead'. The water was too dirty to support any life.
The trap: 'Filthy' comes right after and describes the water, but 'biologically filthy' isn't what was declared. The scientists' word was dead.
Question 33
Answer: whaleRight after the lecturer says the Thames is cleaner than it's been for 150 years
What large animal besides seals has been seen in the Thames?
These days, you can see seals swimming in the water. And recently, people had to try to rescue a whale which had got lost
Question says → You hear
Seals and even aseals swimming in the water … a whale which had got lost
Why: After the seals, the lecturer describes a whale that swam up the river from the sea. 'Even a' signals something surprising, and a whale is it.
The trap: The rescue failed, which may make you doubt the whale counts. The note only says it was seen, and the lecturer says the problem was disorientation, not the water.
Question 34
Answer: apartmentsWhen the lecturer says riverside areas are prime sites for development
What else are riverside warehouses being turned into?
Warehouses that were once used for storing goods are now being converted into expensive restaurants and also into apartments with river views
Question says → You hear
converted to restaurants andconverted into expensive restaurants and also into apartments
Why: The warehouses become restaurants 'and also' apartments. The notes already have restaurants, so the gap is apartments, plural.
The trap: 'River views' follows straight after, but views aren't something a warehouse is converted into.
Question 35
Answer: parkWhen the lecturer moves to Los Angeles on the west coast
What do the Los Angeles plans include building by the river?
an architect has plans to revitalize the banks of the river and to make a park there which can provide facilities for sports
Question says → You hear
plans to build a riversideplans to revitalize the banks of the river and to make a park there
Why: The architect plans to make a park on the river banks. 'A riverside' needs a singular noun, and park is it.
The trap: Sports facilities and a natural environment are what the park provides, not the thing being built. 'Facilities' also won't fit after 'a'.
Question 36
Answer: artWhen the lecturer says the riverside could be used for other purposes
What kind of projects could be displayed?
facilities could be provided for displaying projects related to various kinds of art that have been produced by local people
Question says → You hear
display ... projectsdisplaying projects related to various kinds of art
Why: The projects are related to art made by local people. The note turns 'projects related to art' into 'art projects', so the gap is art.
The trap: 'Local' is nearby too, but the projects are about art, and local describes the people, not the projects.
Question 37
Answer: beachesWhen the example moves to Paris in July and August
What appears beside the river in Paris each summer?
all the traffic is banned from the roads by the sides of the river and the banks are transformed into beaches
Question says → You hear
are created on the sides of the river every summerthe banks are transformed into beaches
Why: The banks are 'transformed into beaches' in July and August. 'Are created' needs a plural noun: beaches.
The trap: Deck chairs and palm trees are mentioned next, but they're features of the beaches. The road closure isn't created either.
Question 38
Answer: ferryAfter 'we need to allow them to regain their original purpose'
How do over 2 billion passengers already travel in cities?
Already more than 2 billion passengers use the ferry to travel in cities around the world like Istanbul, San Francisco, and New York.
Question says → You hear
Over 2 billion passengers already travel bymore than 2 billion passengers use the ferry
Why: 'Use the ferry to travel' becomes 'travel by ferry'. Use the singular, as in the recording.
The trap: The comparison with cars stuck in traffic comes next. Cars are the slow alternative, not how the passengers travel.
Question 39
Answer: bikesWhen the lecturer describes a barge docking at the riverside
What electric vehicles could carry goods on the last stage?
the parcels could be taken the last few kilometers to their final destination on cargo bikes, electric ones
Question says → You hear
electriccargo bikes, electric ones
Why: The parcels go the last few kilometres on 'cargo bikes, electric ones', so the notes' 'electric ...' needs bikes.
The trap: 'Cargo' comes right before 'bikes' and you may write it alone, but 'electric cargo' isn't a vehicle. Trucks and vans are what the barges replace.
Question 40
Answer: droneThe end of the lecture, after the Amsterdam example
What could carry goods in the future?
in future, the final stage could even be carried out by drone, although at present this isn't allowed
Question says → You hear
or in future byin future, the final stage could even be carried out by drone
Why: 'In future' appears in both the notes and the recording, then 'by drone'. It isn't allowed yet, which is why it's the future option.
The trap: Amsterdam is mentioned just before, but that's where electric bikes are already used. The future method is the drone.
'Seals and even a ...' matches 'even' to the surprising animal: a whale that swam up the river by mistake. People focus on the failed rescue and miss the noun.
The gap is the type of project, before 'projects'. The speaker says 'projects related to various kinds of art', so the word comes after 'projects' in the recording. Only 'art' fits one word.
'Electric' is printed before the gap, but in the recording it comes after: 'cargo bikes, electric ones'. The answer is bikes, plural.
Words from this recording worth keeping
bustle(Historical background)
busy, noisy activity
sewage(Historical background)
waste water from homes and toilets
discharged(Historical background)
let out or released
disorientation(Recent improvements)
losing your sense of direction
prime sites(Recent improvements)
the best and most valuable locations
revitalize(Recent improvements)
bring new life and activity to
astronomical(Recent improvements)
extremely high
capacity(Transport possibilities)
the amount something can carry
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The full Cambridge 20 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 20, 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.
