تحلیل لیسنینگ آیلتس آکادمیک و جنرال کمبریج 17 - تست 4: بررسی سوالات، نکات کلیدی و استراتژی‌های پاسخ‌دهی

مقدمه

مقدمه: بخش لیسنینگ، اولین و یکی از مهم‌ترین چالش‌ها در آزمون آیلتس است که نیازمند تمرکز بالا و درک شنیداری دقیق می‌باشد. در این مقاله، به تحلیل جامع تست ۴ لیسنینگ از کتاب آیلتس کمبریج ۱۷ (Cambridge IELTS 17) می‌پردازیم. هدف ما شکستن ساختار سوالات، شناسایی تله‌های رایج و ارائه استراتژی‌های کاربردی برای کمک به شما در مدیریت زمان و افزایش دقت پاسخ‌دهی است. این تست شامل چهار بخش با موضوعات و فرمت‌های متنوع سوال است. داوطلبان باید با انواع سوالات مانند Multiple Choice، Form Completion، Matching و Map Labelling آشنا باشند. با ما همراه باشید تا با بررسی جزء به جزء این تست، با اطمینان بیشتری به سراغ آزمون اصلی بروید. 

برای دیدن بقیه‌ی تحلیل‌ها به لینک زیر بروید:

Table of Contents

• Part 1: Questions 1-10 Analysis & Audio Script
• Part 2: Questions 11-20 Analysis & Audio Script
• Part 3: Questions 21-30 Analysis & Audio Script
• Part 4: Questions 31-40 Analysis & Audio Script

PART 1 Questions 1-10 + Audio Script

📝 Question 1: "Cleaning all surfaces, cleaning the 1 .... throughout the apartment"

🔹 Correct Answer: floor

📍 Location in Audio Script: "No, I don’t have any, but the floor would need cleaning."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The client states that they don't have carpets, but the floor needs cleaning, which directly provides the answer. The phrase "throughout the apartment" in the question indicates a general cleaning, and the client clarifies they need the floor cleaned in all rooms.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The question is straightforward, with little distraction. The conversation clarifies the client's needs with the mention of the cleaning of all surfaces and then the mention of no carpets.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to words that indicate a specific location or item, especially when they are used in a list or as a clarification to a general statement.

📝 Question 2: "Cleaning the 2 .... every week"

🔹 Correct Answer: fridge

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Actually, I hardly ever use that, but can you do the fridge?"

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The client initially responds that they don't use the oven, then asks if the fridge can be cleaned. The following question from the service provider clarifies that this should be done weekly.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The mention of the oven is a distraction, as it is an additional service the company provides but the client refuses, focusing instead on the fridge.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Be mindful of changes in preference or focus in the audio. The word "but" is often used as a way to indicate a change of topic or of choice.

📝 Question 3: "Ironing clothes – 3 .... only"

🔹 Correct Answer: shirts

📍 Location in Audio Script: "It wouldn’t be much, just my shirts for work that week."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The client specifies that they want only their "shirts for work" ironed, providing the answer.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The phrase "ironing clothes" is a general category. The specific type of clothes, "shirts," is the answer.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Listen for specific details when a general category is mentioned. Often times specific details are presented to narrow down a category.

📝 Question 4: "Cleaning all the 4 ..... from the inside"

🔹 Correct Answer: windows

📍 Location in Audio Script: "So for example, if the inside of your windows need cleaning, we could do that."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio directly mentions cleaning the "inside of your windows," which corresponds to the question.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The mention that the outside of the windows are regularly cleaned by specialists is a distraction from what *this* service could do.

⭐ Key Learning Point: The audio often directly repeats or closely paraphrases the words in the question, so listening closely can be helpful.

📝 Question 5: "Washing down the 5 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: balcony

📍 Location in Audio Script: "But would you be able to do something about the balcony? It’s quite small and I don’t use it much, but it could do with a wash every month or so."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The client asks if the cleaning service can "do something about the balcony" and describes it as needing a "wash," which matches the "washing down" in the question.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The client initially says they don't use the balcony much, which might make the listener think it's not important, but they still request the service.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to the synonyms the speakers use. "Do something about" and "wash" are a good match for "washing down".

📝 Question 6: "They can organize a plumber or an 6 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: electrician

📍 Location in Audio Script: "For example, if you have a problem with water and you need a plumber in a hurry, we can put you in touch with a reliable one who can come out straightaway. And the same thing if you need an electrician."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The service provider lists the plumber and then the electrician as options.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The question already gives the word "plumber," so the listener needs to wait for the second item in the list.

