Test 4 Listening

Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic, Test 4, Listening — four parts, 40 questions, with the original recordings and the audioscript hidden until you have listened. Explanations written by First English Lab: Cambridge publishes no extended key for Test 4.

ELby English Lab Team

IELTS

Test 4 Listening

Cambridge IELTS 19 Academic

Test 4 — Listening

Four parts, 40 questions. In the real exam the Listening test takes about 30 minutes, and you hear each recording once only.

Part 1 — Questions 1–10

KAEDEN: Hello Charlotte. I'm Kaeden, one of the supervisors. Welcome to the team.

CHARLOTTE: Hi Aiden.

KAEDEN: It's Kaeden.

CHARLOTTE: I'm so sorry.

KAEDEN: Don't worry. People often get my name wrong; they never know how to spell it. It's K-A-E-D-E-N, in case you ever need to write it.

CHARLOTTE: I'll try and remember.

KAEDEN: So, there are a few practical things you need to sort out this morning. Then I'll show you what you're going to do today.

CHARLOTTE: The email I received said to go to the front desk, to show my letter of appointment and pick up my badge.

KAEDEN: You'll need that for the staffroom and other areas of the supermarket where shoppers aren't allowed. So, after you've finished at the front desk, I'll take you to the staffroom. Put your coat and rucksack in one of the lockers there. Take whichever one is free.

CHARLOTTE: Will I have a key?

KAEDEN: Yes. Try not to lose it. At the end of the day, leave it in the door for the next person to use.

CHARLOTTE: Will do.

KAEDEN: You also need to go to the HR department to see Tiffany. She's really helpful.

CHARLOTTE: I was told to bring my passport with me. HR need to take a note of the number in it.

KAEDEN: That's right. Or you can show your ID card.

CHARLOTTE: I don't have one of those.

KAEDEN: OK. Tiffany will give you a uniform. They have lots in different sizes, so you just tell her what you need. I won't come with you to HR — I've got to go and sort something else out. Problem with a bread slicer. cHarLotte: Is the HR office near the staffroom?

KAEDEN: The staffroom's on the first floor, and HR are a couple of floors above that, on the third floor. There's a staircase outside the staffroom. cHaRLoTTE: OK.

KAEDEN: When you've finished with HR, come and find me in the bakery section of the shop. CHARLOTTE: I'm looking forward to getting started.

KAEDEN: I'll just give you my phone number, in case you can’t find me. Have you got your phone there?

CHARLOTTE: Yes… OK, ready.

KAEDEN: It's oh-four-one-two double-six-five nine-oh-three.

CHARLOTTE: OK, done.

KAEDEN: So, Charlotte, your tasks today are in the bakery section, on the sushi counter, and on the meat and fish counters. The first job is to check sell-by dates on the bread and cakes. If any of the dates are today's, put a new price label on the packaging.

CHARLOTTE: Whal if any of the labels are yesterday's dates, or older? Do I throw those items away?

KAEDEN: Yes, but that shouldn't happen — we check the stock every day. When something needs a new price label, put a yellow one on the package, next to the original price.

CHARLOTTE: OK.

KAEDEN: After that, you'll go to the sushi takeaway counter.

CHARLOTTE: Will I be preparing boxes of food?

KAEDEN: For today, you'll just be helping the staff.

CHARLOTTE: Yes, of course.

KAEDEN: You'll see lots of flat cardboard boxes at one end of the counter. Beneath those is where we keep the plastic boxes — we run out of those really quickly, so you should bring more from the storeroom.

CHARLOTTE: Is that my only task on the sushi counter?

KAEDEN: No. You also need to clean the area where they prepare the dishes. There are cloths and bottles of spray by the sink. Oh, and please make sure you clean that too.

CHARLOTTE: Sure. That's important, isn’t it?

KAEDEN: Absolutely. But you mustn't wash up knives. You have to do some training before you're allowed to touch sharp objects.

CHARLOTTE: What should I do if there are any?

KAEDEN: Ask someone to put them in the dishwasher. cHARLOTTE: OK, thanks. I don't want to get anything wrong.

KAEDEN: Don't worry. You'll be fine. And I'll be around to help.

CHARLOTTE: Right.

KAEDEN: Finally, the meat and fish counters. You need to clean the area where staff serve customers, including wiping the weighing scales.

CHARLOTTE: OK. Anything else?

KAEDEN: The fish is laid on ice, but when that starts to melt, you'll need to get more from the cold-room.

CHARLOTTE: I know the staff on the food counters wear a hat. Will that be the same for me?

KAEDEN: You won't be serving customers directly, so no, But make sure you put on thermal gloves when you take anything out of the cold-room. The temperature’s low enough in there to get frostbite from touching things. CHARLOTTE: Understood.

