Strength Training - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Collins Practice Tests For IELTS 3 Academic Listening Test 4 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
Audio
Questions
Questions 31–32 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Questions 33–37 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 38–40 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
- Athletes are often less able to practise their sport during the 38.
- Seeing improvements brought about by strength training can help athletes develop 39.
- If athletes are prevented from doing their sport for a long time, strength training can help them remain 40.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | — | — | |
| Q32 | B / C | Unfortunately for those with this attitude, without regular strength training, it's unlikely they'll achieve their full potential. They may also suffer long periods of inactivity through injury, and professional athletes may even find they have to retire from their sport too early | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that avoiding strength training prevents athletes from being as good as they can be and can cause professional players to quit their sports sooner than expected. Answer Explanation: The answer means that if people do not do strength training, they will not reach their highest possible level of performance, and some athletes might have to stop playing their sport completely. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified because the lecturer mentions two specific risks for people who skip strength training. First, they will likely not reach their "full potential," which means they won't do as well as they possibly could. Second, professional athletes might have to "retire" (stop their career or practice) too early because of injuries. |
| Q33 | A | The accident could be something as minor as falling during a run and result in nothing more than grazed knees, but accidents can also lead to pulled muscles, torn ligaments or broken bones. These injuries are unpredictable and need to be dealt with as and when they occur | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that accidents like falls can cause small or big injuries. It specifically calls these injuries 'unpredictable,' meaning you do not know when they will happen, and says you must fix them at the moment they happen. Answer Explanation: The answer means that getting hurt from a fall is something that happens without warning and you cannot plan for it. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the speaker describes accidents, like a fall during a run, as being 'unpredictable.' In English, 'unpredictable' is a synonym for 'unexpected' because both words describe something that you cannot see coming or know about in advance. The text also mentions that these types of injuries cannot be prevented by strength training, which further shows they happen by chance or surprise. |
| Q34 | C | This kind of imbalance can be avoided to some extent by cross-training, that is by doing more than one sport, such as running and cycling, which spreads the pressure on the body more evenly | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that doing different sports at the same time helps share the physical stress across the whole body rather than letting it focus on just one area. Answer Explanation: The answer means that athletes who participate in several different sports prevent a single area of their body from being used too much or getting too tired. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the lecturer's explanation of cross-training. When an athlete does only one sport, they perform repetitive movements that put too much pressure on specific parts of the body. By doing more than one sport, the pressure is spread more evenly across the body, meaning no single part is overworked. |
| Q35 | B | Doing exercises that counteract repetitive movements and imbalances helps to create more all-round body strength. You'll become more flexible and you'll strengthen those muscles that are under-used, all of which will help avoid injury | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that doing special exercises to fix body balance and making weak, mostly unused muscles stronger will help a person stay healthy and not get injured. Answer Explanation: The answer means that people can prevent getting hurt if they work out parts of their body that they usually do not use during their main sport. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the text says that sports often use the same movements over and over, which can make some parts of the body stronger than others. This imbalance can lead to getting hurt. To stop this, people should do a strength training plan that makes the muscles they rarely use stronger. |
| Q36 | A | Doing exercises that counteract repetitive movements and imbalances helps to create more all-round body strength. You'll become more flexible and you'll strengthen those muscles that are under-used, all of which will help avoid injury | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that doing specific exercises for your whole body makes you more flexible and stronger, which keeps you safe from getting hurt. Answer Explanation: The answer means that a workout plan for strength will also make it easier for your body to move in different ways. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the speaker mentions that a strength training routine makes someone more flexible. In English, being flexible means your joints and muscles can move through their full range easily, which is the same as moving more freely. This routine helps take care of parts of the body that are not used often in a specific sport, which balances the body and prevents injury. |