⭐ Key Learning Point: When there is a list, and part of it is already in the question, it may be helpful to think about the order that items are listed in to anticipate the word that goes in the blank space.

📝 Question 7: "A special cleaning service is available for customers who are allergic to 7 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: dust

📍 Location in Audio Script: "So if you’re troubled by allergies, this can make a big difference...capturing up to 99% of all the dust in the air."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The service provider mentions a cleaning system that captures "dust" for allergy sufferers. The client states they don't have allergies, but the service is still described.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The client stating they don't have that problem could distract the listener from the correct answer which describes the service itself.

⭐ Key Learning Point: The client's personal situation or opinion may not be relevant to the questions about the service itself. Be careful to listen for the information about the service, not just the client's reaction.

📝 Question 8: "Before being hired, all cleaners have a background check carried out by the 8 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: police

📍 Location in Audio Script: "When they apply to us, they have to undergo a security check with the police to make sure they don’t have any sort of criminal background..."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio mentions a "security check with the police" which is a synonym for a background check carried out by the police.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The word police might not be expected if the listener is only thinking of "background check" as a general term, but "security check with the police" gives context.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Listening for synonyms or descriptive phrases is a good way to know the correct answer. "Security check with the police" clearly indicates who performs it.

📝 Question 9: "All cleaners are given 9 ..... for two weeks."

🔹 Correct Answer: training

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Then if we think they might be suitable for the job, we give them training for it. That lasts for two weeks..."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio directly states that cleaners are given "training" for "two weeks."

⚠️ Potential Traps: There isn't much misleading information; the details are stated clearly.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers will appear, especially for factual details like duration and type of preparation.

📝 Question 10: "Customers send a 10 ..... after each visit."

🔹 Correct Answer: review

📍 Location in Audio Script: "we ask all our clients to complete a review of their performance after every visit and to email it to us."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio mentions that clients complete a "review" of their cleaner's performance, which is the answer.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There are a few other nouns that are used in this section (e.g., "performance," "visit," "email") so the listener might get confused if not focusing on what is completed and sent.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to the specific noun that is the object of the action (e.g., "complete a review").

JACINTA: Hello, Easy Life Cleaning Services, Jacinta speaking.

CLIENT: Oh hello. I’m looking for a cleaning service for my apartment – do you do domestic cleaning?

JACINTA: Sure.

CLIENT: Well, it’s just a one-bedroom flat. Do you have a basic cleaning package?

JACINTA: Yes. For a one-bedroom flat we’re probably looking at about two hours for a clean. So we’d do a thorough clean of all surfaces in each room, and polish them where necessary. Does your apartment have carpets?

CLIENT: No, I don’t have any, but the floor would need cleaning. 📍Q1

JACINTA: Of course – we’d do that in every room. And we’d do a thorough clean of the kitchen and bathroom.

CLIENT: OK.

JACINTA: Then we have some additional services which you can request if you want – so for example, we can clean your oven for you every week.

CLIENT: Actually, I hardly ever use that, but can you do the fridge? 📍Q2

JACINTA: Sure. Would you like that done every week?

CLIENT: Yes, definitely. And would ironing clothes be an additional service you can do?

JACINTA: Yes, of course.

CLIENT: It wouldn’t be much, just my shirts for work that week. 📍Q3

JACINTA: That’s fine. And we could also clean your microwave if you want.

CLIENT: No, I wipe that out pretty regularly so there’s no need for that.

JACINTA: We also offer additional services that you might want a bit less often, say every month. So for example, if the inside of your windows need cleaning 📍Q4, we could do that.

CLIENT: Yes, that’d be good. I’m on the fifteenth floor, so the outside gets done regularly by specialists, but the inside goes get a bit grubby.

JACINTA: And we could arrange for your curtains to get cleaned if necessary.

CLIENT: No, they’re OK. But would you be able to do something about the balcony 📍Q5? It’s quite small and I don’t use it much, but it could do with a wash every month or so.

JACINTA: Yes, we can get the pressure washer onto that.

———————————-

JACINTA: Now if you’re interested, we do offer some other possibilities to do with general maintenance. For example, if you have a problem with water and you need a plumber in a hurry, we can put you in touch with a reliable one who can come out straightaway. And the same thing if you need an electrician. 📍Q6

CLIENT: Right. That’s good to know. I’ve only just moved here so I don’t have any of those sorts of contacts.

