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LanguageCert Practice Listening: Part 3 (Monologue) ID: #60336 Easy Yellow 3

Instructions ›

You will hear a student giving a presentation about Uses of Bitumen. Complete the information on the notepad. Write short answers of one to three words. You will hear the presentation twice. You have thirty seconds to look at the notepad.

Transcript:

Listening Part 3 You will hear a student making a presentation about the uses of bitumen. Complete the information on the notepad. Write short answers of one to three words. You will hear the person twice. You have 30 seconds to look at the notepad. Today, I'm going to talk about some of the interesting things I've discovered about an oil product called bitumen. It seems that it's been in use for thousands of years for various purposes. The early uses of oil and bitumen reflect how creative and adaptable early humans and then ancient civilizations were in utilizing the resources available to them. Bitumen is a thick, sticky form of crude oil, the oil which comes out of the ground. It's so thick that it's in a semi-solid state, which means that it's an ideal substance to use as a natural glue. Archaeologists have found evidence that 50,000 years ago, early humans, known as Neanderthals, used bitumen to stick pointed stones to wooden handles to make hunting spears. Coming forward to ancient civilizations in the Middle East around 3000 BCE, the Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians used bitumen as a mortar to stick building bricks together and as a way to waterproof boats. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, used bitumen in construction of its terraces, presumably to prevent the water used to water the plants from washing them away. Moving to ancient Egypt, bitumen was used in the embalming process. Embalming is the way the Egyptians preserved the bodies of the dead, which is one of the famous parts of their culture. Because the substance resists water, bitumen helped to protect the bodies from decay as they lay in their tombs. Staying in ancient Egypt, Bitumen was also used to seal the joints in the construction of the pyramids, and this is why we can still see some of these stone structures 5,000 years later. In ancient Rome, the substance was used to kill insects. It was apparently mixed with sulfur when used for this purpose because, in this form, it emits a gas. However, I couldn't find out how they used the mixture exactly. Perhaps they had pots of it in their houses and public buildings. Or perhaps they used it in the same way that some people still do today, made into balls and put into wardrobes and clothes straws to kill moths which love to eat wool and so on. Bitumen was used in Persian medicine too to treat a number of illnesses and complaints. Persian doctors recommended its use in cases of broken bones to speed up repair. It was put onto a bandage, which was then wrapped around the break. It was also used as a drink for people with breathing problems. The science behind its effects are now known. It works on the heart in a good way and gives people more strength. It also improves the digestion of food, which can be very important in recovery from severe illness. In North America, Native American tribes used bitumen for many of the purposes already mentioned, but also as a base for paint. This further demonstrates the wide range of uses for bitumen products, but even more the fact that its many properties were discovered and put to use across widely separated continents and cultures. Coming forward to the industrial revolution in the 18th century and beyond, bitumen played a crucial role in the expansion of infrastructure, particularly with the development of rd networks. In fact, the ancient Greeks called bitumen asphaltos, and we still use the word asphalt in English for this widely used material. It provides a long-lasting and smooth surface for vehicles to travel on. Thank you for your attention and I hope you now have a better understanding of the many uses of bitumen. Today, I'm going to talk about some of the interesting things I've discovered about an oil product called bitumen. It seems that it's been in use for thousands of years for various purposes. The early uses of oil and bitumen reflect how creative and adaptable early humans and then ancient civilizations were in utilizing the resources available to them. Bitumen's a thick, sticky form of crude oil, the oil which comes out of the ground. It's so thick that it's in a semi-solid state, which means that it's an ideal substance to use as a natural glue. Archaeologists have found evidence that 50,000 years ago, early humans, known as Neanderthals, used bitumen to stick pointed stones to wooden handles to make hunting spears. Coming forward to ancient civilizations in the Middle East around 3000 BCE, the Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians used bitumen as a mortar to stick building bricks together and as a way to waterproof boats. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, used bitumen in construction of its terraces, presumably to prevent the water used to water the plants from washing them away. Moving to ancient Egypt, bitumen was used in the embalming process. Embalming is the way the Egyptians preserved the bodies of the dead, which is one of the famous parts of their culture. Because the substance resists water, bitumen helped to protect the bodies from decay as they lay in their tombs. Staying in ancient Egypt, bitumen was also used to seal the joints in the construction of the pyramids, and this is why we can still see some of these stone structures 5,000 years later. In ancient Rome, the substance was used to kill insects. It was apparently mixed with sulfur when used for this purpose because, in this form, it emits a gas. However, I couldn't find out how they used the mixture exactly. Perhaps they had pots of it in their houses and public buildings. Or perhaps they used it in the same way that some people still do today, made into balls and put into wardrobes and clothes straws to kill moths which love to eat wool and so on. Bitumen was used in Persian medicine too to treat a number of illnesses and complaints. Persian doctors recommended its use in cases of broken bones to speed up repair. It was put onto a bandage which was then wrapped around the break. It was also used as a drink for people with breathing problems. The science behind its effects are now known. It works on the heart in a good way and gives people more strength. It also improves the digestion of food, which can be very important in recovery from severe illness. In North America, Native American tribes used bitumen for many of the purposes already mentioned, but also as a base for paint. This further demonstrates the wide range of uses for bitumen products, but even more the fact that its many properties were discovered and put to use across widely separated continents and cultures. Coming forward to the industrial revolution in the 18th century and beyond, bitumen played a crucial role in the expansion of infrastructure, particularly with the development of rd networks. In fact, the ancient Greeks called bitumen asphaltos, and we still use the word asphalt in English for this widely used material. It provides a long-lasting and smooth surface for vehicles to travel on. Thank you for your attention, and I hope you now have a better understanding of the many uses of bitumen. That is the end of Part 3.

