Do-It-Yourself House Painting - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 3 Academic Listening Test 6 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–14 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 15–16 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Questions 17–18 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Questions 19–20 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | A | Although people still lead very busy lives, thanks to the availability of various new DIY materials, you can now decorate your home in a more efficient and a more environmentally friendly way | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that even though people have many things to do (busy lives), they can now get new types of paint and tools. These new items help them finish the work more effectively and are safer for the environment. Answer Explanation: The answer means that now is a great time to paint your house yourself because the paint and tools you can buy are better than they used to be. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the speaker explains that painting your own home is easier now because of the 'availability of various new DIY materials.' These new items are 'more efficient' (help get the job done better or faster) and 'environmentally friendly' (better for the planet). The speaker mentions that people are still very 'busy,' so they do not have more free time than before, and the speaker never says that the materials are cheaper. |
| Q12 | B | In 2009 alone, approximately 53 million liters of the paint that was sold in the UK were left untouched. That’s enough to fill 21 Olympic-sized swimming pools | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that over 50 million liters of paint were never used in 2009. This huge amount being 'left untouched' is used as an example of paint being wasted. Answer Explanation: The answer means that in the year 2009, people in the UK bought a lot of paint but did not use it, which resulted in a lot of waste. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the speaker states that in 2009, about 53 million liters of paint sold in the UK were 'left untouched.' This means the owners never used the paint, so it became waste. The speaker emphasizes how large this amount is by comparing it to the size of 21 big swimming pools. |
| Q13 | C | There are automatic paint calculators available now. Most of the major paint manufacturers provide them. Look on their websites or just Google “paint calculator” and see what comes up | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that you can find these special computer programs (calculators) by checking the business websites of paint companies or by searching for them on Google. Answer Explanation: The answer means you can access and use a digital tool from the world wide web to calculate the amount of paint required. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the speaker notes that 'automatic paint calculators' are 'available now' through 'major paint manufacturers' either on their 'websites' or by using a search engine like 'Google.' This confirms these tools are accessible via the Internet. The speaker also mentions that one should 'measure' accurately to 'avoid unnecessary waste,' which makes choice A incorrect. Choice B is incorrect because the speaker explains that overestimating paint is a result of 'guesswork' and leads to waste, which should be avoided. |
| Q14 | B | But if you do end up with leftover paint, you can donate it to an organization like Community RePaint. They will take the paint from you and redistribute it to local charities and voluntary organizations, so it goes to a good home | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that instead of throwing away extra paint, you can give it to this group. This group then passes the paint to local charities and groups so the paint is used instead of wasted. Answer Explanation: The answer means Community RePaint is an organization that takes extra paint people don't use and gives it to local groups for free. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the speaker says you can 'donate' (give for free) any 'leftover paint' (extra paint you have) to Community RePaint. Then, the organization will 'redistribute' it, which means they give it away to local charities and other groups that can use it. This matches the idea of collecting unwanted paint and giving it away. |
| Q15 | — | — | |
| Q16 | B / D | For example, you can get a small sample of the color you’re thinking of using, then paint a board and move it around the room, so you can see how it looks against your furnishings and in different lights Most paint manufacturers now sell water-based paints that don’t contain harmful chemicals or give off harmful odors, so get one of these |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript suggests taking a 'sample' or a small piece of the color to see how it looks with your furniture and lights. It also tells people to buy 'water-based paints' because they are safer and do not have 'harmful odors' (bad smells). Answer Explanation: The answer B means you should try a tiny bit of the paint color to see if you like it before buying a large amount. The answer D means you should choose paint that uses water as its base instead of strong chemicals. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer B is right because the speaker explains how to avoid wasting paint by checking if you are 'happy with your color choice' first. Using a 'sample' (a small amount) allows you to see the color in your own room before buying more. The correct answer D is right because the speaker suggests listeners 'get one of these' water-based paints because they do not have 'harmful chemicals' and are better for the environment. |
| Q17 | — | — | |
| Q18 | A / C | Take the plaster out and fill the holes, allowing enough time for the new plaster to dry. And you won’t get a smooth finish if the walls are dusty or greasy, so washing with water isn’t enough. Use a solution of decorator's soap and rinse well with warm water afterwards | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript tells the listener to remove old plaster to fix holes and to use a special soap to make sure the walls are perfectly clean and smooth before painting begins. Answer Explanation: The answer explains that when getting ready to paint, you should fix holes by removing bad plaster and use a specific kind of soap to clean grease off the walls. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A and C because the speaker provides specific instructions for wall preparation. For choice A, the speaker suggests taking out loose plaster and filling the holes with new plaster. For choice C, the speaker mentions that just using water is not sufficient for cleaning dusty or greasy walls, so listeners should use decorator's soap instead. |
| Q19 | — | — | |
| Q20 | B / E | And as you’ve chosen a water-based paint, clean your brushes with cold water, because it’s more energy-efficient that way But it’s airflow rather than heat that helps the paint dry quicker. So to help finish the job in the quickest time, leave your doors and windows open |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that because the paint is water-based, you should use cold water to wash the brushes to save energy. It also states that moving air is better than heat for drying the paint, so you should leave the room open to the outside air by opening doors and windows. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies two pieces of advice: cleaning brushes with cold water and keeping doors and windows open while painting. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the specific instructions the speaker provides for washing tools and drying the room. First, the speaker advises using cold water to clean brushes because it is a more energy-efficient method for water-based paints. Second, the speaker explains that airflow is more effective than heat for drying paint, so the painter should keep doors and windows open to speed up the process. |
Transcript
Narrator: Test 6, section 2. You will hear part of a radio program about do-it-yourself house painting. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen and answer questions 11 to 14.
