Pedal Power - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 05 Academic Listening Test 2 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–15 One Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Questions 16–17 Short Answers
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 18–20 Three Choices
Choose THREE letters A-G.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | C | I loved travelling, so I decided to join a voluntary organisation and was sent to Ecuador to carry out land surveys | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that Dan joined a group of volunteers and this group sent him to Ecuador to do a job called land surveying. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Dan went to Ecuador to work for a group that helps people without getting paid a salary. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Dan explains that he joined a 'voluntary organisation' to find adventure after he finished university. A person who works for this kind of group is a voluntary worker. Choice A is incorrect because he did not mention being a guide for tourists. Choice B is incorrect because he went to Ecuador 'after graduating,' which means he had already finished his studies. |
| Q12 | C | Then I realised having a bike meant he could get where he wanted to go without much trouble. Other local carpenters could only accept jobs in a three-kilometre radius, so no matter how skilled they were, they could never do as many jobs as my neighbour | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the bicycle allowed the neighbor to travel to any location easily. Other workers could only work in a small area close to home because they had to walk, which limited how many jobs they could do. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Dan's neighbor was good at his job because his bicycle made it easy for him to travel to different places where people needed his work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Dan explains that having a bicycle was the key to his neighbor's success. While other local workers were limited to a small area (a three-kilometre radius) because they had to walk, the neighbor could travel much further and take on more jobs. The phrase 'without much trouble' shows that reaching distant customers was simple for him compared to others. This ability to travel to more customers is why he was more successful than his competitors, regardless of their skill level. |
| Q13 | A | But in order to continue operating we need to have a constant supply of bikes which we send out every six months | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the charity must have a steady number of bikes coming in so they can keep working and sending them out twice a year. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the charity needs a steady stream of bicycles donated to them so they can keep doing their work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because Dan specifically mentions that to keep the organization running ('continue operating'), they must have a 'constant supply' of bicycles. He explains that they send these bicycles abroadทุกๆ six months (regularly), so they depend on people giving them enough bikes to meet this schedule. |
| Q14 | C | The local economy has developed so much, you wouldn't recognise it as the same place | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that because of the bikes, the town's economy grew so much that it now seems like a completely different place. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the way people in Rivas live, work, and spend money has changed completely for the better. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Dan describes how the life and money situation (the economy) in Rivas changed drastically. He says the economy has "developed so much" that the town is hard to recognize as the same place. This matches the idea of being "totally transformed." While he mentions Amsterdam, he says Rivas has *more* bikes, not "almost as many," and while Rivas was the *first* place to get a container, the text doesn't say it received the *greatest number* of bikes overall. |
| Q15 | A | In August 2000, we simply ran out of money. We had containers of bikes ready to send, but no money to pay the bills | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that during that month, the charity had no money left over. Even though they had bikes ready to go, they did not have the cash to pay for the expenses required to send them or keep things running. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the organization did not have the money needed to pay for the basic costs of running the business, like bills or shipping. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Dan Pearman mentions that in August 2000, the charity ran out of money and could not pay its bills. In business, 'overheads' refers to those regular bills or operating costs. While Choice B suggests they delayed the bikes, the transcript says they sent them out on time. Choice C mentions the media, but it says they reported on the problems, not that they were criticizing the charity. Therefore, having no money to pay the bills is the same as being unable to meet overheads. |
| Q16 | 75 000 / 75,000 / 75000 | Fortunately in October 2001 we won an Enterprise Award which helped us enormously. We invested fifteen of the seventy-five-thousand-pound prize money to help secure our future | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the charity won a prize called the Enterprise Award and that the total prize money for this award was seventy-five thousand pounds. Answer Explanation: The answer is seventy-five thousand pounds (£75,000), which is the total amount of money the charity got for winning a prize. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is stated when the speaker discusses winning an 'Enterprise Award.' He mentions that the 'prize money' was 'seventy-five-thousand-pound.' Although they only invested 15,000 of it, the total prize they won was 75,000. |