JACINTA: And I don’t know if this is of interest to you, but we also offer a special vacuum cleaning system which can improve the indoor air quality of your home by capturing up to 99% of all the dust in the air. So if you’re troubled by allergies, this can make a big difference. 📍Q7

CLIENT: Right. In fact, I don’t have that sort of problem, but I’ll bear it in mind. Now can you tell me a bit about your cleaning staff?

JACINTA: Of course. So all our cleaners are very carefully selected. When they apply to us, they have to undergo a security check with the police 📍Q8 to make sure they don’t have any sort of criminal background, and, of course, they have to provide references as well. Then if we think they might be suitable for the job, we give them training for it. That lasts for two weeks 📍Q9 so it’s very thorough, and at the end of it, they have a test. If they pass that, we take them on, but we monitor them very carefully – we ask all our clients to complete a review of their performance after every visit and to email it to us 📍Q10. So we can pick up any problems straightaway and deal with them.

CLIENT: OK, well that all sounds good. And will I always have the same cleaner?

JACINTA: Yes, we do our best to organise it that way, and we usually manage it.

CLIENT: Good. That’s fine. Right, so I’d like to go ahead and …

PART 2 Questions 11-20 + Audio Script

📝 Question 11: "Many hotel managers are unaware that their staff often leave because of"

🔹 Correct Answer: A (a lack of training)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...many hotel jobs, such as cleaning, are low-skilled and are not well-paid. A lot of managers think it’s this and the long hours that are the main causes of high staff turnover – but what they don’t realise is that it’s the lack of training in many hotel jobs which is a huge factor."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: While low pay and long hours are mentioned as perceived reasons by managers, the speaker explicitly states that managers are unaware ("what they don’t realise") that it's actually the lack of training that is a "huge factor."

⚠️ Potential Traps: The mention of low pay and long hours are distractions because the question asks what managers are *unaware* of as the key reason.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Look out for contrast words like "but" which often signal a correction or a more significant underlying reason that contrasts with a common perception.

📝 Question 12: "What is the impact of high staff turnover on managers?"

🔹 Correct Answer: A (an increased workload)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Well, having to recruit new staff all the time can be very time-consuming, and managers may have to cover some duties while waiting for new staff to arrive."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The speaker explains that managers have to "cover some duties" themselves due to staff shortages from high turnover, which directly leads to an increased workload for them.

⚠️ Potential Traps: While low morale and an inability to meet targets might be general consequences of high turnover, the audio specifically links managers "covering duties" to the impact on them.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to the direct consequences or impacts explicitly stated for the specific group mentioned in the question (here, managers).

📝 Question 13: "What mistake should managers always avoid?"

🔹 Correct Answer: A (failing to treat staff equally)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "When organizing shifts, for example, make sure you never give certain staff preferential treatment. All staff should be given some choice about when they work, and everyone should have to work some evening and weekend shifts."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The speaker says that managers should "never give certain staff preferential treatment," which is a direct match for avoiding failing to treat staff equally.

⚠️ Potential Traps: Reorganizing shifts without warning and neglecting to have enough staff are general management issues but not highlighted as the primary mistake to *always avoid* in this context of equal treatment.

⭐ Key Learning Point: When presented with multiple options, see which option has a strong directive or synonym in the text (e.g., "never give preferential treatment" equals "treat staff equally").

📝 Question 14: "What unexpected benefit did Dunwich Hotel notice after improving staff retention rates?"

🔹 Correct Answer: C (a rise in spending per customer)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Not only did the level of complaints fall, but they also noticed a significant increase in the amount each customer spent during their stay."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The speaker clearly states that there was an increase in the "amount each customer spent during their stay" after the hotel improved staff conditions. This directly corresponds to "a rise in spending per customer." The fall in complaints was likely expected or at least a primary goal, making the rise in spending the more "unexpected" positive outcome in this context.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The reduction of customer complaints was also mentioned, but the question asks for an "unexpected benefit." While positive, a reduction in complaints might be a more direct or anticipated outcome of better staff conditions than increased spending.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Sometimes the answer will be presented with a very close synonym or paraphrase. "Amount each customer spent" is very similar to "spending per customer." Note words like "unexpected" to guide your focus.

📝 Question 15: "The Sun Club"

🔹 Correct Answer: A (improving relationships and teamwork)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Junior staff at all levels are regularly invited to meetings where their ideas are welcomed."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: Inviting staff to meetings where their ideas are welcomed fosters a sense of partnership and contribution, thereby improving relationships and teamwork.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps if the implication of "welcoming ideas" is understood in terms of team dynamics.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Understanding the implication or purpose of an action described (e.g., inviting staff to meetings to welcome ideas) is very important for matching to broader categories like "improving relationships."

