Different Breeds Of Working Dogs - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 1 Academic Listening Test 2 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–12 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
- The story illustrates that dogs are 11 animals.
- The people of the town built a 12 of a dog.
Questions 13–20 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
| TYPE OF WORKING DOG | ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE JOB | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|
| Sheep dogs | Smart, obedient | Herd sheep and
13 them |
| Guide dogs | Confident and
14 |
Training paid for by
15 |
| Guard dogs and
16 dogs |
Tough and courageous | Dogs and trainers available through
17 |
| Detector dogs | Need to really
18 |
In Sydney they catch
19 a month |
| Transport dogs | Happy working
20 |
International treaty bans huskies from Antarctica |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | loyal | Dogs have earned themselves a reputation over the centuries for being extremely loyal. And here's a little story which illustrates just how loyal they are | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that dogs have a very long history of being faithful companions and then introduces a story to show an example of this behavior. Answer Explanation: The answer "loyal" means that dogs are animals that stay with their owners and do not desert them, even in difficult times. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "loyal" because the speaker explicitly states that he is sharing a story to demonstrate or "illustrate" how faithful dogs can be. He notes that dogs have a long history of being "extremely loyal" and uses the story of the dog in Gundagai to prove this reputation. The word "illustrates" in the task matches the speaker's own words in the transcript. |
| Q12 | statue | Just outside the country town of Gundagai, is a statue built to commemorate a dog – a dog which sat waiting for his owner to return to the spot where he'd left him | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that near the town of Gundagai, there is a statue made to honor a dog that stayed in one place waiting for its owner. Answer Explanation: The answer means a figure made of stone, metal, or other materials that looks like a person or an animal. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is statue because the speaker describes a town called Gundagai where people made a special object to remember a dog. This was done to show respect for the dog's loyalty. To commemorate something means to build or do something that helps people remember it. Therefore, the object they built was a statue. |
| Q13 | possibly count / count | Some farmers say that their dogs are so smart that they not only herd sheep, they can count them, too | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that some farmers believe their dogs are so intelligent that they can do more than just push sheep around; they can also tell how many sheep there are. Answer Explanation: The answer is the word 'count', which means to find the total number of things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is extracted from the section describing sheep dogs. The speaker explains that sheep dogs are very smart. He mentions that besides their main job of herding sheep, some owners believe their dogs are clever enough to actually figure out the number of sheep they are working with. The word 'count' fits perfectly in the gap describing an additional skill some of these dogs have. |
| Q14 | gentle nature / gentle | Guide dogs, usually Labradors, need to be confident enough to lead their owner through traffic and crowds but they must also be of a gentle nature | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that guide dogs must be brave in traffic, but they also must have a very kind and calm way of acting. Answer Explanation: The answer says that these dogs need to be calm, kind, and not aggressive or rough. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the part of the text about guide dogs. The speaker explains that these dogs need to find their way through busy places with confidence, but they also need a kind and calm personality. This soft and quiet behavior is described as a 'gentle nature.' Researchers look for both being 'confident' and 'gentle.' |
| Q15 | donations / donors | It costs a great deal of money to train a dog for this very valuable work but the Guide Dog Associations in the UK, America and Australia receive no government assistance so all the money comes from donations | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that training guide dogs is very expensive. Since the government does not provide help or money, the organizations rely entirely on money given by the public. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the money used to train these dogs is given as a gift by people, rather than coming from the government. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'donations' because the speaker mentions that groups training guide dogs do not get money from the government. Instead, all the money they use to pay for the expensive training comes from the gifts (donations) people give them. |
| Q16 | search and rescue | German shepherds make excellent guard dogs and are also very appropriate as search and rescue dogs working in disaster zones after earthquakes and avalanches | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that German shepherds are used for two main jobs: guarding property and finding and saving people in dangerous areas after natural disasters. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to dogs that are used to find and save people after disasters like earthquakes or avalanches. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the section about German shepherds. The transcript explains that besides being used as guard dogs, these dogs are also used for 'search and rescue' in disaster zones because they are tough and courageous. |
