Climate And Architecture - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 3 Academic Listening Test 5 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
Audio
Questions
Questions 31–40 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
CLIMATE AND ARCHITECTURE
- Cases and examples are from practice conducted in 31 as well as rural areas.
Acid rain
- The chemicals have devastating effects on the architecture.
- The government try to reduce the negative effects.
- Funds have been received from a 32
- 33 experience lower levels of acid in damaging pollutants.
- In recent years, Alter Project focuses on the buildings made of 34
Pollution
- One of the main sources of pollution is from the construction industry.
- 35 is used to reduce pollution in Sky Tower.
- Construction is affected by the increased 36 in winter.
- Humidity affects the 37 buildings whose grain can be condensed by moisture from the air.
Building & Technology
- Ground conditions can be a problem when the density of the 38 is wrong.
- Architects can now monitor the 39 of buildings.
- The government should make 40 for the architects.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | cities | Throughout this lecture series we will be looking at the latest research into climatic design carried out by experts in the field in addition to case studies and examples drawn from modernist practice both in cities and rural areas | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that during the lessons, the teacher will show examples of building designs from both big towns (cities) and the countryside (rural areas). Answer Explanation: The answer "cities" means large places where many people live and work, like big towns. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "cities" because the speaker says that the examples used in the lecture come from building designs in both large urban centers (cities) and the countryside (rural areas). The word "cities" directly completes the sentence about where these architectural practices take place. |
| Q32 | bank | Private organisations have also been raising awareness and funds and recently received a huge donation from the bank | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that groups wanting to help the environment recently got a lot of money as a gift from a bank. Answer Explanation: The answer is a place where money is kept. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'bank' because the speaker mentions that private groups working on the issue of acid rain were given a large gift of money (a donation) from a bank to help their efforts. |
| Q33 | Skyscrapers | Research has shown that there are lower levels of acid in the damaging pollutants at higher altitudes, meaning that skyscrapers are much less vulnerable to the negative effects as they are exposed to acid rain with far lower levels of damaging pollutants | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that higher up in the sky, the air pollution is not as strong. This means that tall buildings, or skyscrapers, do not get damaged as much because the rain they encounter has fewer bad chemicals. Answer Explanation: The answer "Skyscrapers" refers to very tall buildings with many floors. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "Skyscrapers" because the transcript explains that at higher altitudes (high up in the air), the rain contains fewer harmful chemicals. Because skyscrapers are extremely tall, they are mainly touched by this less dangerous rain, making them less likely to be ruined by pollution than shorter buildings. |
| Q34 | stone | Recently, the Alter Project was founded to carry out further research into acid rain. This project is directed towards studying the effects of acid rain on old, traditional buildings of stone construction that are vulnerable to damage caused by acid rain | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the Alter Project was started to look at how acid rain affects old, traditional buildings made from stone. Answer Explanation: The answer "stone" refers to a hard, natural material used to create old, traditional buildings. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "stone" because the lecturer directly states that the Alter Project is focused on studying the effects of acid rain on traditional buildings of "stone construction." These buildings are of interest because they are easily damaged by acidic chemicals. |
| Q35 | Recycled glass | A recent case study for this is Sky Tower, whose windows have been made from recycled glass to prevent pollution from the glass-making process | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the building called Sky Tower used windows made of reused glass so that the process of making the windows would not create as much waste and pollution. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the specific material, old glass that has been processed to be used again, used in a building to help the environment. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'recycled glass' because the speaker discusses how making building materials like glass creates pollution. As a solution, the speaker mentions a specific example called 'Sky Tower.' In this building, the windows were produced using glass that had already been used before to stop the pollution that normally happens when making new glass from scratch. |
| Q36 | rainfall | This makes winter an undesirable season for construction as the heavy rainfall can have adverse effects on the building | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that winter is a bad time to build things because there is a lot of rain, and this rain can hurt the building. Answer Explanation: The answer 'rainfall' refers to the water that falls from clouds in the sky. In this context, it describes a weather event that happens more often in winter and causes problems for building projects. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'rainfall' because the speaker identifies winter as a bad time for construction. He explains that during this season, there is a lot of water falling, specifically calling it "heavy rainfall," which causes bad or "adverse" effects on the construction process. |
| Q37 | wooden | Constructions made of steel and stone are largely unaffected by humidity, however, it can have a serious effect on wooden constructions if the timber has not been correctly treated. Moisture from the air can condense in the grain of the wood, which then swells and shrinks in proportion to the magnitude of change in its moisture content | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that humidity is a problem for wooden buildings. It says that moisture from the air can get into the wood, making it swell (get bigger) and shrink (get smaller). Answer Explanation: The answer 'wooden' means something that is made from wood, which comes from trees. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because the lecturer states that while steel and stone can handle humidity well, buildings made of wood (wooden constructions) are sensitive to it. Humidity brings moisture that gets into the wood's grain, causing the wood to change size by growing or shrinking. Keywords here include 'humidity', 'moisture', and 'grain'. |
