The Antarctic Centre: listening answers and explanations
An interviewer talks to Dr Merrywhether of the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. He explains why the centre is there and what it does, describes Antarctica itself, and then goes through the history and achievements of the Antarctic Treaty.
All in order, and every answer comes from Dr Merrywhether, usually straight after an interviewer's question. Questions 21-26 cover the centre and the continent; 27-28 start when the interviewer says 'let's just have a look at the Antarctic Treaty'; 29-30 come at the very end, on the treaty's achievements.
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: Each question matches one interviewer question, so use those as signposts. The interviewer sometimes suggests an answer (the climate, the frozen sea) that the doctor then corrects, so wait for his reply before choosing.
Question 21
Answer: BThe interviewer's first question, 'Why Christchurch?'
Why was the Antarctic Centre set up in Christchurch?
New Zealand is the second closest country to Antarctica and Christchurch is often used on Antarctic expeditions. … Right, so it's because of where we are
Question says → You hear
geographically well positionedthe second closest country to Antarctica … because of where we are
Why: Being the second closest country is about location, and the interviewer sums it up: 'it's because of where we are'. That's being geographically well positioned.
The trap: The interviewer asks 'Was it because of the climate?', but the doctor doesn't agree with that. The treaty is discussed later, not as the reason for the location.
Question 22
Answer: AWhen the interviewer asks about its role as a scientific base
What is one of the centre's roles?
the centre contains a clothing warehouse where expeditions are supplied with suitable clothing for the extreme conditions.
Question says → You hear
provide expeditions with suitable equipmentexpeditions are supplied with suitable clothing
Why: 'Supplied with' matches 'provide', and clothing for extreme conditions is equipment. 'Suitable' is in both.
The trap: Research programmes for several countries are mentioned, which sounds like 'internationally relevant'. But that's about which countries are based there, not a role of the centre. Money is never mentioned.
Question 23
Answer: CWhen the interviewer asks what the visitors' centre offers
What is the Visitors' Centre for?
since very few people will ever experience the Antarctic first hand, the visitors' centre aims to recreate the atmosphere of Antarctica.
Question says → You hear
show people what Antarctica is likeaims to recreate the atmosphere of Antarctica
Why: Recreating the atmosphere for people who'll never go there is showing people what Antarctica is like.
The trap: The tent in a mock camp site makes people think of accommodation. But you only 'see inside' it and 'imagine yourself sleeping there'.
Question 24
Answer: BWhen the interviewer says he's been to the South Pole several times
How does Dr Merrywhether describe Antarctica?
each time I'm struck by the awesome beauty of the place. It's magnificent
Question says → You hear
extremely beautifulthe awesome beauty of the place. It's magnificent
Why: 'Awesome beauty' and 'magnificent' are strong words for extremely beautiful.
The trap: He says you can only visit in summer, and that it's the coldest place on earth, which makes 'too cold for tourists' tempting. He never says that tourists can't go.
Question 25
Answer: AWhen the interviewer asks why it's colder than the North Pole
Why is Antarctica so cold?
Antarctica is a land mass shaped like a dome, with the result that the winds blow … down the slopes at speeds of up to 150 km an hour and that's what makes it so cold.
Question says → You hear
of the shape of the continenta land mass shaped like a dome … that's what makes it so cold
Why: The dome shape makes the winds blow down the slopes, and 'that's what makes it so cold'. So the cause is the shape.
The trap: The frozen sea is the North Pole, not Antarctica. Dryness is said straight after, but as 'one other interesting thing', not the reason for the cold.
Question 26
Answer: BWhen the interviewer asks 'How can you be certain of this?'
Why does he believe Antarctica was once joined to another continent?
because fossils and rocks have been discovered in Antarctica which are the same as those found in places such as Africa and Australia.
Question says → You hear
geological evidencefossils and rocks have been discovered
Why: Fossils and rocks that match other continents are geological evidence.
The trap: He never says he did this research himself. South America isn't mentioned at all; Africa and Australia are.
Table completion (ONE WORD AND/OR TWO NUMBERS)
Questions 27-28
How to attack this block: A timeline with four dates, two of them printed. Listen for the years in order and follow them on the table. 'Two numbers' tells you one answer is a span of years.
Question 27
Answer: 1882-83After the 1870 Polar Research Meeting, when the interviewer asks when it took place
Also accepted: 1882-1883 / 1882 to 1883 / 1882-3 / 1882 83 / 1882 1883
When was the First International Polar Year?
Over two years from 1882 to 1883.
Question says → You hear
1st International Polar YearOver two years from 1882 to 1883
Why: It ran over two years, 1882 to 1883. 'Two numbers' in the instructions allows both years: 1882-83 or 1882-1883.
The trap: 1870 comes just before and is printed. Writing only 1882 gives half the period and isn't accepted.
Question 28
Answer: signedRight after the treaty was proposed in the 1950s
What happened to the treaty in 1959?
the idea of an international treaty was proposed. And in 1959 the Treaty was actually signed.
Question says → You hear
1959 - Antarctic Treaty wasin 1959 the Treaty was actually signed
Why: The table copies 'Antarctic Treaty was', so the gap is the verb he uses: signed.
The trap: 'Proposed' is said just before, but it's printed on the 1957 line.
Multiple choice (choose TWO)
Questions 29-30
How to attack this block: The doctor names two articles of the treaty. Neither uses the words in the options, so you have to match 'peaceful use' and 'nuclear explosions' to the right letters.
Question 29-30
Answer: A and D (in either order)When the interviewer asks about the main achievements of the treaty
Which two achievements of the treaty are mentioned?
firstly it means that the continent is reserved for peaceful use. … not as important as Article 5, which prohibits any nuclear explosions or waste disposal.
Why: A: 'reserved for peaceful use' means no military use. D: Article 5 'prohibits any nuclear explosions', which is no nuclear testing. Those are the only two articles he gives.
The trap: Animals, historic sites and fishing are never mentioned. 'The territory belongs to everyone' is the interviewer's comment, not a separate achievement.
Three ideas come up: the frozen sea, the dome shape and dryness. The frozen sea is the North Pole, and dryness is 'one other interesting thing'. The cold is caused by the dome shape.
The interviewer suggests the climate, but the doctor ignores it and talks about New Zealand being close to Antarctica. That's geography, not climate.
Words from this recording worth keeping
expeditions(Why Christchurch)
organised journeys for exploration or research
complementary(Purpose of the centre)
different but working well together
warehouse(Scientific base)
a large building for storing goods
first hand(Visitors' centre)
from your own experience
recreate(Visitors' centre)
make something exist or seem real again
showcase(Visitors' centre)
a place to show something at its best
land mass(Why it's so cold)
a large area of land
prohibits(Treaty achievements)
officially forbids
Sit this test on Langujet, then come back
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 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.
