Mountain Climbing - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Collins Practice Tests For IELTS 1 Academic Listening Test 3 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–14 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
- Every year more than 11 people try to climb Mont Blanc.
- Approximately 12 reach the top every day in the summer months.
- In July 2007 there were 30 fatalities, chiefly due to 13
- One danger is 14 caused by other climbers.
Questions 15–17 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 18–20 Multiple Choice (Three Answers)
Choose THREE letters, A-F.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | 30,000 / 30000 | I've read somewhere over 30,000 people attempt the climb each year | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that more than 30,000 people try to go up the mountain every year. Answer Explanation: The answer is 30,000. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by Katherine's statement about how many people try to climb Mont Blanc. She mentions she read that more than 30,000 people attempt it every year. In this context, 'attempt' is a synonym for 'try', and 'each year' means the same as 'every year'. |
| Q12 | 200 | around 200 people a day summit during the summer season | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that during the summer time, about 200 people get to the top of the mountain every single day. Answer Explanation: The answer is 200, which is the number of climbers who reach the peak of the mountain every day during the summer. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 200 because Katherine mentions that around this specific number of people summit each day in the summer months. In this context, to "summit" means to reach the highest point or the top of the mountain. The task asks for the number of people who "reach the top," which matches Katherine's information. |
| Q13 | bad weather conditions / bad weather | In July 2007, the month before I did my first climb, the death toll reached 30, mainly due to bad weather conditions | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that in July 2007, thirty people died while climbing, mostly because the weather was very bad. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the primary reason many people died during the climb was the poor or dangerous weather. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the speaker's mention of a specific time (July 2007) when 30 people died. She uses the phrase 'mainly due to', which is a synonym for 'chiefly due to' in the task, to introduce 'bad weather conditions' as the cause. The term 'death toll' in the transcript corresponds to 'fatalities' in the sentence. |
| Q14 | falling rocks | The sheer number of people can cause falling rocks, which only adds to the danger | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that when there are very many people climbing at the same time, they can accidentally cause rocks to fall, making the climb more dangerous for everyone. Answer Explanation: The answer means stones that drop down from higher up on the mountain while people are climbing. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "falling rocks" because the speaker identifies this as a specific risk linked to the high volume of people on the mountain. In this context, the "sheer number of people" acts as a synonym for "other climbers." The transcript explicitly connects the presence of many people to the creation of this hazard, which increases the overall danger of the climb. |
| Q15 | C | This year I decided to go solo with just one overnight stop. I felt more confident having already summited once and I wanted to face the challenge of being in control. Actually, you're never really alone - there are other climbers and groups around all the time but I suppose being alone made me feel more intrepid | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that Katherine chose to go 'solo' this year, which means she went by herself. She mentions that being 'alone' made her feel more brave (intrepid) and gave her the chance to be in charge of her own climb. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Katherine did her last climb by herself instead of with a group of people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'on her own' because Katherine explains that she decided to go 'solo' for her second trip. The word 'solo' means doing something alone. She wanted to test herself by being 'in control' of the climb. While her first climb was a 'sociable experience' with 20 people, this most recent one was a personal challenge where she did not use a guide or a group. |
| Q16 | A | The first climb was quite difficult as the weather was very changeable and we found ourselves climbing in very cold, windy conditions | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that her first climb was hard because the weather changed a lot and it was very cold and windy while they were climbing. Answer Explanation: The answer means that bad weather, like wind and cold temperatures, made Katherine's first trip up the mountain hard. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Katherine describes her first experience as 'quite difficult' specifically because of how the weather was. She explains that it was 'very changeable' (meaning it changed a lot) and they dealt with 'very cold, windy conditions.' Although she mentions that the mountain is crowded, she connects the difficulty of her climb directly to the poor weather rather than the number of people. Keywords: difficult, weather, changeable, cold, windy. |