📝 Question 16: "The Portland"

🔹 Correct Answer: C (providing career opportunities)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Their first step was to introduce a scheme for recognising talent amongst their employees. The hope is that organising training for individuals with management potential will encourage them to stay with the business."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: A scheme for "training for individuals with management potential" is a clear form of career opportunity and development.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the link between training for potential and career opportunities is direct.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Listen for words and phrases that mean similar things or are examples of a broader category (e.g., "training for management potential" as a type of "career opportunity").

📝 Question 17: "Bluewater Hotels"

🔹 Correct Answer: B (offering incentives and financial benefits)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "As a reward, they’re sent on an all-expenses-paid trip abroad every year."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: An all-expenses paid trip is a clear example of an incentive and a financial benefit (as costs are covered).

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the nature of the reward is quite clear.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Be familiar with vocabulary related to benefits and rewards; an "all-expenses-paid trip" is a strong indicator.

📝 Question 18: "Pentlow Hotels"

🔹 Correct Answer: C (providing career opportunities)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "In order to encourage them to see that working in a hotel could be worthwhile and rewarding, with good prospects, they introduced a management programme. These staff were given additional responsibilities and the chance to work in various roles in the hotel."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: A management program with "additional responsibilities" and "various roles" clearly points to providing career opportunities and development paths.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps as the description strongly aligns with career development.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Listen closely for phrases that mean similar things. "Management programme," "additional responsibilities," and "chance to work in various roles" are all related to "career opportunity."

📝 Question 19: "Green Planet"

🔹 Correct Answer: B (offering incentives and financial benefits)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "To make life easier for staff, many of whom had childcare responsibilities, the hotel began issuing vouchers to help cover the cost of childcare."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: Childcare vouchers are a form of incentive and financial benefit, as they help cover costs.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; "vouchers to help cover costs" is a clear financial benefit.

⭐ Key Learning Point: When there are multiple options, see if any of them use synonyms or clear examples for what is mentioned in the audio (e.g., "vouchers" as a financial benefit).

📝 Question 20: "The Amesbury"

🔹 Correct Answer: A (improving relationships and teamwork)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Since she joined the company, she has made a huge effort to achieve this by creating a co-operative and supportive environment. For her, the staff are part of a large family where everyone is valued."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: A "co-operative and supportive environment" where staff are "part of a large family" directly indicates an improvement in relationships and teamwork.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the descriptive language strongly points to relationship building.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Be careful to listen for how things are described (e.g., "co-operative," "supportive," "family") and not just single keywords, to understand the overall impact on the work environment.

As many of you here today have worked in the hotel industry for some time, I’m sure you have experienced the problem of high staff turnover in your hotels. Every hotel relies on having loyal and experienced members of staff who make sure that everything runs smoothly. If staff are constantly changing, it can make life difficult for everyone. But why do staff leave frequently in many hotels? Of course, many hotel jobs, such as cleaning, are low-skilled and are not well-paid. A lot of managers think it’s this and the long hours that are the main causes of high staff turnover – but what they don’t realise is that it’s the lack of training in many hotel jobs which is a huge factor. 📍Q11

So, what kind of problems does a high turnover of staff cause? Well, having to recruit new staff all the time can be very time-consuming, and managers may have to cover some duties while waiting for new staff to arrive 📍Q12. This means they don’t have time to think about less immediate problems such as how to improve their service. When staff leave, it can also severely affect the colleagues they leave behind. It has a negative effect on remaining staff, who may start to feel that they too should be thinking about leaving.

So, what can be done to change this situation? Firstly, managers should stop making basic errors which leave their staff feeling upset and resentful. When organising shifts, for example, make sure you never give certain staff preferential treatment. All staff should be given some choice about when they work 📍Q13, and everyone should have to work some evening and weekend shifts. If you treat staff fairly, they’ll be more likely to step in and help when extra staff are needed.

Keeping staff happy has other tangible benefits for the business. Take the Dunwich Hotel as an example. It had been experiencing a problem with staff complaints and in order to deal with this, invested in staff training and improved staff conditions. Not only did the level of complaints fall, but they also noticed a significant increase in the amount each customer spent during their stay 📍Q14. They have now introduced a customer loyalty scheme which is going really well.

————————————

Now I’d like to look at some ways you can reduce staff turnover in your hotels, and I’ll do this by giving some examples of hotels where I’ve done some training recently.