| Q37 | C | Each sport involves repetitive movements that over time put excessive pressure on joints and muscles, or that can lead to the body becoming out of balance You'll become more flexible and you'll strengthen those muscles that are under-used, all of which will help avoid injury |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that playing a sport for a long time can hurt muscles and make the body unbalanced. It explains that strength training helps athletes make 'under-used' (weak) muscles strong again and creates 'all-round body strength' (strength in the whole body). Answer Explanation: The answer means that as athletes get older, the amount of muscle in their body decreases and they become weaker. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the lecturer explains that doing a sport 'over time' (for many years) can lead to parts of the body becoming 'out of balance.' This often means certain muscles are 'under-used' and become weak. To fix this, athletes need a strength training routine to build 'all-round body strength' and 'strengthen' the muscles that have become weak over the years. |
| Q38 | winter months | They may also suffer long periods of inactivity through injury, and professional athletes may even find they have to retire from their sport too early | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that athletes can face long periods of time where they are not able to be active or participate in their sport. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the cold time of the year (winter), which often stops athletes from doing their usual outdoor exercise. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'winter months' because the lecturer discusses how athletes often face times when they cannot do their normal training. The transcript mentions that they can 'suffer long periods of inactivity,' which means times when they are not doing their sport. For people who enjoy outdoor sports like running or cycling—which are mentioned at the beginning—the winter months are the standard time when they are less able to practice. |
| Q39 | positive attitude | Unfortunately for those with this attitude, without regular strength training, it's unlikely they'll achieve their full potential | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that many athletes have a bad 'attitude' about weight training, and if they do not change this way of thinking, they will not reach their highest possible level of success. Answer Explanation: The answer 'positive attitude' means having a good, happy, and hopeful way of thinking about something, like your sports training. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because the lecturer mentions that many athletes have a specific 'attitude'—they think strength training is not for them or 'not their thing.' This negative mindset stops them from reaching their 'full potential.' By trying strength training and seeing results, athletes can change this feeling and develop a better, more 'positive' way of thinking about their work, which helps them reach their goals. |
| Q40 | motivated | They may also suffer long periods of inactivity through injury, and professional athletes may even find they have to retire from their sport too early | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript mentions that if athletes get hurt, they might face long times where they cannot be active or do their sport at all. Answer Explanation: The answer means staying positive and having the drive to continue working toward a goal, even when things are difficult. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "motivated" because the transcript highlights that athletes often face "long periods of inactivity" due to injuries. During these times when they are prevented from doing their main sport, strength training gives them a productive way to spend their time and a sense of progress, which helps them stay determined and mentally strong rather than giving up. |
Transcript
Lecturer: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to week five in our sports coaching module. In this lecture we're going to look at the importance of strength training for amateur and professional athletes. One thing you'll often hear from people participating in a sport like running, cycling or swimming, and especially those who do it for fun rather than competitively, is how little, if any, strength training they do. They'll all tell you that they know it's good for them and worth doing but it's not their 'thing'. They like running, cycling or swimming, not lifting weights or doing pull-ups and press-ups.
Unfortunately for those with this attitude, without regular strength training, it's unlikely they'll achieve their full potential. They may also suffer long periods of inactivity through injury, and professional athletes may even find they have to retire from their sport too early. It may be something that doesn't come naturally but encouraging people to look outside of their chosen sport will benefit them in various ways. And it doesn't have to require a visit to their local gym or the use of special equipment.
It's unfortunately the case that people who do a sport are more likely to injure themselves than people who don't. Virtually all athletes will have an accident at some point or other. The accident could be something as minor as falling during a run and result in nothing more than grazed knees, but accidents can also lead to pulled muscles, torn ligaments or broken bones. These injuries are unpredictable and need to be dealt with as and when they occur. Sadly, there's not much a strength training regime can do to avoid injuries sustained this way.
However, much of the time an athlete spends injured is probably due to those accidents that could have been avoided with correct strength training. Each sport involves repetitive movements that over time put excessive pressure on joints and muscles, or that can lead to the body becoming out of balance. Think how much stronger a tennis player's dominant arm must be over the non-dominant one. This kind of imbalance can be avoided to some extent by cross-training, that is by doing more than one sport, such as running and cycling, which spreads the pressure on the body more evenly. However, nothing beats following a tailor-made strength training routine. Doing exercises that counteract repetitive movements and imbalances helps to create more all-round body strength. You'll become more flexible and you'll strengthen those muscles that are under-used, all of which will help avoid injury.