Left and right handedness in sport: listening answers and explanations
A student, Anita, gives a talk on handedness in sport, based on an article by sports psychologist Peter Matthews. She gives her view of the article, reports studies on musicians and apes, and then explains which kind of laterality is best in hockey, tennis and gymnastics.
Strictly in order. Questions 31-33 are Anita's opinions of the article in the opening minute. 34-35 come when she goes 'back to the article' (musicians, then apes). The table, 36-40, follows the three sports in order: hockey, tennis, gymnastics.
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 first three questions are about what Anita thinks, and she often says what she didn't think first ('almost put me off', 'not so much'). The last two report research, so listen for the result after the list of variables.
Question 31
Answer: CRight after she says the music section almost put her off
When did Anita first see the article as valuable?
But what I soon became struck by was the sheer volume of both observation and investigation he had done in many different sports
Question says → You hear
the impressive size of his research projectthe sheer volume of both observation and investigation
Why: 'Sheer volume' of observation and investigation is the size of his research. 'Struck by' and 'felt persuaded' show this is when she saw its value.
The trap: Music comes first, but she says it 'almost put me off'. And as a left-hander she says she 'didn't see any relevance to my own life', so not A.
Question 32
Answer: BWhen she says 'I think Matthews' findings will be beneficial'
Where does Anita think the findings will be useful?
not so much in helping sportspeople to work on their weaker side, but more that they can help them identify the most suitable strategies to use in a given game.
Question says → You hear
plan tactics for each gameidentify the most suitable strategies to use in a given game
Why: 'Not so much ... but more' points to the second idea. Strategies for a given game are tactics for each game.
The trap: Working on their weaker side sounds like option A, 'identify their weaknesses', but she puts it aside with 'not so much'. Training programmes aren't mentioned as a use.
Question 33
Answer: CStraight after the findings, when she talks about trainers
What does Anita think about most sports coaches?
Although most trainers know how important handedness is, at present they are rather reluctant to make use of the insights scientists like Matthews can give
Question says → You hear
underestimate what science has to offerrather reluctant to make use of the insights scientists like Matthews can give
Why: Being reluctant to use scientists' insights, which she calls 'short-sighted', means they underestimate what science offers.
The trap: A is wrong because she says they 'know how important handedness is'. 'Focusing on individual flexibility is only part of the story' might suggest B, but that's her reason, not her main criticism.
Question 34
Answer: AAt the end of the German study, after the list of variables
Which musicians showed more mixed-handedness?
keyboard players had high levels of mixed-handedness, whereas string players like cellists and violinists strongly favoured one hand. Also those who started younger were more mixed-handed.
Question says → You hear
started playing instruments in early youththose who started younger were more mixed-handed
Why: 'Started younger' matches 'in early youth', and 'more mixed-handed' is the 'greater mixed handedness' in the question.
The trap: Violinists are named, but they 'strongly favoured one hand', the opposite. Practice is only one of the variables studied; no result is given for it.
Question 35
Answer: AWhen she says Matthews also reports studies of apes
What did the studies of apes show?
Studies showed that apes consistently using the same hand fished out 30% more ants than those varying between the two.
Question says → You hear
always use the same hand ... most successfulconsistently using the same hand fished out 30% more ants
Why: Apes that always used the same hand got 30% more ants, so they were the most successful at getting food.
The trap: B is wrong: in apes right and left are 'about equal', while about 85% of humans are right-handed. Equal also rules out C.
Table completion (ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER)
Questions 36-40
How to attack this block: One row per sport, and she names each sport before its details ('Let's start with hockey', 'racket sports like tennis', 'gymnastics'). Each gap is a word she says in the explanation, often a noun after 'more', 'of' or 'make'.
Question 36
Answer: 2 directionsWhen she says 'Let's start with hockey'
Also accepted: two directions
How must a hockey stick be used?
this is because a hockey stick must be deployed in two directions
Question says → You hear
hockey stick has to be used ina hockey stick must be deployed in two directions
Why: 'Must be deployed' becomes 'has to be used'. The gap needs the number and the noun: 2 directions (or two directions).
The trap: 'Directions' alone loses the number that explains why mixed laterality helps. One word and a number is allowed, so use both.
Question 37
Answer: confidentWhen she says 'An interesting finding'
What were mixed-handed hockey players found to be?
mixed-handed hockey players were significantly more confident than their single-handed counterparts.
Question says → You hear
much more ... than otherssignificantly more confident than their single-handed counterparts
Why: 'Significantly more' becomes 'much more', and 'counterparts' becomes 'others'. The gap is the adjective: confident.
The trap: 'Drawback' comes just before, but it's about having one side favoured. The gap needs an adjective after 'more'.
Question 38
Answer: visionWhen she moves on to racket sports like tennis
What does single laterality give tennis players a larger field of?
This means that there is a bigger area of vision on the side where most of the action occurs.
Question says → You hear
a larger relevant field ofa bigger area of vision
Why: 'Bigger area' becomes 'larger field', and 'where most of the action occurs' becomes 'relevant'. The gap is vision.
The trap: 'Action' is in the same sentence and fits the grammar, but the area is of vision, not action.
Question 39
Answer: correctionsWhen she explains the problem for cross-lateral players
What do cross-lateral tennis players do too late?
If a player is cross lateral the racket is invisible from the dominant eye for much of the swing. It means that they can only make corrections much later
Question says → You hear
make ... too latethey can only make corrections much later
Why: 'Make' is in both, and 'much later' becomes 'too late'. The gap is corrections.
The trap: 'Swing' is said just before, but you don't 'make swings too late' in her words. Copy the noun after 'make'.
Question 40
Answer: balanceWhen she moves on to gymnastics, the last sport
What about gymnasts is important for their performance?
The predominant reason for this is because it aids balance - which is of course absolutely central to performance in this sport.
Question says → You hear
is important for performancesbalance - which is of course absolutely central to performance
Why: 'Absolutely central to performance' becomes 'important for performances'. Cross laterality helps balance, so the gap is balance.
The trap: 'Large but precise movements' describes the sport. 'Movements' could fit but it's plural and doesn't match 'is'.
'Not so much in helping sportspeople to work on their weaker side' sounds like option A, but it's what she rejects. She values the findings for choosing strategies in a game.
The table says 'used in ...', and the stick is 'deployed in two directions'. Write 2 directions or two directions; 'directions' alone isn't enough.
Words from this recording worth keeping
handedness(Introduction)
the tendency to use one hand more than the other
sheer volume(Anita's view of the article)
a very large amount
reluctant(Coaches and science)
unwilling
short-sighted(Coaches and science)
not thinking about the future
variables(German study)
factors that can change in a study
deployed(Hockey)
used for a purpose
counterparts(Hockey)
people in the same position in a different group
predominant(Gymnastics)
main, most important
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The full Cambridge 7 Test 2 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 7, Test 2, 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.