The Sun Club received feedback which showed that staff thought managers didn’t value their opinions. They weren’t made to feel they were partners who were contributing to the success of the business as a whole. This situation has changed. Junior staff at all levels are regularly invited to meetings where their ideas are welcomed. 📍Q15

A year ago, The Portland recognised the need to invest in staff retention. Their first step was to introduce a scheme for recognising talent amongst their employees. The hope is that organising training for individuals with management potential will encourage them to stay with the business. 📍Q16

At Bluewater, managers decided to recognise 50 high achievers from across the company’s huge hotel chain. As a reward, they’re sent on an all-expenses-paid trip abroad 📍Q17 every year. Fun is an important element in the trips, but there’s also the opportunity to learn something useful. This year’s trip included a visit to a brewery, where staff learned about the new beer that would be served in the hotel.

Pentlow Hotels identified that retention of junior reception staff was an issue. In order to encourage them to see that working in a hotel could be worthwhile and rewarding, with good prospects, they introduced a management programme. These staff were given additional responsibilities and the chance to work in various roles in the hotel. 📍Q18

Green Planet wanted to be seen as a caring employer. To make life easier for staff, many of whom had childcare responsibilities, the hotel began issuing vouchers to help cover the cost of childcare. 📍Q19

Louise Marsh at The Amesbury has one of the best staff retention rates in the business. Since she joined the company, she has made a huge effort to achieve this by creating a co-operative and supportive environment. For her, the staff are part of a large family where everyone is valued. 📍Q20

OK, now I’d like to …

PART 3 Questions 21-30 + Audio Script

📝 Question 21 & 22: "Which TWO points do Thomas and Jeanne make about Thomas’s sporting activities at school?"

🔹 Correct Answers: C (He could have worked harder at them), E (His fellow students admired him)

📍 Location in Audio Script: THOMAS: "Yeah – that was my goal, and all my classmates assumed I would achieve it; they thought I was brilliant." and THOMAS: "Perhaps they should have pushed me harder, though... I think I should have practised more."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: Thomas says that his classmates "thought I was brilliant" meaning they admired him (E). He also says he "should have practiced more" which means he could have worked harder (C).

⚠️ Potential Traps: The other options may sound plausible in a general discussion about school sports, but they do not directly match what Thomas and Jeanne specifically say or agree upon regarding Thomas's experience.

⭐ Key Learning Point: When there are two answers required, ensure that both distinct points are clearly supported by the audio, often from the same speaker or agreed upon by both.

📝 Question 23 & 24: "Which TWO feelings did Thomas experience when he was in Kenya?"

🔹 Correct Answers: A (disbelief), D (gratitude)

📍 Location in Audio Script: THOMAS: "And … I was so calm about it. I just kept thinking how fortunate I was. What a great chance this was!...I thought ‘this can’t be happening’!"

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: Thomas said "how fortunate I was. What a great chance this was" which shows gratitude (D), and "this can’t be happening" expresses disbelief (A) at his performance relative to others.

⚠️ Potential Traps: Other emotions might be inferred (like shock, as Jeanne says "That must have been a huge shock"), but Thomas explicitly mentions feelings aligning with disbelief and gratitude.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Distinguish between what a speaker directly states they felt, and what another person suggests they might have felt. Focus on the speaker's own description of their emotions.

📝 Question 25: "the table tennis bat"

🔹 Correct Answer: B (The material was being mass produced for another purpose)

📍 Location in Audio Script: THOMAS: "In about the 1920s, a factory was making rolls of the rubber in bulk for something like horse harnesses."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The rubber used for table tennis bats was originally being made ("in bulk") for another purpose ("horse harnesses").

⚠️ Potential Traps: The other options are not supported by the information in the audio script regarding the origin or development of the rubber covering.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Some answers are straightforward and do not require special prior knowledge; they rely on understanding the information presented about the origin or initial use of a material.

📝 Question 26: "the cricket helmet"

🔹 Correct Answer: F (It was unpopular among spectators)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...when the first cricket helmet came in, in 1978, the Australian batsman who first wore it was booed and jeered by people watching because it was so ugly!"

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The speaker states that it was "booed and jeered by people watching" (spectators), indicating it was unpopular among them.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the reaction of the spectators is clearly described.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Make sure to pay attention to the key word linking the description to the option. "Unpopular" and "booed and jeered" are strongly related in this context.

📝 Question 27: "the cycle helmet"

🔹 Correct Answer: A (It could cause excessive sweating)

📍 Location in Audio Script: THOMAS: "It says serious cyclists ended up with wet hair from all the hard exercise."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: "Wet hair" from "hard exercise" is synonymous with "excessive sweating."

