Field Trip to Kenya - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 2 Academic Listening Test 5 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
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Questions
Questions 21–30 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Field Trip to Kenya
Area of country: the 21 of Kenya
Accommodation: Marich Pass Field Studies Centre
• in traditional 'bandas' (bring mosquito 22)
• study areas: 23 , lecture room, outdoor areas
Type of environment: both 24 and semi-arid plains
Activities:
• interviews (with interpreters)
• 25 (environment and culture)
• morphological mapping
• projects (all connected with 26 issues)
Jack's group did project on: 27 supply and quality issues
Expeditions:
• to Sigor (a 28) to study distribution
• to the Wei Wei valley to study agricultural production
• to a 29
Evaluation:
• logistics – well run
• gave insight into lives of others
• provided input for his 30
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | north-west / northwest | Yes, well, we were right up in the north-west of the country | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Jack explaining that the field trip location was in the upper western part (north-west) of Kenya. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the specific geographical part of Kenya where the field trip took place. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'north-west' because when Katy asks where exactly Jack went in Kenya, Jack answers that they were located in that specific region of the country. This matches the note 'Area of country: the of Kenya'. |
| Q22 | spray | They don't provide spray though so remember to take plenty with you - you'll need it | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the field center does not give guests mosquito spray, so students must remember to bring their own. Answer Explanation: The answer 'spray' refers to a liquid that people use to keep mosquitoes away so they do not get bitted. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'spray' because Jack tells Katy that while the rooms have mosquito nets, they do not provide insect spray. He reminds her to take plenty of it with her because it is very important for the trip. |
| Q23 | a small library / a library / small library / library | Katy: What about places to study? Dr Rowe said there was a library Jack: Yes, but it's quite small. There's a lecture room as well - but most of us worked out in the open air, there are plenty of places outside |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Katy asking about a library as a place to study. Jack confirms there is a library and also lists a lecture room and outdoor spots as other places for students to work. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the library (which is described as being small) as one of the places where students can go to study. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "library" because the student, Jack, confirms its existence during the conversation. When Katy asks where they can study, she mentions the library. Jack agrees it is there but mentions it is "quite small." The notes group this together with the other available study spots: the lecture room and the outside areas. |
| Q24 | mountains | They actually set up the centre there because it's on the boundaries of two distinct ecological zones - the mountains, where the people are mainly agriculturalists, and the semi-arid plains lower down, where they're semi-nomadic pastoralists | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says the center was built at the edge of two different types of land: the high mountains and the dry, flat plains. Answer Explanation: The answer 'mountains' refers to high land areas that are part of the local environment in the part of Kenya they visited. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer completes the description of the local environment. Jack explains that the study center is located where two different 'ecological zones' (natural areas) meet. He specifically names 'the mountains' and 'the semi-arid plains' as these two zones. Since 'semi-arid plains' is already in the notes, 'mountains' is the required word. |
| Q25 | field observation | Then we did field observation, of course, looking at environmental and cultural conditions, and morphological mapping | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript lists the different types of work the students did, including watching and recording details about the local environment and the way people live (the culture). Answer Explanation: The answer means watching and studying things in their natural environment, rather than in a classroom. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'field observation' because Jack mentions it as one of the main activities. In the transcript, Jack specifically says they did field observation to look at 'environmental and cultural conditions.' This matches the notes' requirement for an activity related to environment and culture. It is listed right after interviews and right before morphological mapping, exactly as it appears in the notes. |
| Q26 | development | We could pretty well do what we wanted, although they all had to relate to issues concerned with development in some way | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that students had choices for their work, but every project had to talk about topics related to how places or communities build and improve their lives, which is called development. Answer Explanation: The answer 'development' refers to the specific subject area that all student projects had to focus on. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on Jack's explanation of the rules for their field trip projects. He states that although they had freedom in what they chose to study, every project was required to be 'concerned with development'. In the notes, the phrase 'connected with' is used, which means the same as 'concerned with' or 'relate to' in the transcript. |
| Q27 | water | My group actually looked at issues relating to water, things like sources such as rivers and wells, and quality and so on | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Jack explaining that his specific group project was about problems and information regarding water, including where it comes from and how clean it is. Answer Explanation: The answer is water, describing the main subject that Jack's team studied during their field trip. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'water' because Jack explicitly mentions that his group focused on topics concerning water. He mentions looking at 'sources' (which relates to 'supply' in the notes) and its 'quality.' |
