Experiment Planning Form - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Road to IELTS Academic Listening Test 6 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–30 Form Completion
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Experiment Planning Form
Experimental hypothesis:
That 21 impacts on crabs at the beach.
Variables:
| Visitor numbers | overall number of visitors |
| Time of day | changes in number of people and 22 |
| 23 | left by visitors to the beach |
Constants:
- floating rubbish
- boat pollution
Available beaches and usage levels:
| Main town beach | 24 |
| Beach over the hill | Little use |
| 25 | No use; control |
Experimental method:
Count crab holes:
- over a set 26
- in a defined area of sand
- the same 27 from the sea
Equipment: (3 of each):
- measuring tapes, balls of string, small posts
- 28 to check that we start and stop at the same time
- stop watches for timing
- 29 to see at night
Observations:
- Initial time period: one hour / day and night
- Total observation period: 20 hours over a 30
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | human activity | MADDIE: To include everything we probably need to write down human activity. JOHN: Fair enough, I agree | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Maddie suggesting the specific phrase 'human activity' to describe what they are studying, and John says he thinks that is a good idea. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies that the actions of people (human activity) are what the students believe are affecting the crabs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'human activity' because Maddie says this is the best term to use so that they can include everything they are looking at, like visitors and trash. John agrees with her suggestion. In this context, 'human activity' acts as a summary for both 'people's use of the beach' and the 'rubbish they leave.' |
| Q22 | noise levels | MADDIE yeah, I think Mr Benn said we need to look at the beach when it’s busy in the daytime, when people are running around, those four-wheel bikes are charging up and down, so the noise levels are really high |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that when there are many people on the beach during the day, the amount of sound (noise levels) goes up. Answer Explanation: The answer means the amount of sound or loudness at the beach. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "noise levels" because the students discuss how the beach changes between day and night. Maddie points out that when the beach is busy during the day with people and bikes, the "noise levels" are very high, while it is quiet at night. This fits the form's section about variables that change with the time of day. |
| Q23 | edible rubbish | MADDIE: No, that won’t do, they’re not doing it on purpose How about umm food left on the beach? JOHN: Yes OK, but can we make that shorter? How about edible rubbish? MADDIE: Yes, good |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Maddie and John deciding how to name the leftover food people leave. They decide that "edible rubbish" is a good, short phrase to use for their form. Answer Explanation: The answer "edible rubbish" refers to food or trash that can be eaten which is dropped or left behind by people on the beach. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified as one of the variables the students will track in their experiment. Maddie and John discuss how leftover food from visitors can affect the crabs. Maddie suggests the term 'food left on the beach', but John suggests shortening this to 'edible rubbish' so it fits better on their form, and Maddie agrees. |
| Q24 | high use / high-use | the first one is the busy beach right in the town alongside the promenade. That’ll be perfect for the high use one | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows John explaining that the busy beach in the town serves as their example for a location with a high number of visitors. Answer Explanation: The answer "high use" means that many people visit and use a specific area frequently. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "high use" because John describes the town beach as being very busy. He identifies it as the perfect choice for the beach that researchers will label as having "high use" in their study. This categorizes the beach by its level of human activity. |
| Q25 | Sandy Point | MADDIE: Oh, right, I remember. It’s called Sandy Point, isn’t it? JOHN: Yeah, that’s right | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Maddie identifying the name of the beach that has no human use, which serves as the control group for their project. Answer Explanation: The answer is the specific name of the third beach the students will use in their experiment. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Sandy Point' because the students need a beach with no visitors to act as a 'control' for their study. After John mentions a beach that the public cannot go to because it is on private land, Maddie identifies it by name, and John confirms she is correct. |
| Q26 | time period | So, we’ll need to count the crabs – or at least their holes in the sand – during a particular time period, count how many we see | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows John explaining that the students must count the crabs or their holes during a specific length of time. Answer Explanation: The answer is "time period", which refers to the specific amount of time the students will spend counting the crab holes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is determined by listening to John describe the steps of their experiment. He explains that they will count the crabs or the holes they find during a "particular time period." In the planning form, the word "set" is used as a synonym for "particular," meaning a fixed or specific length of time. |
| Q27 | distance | Because we also need to set the identical distance from the actual water’s edge, for each beach | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the students need to keep the measurement of space between the water and their counting spot the same for every location being studied. Answer Explanation: The answer 'distance' refers to the amount of space between the water and the area on the sand where the students count the crabs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'distance' because Maddie states that for the experiment to be fair and accurate, the researchers must use the same separation from the water at every beach. She uses the word 'identical' as a synonym for 'the same' and 'water's edge' for 'the sea.' |
| Q28 | mobile phones | And to do it properly, we’ll each have to be in position at the same time, so we’ll all need mobile phones to synchronise the observation periods, and stop watches to time the observation precisely | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that to work correctly at the exact same time, every person needs a mobile phone to coordinate their observation sessions. Answer Explanation: The answer is the cellular devices the team members will use to talk to each other and coordinate their start and end times. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'mobile phones' because John specifically mentions them as the equipment needed so that all observers are in position and starting at the same moment. He uses the word 'synchronise,' which means to make something happen at the exactly the same time, matching the phrase in the form: 'check that we start and stop at the same time.' |
| Q29 | goggles | As for the night vision problem, the department’s got goggles for that – so, what else | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that to fix the problem of not being able to see at night, the students can use special glasses called goggles provided by their department. Answer Explanation: The answer is goggles, which are special glasses that help people see better in the dark or protect their eyes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified through a discussion between Maddie and John about how to conduct their experiment during the night. Maddie expresses concern about how they will be able to see the crabs in the dark. John responds by saying that the teaching department has goggles available to solve this night vision problem. These goggles are the physical equipment they will use to see at night. |
| Q30 | fortnight | MADDIE: Yeah, that’s true. So how about we go for a fortnight, adding up to 20 hours in total. That’ll allow for any bad weather | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Maddie suggesting that they conduct their study over a two-week period (a fortnight) so they can reach a total of 20 hours of observation while allowing for bad weather. Answer Explanation: The answer "fortnight" is a British English word that means a period of two weeks. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the speakers' discussion about the length of their experiment. While they initially mention "two weeks," they agree on a specific total of 20 hours over a "fortnight." This matches the form's requirement for a time duration that spans the observation period. |
Transcript
MADDIE: OK, John. We’re studying the crabs on the local beaches, right?