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps, the description of "wet hair" is a clear indicator.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Synonyms and paraphrasing are important. "Wet hair" from exercise is a common way to describe sweating.

📝 Question 28: "the golf club"

🔹 Correct Answer: D (It often had to be replaced)

📍 Location in Audio Script: JEANNE: "...because a club was made entirely of wood, it would easily break and players had to get another."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The text says that clubs would "easily break" and players "had to get another," which matches the idea that it often had to be replaced.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the consequence of breaking is needing replacement.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to phrases that mean the same thing or describe a direct consequence leading to the answer.

📝 Question 29: "the hockey stick"

🔹 Correct Answer: C (People often needed to make their own)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...when the game started you had to produce a stick yourself."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: "Produce a stick yourself" is a direct synonym for make your own.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps, the phrasing is quite direct.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Be sure to pay attention to synonyms and direct paraphrases of the options.

📝 Question 30: "the football"

🔹 Correct Answer: G (It caused injuries)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "You can imagine the damage to player’s necks when the ball was headed."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: "Damage to player’s necks" clearly indicates that the football caused injuries.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the description of physical harm is direct.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to how things are described and not just single words; "damage to necks" is a clear indication of injury.

JEANNE: Hi Thomas, how are you enjoying the course so far?

THOMAS: Yeah, I think it’s good.

JEANNE: Remind me – why did you decide to study sports science? Didn’t you want to be a professional athlete when you were at school?

THOMAS: Yeah – that was my goal, and all my classmates assumed I would achieve it; they thought I was brilliant. 📍Q21/22

JEANNE: That must have been a nice feeling.

THOMAS: Mm, I thought I could win anything. There was no one who could run faster than me.

JEANNE: Exactly – so what happened? Did your mum and dad want you to be more ‘academic’?

THOMAS: Not at all. Perhaps they should have pushed me harder, though. 📍Q21/22

JEANNE: What do you mean?

THOMAS: I think I should have practised more. 📍Q21/22

JEANNE: What makes you say that?

THOMAS: Well, I went out to Kenya for a couple of weeks to train …

JEANNE: Really! I didn’t know that.

THOMAS: I was chosen to go there out of loads of kids and run with some of the top teenage athletes in the world. And … I was so calm about it. I just kept thinking how fortunate I was. What a great chance this was 📍Q23/24! Everyone back home was so proud of me. But once we started competing, I very quickly realised I wasn’t good enough.

JEANNE: That must have been a huge shock.

THOMAS: I thought ‘this can’t be happening’ 📍Q23/24! I was used to winning.

JEANNE: I’m sorry to hear that.

THOMAS: It’s OK. I’m over it now and I think it’s much better to do a university course and this one has such a variety of sports-related areas. It’s going to be good.

JEANNE: Oh, I agree – I chose it because of that.

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THOMAS: So Jeanne – have you thought of any ideas for the discussion session next week on technology and sport?

JEANNE: We have to cover more than one sport, don’t we?

THOMAS: Yeah.

JEANNE: You know – we always think technology is about the future, but we could gather some ideas about past developments in sport.

THOMAS: Look at early types of equipment perhaps? Uh, I remember reading something about table tennis bats once – how they ended up being covered with pimpled rubber.

JEANNE: Cos they were just wooden at first, I’d imagine.

THOMAS: Yeah. In about the 1920s, a factory was making rolls of the rubber in bulk for something like horse harnesses. 📍Q25

JEANNE: Really!

THOMAS: Yeah – and someone realised that it’d make a perfect covering for the wooden bats.

JEANNE: So what about cricket – that’s had a few innovative changes. Maybe the pads they were on their legs?

THOMAS: I don’t think they’ve changed much but, I’m just looking on the internet … and it says that when the first cricket helmet came in, in 1978, the Australian batsman who first wore it was booed and jeered by people watching because it was so ugly! 📍Q26

JEANNE: Wow, players have to protect themselves from getting hurt! I mean everyone wears one now.

THOMAS: Mm, unlike the cycle helmet.

JEANNE: Well, unless you’re a professional, but you’re right, many ordinary bikers don’t wear a helmet.

THOMAS: Hey, look at these pictures of original helmet designs. This one looks like an upside-down bowl!

JEANNE: Yet, the woman’s laughing – she’s so proud to be wearing it!

THOMAS: It says serious cyclists ended up with wet hair from all the hard exercise. 📍Q27

JEANNE: I guess that’s why they have large air vents in them now so that the skin can breathe more easily.

