Conserving Energy At Home - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Succeed in IELTS Academic Listening Test 7 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
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Questions
Questions 31–40 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Conserving Energy at Home
• Carbon footprint is:
the 31 of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere by an individual as a result of his day-to-day activities.
• More than 32 of all homes are not insulated.
Reasons to better insulate your home:
• Fitting adequate insulation in the 33 and outer walls of your home can reduce heating costs by as much as 25%.
• The government offers 34 to people who want to reinsulate their homes.
• You will recoup your investment over a short period of time.
Painting 35 walls in dark colours is a bad idea because dark colours 36 heat.
Replacing a normal light bulb with an energy-saving one could save you 37 over the lifetime of the bulb.
If you have large windows in your home, you should close the 38
Erect 39 to heat your water supply.
People should continue recycling and composting their 40 to help protect the environment.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | amount / volume | Basically, it's how much you pollute the environment as an individual, or rather what volume of greenhouse gas is emitted into the atmosphere because of your day-to-day activities | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that your carbon footprint means how much pollution you create, specifically the volume (or amount) of harmful gas released into the air from your daily life. Answer Explanation: The answer means the total quantity or measurement of greenhouse gas that a person's everyday actions produce. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "volume" (or "amount") because the speaker defines a person's carbon footprint by asking and answering what quantity of gas enters the air. In the talk, Dr. Martin explains that a carbon footprint is "what volume of greenhouse gas is emitted into the atmosphere because of your day-to-day activities." The note asks for "the [input] of greenhouse gas emitted...", so "volume" (or its synonym "amount") fits the blank precisely. |
| Q32 | 65% | Indeed, more than 65% of all homes aren't insulated enough | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that over 65 percent of houses do not have sufficient insulation to keep heat inside. Answer Explanation: The answer is "65%", which means 65 out of every 100 homes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "65%" because Dr. Martin states that more than 65% of all houses do not have enough insulation. In the notes, the phrase "More than [input] of all homes are not insulated" matches the speaker's words "more than 65% of all homes aren't insulated enough". |
| Q33 | attic | So the first step is to fit adequate insulation in the attic and outer walls of your home | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that homeowners should add proper insulation under the roof (in the attic) and in the outside walls to keep heat inside. Answer Explanation: The answer "attic" refers to the room or space just below the roof of a house. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "attic" because the speaker advises that the first step to save energy is to put enough insulation in the attic as well as the outer walls. The speaker notes that doing this can cut down heating bills by up to 25%, directly matching the note about reducing heating costs. |
| Q34 | grants / financial aid | What's more, the government offers grants to people who want to have their homes reinsulated, so it isn't a very expensive process, and you will probably recoup your investment within a couple of years | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the government gives financial aid (grants) to help people reinsulate their homes, which keeps the cost low. Answer Explanation: The answer means money given by the government to help people pay for adding insulation to their homes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "grants" because Dr. Martin states that the government provides financial support in the form of grants to homeowners who wish to reinsulate their houses. In the note, "The government offers [input] to people who want to reinsulate their homes" directly matches the speaker's statement where "the government offers grants to people who want to have their homes reinsulated." |
| Q35 | the interior / your interior / interior | For a start, never paint your interior walls in dark colours | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript tells listeners that they should never choose dark paint for the walls inside their homes. Answer Explanation: The answer means the inside walls of a house or building. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "(the/your) interior" because Dr. Martin states, "never paint your interior walls in dark colours." In the notes, the sentence structure is "Painting [interior] walls in dark colours is a bad idea," which directly matches her instruction. Keywords to notice are "paint," "walls," and "dark colours." |
| Q36 | absorb | Dark colours absorb heat; therefore, you will waste more energy trying to keep your home warm | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that dark colours take in heat, which causes you to spend more energy heating your house. Answer Explanation: The answer "absorb" means to soak up, take in, or hold something like light or heat. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "absorb" because the speaker directly explains why using dark paint inside a house is not recommended. In the talk, Dr. Martin warns against painting interior walls in dark colours because they "absorb heat," causing people to waste more energy to keep the house warm. |
| Q37 | £25 | Another startling fact is that replacing just one normal light bulb with an energy-efficient light bulb will save you £25 over the lifetime of the bulb | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that if you switch one regular bulb for an energy-saving bulb, you will save £25 during the entire time the bulb lasts. Answer Explanation: The answer is 25 British pounds (an amount of money). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is £25 because Dr. Martin mentions that changing a regular light bulb to an energy-saving bulb will save you that specific amount of money over its lifespan. The prompt uses the words "Replacing a normal light bulb with an energy-saving one could save you", which directly matches the speaker's statement about saving "£25 over the lifetime of the bulb". |
