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IELTS Listening test(2)

Section 3 of the test

Overview

In this part, candidates listen to a conversation between two or more people about a topic connected with education. For instance, the situation could be a tutor giving feedback to learners on an assignment they have just done or two or three learners discussing a presentation they have to give.

The tasks can involve listening for specific information, identifying the attitude of the speakers and understanding the speakers’ opinions. Any of the question types you looked at in Unit 7 can appear.

In order to look at ways of dealing with Section 3, you are going look at an example in detail. The task types in the example you are going to look at are Matching and Multiple choice.

Matching questions: Functions

Recognising functions:

1 I think we ought to …Making a suggestion

2 OK, fine.Agreeing

3 Does that seem fair to you?Asking for agreement

4 I’m not sure that’s the best idea.Disagreeing

5 We could …Making a suggestion

6 Is that OK with you?Asking for agreement

Task 1

Read the Script and attempt the questions that follow:

A: Right, Tom, now let’s work out who’s going to do what first in this project on changes in our town, because we've got to get it done by the end of this month. I think we ought to divide up the research between us.
T: OK. How should we do that?
A: Well, I think we both need to get a picture of what’s involved, but there’s no need for us both to do everything. I mean, when we’re in the town you could make sure we have the set of shots we need to illustrate how the town has changed.
T: OK, fine.
A: And I’ll talk to some local shopkeepers to get their views on any effects the changes have had on their business. Does that seem fair to you?
T: Yeah, OK. Then what about the questionnaire for shoppers? Do you want me to go and get shoppers to fill that out while you’re doing your interviews? Or is it better if we do that together?
A: I think that would be better. We could set aside a whole day for that.
T: What about organising the results – putting all the answers on the computer and making sense of them?
A: I don’t mind doing it, but I’m pretty slow.
T: OK, you can leave that to me.
A: Fine.

Writethe correct letter,A,BorC, next to questions 1–4.

A Alice

B Tom

C Both Tom and Alice

1take photographs

2interview shop owners

3do a survey with shoppers

4analyse data

Answers: 1 B

2 A

3 C

4 B

Identifying opinion and attitude

It is important for learners to be able to identify the opinions and attitudes of the speakers in the responses they give. When Tom says 'Fine,' in response to Alice’s suggestion that he takes the photographs, you know he is accepting the task.

Some matching tasks will ask candidates to identify the speakers’ opinions – whether they agree or not with various statements – and so it is useful to look with learners at the kinds of expressions speakers use to express their opinion of or attitude to something that has been said.

Task 2

Read the sentences below and see how each expresses opinion or attitude.

I don’t know about that.saying you're not sure.

I couldn’t agree with you more!agreeing

That can’t be right!disagreeing

I really don’t think that’s the case.disagreeing

Do you really think so?saying you're not sure

Absolutely!agreeing

Multiple choice questions

Multiple choice questions test candidates’ ability to listen intensively and choose the correct answer from three options. To do this candidates have to be able to deal with distraction; all three answers may seem possible so candidates need to listen closely to be sure which two are wrong and which is right.

There are two ways of dealing with a task like this:

  • Decide on an answer that you are sure is correct.
  • Eliminate answers you are sure are wrong.

Stronger candidates will use both these strategies at the same time, for instance by deciding on which answer they think is best and then, as long as there is time, confirming this by thinking about why the other two answers are wrong.

The wrong answers may include the same words, synonyms or paraphrasing from the text. They may include information or ideas that the candidate may think is true but that are not mentioned. The correct answer may also include the same words, synonyms or paraphrasing from the text. However, only the correct answer will reflect precisely the information in the text.

Dealing with Multiple choice questions

In the time given to read the questions candidates should make sure they understand the questions and the options so they can refer back to them quickly while listening to the task. Highlighting the key words is a good way of doing this.

Task 3

Read the questions and write what you think are the key words in each question.

1 Why does Tom want to do the presentation?

A to get a better mark than for his last presentation

B to catch up with his course requirements

C to practise skills for his future career

2 What is Alice’s attitude to writing up the project?

A She is worried about the time available for writing

B She is concerned that some parts will be difficult

C She thinks it is unfair if she has to do all the writing

3 Why does Tom want to involve the other learners at the end of the presentation?

A to get their opinions about the conclusions

B to help him and Alice reach firm conclusions

C to see if they have reached similar conclusions

Suggested Answers:

1 Why does Tom want to do the presentation?

A to get abetter markthan forhis last presentation.

Btocatch upwith his courserequirements.

Cto practiseskillsfor hisfuture career.

2 What is Alice’s attitude to writing up the project?

AShe isworriedabout thetime availablefor writing.

BShe is concerned thatsome partswill bedifficult.

CShe thinks it isunfairif she has todo all the writing.

3 Why does Tom want to involve the other learners at the end of the presentation?

Ato get theiropinionsabout theconclusions.

Bto help him and Alicereach firm conclusions.

Cto see if they have reachedsimilar conclusions.