THOMAS: OK, so we’ve done helmets. What about golf balls or better still golf clubs? They’ve changed a lot.

JEANNE: Yeah – I remember my great grandfather telling me that because a club was made entirely of wood, it would easily break and players had to get another. 📍Q28

THOMAS: There’s no wood at all in them now, is there?

JEANNE: No – they’re much more powerful.

THOMAS: The same must be true of hockey sticks.

JEANNE: I don’t think so because players still use wooden sticks today. What it does say here, though, is that when the game started you had to produce a stick yourself. 📍Q29

THOMAS: I guess they just weren’t being manufactured. So, one more perhaps. What about football?

JEANNE: Well, I know the first balls were made of animal skin.

THOMAS: Yeah, they covered them with pieces of leather that were stitched together, but … the balls let in water when it rained.

JEANNE: Oh, that would have made them much heavier.

THOMAS: That’s right. You can imagine the damage to player’s necks when the ball was headed. 📍Q30

JEANNE: How painful that must have been!

THOMAS: Yeah, well, I think we can put together some useful ideas …

PART 4 Questions 31-40 + Audio Script

📝 Question 31: "colour described as 31 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: golden

📍 Location in Audio Script: "Maple syrup is a thick, golden, sweet-tasting liquid..."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio directly states that maple syrup is "golden".

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps for this straightforward descriptive detail.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers appear frequently for descriptive details like color.

📝 Question 32: "very 32 ..... compared to refined sugar"

🔹 Correct Answer: healthy

📍 Location in Audio Script: "It contains no preservatives or added ingredients, and it provides a healthy alternative to refined sugar."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio refers to maple syrup as a "healthy alternative to refined sugar."

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps here; the comparison is clear.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Be aware of words that relate to comparisons or alternatives between two items. "Healthy" here describes maple syrup in contrast to refined sugar.

📝 Question 33: "best growing conditions and 33 ..... are in Canada and North America"

🔹 Correct Answer: climate

📍 Location in Audio Script: "In these areas, the climate suits the trees perfectly."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio states "the climate suits the trees perfectly," indicating that the "best growing conditions and climate" are in these areas.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; "climate" is directly mentioned as suiting the trees along with other conditions.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers appear, especially when listing factors or conditions for something.

📝 Question 34: "used hot 34 .... to heat the sap"

🔹 Correct Answer: rock(s)

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...they boiled the liquid by placing pieces of rock that had become scorching hot from the sun into the sap."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio mentions using hot "pieces of rock" to boil the sap.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the material used for heating is clearly stated.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Sometimes it is important to listen for nouns that specify the material or tool used to perform an action.

📝 Question 35: "Tree trunks may not have the correct 35 .... until they have been growing for 40 years."

🔹 Correct Answer: diameter

📍 Location in Audio Script: "The trees have to be well looked after and they cannot be used to make syrup until the trunks reach a diameter of around 25 centimeters."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio indicates the trees need to reach a certain "diameter" before they can be tapped. The 40 years is the time it *can take* to reach this, not the diameter itself.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The mention of 40 years is a distractor if the listener isn't careful; the question asks for what the trunk *has* (a dimension), not how long it grows.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Be sure to listen for details that describe a characteristic or measurement, and distinguish this from timeframes mentioned in the same context.

📝 Question 36: "A tap drilled into the trunk and a 36 .... carries the sap into a bucket."

🔹 Correct Answer: tube

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...and inserting a tube into it that ends in a bucket."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio states that a "tube" is inserted into the tree to carry the sap to a bucket.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the object is clearly named.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers are often found when describing a process or the tools used.

📝 Question 37: "Large pans of sap called evaporators are heated by means of a 37 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: fire

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...the sap is poured into these, a fire is built and the pans are then heated until the sap boils."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The speaker mentions that "a fire is built" to heat the pans.

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the method of heating is explicit.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Pay attention to key words describing the method or means by which an action (like heating) is performed.

📝 Question 38: "A lot of 38 .... is produced during the evaporation process."

🔹 Correct Answer: steam

📍 Location in Audio Script: "The evaporation process creates large quantities of steam..."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio mentions that the evaporation process produces large quantities of "steam".

⚠️ Potential Traps: There aren't any obvious potential traps; the byproduct is clearly stated.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers will appear when describing the outcomes or byproducts of a process.

📝 Question 39: "‘Sugar sand’ is removed because it makes the syrup look 39 ....."

