Endangered Species – B1 English Listening Exercise

1 Correct Answer: (A)

• Explanation: The announcer says the animals are “critically endangered in the wild.” Option A uses synonyms: “severe risk of disappearing in nature.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. The phrase “in the wild” is mentioned in the audio, but it describes where they are endangered, not where the baby was brought from (it was born at the zoo). Option (C) is a plausible milestone for an animal, but it is not mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (B)

• Explanation: The announcer states that the “zookeepers will be giving the little cub its afternoon meal.” Option B paraphrases this as “park workers will provide the newborn with its food.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The audio mentions feeding, but it is the zookeepers who will feed the cub, not the visitors. Option (C) is not mentioned in the announcement.

3 Correct Answer: (C)

• Explanation: The announcer asks visitors to “make sure all cameras have their artificial lights turned off.” Option C paraphrases this as “disable the flash function on their photography devices.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. The “viewing windows” are mentioned in the audio, but the rule is about not hitting them, not about bringing food near them. Option (A) is a plausible zoo rule, but the noise concern mentioned is hitting the glass, not loud speaking.

Announcer: May I have your attention, please? We have some very exciting news to share with all our visitors today. If you head over to the Big Cat Enclosure, you will be able to see our newest arrival: a baby Amur leopard. As many of you know, these magnificent creatures are critically endangered in the wild, so this birth is a huge success for our conservation program.

The zookeepers will be giving the little cub its afternoon meal at exactly 2:30 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity to watch the newborn interact with its mother.

However, we kindly ask for your cooperation to keep the animals calm. Please refrain from hitting the viewing windows, as sudden noises can cause them severe stress. Additionally, make sure all cameras have their artificial lights turned off. Bright bursts of light can frighten the baby.

Thank you for your understanding, and we hope you enjoy the rest of your visit at the City Wildlife Park!

1 Correct Answer: (B)

• Explanation: The announcer states that the birds were wiped out because of “toxic farm chemicals.” Option B uses synonyms: “dangerous substances” (toxic chemicals) and “agriculture” (farm).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. The “national park” and “nests” are mentioned later in the audio as part of the project’s current success, not as the past reason for their disappearance. Option (A) is a plausible guess for endangered animals but is never mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (A)

• Explanation: The announcer shares that the “wild population has doubled.” Option A paraphrases this mathematically as “increased by 100%.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. The number “twenty” and the season “summer” are mentioned at the end, but they refer to the center’s future goal (“hope to release twenty more birds by next summer”), not a past rescue of injured birds. Option (C) is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (B)

• Explanation: The announcer reminds listeners that “they are still considered an endangered species.” Option B paraphrases this as “officially classified as being at risk of extinction.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. Although the news is very positive and they are “reproducing naturally,” the audio explicitly states they are still endangered, meaning they are not yet completely safe. Option (C) is an exaggeration and is not mentioned.

Announcer: Good morning, listeners! You’re tuned in to City Nature Radio. Now, we often hear depressing stories about the environment, but today, I have some truly wonderful news to share with you all.

For the past ten years, our local wildlife center has been running a special breeding program for the silver-winged falcon. These beautiful birds were almost completely wiped out in our region because of toxic farm chemicals.

Well, the scientists at the center have been raising chicks safely in captivity. Once the young birds are strong enough, they are carefully released back into the wild.

So, has the project worked? Absolutely. Just yesterday, the center announced that the wild population has doubled since the project began. They even spotted three new nests in the national park this spring, which means the birds are finally reproducing naturally again.

While they are still considered an endangered species, this is a massive step forward. The director of the center said they hope to release twenty more birds by next summer. Stay tuned, because after the break, we’ll tell you how you can volunteer to help.

1 Correct Answer: (B)

• Explanation: The host says he will share habits to “cut down on your personal plastic waste.” Option B uses synonyms: “reduce” (cut down) and “plastic garbage” (plastic waste).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The host mentions “deforestation” (cutting down trees), but explicitly states that was the topic last week, not today. Option (C) is a plausible environmental activity but is not mentioned in the audio.

2 Correct Answer: (A)

• Explanation: The host states that the animals are swallowing trash because they “mistake it for food.” Option A paraphrases this as confusing the garbage with their “natural diet.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. The word “helpless” is used in the audio, but the host uses it to describe how people feel when hearing bad news (“It is very easy to feel completely helpless”), not the animals. Option (C) is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (C)

• Explanation: The host says we can help by starting “three simple, everyday habits.” Option C paraphrases this as “adopting a few easy routines.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. It is the exact opposite of what the host says; he states we can make a difference “without changing our entire lifestyle.” Option (B) is not mentioned at all.