Script:

T: So then we’ll have three weeks to get it ready for the presentation on the fifteenth. Shall we do the presentation together? So you could do the first bit and I’ll do the rest? Actually, no – I think that can be a bit confusing for everyone. Actually, could I do it all?
A: Sure.
T: It’s just that it won’t affect your marks. I mean it’s not like I get more for actually doing it – the tutor will judge it as a whole. But I think that we were told last term that we needed to do three before the end of the year to get a satisfactory mark and I’m one behind. You’ve done all yours, haven’t you? I can see why they’re in the course – you nearly always have to do a presentation if you go to an interview nowadays.
A: Yeah. Does that mean I have to write up all the results? There’s no way we could do that together.
T: Yes, you’re very good at that.
A: So I get stuck with that as usual. Typical! Actually, it’s OK. I know that we haven’t got very long but I often write better when I’m in a hurry – it focuses the mind! But I’ll need to give some thought to the way we present all the data because I’m worried it will be a bit more complicated than the rest, so I’d like a bit of help with that.
T: Yeah, sure. Anyway, I was thinking – when we’ve finished I think it’d be a good idea if we got the others to tell us what they think of our results.
A: Well, I don’t know. They won’t have done the research that we have, so they won’t really be able to have an opinion on it.
T: Yeah, but they’ve all been doing something similar, so they know what’s involved. And it would be useful to see how they react to what we say. We’ll have to be sure of our facts – make sure all the results are accurate. They won’t be able to tell us anything new but they could comment on the process we went through.
A: OK. Then I’ll try and deal with the questions at the end. We’ll have to do lots of research for that, so I’ll be ready for anything! If he likes your presentation then we should do well.
T: Right.

Answer the question.

1 Why does Tom want to do the presentation?

  • A to get a better mark than for his last presentation
  • B to catch up with his course requirements
  • C to practise skills for his future career

2 What is Alice’s attitude to writing up the project?

  • A She is worried about the time available for writing
  • B She is concerned that some parts will be difficult
  • C She thinks it is unfair if she has to do all the writing

3 Why does Tom want to involve the other learners at the end of the presentation?

  • A to get their opinions about the conclusions
  • B to help him and Alice reach firm conclusions
  • C to see if they have reached similar conclusions

The answers are in bold.

Now look again at Question 2. The correct answer wasB.

2 What is Alice’s attitude to writing up the project?

A She is worried about the time available for writing.

B She is concerned that some parts will be difficult.

C She thinks it is unfair if she has to do all the writing.

Look at the audio script. Select/highlight the part of the script that tells you that B is correct.

Alice:So I get stuck with that as usual. Typical! Actually, it’s OK.I know that we haven’t got very long but I often write better when I’m in a hurry – it focuses the mind!But I’ll need to give some thought to the way we present all the databecause I’m worried it will be a bit more complicated than the rest, so I’d like a bit of help with that.

Answer:

…because I’m worried it will be a bit more complicated than the rest, so I’d like a bit of help with that.

Summary of strategies

To sum up, when dealing with multiple choice questions you need to:

  • read questions carefully and underline key words.
  • listen to everything that the speakers say and not decide on the answers too soon.
  • eliminate incorrect options.
  • confirm options they think are correct.

Section 4 Task of the Listening test

Dealing with unknown vocabulary

Section 4 is a monologue in an educational setting, usually a talk or a lecture. The topic is of a general academic interest and will not require any specialist knowledge.

Task 4

Read the text and fill in the gaps.

Word bank (density, restoration, regenerate, vulnerable)

There will not be a word bank on your listening test.

Damage to ecosystems

So what happens when an ecosystem is damaged? And which areas are most……………to damage? Typically, the areas that suffer most are where there’s farmland on one side and a city on the other. This is because it doesn’t have vegetation………., or height, to protect it from flooding or strong winds.

Studies indicate that although some plant species grow back quite quickly after being damaged, others do not. The ones that are growing near rivers find it most difficult to…………, so any…………..work needs to focus on these areas.

Answers:

Damage to ecosystems

So what happens when an ecosystem is damaged? And which areas are mostvulnerableto damage? Typically, the areas that suffer most are where there’s farmland on one side and a city on the other. This is because it doesn’t have vegetationdensity, or height, to protect it from flooding or strong winds.

Studies indicate that although some plant species grow back quite quickly after being damaged, others do not. The ones that are growing near rivers find it most difficult toregenerate, so anyrestorationwork needs to focus on these areas.

Recognising text organisation

As the talk in Section 4 usually has quite a formal structure, the speaker will normally explain at the beginning what the different parts of the talk will be about. Candidates should listen carefully as this part will show them how the talk is going to be structured and what topics are going to be covered.

Note completion

One of the possible task types in Section 4 is Note completion. The notes help candidates to follow the talk, so look carefully at the notes and use your predicting skills to think about the topic and the possible structure of the talk. You should use the time to think about what kind of information could go in the gaps.

Task 5

Now you should listen to the Audio recording for this Unit (located in your Student planner page).

After listening to the recording answer the questions:

Audio 1

  1. What is the audio about?
  2. Who is/are the person/people speaking?
  3. What is being sent?
  4. Where is it being sent to?
  5. What are the box contents and value?

Audio 2

1.What is the audio about?

2.Who is/are the person/people speaking?

3.Do you think the student enjoys studying online?

4.Why the student thinks that distance study is flexible?

Share your answers on the student forum or with your tutor.

√Now you can move on to this Unit’s Review.

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