Work Experience For Veterinary Science Students - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Listening Test 1 · Part 3 · Questions 21–30
Audio
Questions
Questions 21–26 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
Work experience for veterinary science students
Questions 27–30 Matching
What opinion do the students give about each of the following modules on their veterinary science course?
Choose FOUR answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-F, next to questions.
Opinions
A. Tim found this easier than expected.
B. Tim thought this was not very clearly organised.
C. Diana may do some further study on this.
D. They both found the reading required for this was difficult.
E. Tim was shocked at something he learned on this module.
F. They were both surprised how little is known about some aspects of this.
Modules on Veterinary Science course
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q21 | A | My farm was great, but arranging the work experience was hard. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript talks about how arranging work experience was difficult for the speaker. Answer Explanation: The answer states that the problem both Diana and Tim had was making initial contact with suitable farms. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'A' because the excerpt mentions that arranging work experience was hard, which implies they had difficulty in making initial contact with suitable farms. |
| Q22 | B | I was up most of one night helping a sheep deliver a lamb … | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows that Tim stayed up one night to help a sheep give birth to a lamb. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that Tim helped a sheep that was having difficulty giving birth. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'B' because in the excerpt, Tim mentions helping a sheep deliver a lamb, which aligns with the situation of a sheep having difficulty giving birth as described in answer choice 'B'. |
| Q23 | B | So were they bred for their meat? | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript is asking if the sheep were bred for their meat. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that Diana says the sheep were mainly reared for their meat. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the fact that Diana mentions the sheep on her farm were mainly reared for their meat in response to the inquiry about their breeding purpose. |
| Q24 | A | And he didn’t give them as a matter of routine, just at times when the chickens seemed to particularly require them. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript suggests that supplements were not regularly provided to the chickens but only given when they were needed. Answer Explanation: The answer suggests that supplements should only be given if they are specifically required. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'A' because it aligns with the idea that supplements should not be routinely given but should be provided based on the chicken's needs, as stated in the excerpt. |
| Q25 | C | But I got mixed up, and I poured some milk from the wrong cow in with the milk for humans, so the whole lot had to be thrown away. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript describes a situation where Diana accidentally mixed up milk from different cows, resulting in all the milk being thrown away. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Diana made a mistake when storing the milk. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'C' because the excerpt shows that Diana poured milk from the wrong cow into the human milk storage, indicating a mistake in storing the milk. This aligns with the option 'She made a mistake when storing milk.' |
| Q26 | C | Well, he didn’t agree with that, but he said that actually some of the stuff the vets do, like minor operations, he’d be quite capable of doing himself. | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that one farmer mentioned he is capable of doing minor operations that vets usually do. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that some jobs could be done by the farmer instead of a vet. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'C' because the farmer mentioned that he could handle minor operations himself, implying that certain tasks that vets typically do could be taken care of by farmers, supporting the idea that some jobs could be done by the farmer rather than a vet. |
| Q27 | A | TIM: I’d thought it’d be hard, but actually I found it all quite straightforward | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Tim saying he believed the subject would be difficult at first, but he eventually found it very simple to understand. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Tim discovered the module was not as difficult as he thought it would be. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by Tim's comment about the medical terminology module. He admitted that he initially expected it to be 'hard,' but his actual experience was that it was 'straightforward,' which is a synonym for easy or uncomplicated. This show that his expectations of difficulty were not met, making the module easier than expected. |
| Q28 | E | Do you remember what they told us about pet food and the fact that there’s such limited checking into whether or not it’s contaminated? I mean in comparison with the checks on food for humans – I thought that was terrible | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Tim asking Diana if she remembers learning about the low standards for pet food safety. He explains that human food is checked much more for contamination, and he expresses that he found this fact 'terrible,' which means he was shocked by it. Answer Explanation: The answer E means that Tim was very surprised and upset by a fact he learned during the module on diet and nutrition. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because Tim mentions a specific fact from the 'diet and nutrition' module that he found very upsetting. He speaks about the 'limited checking' (lack of safety tests) for pet food compared to human food. He uses the word 'terrible' to describe this, which indicates he was shocked or deeply concerned by the lack of protection against 'contaminated' (unsafe or dirty) pet food. |
| Q29 | F | I think the module that really impressed me was the animal disease one, when we looked at domesticated animals in different parts of the world, like camels and water buffalo and alpaca. The economies of so many countries depend on these, but scientists don’t know much about the diseases that affect them. TIM: Yes, I thought they’d know a lot about ways of controlling and eradicating those diseases, but that’s not the case at all | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Diana explaining that scientists do not have a lot of information on diseases for animals like camels and water buffalo. Tim adds to this by saying he expected experts to have many ways to stop these diseases, but he found out that they actually do not. Answer Explanation: The answer means that both students were shocked to find out that experts have very little information regarding certain parts of the 'Animal disease' module. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because both Diana and Tim agree that there is a surprising lack of information about diseases in specific animals. Diana mentions that scientists 'don't know much' about the sicknesses that affect animals like camels and water buffalo. Tim supports this by saying he 'thought they'd know a lot' about how to stop these diseases, but realized that is not true. This shows they both discovered that less is known than they had expected. |
| Q30 | C | DIANA: Yeah, I thought I might write my dissertation on something connected with that | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript shows Diana stating she might write her dissertation (a large final research paper) on the topic of wildlife medication. This confirms she is considering more study in that specific area. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Diana might choose to do more academic research or writing about the topic of wildlife medication for her university project. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Diana mentions her plan to write a 'dissertation' on this subject. In a university course, a dissertation is a long piece of writing based on independent research, which is a form of further or deeper study. Therefore, her interest in writing her dissertation on wildlife medication matches the idea of doing 'further study' on it. |
Transcript
DIANA: So, Tim, we have to do a short summary of our work experience on a farm.