Questions 1–6

Complete the notes below. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

First day at work

Name of supervisor: 1

The correct answer is 'Kaeden'.

Where to leave coat and bag: use 2 in staffroom

The correct answer is 'locker': the speaker says, '. . . you've finished at the front desk, I'll take you to the staffroom. Put your coat and rucksack in one of the lockers there. Take whichever one is free. Will I have a key? Yes. Try not to lose it. At the end of the day, leave . . .'.

See Tiffany in HR: to give 3 number

The correct answer is 'passport': the speaker says, '. . . do. You also need to go to the HR department to see Tiffany. She's really helpful. I was told to bring my passport with me. HR need to take a note of the number in it. That's right. Or you can show your ID card. I don't . . .'.

See Tiffany in HR: to collect 4

The correct answer is 'uniform': the speaker says, '. . . in it. That's right. Or you can show your ID card. I don't have one of those. OK. Tiffany will give you a uniform. They have lots in different sizes, so you just tell her what you need. I won't come with you to HR — I've . . .'.

Location of HR office: on 5 floor

The correct answer is 'third': the speaker says, '. . . near the staffroom? The staffroom's on the first floor, and HR are a couple of floors above that, on the third floor. There's a staircase outside the staffroom. cHaRLoTTE: OK. When you've finished with HR, come and find me . . .'.

Supervisor's mobile number: 6

The correct answer is '0412 665 903': the speaker says, '. . . give you my phone number, in case you can’t find me. Have you got your phone there? Yes… OK, ready. It's oh-four-one-two double-six-five nine-oh-three. OK, done. So, Charlotte, your tasks today are in the bakery section, on the . . .'.

Questions 7–10

Complete the table below. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Responsibilities

Bakery section · Check sell-by dates · Change price labels · Notes: Use 7 labels

The correct answer is 'yellow': the speaker says, '. . . but that shouldn't happen — we check the stock every day. When something needs a new price label, put a yellow one on the package, next to the original price. OK. After that, you'll go to the sushi takeaway counter. Will I be preparing . . .'.

Sushi takeaway counter · Re-stock with 8 boxes if needed · Wipe preparation area and clean the sink · Notes: Do not clean any knives

The correct answer is 'plastic': the speaker says, '. . . You'll see lots of flat cardboard boxes at one end of the counter. Beneath those is where we keep the plastic boxes — we run out of those really quickly, so you should bring more from the storeroom. Is that my only task on . . .'.

Meat and fish counters · Clean the serving area, including the weighing scales · Collect 9 for the fish from the cold-room

The correct answer is 'ice'.

Meat and fish counters · Notes: Must wear special 10

The correct answer is 'gloves': the speaker says, '. . . that be the same for me? You won't be serving customers directly, so no, But make sure you put on thermal gloves when you take anything out of the cold-room. The temperature’s low enough in there to get frostbite from . . .'.

Part 4 — Questions 31–40

Tree planting now dominates political and popular agendas and is often presented as an easy answer to the climate crisis, as well as a way for business corporations to offset their carbon emissions. Bul unfortunately, tree planting isn't as straightforward as some people think. When the wrong trees are planted in the wrong place, it can do considerably more damage than good, failing to help either people or the environment.

Reforestation projects are currently being undertaken on a huge scale in many countries and it's crucial that the right trees are selected. A mix of species should always be planted, typical of the local natural forest ecosystem and including rare and endangered species in order to create a rich ecosystem. It’s important to avoid non-native species that could become invasive. Invasive species are a significant contributor to the current global biodiversity crisis and are often in competition with native species and may threaten their long-term survival.

Restoring biodiversity that will maximise carbon capture is key when reforesting an area, but ideally any reforestation project should have several goals. These could include selecting trees that can contribute to wildlife conservation, improve the availability of food for the local community and maintain the stability of soil systems. Meeting as many of these goals as possible, whilst doing no harm to local communities, native ecosystems and vulnerable

species, is the sign of a highly successful tree-planting scheme. To ensure the survival and resilience of a planted forest, it's vital to use tree seeds with appropriate levels of genetic diversity: the amount of genetic variation found within a species essential for their survival. Using seeds with low genetic diversity generally lowers the resilience, which can make them vulnerable to disease and unable to adapt to climate change.

Choosing the right location for reforestation projects is as important as choosing the right trees. Ultimately, the best area for planting trees would be in formerly forested areas that are in poor condition. It's better to avoid non-forested landscapes such as natural grasslands, savannas or wetlands as these ecosystems already contribute greatly to capturing carbon. It would also be advantageous to choose an area where trees could provide other benefits, such as recreational spaces. Reforesting areas which are currently exploited for agriculture should be avoided as this often leads to other areas being deforested.

