Formula One - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Succeed in IELTS Academic Listening Test 7 · Part 2 · Questions 11–20
Audio
Questions
Questions 11–12 One Choice
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.
Questions 13–20 Table Completion
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
| Driver | First Title | Last Title | Notable Record/s | Interesting Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juan Manuel Fangio | 1951 | 13 | won 5 world championships, a record which remained for 14 years | was the first 15 winner |
| Ayrton Senna | 1988 | 1991 | won the most races ever at the 16 Grand Prix | is regarded as the most 17 driver ever |
| Alain Prost | 1985 | 1993 | won the third 18 number of championships | was a 19 of Senna |
| Michael Schumacher | 1994 | 2004 | holds many records including most drivers' championships, pole positions, race victories and fastest laps | is the 20 on paper |
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q11 | A | The 'Formula' stands for the rules which all the drivers and manufacturers must respect | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the word 'Formula' means the rules that every driver and car builder must obey. Answer Explanation: The answer "A" means that the word 'formula' means the set of rules that all drivers and car makers have to follow. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because David McWilliams clearly explains the meaning of the name. He says that 'Formula' stands for the rules that all drivers and makers must follow. Key phrases in the text include "stands for" (which means represents or means) and "rules which all the drivers and manufacturers must respect". |
| Q12 | C | The first world championship race was held in 1950 at Silverstone in England | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the very first race of the world championship happened in England in the year 1950. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the very first world championship race happened in the year 1950. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because David McWilliams clearly states the exact year the competition began. In the transcript, the phrase "was held in 1950" directly matches the question's phrase "take place", showing that the first championship race occurred in 1950. |
| Q13 | 1957 | His greatest moment came in winning the 1957 championship when he came back from a disastrous pit stop to recover a 30-second deficit and take the championship on the last lap of the last race of the season. That was, of course, to be the last time he'd win the title | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Fangio won the championship in 1957, which was the last time he ever won the title. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the year Juan Manuel Fangio won his final championship was 1957. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "1957" because the speaker discusses Juan Manuel Fangio's championship victories and states that winning in 1957 was "the last time he'd win the title." In the table, the column asks for the driver's "Last Title," making 1957 the exact year needed. |
| Q14 | 46 | winning 5 titles in all, his first in 1951, his last in '57, a record that stood for 46 years | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that Fangio won 5 world titles in total, and this record was not beaten for 46 years. Answer Explanation: The answer means the number forty-six (46). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 46 because the speaker explains that Juan Manuel Fangio won five world championships, and this achievement remained an unbroken record for 46 years. In the table, the phrase 'a record which remained for' matches the spoken phrase 'a record that stood for'. |
| Q15 | multiple championship | Indeed, he was the first multiple championship winner | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that Fangio was the very first person in the sport to win more than one championship title. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to winning more than one championship title. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "multiple championship" because the table asks for an interesting fact about Juan Manuel Fangio, specifically that he "was the first [input] winner". In the talk, David explicitly states that Fangio was "the first multiple championship winner". |
| Q16 | Monaco | he won the Monaco Grand Prix, on what is regarded as the most difficult race course in Formula One, more times than any other driver | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Ayrton Senna finished in first place at the Monaco Grand Prix more times than any other racing driver in history. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to Monaco, a place where a famous Grand Prix car race happens. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by David's explanation of Ayrton Senna's achievements. He states that Senna won the Monaco Grand Prix "more times than any other driver." In the table, the phrase "won the most races ever" directly corresponds to winning "more times than any other driver." Therefore, the missing word is "Monaco." |
| Q17 | naturally gifted | Perhaps because of this, he is regarded as the most naturally gifted driver to have ever sat behind the wheel | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that people consider Ayrton Senna to be the driver with the highest amount of natural racing talent in history. Answer Explanation: The answer means born with great natural skill and talent. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by David's description of Ayrton Senna. He states that Senna is seen as "the most naturally gifted driver to have ever sat behind the wheel." Therefore, the missing words describing the kind of driver he is considered to be are "naturally gifted". |