TIM: Right. My farm was great, but arranging the work experience was hard. One problem was it was miles away and I don’t drive. And also, I’d really wanted a placement for a month, but I could only get one for two weeks.
DIANA: I was lucky, the farmer let me stay on the farm so I didn’t have to travel. But finding the right sort of farm to apply to wasn’t easy.
TIM: No, they don’t seem to have websites, do they. I found mine through a friend of my mother’s, but it wasn’t easy.
DIANA: No.
TIM: My farm was mostly livestock, especially sheep. I really enjoyed helping out with them. I was up most of one night helping a sheep deliver a lamb …
DIANA: On your own?
TIM: No, the farmer was there, and he told me what to do. It wasn’t a straightforward birth, but I managed. It was a great feeling to see the lamb stagger to its feet and start feeding almost straightaway, and to know that it was OK.
DIANA: Mm.
TIM: Then another time a lamb had broken its leg, and they got the vet in to set it, and he talked me through what he was doing. That was really useful.
DIANA: Yes, my farm had sheep too. The farm was in a valley and they had a lowland breed called Suffolks, although the farmer said they’d had other breeds in the past.
TIM: So were they bred for their meat?
DIANA: Mostly, yes. They’re quite big and solid.
TIM: My farm was up in the hills and they had a different breed of sheep, they were Cheviots.
DIANA: Oh, I heard their wool’s really sought after.
TIM: Yes. It’s very hardwearing and they use it for carpets.
DIANA: Right.
TIM: I was interested in the amount of supplements they add to animals’ feed nowadays. Like, even the chickens got extra vitamins and electrolytes in their feed.
DIANA: Yes, I found that too. And they’re not cheap. But my farmer said some are overpriced for what they are. And he didn’t give them as a matter of routine, just at times when the chickens seemed to particularly require them.
TIM: Yes, mine said the same. He said certain breeds of chickens might need more supplements than the others, but the cheap and expensive ones are all basically the same.
DIANA: Mm.
TIM: So did your farm have any other livestock, Diana?
DIANA: Yes, dairy cows. I made a really embarrassing mistake when I was working in the milk shed. Some cows had been treated with antibiotics, so their milk wasn’t suitable for human consumption, and it had to be put in a separate container. But I got mixed up, and I poured some milk from the wrong cow in with the milk for humans, so the whole lot had to be thrown away. The farmer wasn’t too happy with me.
TIM: I asked my farmer how much he depended on the vet to deal with health problems. I’d read reports that the livestock’s health is being affected as farmers are under pressure to increase production. Well, he didn’t agree with that, but he said that actually some of the stuff the vets do, like minor operations, he’d be quite capable of doing himself.
DIANA: Yeah. My farmer said the same. But he reckons vets’ skills are still needed.
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DIANA: Now we’ve got to give a bit of feedback about last term’s modules – just short comments, apparently. Shall we do that now?
TIM: OK. So medical terminology.
DIANA: Well, my heart sank when I saw that, especially right at the beginning of the course. And I did struggle with it.
TIM: I’d thought it’d be hard, but actually I found it all quite straightforward. What did you think about diet and nutrition?
DIANA: OK, I suppose.
TIM: Do you remember what they told us about pet food and the fact that there’s such limited checking into whether or not it’s contaminated? I mean in comparison with the checks on food for humans – I thought that was terrible.
DIANA: Mm. I think the module that really impressed me was the animal disease one, when we looked at domesticated animals in different parts of the world, like camels and water buffalo and alpaca. The economies of so many countries depend on these, but scientists don’t know much about the diseases that affect them.
TIM: Yes, I thought they’d know a lot about ways of controlling and eradicating those diseases, but that’s not the case at all.
I loved the wildlife medication unit. Things like helping birds that have been caught in oil spills. That’s something I hadn’t thought about before.
DIANA: Yeah, I thought I might write my dissertation on something connected with that.
TIM: Right. So …