Recycling of Waste Material
In our previous article, we explored strategies for tackling IELTS Listening Section 3. This guide focuses on Section 4, which primarily tests sentence completion skills, with occasional multiple-choice questions. Similar to Section 2, this part involves a monologue delivered by a single speaker, but with an academic focus. The content typically resembles a university lecture or scholarly presentation.
Below is an example illustrating sentence completion tasks for the topic Recycling of Waste Material:
– By 2020, carbon dioxide emissions are projected to ………………. reduced compared to 2000.
– Recycling can help lower emissions from ……………… and ………………….
– Some argue that a key challenge is inadequate ……………………….
Notice how these questions present information as bullet points or concise notes.
Highlight Key Terms
Begin by marking critical words in each question. Focus particularly on terms adjacent to gaps, as these often mirror wording in the audio. For example:
– By 2020, carbon dioxide emissions are projected to ………………. reduced compared to 2000.
– Recycling can help lower emissions from ……………… and ………………….
– Some argue that a key challenge is inadequate ……………………….
Emphasize words near blanks (e.g., prepositions like from, and, of) to pinpoint answers. Avoid over-marking by prioritizing core ideas over minor details.
Essential Strategies for Section 4
1. Focus on condensed information: The audio will elaborate extensively on the topic, but answers align with the brief notes in questions. Train yourself to extract only relevant details.
2. Follow the sequence: Questions follow the audio’s order. Stay attentive to avoid missing gaps; avoid revisiting previous answers during playback.
3. Track grammatical clues: Prepositions (e.g., to, for, into) near blanks often signal the correct answer’s location. Listen carefully for these markers.
By practicing these techniques, test-takers can efficiently navigate Section 4’s academic monologues while maintaining accuracy.
