Investigation Into Obesity - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Collins Practice Tests For IELTS 1 Academic Listening Test 4 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
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Questions
Questions 31–34 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
- 31 times are less common within the family.
- We may eat more than we need due to our 32.
- Eating habits can be affected by both 33 emotions.
- People who are 34 are more likely to eat more due to negative emotions.
Questions 35–39 Matching
Answer the questions below.
Which type of hunger relates to the points below?
Write E for emotional hunger. Write P for physical hunger.
Questions 40–40 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | formal eating | The decline in formal eating times within the family and the subsequent increase in the degree of 'snacking' that takes place have had a significant effect on obesity | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that families are not having regular, scheduled meals as often as they used to, and are snacking more instead. Answer Explanation: The answer "formal eating" refers to scheduled, traditional meal times where a family sits down together. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the speaker's observation about how family habits have changed. The transcript uses the word "decline," which means to become less or decrease, when talking about "formal eating times." This matches the phrase "less common" used in the question. |
| Q32 | emotional state | Studies have uncovered how our emotional state can lead to us eating more than we physically need | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that research has found that the way we feel can make us eat a larger amount of food than our bodies really need. Answer Explanation: The answer "emotional state" refers to the way a person is feeling, such as being happy, sad, or stressed. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "emotional state" because the transcript mentions that researchers have found that how we feel can cause us to consume more food than our bodies actually require for energy. This happens because our feelings or mood can trigger a desire to eat even when we are not physically hungry. |
| Q33 | positive and negative | It was originally believed that negative emotions brought on through depression or anxiety were the main cause of this. But it is now acknowledged that positive emotions can have a similar effect on our eating habits | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that researchers used to think only bad feelings like being sad or worried changed how we eat, but they now agree that good feelings can change our eating habits as well. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the two types of feelings—good ones and bad ones—that can change how a person eats. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'positive and negative' because the speaker explains that both types of 'emotions' have an 'effect' on 'eating habits'. While researchers originally focused on 'negative emotions' like sadness or worry, it is 'now acknowledged' that 'positive emotions' (happiness) can also cause people to eat more than they physically need. |
| Q34 | already overweight / overweight | It seems that people who are already overweight are more susceptible to emotional eating when suffering negative emotions than those who are underweight | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that people who weigh more than they should are more likely to eat for emotional reasons when they feel bad than thinner people are. Answer Explanation: The answer "already overweight" refers to people who have a body weight that is higher than what is considered healthy or normal for their size. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is confirmed by the transcript's discussion on who is most affected by emotional eating. It explains that individuals who are already weighing too much are more likely (or "susceptible") to eat in response to bad feelings, such as sadness or stress, compared to people who are underweight. This matches the sentence structure which asks who eats more due to "negative emotions." |
| Q35 | E | Those experiencing emotional hunger will feel the urge to eat all of a sudden. This compares to the gradual sensation of hunger that occurs with a physical stimulus | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that emotional hunger happens very fast, while physical hunger is a slow and steady feeling. Answer Explanation: The answer E stands for emotional hunger, which means eating because of how you feel rather than because your body needs food. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because the speaker mentions that emotional hunger starts very quickly. The phrase 'all of a sudden' is used to describe how the urge to eat feels for someone experiencing emotional hunger. In contrast, physical hunger is described as a 'gradual' feeling, which means it happens slowly over time. |
| Q36 | P | When the urge to eat is driven by a physical need, you're far less bothered about what you eat | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that when your body actually needs food for energy, you do not care as much about which specific food you are eating. Answer Explanation: The answer P stands for physical hunger. This means that when your body truly needs energy from food, you are okay with eating almost any kind of food. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is P because the transcript explains that there is a difference in how we choose food based on why we are hungry. Emotional hunger makes a person want one specific thing, like pizza or sweets. However, when the hunger comes from a physical need, the person is not picky and is far less concerned with what they eat, meaning they will eat any type of food available. |