| Q28 | market town | We went to a market town - a place called Sigor - that was to study distribution - and to look at agricultural production we went to the Wei Wei valley, that's an important agricultural region | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Jack talking about the places they visited. He says they went to Sigor, and he calls it a 'market town'. He explains that they went there to study how items are shared or sold, which is called 'distribution'. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies Sigor as a specific type of town where people buy and sell goods. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'market town' because Jack describes the place 'Sigor' exactly as a 'market town' in his explanation of the field trips. The notes ask for the type of place Sigor is (indicated by 'a '), and Jack directly provides this description. He mentions visiting this town specifically for the purpose of studying 'distribution', which matches the notes perfectly. |
| Q29 | national park | Katy: And what about animals? Did you have a chance to go to a national park? Jack: Sure, we did a trip on the last day, on the way back to the airport at Nairobi | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Katy asking if the students went to a national park to see animals, and Jack says they went on a trip there on the last day. Answer Explanation: The answer is a protected place for wild animals. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'national park' because the notes are about the different trips (expeditions) the students took in Kenya. When Katy asks Jack if they visited a national park to see animals, Jack confirms that they took a trip to one on the last day of their study program. |
| Q30 | dissertation | I did find it frustrating at the time that we couldn't get as far as we wanted on the project, but actually I'm going to follow it up in my dissertation, so it's given me some ideas and data for that as well | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Jack wants to continue the work he started during the trip for his big final paper at university. The trip was useful because it gave him the information and starting points he needed for this paper. Answer Explanation: The answer "dissertation" refers to a long piece of writing about a particular subject that is done as part of a university degree. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is gathered from the final part of the conversation where Jack reflects on his experience. He mentions that although the project felt unfinished during the trip, he plans to continue his research for his own "dissertation." He explains that the trip gave him useful information (data) and thoughts (ideas) to help him write that specific university project. Keywords like "follow it up" and "given me some ideas and data for that" show that the trip served as the foundation or "input" for his future writing. |
Transcript
Jack: Katy, hi. Thanks for inviting me round.
Katy: Thanks for coming... I know you're up to your neck in finals revision, but I've got to make up my mind about next year's Geography field trip and I'd really like your advice. We've got to choose between an African trip and one in Europe. They've told us a bit about both trips in the lecture but I really can't make up my mind, and I know you did the African one last year.
Jack: That's right.
Katy: So, where exactly did you go? I mean, I know it was in Kenya, in East Africa...
Jack: Yes, well, we were right up in the north-west of the country. It was beautiful. We stayed in a place called the Marich Pass Field Studies Centre.
Katy: Right. Dr Rowe said the accommodation was traditional African-style cottages... er, he had a special name for them...
Jack: Bandas. Yes, they're fine. You have to share - two or three people together. They're pretty basic but you have a mosquito net. They don't provide spray though so remember to take plenty with you - you'll need it! And there's no electricity in the Field Centre - you'll have hurricane lamps instead. They give a good light, it's no problem.
Katy: What about places to study? Dr Rowe said there was a library...
Jack: Yes, but it's quite small. There's a lecture room as well - but most of us worked out in the open air, there are plenty of places outside. And it's so beautiful - you're right in the middle of the forest clearing.
Katy: I gather it's a relatively unmodernised area?
Jack: Definitely. They actually set up the centre there because it's on the boundaries of two distinct ecological zones - the mountains, where the people are mainly agriculturalists, and the semi-arid plains lower down, where they're semi-nomadic pastoralists.
Katy: So, how much chance did you get to meet the local people there? Did you get the chance to do interviews?
Jack: Yes - though we had to use local interpreters. But that was OK. Then we did field observation, of course, looking at environmental and cultural conditions, and morphological mapping.
Katy: What's that?
Jack: Oh. Looking at the surface forms of the landscape, the slope elements and so on.
Katy: What about specific projects?
Jack: Yes. After the first two or three days, we spent most of our time on those. We could pretty well do what we wanted, although they all had to relate to issues concerned with development in some way. People did various things... some were based on social and cultural topics, like the effect of education on the aspirations of young people, and some did more physical process-based studies, looking at things like soil erosion. My group actually looked at issues relating to water, things like sources such as rivers and wells, and quality and so on. It was a good project to work on but, a bit frustrating - we felt we needed a lot more time really.
Katy: Right. Dr Rowe did say something about limiting project scope.
Jack: Yes, he told us that too at the beginning and I can see why now. What else... well, we had some good trips out as part of the course. We went to a market town - a place called Sigor - that was to study distribution - and to look at agricultural production we went to the Wei Wei valley, that's an important agricultural region.
Katy: And what about animals? Did you have a chance to go to a national park?
Jack: Sure, we did a trip on the last day, on the way back to the airport at Nairobi. But actually there was lots of wildlife at the Field Centre - vervet monkeys and baboons and lizards...
Katy: Mmm. It does sound good.
Jack: It was excellent, I'd say. In terms of logistics it was very well run, but it was more than that - I mean, it's not the sort of place I'd ever have got to on my own, and it was a real eye-opener - it got me really interested in development issues and the way other people live. I did find it frustrating at the time that we couldn't get as far as we wanted on the project, but actually I'm going to follow it up in my dissertation, so it's given me some ideas and data for that as well.
Katy: So you'd say it was worth the extra money?
Jack: Definitely.