The uses of bitumen through the ages

Bitumen is a form of crude oil.

Neanderthal hunting tools were made by attaching wooden (1) to sharp stones with bitumen.

In the Middle East around 3000 BCE, bitumen was used on boats to (2) them.

In Babylon, bitumen was used when building (3), including those of the famous Hanging Gardens.

Egyptians used bitumen in the embalming process.

Evidence of the use of bitumen between the stones of the (4) has been found in Egypt.

Ancient Romans used a mixture of bitumen and sulphur to kill insects.

Roman citizens may have used balls of this mixture to protect their (5) from being damaged.

Amongst other things, Persian doctors used bitumen on broken bones and to improve digestion.

In North America, Native American tribes used bitumen for making (6).

Since the late 18th century, bitumen has been vital in creating the (7) in and between countries across the world.

Result:

Explanation

{ "questions": [ { "question": 1, "correct_answer": "handles", "why_correct": "The speaker says Neanderthals used bitumen 'to stick pointed stones to wooden handles to make hunting spears'. So the wooden parts are handles.", "alternative_answers": [ "handle" ], "common_mistakes": "Students may write 'spears' or 'stones', but the notepad asks about the wooden part, which is the handles. This is a Near-Miss Distractor mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen for the wooden part that stones were stuck to", "The notepad word 'wooden' matches the audio phrase 'wooden handles'" ], "tips": "The word before the gap ('wooden') tells you exactly what kind of thing to listen for.", "transcript_reference": "...Archaeologists have found evidence that 50,000 years ago, early humans, known as Neanderthals, used bitumen to stick pointed stones to wooden handles to make hunting spears. Coming forward to ancient civilizations in the Middle East around 3000 BCE...." }, { "question": 2, "correct_answer": "waterproof", "why_correct": "The speaker says bitumen was used 'as a way to waterproof boats'. The notepad says bitumen was used on boats to '___ them', so the answer is waterproof.", "alternative_answers": [], "common_mistakes": "Some students write 'build' or 'stick', but the boats were made waterproof. This is a Near-Miss Distractor mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen for what bitumen did to boats", "The notepad word 'boats' matches the audio word 'boats'" ], "tips": "When the gap needs a verb, listen for an action word in the audio near the same topic.", "transcript_reference": "...the Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians used bitumen as a mortar to stick building bricks together and as a way to waterproof boats. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon used bitumen in construction of its terraces...." }, { "question": 3, "correct_answer": "terraces", "why_correct": "The speaker says the Hanging Gardens 'used bitumen in construction of its terraces'. The notepad says bitumen was used 'when building ___', so the answer is terraces.", "alternative_answers": [], "common_mistakes": "Students may write 'gardens' or 'bricks', but the gap asks what was built with bitumen, which is the terraces. This is a Near-Miss Distractor mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen for the flat garden levels bitumen helped build", "The notepad phrase 'Hanging Gardens' matches the audio phrase 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon'" ], "tips": "Match the exact thing the bitumen was used for, not just any word about the gardens.", "transcript_reference": "...The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, used bitumen in construction of its terraces, presumably to prevent the water used to water the plants from washing them away. Moving to ancient Egypt, bitumen was used in the embalming process...." }, { "question": 4, "correct_answer": "pyramids", "why_correct": "The speaker says bitumen 'was also used to seal the joints in the construction of the pyramids'. The notepad says bitumen between 'the stones of the ___', so the answer is pyramids.", "alternative_answers": [], "common_mistakes": "Some students write 'tombs', which appear nearby, but the stones sealed with bitumen were the pyramids. This is a Near-Miss Distractor mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen for the stone structures whose joints were sealed", "The notepad phrase 'between the stones' matches the audio phrase 'seal the joints'" ], "tips": "Read the notepad carefully to find which building had bitumen between its stones.", "transcript_reference": "...Staying in ancient Egypt, bitumen was also used to seal the joints in the construction of the pyramids, and this is why we can still see some of these stone structures 5,000 years later. In ancient Rome, the substance was used to kill insects...." }, { "question": 5, "correct_answer": "clothes", "why_correct": "The speaker says balls of the mixture