Penguins In Africa - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 4 Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
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Questions
Questions 31–40 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Penguins in Africa
Appearance and lifestyle
They are also called Jackass Penguins for the sound they make.
The 31 of their body remains constant.
They restrict their 32 on land from dusk till dawn.
They cannot fly because they have heavy 33 .
They nest under the tree 34 .
They eat tree 35 .
Predators
- seals
- 36
- seagulls (eat the penguin 37 )
Threats
They lose 38 in winter.
They are fighting for nesting 39 and food because of human activities.
In order to improve survivorship, it is helpful to increase the 40 of their genes.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | temperature | African penguins can keep their body temperature at a stable level | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that these penguins are able to keep their body heat at a steady level that does not change. Answer Explanation: The answer "temperature" refers to the level of heat inside an animal's body. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "temperature" because the text mentions that African penguins can keep this part of their body at a "stable level." In this context, "stable" means the same thing as "constant," which is the word used in the notes. |
| Q32 | movements | They limit their daylight movements on breeding sites on land to early mornings and early evenings to avoid too much sun | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the penguins do not move around a lot during the hottest part of the day. Instead, they choose to move only during cooler times, like early morning and early evening, so they do not get too hot. Answer Explanation: The answer "movements" refers to the act of the penguins moving or walking from one place to another. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "movements" because the text mentions that African penguins must deal with warm temperatures on land. To stay cool, they "limit" (which is a synonym for 'restrict') their "daylight movements." This means they only walk around during the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning and early evening, to avoid the heat of the sun. |
| Q33 | bones | Even though they are categorised as birds, African penguins aren't able to fly because of their heavy bones | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that although people think of penguins as birds, they cannot travel in the air. This is because the bones inside their bodies are too heavy. Answer Explanation: The answer means the hard parts inside the body of an animal that give it shape. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is bones because the speaker explains that even though penguins are types of birds, they do not fly in the sky. The reason they stay on the ground or in the water is that their bones weigh a lot. The speaker uses the word 'heavy' right before 'bones' to show this. |
| Q34 | holes | They dig holes under bushes out of their own excrement, called guano, so they are sheltered from the sun and predators | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that these penguins make spaces (holes) in the ground beneath plants to protect themselves from the weather and danger. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the spaces or tunnels that African penguins dig in the ground to use as their homes for laying eggs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is based on the specific way African penguins build their homes. Most penguins leave their eggs in the open, but the transcript explains that African penguins have a different method: they dig into the earth to create "holes" under bushes. This behavior provides them with shelter from both the hot sun and other animals that might want to hunt them. Keywords to notice are "dig holes," "nest," and "sheltered." |
| Q35 | roots | But when normal food is in short supply, they eat tree roots as well | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that if the penguins do not have enough of their usual food, they will eat the roots of trees. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the unconventional food source African penguins consume when their usual marine diet is unavailable. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is roots. In the transcript, it explains that these penguins usually eat fish, squid, and shellfish. However, it specifically notes that when their normal food is scarce, they eat tree roots as an alternative. 'Short supply' is a synonym for not having enough, which triggers this dietary change. |
| Q36 | sharks | Their natural predators at sea include seals and sharks | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that when penguins are in the water, animals like seals and sharks try to catch and eat them. Answer Explanation: The answer is sharks, which are large sea animals that hunt and eat penguins in the ocean. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'sharks' because the transcript lists the specific enemies that hunt penguins in the water. It says that in the sea, penguins are naturally hunted by two main animals: seals and sharks. In the provided notes, 'seals' is already mentioned, so the next predator from that list is 'sharks'. |
| Q37 | chicks | The penguin chicks are sometimes taken by seagulls into the air and dropped from above. The seagulls could thus feed on them | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that seagulls hunt baby penguins by flying them high into the sky and letting them fall so they can eat them. Answer Explanation: The answer "chicks" refers to young or baby penguins. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "chicks" because the text explains that on land, adult penguins are not the only ones in danger; baby penguins, known as "chicks," are specifically targeted by seagulls. The seagulls carry them up and drop them to "feed on" (eat) them. Therefore, seagulls are predators that eat penguin chicks. |
