Ocean biodiversity: listening answers and explanations
Two students, Phil and Lucy, talk about a visiting speaker's lecture on ocean biodiversity and the research project she described. Then they go through a list of articles, documentaries, podcasts and a book they have to evaluate for a seminar.
21-22 come from their first exchange about the lecture, 23-24 from the part about her research project. Phil then says 'can we talk about the list of resources', and 25-30 follow the list in order, one or two lines each, with both students giving opinions.
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 students praise some features and play down others. Listen for 'impressed me too' and 'made it clear to me' for the keepers, and 'But that's just' for the one they dismiss.
Question 21-22
Answer: B and D (in either order)The opening exchange, right after Lucy says she learned a lot about ocean biodiversity
Which two features of the lecture made the biggest impression on the students?
I especially liked the way her lecture focused on more long-term issues. … That impressed me too. … The examples she gave were at a more global level, and they really made it clear to me
Question says → You hear
the type of issues discussedfocused on more long-term issues
the broad focus of the examplesThe examples she gave were at a more global level
Why: D: Lucy liked the focus on long-term issues and Phil says 'That impressed me too'. B: Phil says the global examples 'really made it clear' how wide the threats are, and Lucy agrees ('me too').
The trap: E is the strongest distractor. Lucy mentions policy changes, but Phil dismisses them as 'just at a national level'. C is out because 'it's hard to see any real solution'.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 23-24
How to attack this block: Almost every option gets a mention, so focus on their reaction. Words like 'impressive' and 'really interesting' mark a correct answer; 'not unusual nowadays' and 'didn't bombard us with figures' rule options out.
Question 23-24
Answer: C and E (in either order)When Phil says 'The research project she described was impressive'
Which two details of the research project impressed the students?
I'd have thought it was quite unusual to have so many experts working together. … Yeah, and from such different backgrounds. … the description of improvements in systems used for tracking marine animals and things like robots were really interesting
Question says → You hear
the large range of specialistsso many experts working together … from such different backgrounds
the use of new technologyimprovements in systems used for tracking marine animals and things like robots
Why: E: so many experts from different backgrounds is a large range of specialists. C: improved tracking systems and robotics are new technology, and both students call it interesting.
The trap: B is tempting because the team 'came from all round the world', but Phil says that's 'not unusual nowadays'. The 2009 research (A) was a warning, not a success, and the figures (D) were played down.
Matching (A-H)
Questions 25-30
How to attack this block: Eight opinions for six resources, so two are never used. The resources come in the order of the list, and each opinion is a paraphrase: 'showing its age' is outdated, 'way above my head' is for specialists. Listen to both students, as the second speaker often confirms the point.
Question 25
Answer: GFirst item, when Lucy asks what Phil thought of the lionfish article
What do they think of the article on invasive lionfish?
the writer went on about how dangerous they were in environmental terms, which is probably true, but he didn't really provide much information to explain why
Question says → You hear
insufficient evidence for its claimsdidn't really provide much information to explain why
Why: The writer claims they are dangerous but doesn't explain why. That's a claim without enough evidence, G.
The trap: Spreading lionfish sounds like a new danger (C), but Phil's comment is about missing support, not the danger itself.
Question 26
Answer: BWhen Phil says he started the documentary but gave up
What do they think of the microplastics documentary?
I found it was made ten years ago so I gave up. … I watched to the end but you're right, it was showing its age.
Question says → You hear
now rather outdatedmade ten years ago … it was showing its age
Why: Made ten years ago and 'showing its age' both mean outdated, B. Lucy agrees with 'you're right'.
The trap: Lucy adds that people had hardly heard of microplastics then, which sounds like a new danger (C). But it was new ten years ago, not now.
Question 27
Answer: FWhen Phil asks if Lucy listened to the pollution podcast
What do they think of the podcast on ocean pollution?
Most of it was stating the obvious. … it clearly made the point that they were a bad thing, but everybody knows that anyway
Question says → You hear
too predictable to be usefulstating the obvious … everybody knows that anyway
Why: 'Stating the obvious' and 'I didn't get anything out of it' mean it was too predictable to be useful, F.
The trap: 'Clearly made the point' can pull you to H, clear explanation. But they're saying the point was obvious, not that it explained anything well.
Question 28
Answer: HWhen Phil asks about the book by John Harper
What do they think of the book on coastal ecosystems?
actually I ended up with a much better understanding of the issues. … Yes, I agree and I thought it was a well-written summary of those. And the diagrams helped a lot too.
Question says → You hear
a clear explanation of the problemsa much better understanding of the issues … a well-written summary
Why: Both students say it explained the issues well: Lucy understands them better, Phil calls it a well-written summary with helpful diagrams. Issues are the problems, so H.
The trap: Lucy found it 'hard going at first', which can sound like A (specialist audience). But she ended up understanding it, so it wasn't too specialist.
Question 29
Answer: AWhen Lucy brings up the metal toxicity article
What do they think of the article on metal toxicity?
The article on metal toxicity was way above my head. … and I still don't understand it. … I just couldn't follow it.
Question says → You hear
aimed at a very specialist audienceway above my head … I just couldn't follow it
Why: Neither student could follow it, even though they study the subject. That means it was written for experts, A.
The trap: 'Industrial emissions' sounds like a danger (C), but nothing says it's new. Their only reaction is that it's too hard.
Question 30
Answer: EThe last resource, just before Lucy changes the subject
What do they think of the podcast on floating marine cities?
That podcast on floating marine cities was interesting, though it presented a rather one-sided picture, I thought. … it focused on how this would benefit people and ignored the effects on the environment.
Question says → You hear
does not give a balanced accountpresented a rather one-sided picture
Why: One-sided means not balanced, and Phil backs it up: only the benefits for people, nothing on the environment. That's E.
The trap: 'Benefit people' can sound like D (ways to improve the situation), but the point is that the picture is incomplete.
Policy (E) and solutions (C) both come up, which makes them tempting. But Lucy's policy point is cut down by Phil ('that's just at a national level'), and Phil says there's no real solution.
The pollution podcast is about a danger, but it's an old one. 'Stating the obvious' and 'everybody knows that anyway' make it too predictable, F.
Words from this recording worth keeping
biodiversity(The lecture)
the variety of plant and animal life in an area
long-term issues(The lecture)
problems that will matter far into the future
wide-ranging(The lecture)
covering many different areas
bombard(The research project)
give someone too much of something at once
invasive(Resources)
spreading into new areas and causing harm
stating the obvious(Resources)
saying things everybody already knows
hard going(Resources)
difficult and slow to read or do
one-sided(Resources)
showing only one point of view
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The full Cambridge 21 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 21, Test 1, Listening Part 3. 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.