were put 'into wardrobes' to kill moths 'which love to eat wool'. So the mixture protected people's clothes.", "alternative_answers": [], "common_mistakes": "Students may write 'wool' or 'moths', but the gap asks what was protected, which is clothes. This is a Near-Miss Distractor mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen for what the moths damage in wardrobes", "The notepad word 'protect' matches the audio idea of killing moths that eat wool" ], "tips": "When something is protected from damage, listen for the thing being harmed, not the thing doing the harm.", "transcript_reference": "...Or perhaps they used it in the same way that some people still do today, made into balls and put into wardrobes and clothes drawers to kill moths which love to eat wool and so on. Bitumen was used in Persian medicine too to treat a number of illnesses...." }, { "question": 6, "correct_answer": "paint", "why_correct": "The speaker says Native American tribes used bitumen 'as a base for paint'. The notepad says they used bitumen 'for making ___', so the answer is paint.", "alternative_answers": [], "common_mistakes": "Some students write 'base', but that word describes how it was used, not what was made. The product is paint. This is a Paraphrase Confusion mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen for what North American tribes made with bitumen", "The notepad phrase 'Native American tribes' matches the audio phrase 'Native American tribes'" ], "tips": "When the gap asks what was 'made', listen for the finished product, not the method.", "transcript_reference": "...In North America, Native American tribes used bitumen for many of the purposes already mentioned, but also as a base for paint. This further demonstrates the wide range of uses for bitumen products...." }, { "question": 7, "correct_answer": "road networks", "why_correct": "The speaker says bitumen was vital 'with the development of road networks' that give a smooth surface for vehicles. So the answer is road networks.", "alternative_answers": [ "roads" ], "common_mistakes": "Some students write only 'roads' and drop 'networks', making the answer shorter than needed. This is a Partial Answer mistake.", "key_listening_points": [ "Listen near the end for what bitumen helped build across countries", "The notepad phrase 'in and between countries' matches the audio idea of infrastructure and travel" ], "tips": "The last gap is often answered near the end of the talk, so listen right to the finish.", "transcript_reference": "...Coming forward to the industrial revolution in the 18th century and beyond, bitumen played a crucial role in the expansion of infrastructure, particularly with the development of road networks. It provides a long-lasting and smooth surface for vehicles to travel on...." } ] }

A.I. Explanation:

Correct Answer: handles
Why this is correct: The speaker says Neanderthals used bitumen 'to stick pointed stones to wooden handles to make hunting spears'. So the wooden parts are handles.
Tips: The word before the gap ('wooden') tells you exactly what kind of thing to listen for.
Correct Answer: waterproof
Why this is correct: The speaker says bitumen was used 'as a way to waterproof boats'. The notepad says bitumen was used on boats to '___ them', so the answer is waterproof.
Tips: When the gap needs a verb, listen for an action word in the audio near the same topic.
Correct Answer: terraces
Why this is correct: The speaker says the Hanging Gardens 'used bitumen in construction of its terraces'. The notepad says bitumen was used 'when building ___', so the answer is terraces.
Tips: Match the exact thing the bitumen was used for, not just any word about the gardens.
Correct Answer: pyramids
Why this is correct: The speaker says bitumen 'was also used to seal the joints in the construction of the pyramids'. The notepad says bitumen between 'the stones of the ___', so the answer is pyramids.
Tips: Read the notepad carefully to find which building had bitumen between its stones.
Correct Answer: clothes
Why this is correct: The speaker says balls of the mixture were put 'into wardrobes' to kill moths 'which love to eat wool'. So the mixture protected people's clothes.
Tips: When something is protected from damage, listen for the thing being harmed, not the thing doing the harm.
Correct Answer: paint
Why this is correct: The speaker says Native American tribes used bitumen 'as a base for paint'. The notepad says they used bitumen 'for making ___', so the answer is paint.
Tips: When the gap asks what was 'made', listen for the finished product, not the method.
Correct Answer: road networks
Why this is correct: The speaker says bitumen was vital 'with the development of road networks' that give a smooth surface for vehicles. So the answer is road networks.
Tips: The last gap is often answered near the end of the talk, so listen right to the finish.

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