| Q17 | international database / database | And so that they can be sent anywhere in the world to assist in disaster relief operations, effective dogs and their trainers are now listed on an international database | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that to help people during big emergencies in various countries, the names of the successful dogs and their trainers are kept on a global list. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to an electronic collection of information, specifically a worldwide list containing details about working dogs and the people who train them. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the section of the transcript discussing German shepherds used for guard duties and search and rescue work. The text mentions that these dogs need to be 'tough and courageous' and explains that because they can be sent globally for disaster relief, both the dogs and their trainers are listed on an 'international database'. This matches the table's requirement for where information about these teams is kept. |
| Q18 | love their food / love food / love eating | In order to be effective, a good detector dog must have an enormous food drive – in other words they must really love their food | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that for a detector dog to do its job well, it needs to have a powerful interest in food. It uses the phrase "love their food" to describe this special quality. Answer Explanation: The answer "love their food" means that these dogs must have a very strong desire to eat, which makes them easy to train and good at finding things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the section about detector dogs at airports. To perform their job effectively, these dogs need a very high "food drive," which the speaker explains means they must have a strong love for eating. This motivation helps them work hard to sniff out illegal items. |
| Q19 | 80 people / eighty people | At Sydney airport where there are ten detector dogs working full time, they stop about 80 people a month trying to bring illegal goods into the country | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that at the airport in Sydney, the dogs catch about 80 people every month who are trying to bring forbidden items into the country. Answer Explanation: The answer tells us the number of travelers caught by the special dogs every month in Sydney. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is '80 people' because the transcript explains how many individuals are caught by detector dogs at Sydney airport. The word 'stop' in the text means to catch or prevent someone from continuing, and it happens to eighty people within a one-month period. |
| Q20 | in a team | Huskies are well adapted to harsh conditions and they enjoy working in a team | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that huskies are good at living in very cold weather and that they like to work together in a group. Answer Explanation: The answer "in a team" means working together with other dogs as a group. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is located in the section about huskies, which are used for travel and transport on snow. The speaker explains that these dogs are well-suited for difficult weather and that they like to work with others. The word "enjoy" in the text is a synonym for being "happy" as listed in the table, confirming that they like working in a group. |
Transcript
Announcer: Welcome to this week's edition of Country Wide. And today we're taking a look at a number of different breeds of working dogs. And here to report on the dogs with jobs is Kevin Thornhill.
Kevin: Thanks, Joanne. Well yes, dogs with jobs is the subject of today's programme. Dogs have earned themselves a reputation over the centuries for being extremely loyal. And here's a little story which illustrates just how loyal they are. Just outside the country town of Gundagai, is a statue built to commemorate a dog – a dog which sat waiting for his owner to return to the spot where he'd left him. Well ... the story, which was immortalised in a song, has it that the poor dog died waiting for his master 'five miles from Gundegai!', which is where they built the statue. Now that's what I call loyalty!
Well, because of their loyalty and also their ability to learn practical skills dogs can be trained to do a number of very valuable jobs. Perhaps the most well known of working dogs is the border collie sheep dog. Sheep dogs which work in unison with their masters need to be smart and obedient with a natural ability to herd sheep. Some farmers say that their dogs are so smart that they not only herd sheep, they can count them, too!
Another much-loved working dog is the guide dog, trained to work with the blind. Guide dogs, usually Labradors, need to be confident enough to lead their owner through traffic and crowds but they must also be of a gentle nature. It costs a great deal of money to train a dog for this very valuable work but the Guide Dog Associations in the UK, America and Australia receive no government assistance so all the money comes from donations.
Another common breed of work dog is the German shepherd. German shepherds make excellent guard dogs and are also very appropriate as search and rescue dogs working in disaster zones after earthquakes and avalanches. These dogs must be tough and courageous to cope with the arduous conditions of their work. And so that they can be sent anywhere in the world to assist in disaster relief operations, effective dogs and their trainers are now listed on an international database.
When you arrive at an airport here in Australia, you may be greeted in the baggage hall by a detector dog, wearing a little red coat bearing the words 'Quarantine'. These dogs are trained to sniff out fresh fruit as well as meat and even live animals hidden in people's bags. In order to be effective, a good detector dog must have an enormous food drive – in other words they must really love their food. At Sydney airport where there are ten detector dogs working full time, they stop about 80 people a month trying to bring illegal goods into the country. And according to their trainers, they very rarely get it wrong!
Another famous working dog is the husky. Huskies, which originally came from Siberia, have been used for decades as a means of transport on snow, particularly in Antarctica where they have played an important role. Huskies are well adapted to harsh conditions and they enjoy working in a team. But the huskies have all left Antarctica now because the International Treaty prohibits their use in the territory as they are not native animals. Many people were sad to see the dogs leave Antarctica as they had been vital to the early expeditions and earned their place in history along with the explorers.