Host: Welcome back to Green Planet, the podcast where we explore ways to live in harmony with nature. I’m your host, Alex. Last week, we discussed the issue of deforestation. But today, well, we are shifting our focus to the ocean.

You know, millions of tons of garbage end up in our seas every single year. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. This pollution is causing serious harm to marine life. Sea turtles, dolphins, and even rare whales are accidentally swallowing our trash because they mistake it for food, which often leads to fatal consequences.

It is very easy to feel completely helpless when we hear such sad news. But, um, we can actually make a real difference without changing our entire lifestyle. So, in today’s episode, I’m going to share three simple, everyday habits that you can start right now to significantly cut down on your personal plastic waste. By doing this, we can all help protect these amazing endangered creatures. Let’s dive in!

1 Correct Answer: (B)

• Explanation: The speaker mentions that the “illegal pet trade” is pushing them to extinction because babies are “stolen from their nests.” Option B paraphrases this as “capturing them from the wild to sell as pets.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a plausible reason for animals to go extinct, but farmers and habitat destruction are not mentioned in this audio. Option (C) is a trap; the word “families” (flocks) is mentioned later, but not in the context of finding food.

2 Correct Answer: (A)

• Explanation: The speaker states that “many of them do not survive the trip to the pet stores.” Option A uses synonyms: “die” (do not survive) and “reach the shops” (trip to the pet stores).
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. “Small metal cages” are mentioned as places they shouldn’t live in, but they are not kept at the “zoo.” Option (C) is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (C)

• Explanation: The speaker concludes with “their true home is the sky, not our houses.” Option C paraphrases this perfectly as “belong in nature, not indoors.”
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The speaker mentions a “website” at the end, but it is a place to “find out how you can help,” not a place to buy legal birds. Option (B) is also a trap; the speaker says they are “highly intelligent,” but never claims they are the most intelligent animals in the rainforest.

Voice-over Actor: Have you ever seen a wild macaw? With their bright red and blue feathers, they are truly beautiful birds. It is easy to understand why so many people want to keep them in their living rooms.

But sadly, the illegal pet trade is pushing these amazing animals closer to extinction. Every year, thousands of baby macaws are stolen from their nests in the rainforest. The journey is incredibly dangerous, and sadly, many of them do not survive the trip to the pet stores.

When you buy a wild bird, you are supporting a cruel industry. These birds are highly intelligent and social creatures. They are not meant to live in small metal cages. They need to fly free with their flocks.

So, please, think twice before buying an exotic bird. If you love them, let them live where they belong. Remember, their true home is the sky, not our houses. Visit our website at savethebirds.org to find out how you can help.

1 Correct Answer: (B)

• Explanation: The guide tells the passengers to “remain in your seats” and “keep all your limbs inside the vehicle”. Option B paraphrases this as “stay sitting down” and “keep their arms inside”.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (A) is a trap. The guide mentions cameras and getting a shot, but explicitly says “do not stand up” and “no reaching out”. Option (C) is a plausible safety rule, but it is not mentioned.

2 Correct Answer: (A)

• Explanation: The guide mentions that their population dropped due to “habitat loss”. Option A paraphrases this as “the destruction of their natural living areas”.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (C) is a trap. The guide mentions the word “predators” and getting “sick”, but “predator” is used to describe the lions themselves, and getting sick is related to tourists feeding them, not why their population dropped in the past. Option (B) is not mentioned.

3 Correct Answer: (C)

• Explanation: The guide warns that “Human snacks can make them very sick”. Option C paraphrases this as causing “health issues”.
• Why the trap is wrong: Option (B) is a trap. The guide mentions “sandwiches or fruit” and “meals”, but refers to the food the tourists currently have in their bags, not a meal provided by the company. Option (A) is plausible but not mentioned.

Tour Guide: Alright, everyone, if I could just have your attention for a moment. We are approaching a pride of African lions resting under those acacia trees. Now, while they look very peaceful right now, um, please remember they are wild predators. Their population has significantly dropped over the last decade due to habitat loss, making every single one of them vital to this ecosystem.

So, for your own safety and to avoid disturbing them, I need everyone to remain in your seats. Please do not stand up. Also, it is absolutely crucial that you keep all your limbs inside the vehicle. That means no reaching out with your cameras to get a better shot.

Finally, and I cannot stress this enough, do not offer them anything to eat. Human snacks can make them very sick, and we don’t want them associating our jeeps with meals. If you have sandwiches or fruit, please keep them packed away in your bags. Just sit back, keep quiet, and enjoy observing these incredible animals.