Speaker: Good morning everyone, and welcome to our weekly series on home improvements. Today’s program is about do-it-yourself house painting. There’s never been a better time for people who like to do their own interior house painting. Although people still lead very busy lives, thanks to the availability of various new DIY materials, you can now decorate your home in a more efficient and a more environmentally friendly way. In 2009 alone, approximately 53 million liters of the paint that was sold in the UK were left untouched. That’s enough to fill 21 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Speaker: It’s easy to overestimate how much paint you’ll need to decorate your room if you use guesswork. And if you know exactly how much paint is needed, you avoid unnecessary waste. There are automatic paint calculators available now. Most of the major paint manufacturers provide them. Look on their websites or just Google “paint calculator” and see what comes up. Then simply measure the circumference and height of the room in meters, enter this into the calculator along with the type of surface you’re painting, and it will tell you how many liters of paint you’ll need.
Speaker: But if you do end up with leftover paint, you can donate it to an organization like Community RePaint. They will take the paint from you and redistribute it to local charities and voluntary organizations, so it goes to a good home. You can find more information about Community RePaint on communityrepaint.org.uk.
Narrator: Now you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
Speaker: Another way of avoiding paint wastage is to check you’re completely happy with your color choice before starting to paint. For example, you can get a small sample of the color you’re thinking of using, then paint a board and move it around the room, so you can see how it looks against your furnishings and in different lights. Also, it’s always better to buy high-quality paints because you get what you pay for. If you buy cheap paint, you might need to apply two or three coats to achieve the same coverage that you’d get from one coat of a good quality paint. You could also spend a week on a job that could have been done in a day or two.
Speaker: And consider the environment. Most paint manufacturers now sell water-based paints that don’t contain harmful chemicals or give off harmful odors, so get one of these. You can also buy paint that’s packaged in recyclable containers. There’s a lot more choice than there used to be.
Speaker: You can only do a good job which will last if you prepare the surfaces thoroughly before painting. In fact, in many ways if you want to do a professional-looking job, this is more important than the painting itself. If there are any cracks or patches of loose plaster, painting over them won’t solve the problem. Take the plaster out and fill the holes, allowing enough time for the new plaster to dry. And you won’t get a smooth finish if the walls are dusty or greasy, so washing with water isn’t enough. Use a solution of decorator's soap and rinse well with warm water afterwards.
Speaker: When you’re ready to paint, we suggest you use a medium pile roller for walls and ceilings. A lot of people tend to use short pile rollers, but these give a patchy finish and that wastes paint and time. Similarly, long pile rollers can create a thick textured effect which looks messy. The same goes for brushes. The stronger the bristles, the easier they are to wash and reuse. And as you’ve chosen a water-based paint, clean your brushes with cold water, because it’s more energy-efficient that way.
Speaker: As you’re decorating, keep transferring small amounts of paint into a tray and keep topping it up when you need to. This reduces the chance of it being contaminated by dust and pieces of dirt. And finally, water-based paint doesn’t have a lingering smell, so that’s not an issue anymore. But it’s airflow rather than heat that helps the paint dry quicker. So to help finish the job in the quickest time, leave your doors and windows open. The faster the paint is dried and the job finished, the quicker you can start enjoying your room.
Speaker: In tomorrow’s program, I’ll be giving some advice on…
Narrator: That is the end of section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.