🔹 Correct Answer: cloudy

📍 Location in Audio Script: "...and gives the syrup a cloudy appearance..."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio states that the sugar sand gives the syrup a "cloudy" appearance.

⚠️ Potential Traps: "Gritty taste" is also mentioned, but the question asks how it *looks*.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers will appear. Ensure the answer corresponds to the specific aspect questioned (e.g., appearance vs. taste).

📝 Question 40: "A huge quantity of sap is needed to make a 40 ..... of maple syrup."

🔹 Correct Answer: litre/liter

📍 Location in Audio Script: "It takes 40 litres of sap to produce one litre of maple syrup..."

🔹 Analysis of the Answer: The audio states that 40 liters of sap are needed to produce one "litre" of maple syrup.

⚠️ Potential Traps: The number "40" refers to the sap quantity, not the syrup quantity asked for in the blank.

⭐ Key Learning Point: Direct answers will appear. Distinguish between quantities of input and output when ratios are given.

Hello everyone. Today we’re going to look at another natural food product and that’s maple syrup. What is this exactly? Well, maple syrup looks rather like clear honey, but it’s not made by bees; it’s produced from the plant fluid – or sap – inside the maple tree and that makes maple syrup a very natural product. Maple syrup is a thick, golden 📍Q31, sweet-tasting liquid that can be bought in bottles or jars and poured onto food such as waffles and ice cream or used in the baking of cakes and pastries. It contains no preservatives or added ingredients, and it provides a healthy alternative to refined sugar. 📍Q32

Let’s just talk a bit about the maple tree itself, which is where maple syrup comes from. So, there are many species of maple tree, and they’ll grow without fertilizer in areas where there’s plenty of moisture in the soil. However, they’ll only do this if another important criterion is fulfilled, which is that they must have full or partial sun exposure during the day and very cool nights – and I’ll talk more about that in a minute. There are only certain parts of the world that provide all these conditions: one is Canada, and by that, I mean all parts of Canada, and the other is the north-eastern states of North America. In these areas, the climate suits the trees perfectly 📍Q33. In fact, Canada produces over two-thirds of the world’s maple syrup, which is why the five-pointed maple leaf is a Canadian symbol and has features on the flag since 1964.

So how did maple syrup production begin? Well, long before Europeans settled in these parts of the world, the indigenous communities had started producing maple sugar. They bored holes in the trunks of maple trees and used containers made of tree bark to collect the liquid sap as it poured out. As they were unable to keep the liquid for any length of time – they didn’t have storage facilities in those days – they boiled the liquid by placing pieces of rock that had become scorching hot from the sun into the sap 📍Q34. They did this until it turned into sugar, and they were then able to use this to sweeten their food and drinks. Since that time, improvements have been made to the process, but it has changed very little overall.

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So let’s look at the production of maple syrup today. Clearly, the maple forests are a valuable resource in many Canadian and North American communities. The trees have to be well looked after and they cannot be used to make syrup until the trunks reach a diameter of around 25 centimetres. This can take anything up to 40 years 📍Q35. As I’ve already mentioned, maple trees need the right conditions to grow and also to produce sap. Why is this? Well, what happens is that during a cold night, the tree absorbs water from the soil, and that rises through the tree’s vascular system. But then in the warmer daytime, the change in temperature causes the water to be pushed back down to the bottom of the tree. This continual movement – up and down – leads to the formation of the sap needed for maple syrup production.

When the tree is ready, it can be tapped and this involves drilling a small hole into the trunk and inserting a tube into it that ends in a bucket 📍Q36. The trees can often take several taps, though the workers take care not to cause any damage to the healthy growth of the tree itself. The sap that comes out of the trees consists of 98 percent water and 2 percent sugar and other nutrients. It has to be boiled so that much of that water evaporates, and this process has to take place immediately, using what are called evaporators. These are basically extremely large pans – the sap is poured into these, a fire is built and the pans are then heated until the sap boils 📍Q37. As it does this, the water evaporates, and the syrup begins to form. The evaporation process creates large quantities of steam 📍Q38, and the sap becomes thicker and denser, and, at just the right moment, when the sap is thick enough to be called maple syrup, the worker removes it from the heat. After this process, something called ‘sugar sand’ has to be filtered out as this builds up during the boiling and gives the syrup a cloudy appearance 📍Q39 and a slightly gritty taste. Once this has been done, the syrup is ready to be packaged so that it can be used for a whole variety of products. It takes 40 litres of sap to produce one litre of maple syrup 📍Q40 so you can get an idea of how much is needed!

So that’s the basic process. In places like Quebec where …