| Q38 | feathers | The entire surface of their body is densely covered with feathers, which fall off during the winter | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that every part of the penguin's body has feathers, and these feathers fall off when it is winter. Answer Explanation: The answer "feathers" refers to the soft items that cover the skin of birds to keep them warm and protected. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "feathers" because the lecturer explains that a penguin's body is covered in them and that they fall off during the winter season. The word "lose" in the notes matches the idea of parts "falling off" mentioned in the text. |
| Q39 | space | They are struggling for nesting space due to human disruption and competing for food due to overfishing and pollution | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that humans are causing problems for the penguins. Because of human activities, the penguins have a hard time finding a place to make their nests and enough food to eat. Answer Explanation: The answer 'space' means the physical area or room that African penguins need to build their homes (nests). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'space' because the lecture identifies two main problems caused by humans that lead to the decline of African penguins. One problem is the lack of room for making nests, which the speaker calls 'nesting space.' The second problem is a lack of food. |
| Q40 | diversity | The more genetic diversity there is within a species, the higher the likelihood that at least some of the individuals will adapt and survive | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that when a group of animals has many different kinds of genes, it is much more likely that some of them will be able to change and keep living even in difficult situations. Answer Explanation: The answer 'diversity' means having many different types of something within a single group. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'diversity' because the text explains that having a wide variety of genes (genetic diversity) helps the penguins stay alive. If there are many different genes, some penguins are more likely to survive if the environment changes or if there is a sickness. This helps improve 'survivorship,' which means their ability to continue living as a species. |
Transcript
Good morning everyone. Today's lecture is about a type of adorable animal—the penguin. When you think of penguins, you may picture them surrounded by snow and ice. But not all penguins live where it's cold—African penguins live in the southern tip of Africa. They are usually found within 40 kilometres of the shore and on a number of its surrounding islands.
African Penguins are also known as Jackass Penguins, because they make donkey-like braying sounds to communicate. African penguins can keep their body temperature at a stable level. But their land habitat can get quite warm, so there are a number of ways for them to stay cool. They limit their daylight movements on breeding sites on land to early mornings and early evenings to avoid too much sun. The pink glands above their eyes can help them cope with the temperate climates. Like other penguins, African penguins spend most of the day feeding in the ocean, which also helps keep them cool.
Being a type of small to medium sized penguin species, African penguins average about 60 centimetres tall and weigh up to 3.6 kilograms. They have a black stripe and a pattern of unique black spots on their chest. Males are larger than females and have larger beaks. Even though they are categorised as birds, African penguins aren't able to fly because of their heavy bones. Their wings are more like flippers that make them particularly suited for life in the water. When they're on land, their flippers and their tails help them keep their balance and walk upright.
African Penguins begin to breed at the average age of four. When a male and female pair up, they tend to breed together for the rest of their lives. Most other penguins nest and lay their eggs out in the open, but African penguins have a different approach. They dig holes under bushes out of their own excrement, called guano, so they are sheltered from the sun and predators.
The African Penguin survives on a diet that is comprised mainly of marine organisms. They feed primarily on fish like sardines, along with the occasional squid and shellfish. But when normal food is in short supply, they eat tree roots as well. The streamlined body of the African Penguin allows it to move through the water like a rocket, capable of reaching a speed of around 20 kilometres per hour when hunting for food.
The African Penguin's smaller size means that it has many predators both in the water and also on dry land. Their natural predators at sea include seals and sharks. The biggest threat to them on land is not just towards the adult penguins. The penguin chicks are sometimes taken by seagulls into the air and dropped from above. The seagulls could thus feed on them.
At risk from predators, young penguins are protected for about 40 days after hatching by both parents. They will leave the colony when they are between 3 to 5 months old and will return a few years later. The entire surface of their body is densely covered with feathers, which fall off during the winter. This process is called molting and takes about three weeks to complete. During that time, they are unable to forage. Therefore prior to this, African penguins spend about five weeks laying down fat deposits.
They generally live between 10 to 15 years, however many do not reach their full life span. Their population has drastically declined. Approximately 120,000 African penguins remain in the wild, and their population has decreased by 90% in the past 60 years. They are considered to be vulnerable and have been listed as being endangered. Two major factors have contributed to their decline. They are struggling for nesting space due to human disruption and competing for food due to overfishing and pollution.
With the limited number of breeding pairs, survivorship becomes difficult for African penguins. This makes them especially vulnerable as environmental conditions change or an outbreak of a disease occurs. For instance, avian malaria has caused 27% of the captive-breeding penguins' deaths annually. The more genetic diversity there is within a species, the higher the likelihood that at least some of the individuals will adapt and survive.