| Q17 | A | Plus I also spent a few days beforehand in Chamonix and acclimatised myself more to the altitude - this certainly made it easier | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Katherine visited Chamonix before the climb to let her body adjust to the mountain height, and she says this made her climb easier. Answer Explanation: The answer means Katherine stayed in a town called Chamonix for several days before she began her actual mountain climb. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Katherine explains that her second climb felt easier because she spent time getting her body ready for the high mountain height. She mentions that she stayed in Chamonix for a few days to 'acclimatise,' which means to help her body get used to the thin air at high 'altitude.' She explicitly says that this preparation 'certainly made it easier.' While she mentions that climbing smaller peaks is another way people train, she says she preferred her 'leisurely' start in Chamonix instead. |
| Q18 | — | — | |
| Q19 | — | — | |
| Q20 | C / D / F | Plus I also spent a few days beforehand in Chamonix and acclimatised myself more to the altitude - this certainly made it easier For those who want to summit in a single day or two the climb will often start early in the morning so you'll need to make sure you're wearing enough layers to protect yourself from the cold and wind. You'll be glad of this when you hit queues and find yourself standing around waiting to move on. Then at the other extreme around midday you must make sure you're fully protected from the sun or you're likely to get very badly burnt |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Katherine prepared by staying at a middle altitude first to help her body adjust (acclimatised). She also advises climbers to wear many layers of clothes to stay warm in the cold morning wind and to use sun protection to avoid getting burned at noon. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Katherine suggests climbers should wear many pieces of clothing to stay warm (layers), use skin protection from the sun, and spend time getting their bodies used to the thin mountain air (acclimatise) before starting. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C, D, and F because Katherine provides specific advice based on the surprises and successes of her two climbs. She mentions that spending time in Chamonix to 'acclimatised' himself before the climb made the experience much easier (F). Regarding clothing and safety, she notes that mornings are very cold and windy, requiring many 'layers' (C), while the midday sun is extremely strong and can cause you to get 'badly burnt' (D) if you are not protected. While she acknowledges that physical fitness and gear (A and B) are necessary, she explains that those requirements are already obvious and focus her actual advice on managing the weather and the altitude. |
Transcript
Presenter: Welcome back to B.U.R.S., your independent student union radio station. We're looking at some of the incredible feats one or two of you have been up to during your summer break. I'm with Katherine who's going to tell us about her successful climb of one of the most iconic mountains in the world - Mont Blanc. Katherine, tell us a little about your achievement.
Katherine: Well, actually it was the second time I've reached the summit - the first was in 2007, the year before I came to university. People are often surprised to hear how popular the mountain is with climbers - I've read somewhere over 30,000 people attempt the climb each year and around 200 people a day summit during the summer season so it's very crowded up there. Unfortunately it's also potentially very dangerous. In July 2007, the month before I did my first climb, the death toll reached 30, mainly due to bad weather conditions. The sheer number of people can cause falling rocks, which only adds to the danger.
Presenter: So why did you do the same climb twice? And was it easier the second time around?
Katherine: In many ways they were totally different experiences. The first time I went as part of an organised group. There were about 20 of us and we took four days to summit. It was much more of a sociable experience compared to the second climb. This year I decided to go solo with just one overnight stop. I felt more confident having already summited once and I wanted to face the challenge of being in control. Actually, you're never really alone - there are other climbers and groups around all the time but I suppose being alone made me feel more intrepid. The first climb was quite difficult as the weather was very changeable and we found ourselves climbing in very cold, windy conditions. We were in a group so we offered each other encouragement but it was still very difficult. The weather this time was wonderful. Plus I also spent a few days beforehand in Chamonix and acclimatised myself more to the altitude - this certainly made it easier. You can achieve the same thing by climbing some of the smaller peaks in the area first but I wanted a more leisurely start. It was fantastic, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Presenter: Did your experiences on the first climb help you the second time around? I'm wondering if you have any useful advice for others planning on doing something similar.
Katherine: Well, because the climb's becoming so popular I think people don't always give it the respect it deserves. And I'm not talking here about the physical condition you need to be in to take on a challenge like this or having the right equipment. That goes without saying. I think what took me by surprise more than anything else was the extreme weather conditions, even in the summer. For those who want to summit in a single day or two the climb will often start early in the morning so you'll need to make sure you're wearing enough layers to protect yourself from the cold and wind. You'll be glad of this when you hit queues and find yourself standing around waiting to move on. Then at the other extreme around midday you must make sure you're fully protected from the sun or you're likely to get very badly burnt. Whether you climb alone, in a group or a with a guide, that will depend on your own experience but however you decide to go it's essential that you take your time and get used to the altitude.
Presenter: Okay, many thanks for taking the time to come in and tell us all about it!