Large-scale reforestation projects require careful planning. Making the right decisions about where to plant trees depends on having the right information. Having detailed and_up-to-date maps identifying high-priority areas for intervention is essential. Drone technology is a useful tool in helping to prioritise and monitor areas of degraded forest for restoration. In Brazil, it’s being used to identify and quantify how parts of the Amazon are being devastated by human activities such as rearing cattle and illegal logging.

A good example of where the right trees were picked to achieve a restored forest is in Lampang Province in Northern Thailand. A previously forested site which had been degraded through mining was reforested by a cement company together with Chiang Mai University. After spreading 60 cm of topsoil, they planted 14 different native tree species which included several species of fig. Figs are a keystone species because of the critical role they play in maintaining wildlife populations. They are central to tropical reforestation projects as they increase the speed of the recovery process by attracting animals and birds which act as natural seed dispersers. This helps to promote diversity through the healthy regrowth of a wide range of plant species. Unlike the majority of fruit trees, figs bear fruit all year round, providing a reliable food source for many species. At this site, for example, after only three rainy seasons, monkeys started visiting to eat the fig fruits, naturally dispersing seeds through defecation.

Reforestation projects should always aim to make sure that local communities are consulted and involved in the decision-making process.

The restoration of mangrove forests in Madagascar is an example of a project which has succeeded in creating real benefits for the community. Destruction of the mangrove forests had a terrible impact on plant and animal life, and also badly affected the fishing industry, which was a major source of employment for local people living in coastal areas. The reforestation project involved hiring local people to plant and care for the new mangrove trees. Millions of mangrove trees have now been planted which has resulted in the return of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The mangroves also act as a defence against the increased threat of flooding caused by climate change. What's more, the local economy is more stable and thousands more Madagascans are now able to send their children to school.

One other important point to consider . . .

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Tree planting

Reforestation projects should:

include a range of tree species

not include invasive species because of possible 31 with native species

The correct answer is 'competition': the speaker says, '. . . Invasive species are a significant contributor to the current global biodiversity crisis and are often in competition with native species and may threaten their long-term survival. Restoring biodiversity that will maximise carbon capture is key . . .'.

aim to capture carbon, protect the environment and provide sustainable sources of 32 for local people

The correct answer is 'food'.

use tree seeds with a high genetic diversity to increase resistance to 33 and climate change

The correct answer is 'disease': the speaker says, '. . . Using seeds with low genetic diversity generally lowers the resilience, which can make them vulnerable to disease and unable to adapt to climate change. Choosing the right location for reforestation projects is as . . .'.

plant trees on previously forested land which is in a bad condition, not select land which is being used for 34

The correct answer is 'agriculture': the speaker says, '. . . provide other benefits, such as recreational spaces. Reforesting areas which are currently exploited for agriculture should be avoided as this often leads to other areas being deforested. Large-scale reforestation projects . . .'.

Large-scale reforestation projects

Base planning decisions on information from accurate 35 .

The correct answer is 'maps'.

Drones are useful for identifying areas in Brazil which are endangered by keeping 36 and illegal logging.

The correct answer is 'cattle': the speaker says, '. . . to identify and quantify how parts of the Amazon are being devastated by human activities such as rearing cattle and illegal logging. A good example of where the right trees were picked to achieve a restored forest is in . . .'.

Lampang Province, Northern Thailand

A forest was restored in an area damaged by mining. A variety of native fig trees were planted, which are important for supporting many wildlife species.

increasing the 37 of recovery by attracting animals and birds

The correct answer is 'speed': the speaker says, '. . . maintaining wildlife populations. They are central to tropical reforestation projects as they increase the speed of the recovery process by attracting animals and birds which act as natural seed dispersers. This helps to promote . . .'.

e.g., 38 were soon attracted to the area.

The correct answer is 'monkeys': the speaker says, '. . . a reliable food source for many species. At this site, for example, after only three rainy seasons, monkeys started visiting to eat the fig fruits, naturally dispersing seeds through defecation. Reforestation . . .'.

Involving local communities

Destruction of mangrove forests in Madagascar made it difficult for people to make a living from 39 .

The correct answer is 'fishing': the speaker says, '. . . of the mangrove forests had a terrible impact on plant and animal life, and also badly affected the fishing industry, which was a major source of employment for local people living in coastal areas. The . . .'.

The mangrove reforestation project provided employment for local people and restored a healthy ecosystem.

protects against the higher risk of 40 .

The correct answer is 'flooding': the speaker says, '. . . return of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The mangroves also act as a defence against the increased threat of flooding caused by climate change. What's more, the local economy is more stable and thousands more Madagascans are . . .'.

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Test 4 Listening

Part 1 — Questions 1–10

Part 2 — Questions 11–20

Part 3 — Questions 21–30

Part 4 — Questions 31–40