| Q38 | curtains / blinds | If you have large windows at home, my advice would be to close the curtains and blinds as often as possible | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that if a person has big windows in their house, they should shut the curtains and blinds as much as possible to keep the rooms warm. Answer Explanation: The answer means window coverings, like curtains or blinds, that you pull shut to block out light and keep warmth inside. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "curtains/blinds" because the speaker explicitly advises that anyone with large windows in their home should close their curtains and blinds as often as they can to stop heat from escaping. |
| Q39 | solar panels | I would strongly advise people to consider erecting solar panels on their roofs. You don't need to live in a constantly sunny place to reap the benefits of these; even our English weather will suffice. Solar panels can generate enough energy to heat your entire hot water supply, which is fantastic when you think how much you pay for this service at the moment | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that setting up solar panels on the roof is a great idea because they create enough energy to warm all of a household's hot water. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to devices placed on a roof that turn sunlight into electricity or heat. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "solar panels" because the speaker advises people to think about "erecting solar panels on their roofs." She explains that doing this produces enough energy to heat a home's entire hot water supply, matching the sentence "Erect [solar panels] to heat your water supply." |
| Q40 | waste | And, of course, I would encourage people to continue recycling and composting waste | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Dr. Martin urging people to keep recycling and making compost from their waste or rubbish to help the planet. Answer Explanation: The answer "waste" refers to trash, garbage, or leftover materials that are no longer needed and are thrown away. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "waste" because the speaker tells people to keep doing two specific eco-friendly actions: recycling and composting. In the speech, Dr. Martin directly pairs these two actions with the word "waste" when discussing habits that protect the environment. |
Transcript
Tutor: I'd like you to give a warm welcome to our guest speaker today, Dr. Sophia Martin from the Faculty of Science. Dr. Martin is an expert in energy conservation and she's going to talk to us about ways we can conserve energy in the home. This is a very important subject as the world we live in is facing dramatic and potentially destructive climate change as a result of our excessive wastefulness and aggressive exploitation of natural resources.
Dr. Martin: Thank you for the kind words Alice. You are quite right, we face an unprecedented climate crisis and it is up to each and every one of us to do our bit to help stop global warming. Believe it or not, if we all took some simple steps, we could dramatically reduce our carbon footprint and help protect the environment. It is not a cliche, it is not silly nonsense talk, one person really can make a difference and I hope that after my speech today, you will understand how.
But first, what exactly is your carbon footprint? Basically, it's how much you pollute the environment as an individual, or rather what volume of greenhouse gas is emitted into the atmosphere because of your day-to-day activities. The key to stopping global warming is for each of us to reduce our carbon footprint, and if we conserve energy in the home, we can achieve some truly dramatic results.
Our homes are actually very inefficient from an energy conservation perspective. Indeed, more than 65% of all homes aren't insulated enough. This means that they lose heat and that homeowners waste a lot of energy, not to mention money, on heating during winter. So the first step is to fit adequate insulation in the attic and outer walls of your home. This can reduce your heating bills by as much as 25%. What's more, the government offers grants to people who want to have their homes reinsulated, so it isn't a very expensive process, and you will probably recoup your investment within a couple of years. I would encourage everyone to consider this course of action; both your wallet and the environment will thank you.
Believe it or not, there are even simpler things we can do. For a start, never paint your interior walls in dark colours. Dark colours absorb heat; therefore, you will waste more energy trying to keep your home warm. Always use light colours on interior walls.
Did you know, a dishwasher that is 50% full uses almost the same energy as one that is 90% full? The moral of the story is to wait until your dishwasher is packed before switching it on; it'll save you and the environment. The same is true of most household appliances, so try to use them only when necessary. Another startling fact is that replacing just one normal light bulb with an energy-efficient light bulb will save you £25 over the lifetime of the bulb. Now just imagine the savings if you replaced all the bulbs in your house.
Having large windows seems to be in fashion right now, yet it makes no sense whatsoever from an energy saving perspective. Windows are one of the biggest causes of heat loss. If you have large windows at home, my advice would be to close the curtains and blinds as often as possible. This will help your rooms retain heat. Another simple way to retain heat is to close all inside doors, especially ones which lead into cooler parts of the house. Carpets and rugs are great floor insulators. It's a good idea to have these fitted in rooms where heat retention is an issue.
I would strongly advise people to consider erecting solar panels on their roofs. You don't need to live in a constantly sunny place to reap the benefits of these; even our English weather will suffice. Solar panels can generate enough energy to heat your entire hot water supply, which is fantastic when you think how much you pay for this service at the moment. And, of course, I would encourage people to continue recycling and composting waste. The next generation will thank us if we act now and rightfully condemn us for failing to.
Well, I can only hope you have found this speech informative and that I have highlighted the importance of the individual to the cause of environmental protection. Thank you for your attention, I'll hand you back to Alice now....