| Q38 | soil | Ground conditions are a cause for worry in many constructions as often the soil is of the wrong density to protect the foundations | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that builders worry about the ground because the dirt (soil) might not be heavy or thick enough to properly hold up and protect the bottom of a building. Answer Explanation: The answer 'soil' refers to the earth or ground where the foundations of a building are placed. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'soil' because the transcript explains that ground conditions are a problem for many construction projects when the soil does not have the right density (thickness or weight) needed to keep the building's base safe. This matches the note saying ground conditions are a problem when the 'density of the is wrong'. |
| Q39 | movement | The movement of building structures can now also be measured and monitored over time by architects | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that architects can use new tools to track and measure how building parts move or shake as time passes. Answer Explanation: The answer means the physical motion or shifting of a building. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'movement' because the speaker mentions that architects are now able to watch and check how building structures move. The word 'monitor' in the task matches 'monitored' in the lecture, which means to keep an eye on something over a period of time to see how it changes. |
| Q40 | guidelines | Guidelines are also expected to be produced by the government in the near future that will give architects a universal checklist to follow | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the government will create a list of rules (guidelines) in the near future to help architects know exactly what to do. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'guidelines,' which refers to a set of rules or suggestions provided by an official group to help people do something correctly. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'guidelines' because the transcript mentions that the government is expected to create these soon. These guidelines will act as a checklist for architects to follow when they are designing buildings. The speaker explains this in the context of improving safety and standards in earthquake zones. |
Transcript
Welcome class to your very first lecture in this series on Architecture conducted by myself, Dr Torben Dahl. Today we will be looking into the relationship between climate and architecture, where I will be giving you a critical overview of the main climate influences that shape the design of buildings. Throughout this lecture series we will be looking at the latest research into climatic design carried out by experts in the field in addition to case studies and examples drawn from modernist practice both in cities and rural areas.
Now, acid rain is one of the climatic elements with the most devastating effects on our architecture. The chemicals in acid rain can cause paint to peel, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges, and erosion of stone statues. Since the 1970s, our government has been making great effort to reduce the release of these chemicals into the atmosphere with positive results. Private organisations have also been raising awareness and funds and recently received a huge donation from the bank. It is interesting to look at the studies that have been carried out into the effects of acid rain at varying altitudes. Research has shown that there are lower levels of acid in the damaging pollutants at higher altitudes, meaning that skyscrapers are much less vulnerable to the negative effects as they are exposed to acid rain with far lower levels of damaging pollutants.
Recently, the Alter Project was founded to carry out further research into acid rain. This project is directed towards studying the effects of acid rain on old, traditional buildings of stone construction that are vulnerable to damage caused by acid rain. Masonry is particularly vulnerable as it is easily corroded and weakened by the acidic chemicals. It is imperative that we protect these buildings, as they are valuable examples of our history and culture.
Pollution is one of the main sources of concern in the present day. The construction industry contributes considerably as a source of pollution in its day-to-day processes of creating building materials such as concrete and glass, however, more new sustainable methods are being developed to counter this. A recent case study for this is Sky Tower, whose windows have been made from recycled glass to prevent pollution from the glass-making process.
Water is the most problematic element to be considered in construction. It is imperative that construction elements such as the insulation are fitted into the building in dry weather to prevent it from getting wet. This makes winter an undesirable season for construction as the heavy rainfall can have adverse effects on the building. Another climate type that has an enormous affect on buildings is humidity. Constructions made of steel and stone are largely unaffected by humidity, however, it can have a serious effect on wooden constructions if the timber has not been correctly treated. Moisture from the air can condense in the grain of the wood, which then swells and shrinks in proportion to the magnitude of change in its moisture content. This variation in size can have disastrous consequences.
In areas of the world that are prone to earthquakes, certain design and environmental conditions are preferable for protecting buildings in the event of a tremor. Engineers have come up with numerous building procedures to help minimise shaking in buildings. For example, tall buildings have height restrictions and counterweights and multi-storey buildings have reinforced floors and walls. Ground conditions are a cause for worry in many constructions as often the soil is of the wrong density to protect the foundations.
Luckily technology has now been developed that can help to minimise damage by earthquakes. Seismic sensors can give prior warning when an earthquake is about to happen so that preparations can be made to protect both the people and the buildings from harm. The movement of building structures can now also be measured and monitored over time by architects. It has been expressed by architects within the design community that it would be valuable to be given special courses for designing buildings within earthquake zones. Guidelines are also expected to be produced by the government in the near future that will give architects a universal checklist to follow.
That wraps up the lecture for today. Please remember that attendance is mandatory... [fade out]