| Q17 | computers | We're currently looking to invest in computers so that our office staff can do an even better job | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the charity is planning to buy computers now so that the people who work in the office can do their jobs even better. Answer Explanation: The answer means the charity wants to get some computers to use in their office. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is computers because the speaker uses the phrase 'currently looking to invest in' to explain what they want to purchase right now. To 'invest in' something means to spend money on it because it will be helpful. The speaker says they want these so that their office workers can do their work more effectively. |
| Q18 | — | — | |
| Q19 | — | — | |
| Q20 | C / E / F | Of course, to do that we always need tools, which are expensive to buy, so we welcome any that you can give. Also, you could help by contacting the voluntary staff at our offices, they'll be able to suggest activities you could organise to bring in funds for us. People do all kinds of things - including, of course, sponsored bike rides. Also, we're always interested to hear of other places that would benefit from receiving a consignment of bikes, and welcome suggestions from people who've been to developing regions on their travels | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that because tools are expensive, the charity is happy to receive donations of tools. It also notes that people can work with the office to plan money-making activities and can share ideas for other regions that would benefit from getting a shipment (consignment) of bicycles. Answer Explanation: The answer means people can help by giving away tools they don't want, planning events to get money for the charity, and suggesting new places that need bicycles. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C, E, and F because the speaker mentions these three specific actions during the talk. He explains that tools are needed for repairs, says people can organize things like bike rides to raise funds (money), and asks for suggestions about other countries that could use bikes. He uses phrases like 'welcome any [tools] that you can give' and 'welcome suggestions from people' to show how the public can contribute. |
Transcript
My name's Dan Pearman and I'd like to talk about the work of Pedal Power, a small charity based mainly in the UK. I'll be giving our contact details at the end, if anyone would like to find out more about how to support us.
But first, how the charity began. I got the idea of exporting bicycles to developing countries while I was in Ecuador. I went there in 1993 just after graduating from university. After three years of studying, I wanted adventure. I loved travelling, so I decided to join a voluntary organisation and was sent to Ecuador to carry out land surveys. The project came to an end after five years and when I returned to the UK in 1998, I started planning Pedal Power.
Where I lived in Ecuador was a very rural area. My neighbour had the only bicycle in the village, whereas everyone else walked everywhere. My neighbour's business was unusually successful, and for years I couldn't understand why. Then I realised having a bike meant he could get where he wanted to go without much trouble. Other local carpenters could only accept jobs in a three-kilometre radius, so no matter how skilled they were, they could never do as many jobs as my neighbour.
At Pedal Power, we collect second-hand bikes in the UK and send them to some of the poorest regions in the world. When we distribute bikes overseas we don't give them away for free. We'd like to, but long term that doesn't really help the local economy. The demand for bikes is enormous, which makes them very expensive locally. So we sell them for 5% of the normal price. But in order to continue operating we need to have a constant supply of bikes which we send out every six months.
One example of a town that's received bicycles from Pedal Power is Rivas. It was the first place I sent a full container of bicycles to. Most people there now own a bicycle. The local economy has developed so much, you wouldn't recognise it as the same place. In fact, there are more bikes than on the streets of Amsterdam, if you've ever been there.
But Pedal Power still needs your help. You may have read about some of our recent problems in the British media. In August 2000, we simply ran out of money. We had containers of bikes ready to send, but no money to pay the bills. It was a terrible situation. We managed to ensure the bikes went out on time, but the other problems carried on for several months.
Fortunately in October 2001 we won an Enterprise Award which helped us enormously. We invested fifteen of the seventy-five-thousand-pound prize money to help secure our future. Winning the award helped raise our profile, and the money enabled us to pay all our shipping costs, which represent our greatest expense. Pedal Power changes lives - when someone gets a bicycle from us, they see a 14% increase in their income. We're currently looking to invest in computers so that our office staff can do an even better job. Because of our work, people in a number of countries now have a better standard of living - so far we've provided 46,000 people with bikes. But we'd like to send more, at least 50,000 by the end of the year.
Now there are many ways in which you can support the work of Pedal Power, not just by taking a bike to a collection in your area. I should also like to say if you do have a bike to donate, it doesn't matter what condition it's in - if we can't repair it, we'll strip it down for spare parts. Of course, to do that we always need tools, which are expensive to buy, so we welcome any that you can give. Also, you could help by contacting the voluntary staff at our offices, they'll be able to suggest activities you could organise to bring in funds for us. People do all kinds of things - including, of course, sponsored bike rides. Also, we're always interested to hear of other places that would benefit from receiving a consignment of bikes, and welcome suggestions from people who've been to developing regions on their travels. We hope that by talking on radio programmes like this, we will be able to raise public awareness, which will lead to government organisations also giving us regular financial support, something that we really need.
If you'd like some more information about where to donate an old bicycle or offer help in other ways please contact us on . . .