| Q18 | highest | Of course, Prost will always be remembered as the driver with the third highest number of championship victories, and, perhaps, even more for the fact that he was a great rival of Ayrton Senna | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Alain Prost holds third place when comparing drivers by how many championship titles they have won. Answer Explanation: The answer means having the largest number in third place, or ranking number three in the list of most wins. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "highest" because the speaker explicitly states that Alain Prost is remembered as having "the third highest number of championship victories". In the notes table, the phrase matches the transcript closely, requiring the missing word "highest" before "number of championships". |
| Q19 | great rival | he was a great rival of Ayrton Senna | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that Alain Prost was a major racing competitor to Ayrton Senna. Answer Explanation: The answer "great rival" means a major competitor or someone who battles hard against another person in a contest or sport. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "great rival" because the table asks for an interesting fact about Alain Prost in relation to Ayrton Senna ("was a [blank] of Senna"). In the transcript, David states that Prost is strongly remembered "for the fact that he was a great rival of Ayrton Senna." Therefore, "great rival" fits the sentence structure and meaning accurately within the two-word limit. |
| Q20 | greatest driver | He is also regarded as the greatest driver on paper having won seven world titles | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that because Michael Schumacher won seven championships, people consider him the best or "greatest driver" when judging by the written statistics. Answer Explanation: The answer "greatest driver" refers to the phrase used to describe Michael Schumacher when looking at his official results and records. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by David's explanation of Michael Schumacher's achievements. The table asks what Michael Schumacher is considered to be "on paper." David states that "He is also regarded as the greatest driver on paper having won seven world titles," which matches the sentence structure in the table: "is the [greatest driver] on paper." |
Transcript
Presenter: Good morning and welcome to the programme. This week we're continuing our series of features on motor racing and I am delighted to welcome to the show, David McWilliams, widely recognised as the most knowledgeable motor racing historian in England. We've invited David in to talk to us about what is probably the most famous and prestigious motor racing championship in existence today; that is, of course, Formula One. David, Formula One is now a massive racing franchise, but how did it all begin?
David: Well, Formula One has its roots in the European Grand Prix Motor Racing championship which began in the 1920s. After World War Two, the Grand Prix was transformed into a new championship format, the one we are familiar with today, Formula One. The 'Formula' stands for the rules which all the drivers and manufacturers must respect. The 'One' signifies that this racing championship is regarded as the best in the world. The first world championship race was held in 1950 at Silverstone in England. It was won by Italian Guiseppe Farina, in his Alfa Romeo. Farina narrowly beat his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina to the title, yet it was Fangio who would go on to dominate the sport for the rest of the decade winning five world championships. As the years went by, the sport became a global phenomenon and grew from strength to strength, becoming the biggest commercial sport on the planet.
Presenter: There's no doubt that Formula One is big business today David, but what about the real heroes, the great drivers of Formula One, past and present? Who stands out as the best, in your opinion?
David: That's an almost impossible question to answer, but I could narrow it down to three or four amazing drivers; take your pick from any one of them. I'll start with the grand master of Formula One, the great Fangio who I've already mentioned. He dominated the sport throughout the 1950s, winning 5 titles in all, his first in 1951, his last in '57, a record that stood for 46 years. Indeed, he was the first multiple championship winner. Fangio was a fiery and spirited Argentinian who never gave up. His greatest moment came in winning the 1957 championship when he came back from a disastrous pit stop to recover a 30-second deficit and take the championship on the last lap of the last race of the season. That was, of course, to be the last time he'd win the title.
Another undoubted great is Brazilian, Ayrton Senna. Senna won the world title three times, the first being in 1988, the last in 1991. Tragically, he died in a race crash the year after to the dismay of millions of fans watching the race unfold live on T.V. Senna was best known for his skills driving in the wet and he won the Monaco Grand Prix, on what is regarded as the most difficult race course in Formula One, more times than any other driver. Perhaps because of this, he is regarded as the most naturally gifted driver to have ever sat behind the wheel.
Another very talented driver was Frenchman, Alain Prost. Prost won the drivers' title four times during his career. His first title victory came in 1985 and his last arrived in 1993. Of course, Prost will always be remembered as the driver with the third highest number of championship victories, and, perhaps, even more for the fact that he was a great rival of Ayrton Senna. Those two had many great battles.
Last but not by, any means, least, Michael Schumacher is the most recent of these driving greats who deserves a mention. His first title was won in 1994, and he continued to dominate Formula One until he won his last title in 2004. Schumacher holds many driving records including most drivers' championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. He is also regarded as the greatest driver on paper having won seven world titles.
Presenter: It sounds like Schumacher is in a league of his own; is he not clearly the best then, David, based on his record?
David: It's not that simple unfortunately. These drivers all raced in different eras with different cars and under different circumstances. I don't believe we can say one was the out and out best but rather that each was the best of his time. That's praise enough.