JOHN: Yep.
MADDIE: And we’ve got this form to fill in. So, our idea is that we find out if there’s any impact from people using the beach ...
JOHN: … and the rubbish they leave.
MADDIE: And there’s other rubbish too, like from passing boats.
JOHN: Oh, right … so our experimental hypothesis is that people’s use of the beach impacts on the crabs living in the sand.
MADDIE: To include everything we probably need to write down human activity.
JOHN: Fair enough, I agree. OK, so what are we including as our variables? Of course, the first one has to be the overall number of visitors to the beach, right?
MADDIE: Yeah, on the form I’ll call that … visitor numbers.
JOHN: OK ... and then another one is time of day…
MADDIE: …yeah, I think Mr Benn said we need to look at the beach when it’s busy in the daytime, when people are running around, those four-wheel bikes are charging up and down, so the noise levels are really high…
JOHN: Yeah….and again at night when it’s quiet.
MADDIE: OK fine….and I was wondering…
JOHN: What?
MADDIE: What if some of the rubbish and food that people leave around is actually tasty for the crabs?
JOHN: Good thinking. So, another variable is whether people actually feed the crabs, without meaning to. How can we phrase that? Um ... people feeding the crabs?
MADDIE: No, that won’t do, they’re not doing it on purpose … How about ... umm … food left on the beach?
JOHN: Yes OK, but can we make that shorter? How about … edible rubbish?
MADDIE: Yes, good … So, we need to have several beaches, don’t we? ...
You know, at least one that’s hard for people to get to, that has almost no rubbish, and others with more visitors.
JOHN: Yes, that’s right … though of course there’ll still be floating stuff from the sea on all the beaches, and pollution from passing boats, won’t there?
MADDIE: True … I guess we have to take those as constants.
JOHN: Well, we have three beaches to work with — the first one is the busy beach right in the town alongside the promenade. That’ll be perfect for the high use one.
MADDIE: Right.
JOHN: Then, there’s the little bay round the corner that you can only reach on foot by going over the hill, so I guess not so many people visit that one.
MADDIE: No, but some do. It’s quite popular in summer for picnics.
JOHN: Yeah, so it gets a little use, but not that much.
MADDIE: And do we have one where no one goes, as a control?
JOHN: Well, Mr Benn has asked a farmer to let us go across his land to another one the public never gets to.
MADDIE: Oh, right, I remember. It’s called Sandy Point, isn’t it?
JOHN: Yeah, that’s right.
MADDIE: OK. So, what’s our experimental method? How are we going to judge if the crabs are affected or not? And how can we measure three beaches with two observers?
JOHN: Don’t worry about that; my younger brother will help us out. He’s really keen. So, we’ll need to count the crabs – or at least their holes in the sand – during a particular time period, count how many we see.
MADDIE: Yeah OK, so we need to be precise about the time, uh, and surely we need to choose a specific part of the beach to measure?
JOHN: Yeah that’s right. So we need things to measure the time and the area with, right ... what else do we need to think about?
MADDIE: Well, to compare the beaches properly we’ll need to visit them all first, won’t we? … To see the lay of the land. Because we also need to set the identical distance from the actual water’s edge, for each beach … and of course that will change as the tide goes in and out. Let’s see … we’ll need measuring tapes and string and little posts to mark the area – shall we say two square metres, three or maybe four metres from the water’s edge? That should give us some leeway with the tide coming in.
JOHN: And to do it properly, we’ll each have to be in position at the same time, so we’ll all need mobile phones to synchronise the observation periods, and stop watches to time the observation precisely.
MADDIE: So …. one more question … how are we going to see them at night? And will we need to count holes again, in the dark? Oh, that’s 2 questions, sorry!
JOHN: Yes, well, we will need to count again each time … the holes come and go, apparently, as the crabs are quite mobile – they steal each others’ homes too, so if a larger intruder comes along, the previous owner digs himself another hole. As for the night vision problem, the department’s got goggles for that – so, what else?
MADDIE: Well, we need to think about timing, don’t we? Do we sit for an hour … or two hours …at a time?
JOHN: Let’s say an hour for starters. Remember we have to do this again after dusk – I’ve read that most crabs are nocturnal anyway.
MADDIE: Yeah, so how many times do we need to repeat all this? For two weeks, d’you reckon? Or longer?
JOHN: Well, that’s 28 hours’ total observation time; that’ll make it harder for doing the stats, won’t it?
MADDIE: Yeah, that’s true. So how about we go for a fortnight, adding up to 20 hours in total. That’ll allow for any bad weather.
JOHN: Yeah … sounds fine to me …