| Q37 | E | Emotional hunger makes the individual feel the craving must be satisfied immediately by whatever the specific kind of food is. I'm sure we've all experienced that feeling: 'I must have some chocolate now!' In contrast, the need to satisfy sensations of physical hunger seems less urgent |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that emotional hunger creates a strong need to eat a certain food at that exact moment, while physical hunger does not feel as rushed or fast. Answer Explanation: The answer 'E' stands for emotional hunger, which is a type of hunger where a person feels they must eat something right away. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is emotional hunger because the speaker explains that this feeling comes on suddenly and needs to be satisfied 'immediately'. In contrast, physical hunger is described as 'less urgent', meaning it builds up slowly and does not require an instant response to eat. |
| Q38 | P | A person eating to satisfy a physical hunger will be more likely to stop | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that when someone eats because their body is truly hungry, they are more likely to finish eating once they feel satisfied. Answer Explanation: The answer 'P' stands for physical hunger, which is when your body actually needs food for energy. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'P' because the speaker explains that physical hunger leads people to stop eating when they have had enough. Emotional hunger is different because people might keep eating even if they feel full. |
| Q39 | P | Finally and probably not surprisingly, feelings of guilt often follow emotional eating but not when eating normally | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that feeling bad (guilt) usually happens after someone eats for emotional reasons, but it does not happen when someone eats in a normal way for physical hunger. Answer Explanation: The answer is physical hunger (P). This means a person does not feel bad or sorry about themselves after eating because their body actually needed the food. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is physical hunger because the text contrasts it with emotional eating. It explains that while people often feel bad about themselves (guilt) after eating for emotional reasons, they do not feel this way when they eat 'normally,' which refers to eating for physical needs. Keywords like 'guilt' and 'normally' help distinguish between common reactions to these two types of hunger. |
| Q40 | C | One way to deal with this is to educate sufferers into understanding the different symptoms of physical and emotional hunger and to try to help them identify the pressure points during a typical day when daily stresses occur | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that researchers or doctors can help people by teaching them to recognize the difference between real hunger and emotional hunger, and by helping them find the specific times in their day when they feel a lot of stress. Answer Explanation: The answer means that we can help people with obesity by finding the specific times during the day when they feel stressed and want to eat for emotional reasons. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the final part of the transcript, which discusses solutions for patients with obesity. It explains that a key method of help is to 'identify' (which means the same as pinpointing) the 'pressure points' or 'daily stresses' that happen during their day. These stressful moments are the triggers for emotional hunger. |
Transcript
Good afternoon. Today we're continuing our investigation into obesity. We've looked at several factors causing obesity including lack of exercise and a general sedentary lifestyle and the role the media plays in promoting the consumption of high-calorific food. In the coming weeks we'll go on to examine serious eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
The decline in formal eating times within the family and the subsequent increase in the degree of 'snacking' that takes place have had a significant effect on obesity. Today we're going to turn our attention to an example of this, what has been termed 'emotional hunger' or 'emotional eating', as opposed to the consumption of food to satisfy a physical need. Studies have uncovered how our emotional state can lead to us eating more than we physically need. It was originally believed that negative emotions brought on through depression or anxiety were the main cause of this. But it is now acknowledged that positive emotions can have a similar effect on our eating habits.
Not everyone is susceptible to emotional eating, and even those who do suffer have highly individual symptoms. However, there are common themes. It seems that people who are already overweight are more susceptible to emotional eating when suffering negative emotions than those who are underweight. Equally, excessive eating of this kind can happen during or after happy events, when larger meals than normal tend to be eaten.
So what are the signs that someone is eating to satisfy an emotional stimulus? Well, there are several differences between emotional and physical hunger.
Those experiencing emotional hunger will feel the urge to eat all of a sudden. This compares to the gradual sensation of hunger that occurs with a physical stimulus.
Interestingly, and I'm sure many of you will recognise this, when you're eating to satisfy an emotional need for food, the craving will often be for a specific item like a pizza or something sweet like ice cream. In this kind of situation, nothing else will really satisfy the craving. When the urge to eat is driven by a physical need, you're far less bothered about what you eat.
Emotional hunger makes the individual feel the craving must be satisfied immediately by whatever the specific kind of food is. I'm sure we've all experienced that feeling: 'I must have some chocolate ... now!' In contrast, the need to satisfy sensations of physical hunger seems less urgent.
Emotional eaters will carry on eating even when they're full. A person eating to satisfy a physical hunger will be more likely to stop.
Finally and probably not surprisingly, feelings of guilt often follow emotional eating but not when eating normally.
This has serious consequences for those working with patients suffering with obesity. One way to deal with this is to educate sufferers into understanding the different symptoms of physical and emotional hunger and to try to help them identify the pressure points during a typical day when daily stresses occur. Being conscious of one's eating habits is the first step in dealing with the problem.