A Fitness Instructor Talking On The radio About Fitness - IELTS Listening Sample Answer

IELTS speaking audio contains a variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used, including British, Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian. In IELTS Listening Audios you will hear conversations and monologues, with topics ranging from the everyday social to the academic. This IELTS listening sample in Section 2 of Cambridge 13 test 3 and contains the following types of questions.

• Multiple-choice questions
• Matching information

Candidates can refer to IELTS listening practice papers for more such topics.

Transcript for IELTS Listening Practice Test

Section 2

In section two you will hear a fitness instructor talking on the radio about different ways of keeping fit.

so if you're one of those people who hasn't found the perfect physical activity yet here are some things to think about which might help you make the right decision for you. The first question to ask yourself is whether you would enjoy training in a gym? Many people are put off by the idea of having to fit a visit to the gym into their busy day. You often have to go very early or late as some gyms can get very crowded but with regular training, you'll see a big difference. In a relatively short space of time running has become incredibly popular in recent years. That's probably got a lot to do with the fact that it's a very accessible form of exercise. Anyone can run even if you can only run a few meters, to begin with. But make sure you get the right shoes. It's worth investing in a high-quality pair and they don't come cheap. Another great thing about running is that you can do it at any time of day or night. The only thing that may stop you is snow and ice.

Swimming is another really good way to build Fitness. What attracts many people is that you can swim in an indoor pool at any time of year. On the other hand, it can be quite boring or solitary. It's hard to chat to people while you're swimming lengths.

Cycling has become almost as popular as running in recent years. That's probably because as well as improving their fitness many people say being out in the fresh air in a park or in the countryside can be fun. Provided the conditions are right now of course only fanatics go out in the wind and rain.

Yoga is a good choice for those of you looking for exercise which focuses on developing both a healthy mind and body. It's a good way of building strength and with the right instructor there's less chance of hurting yourself than with other more active sports. But don't expect to find it easy it can be surprisingly challenging especially for people who aren't very flexible. Getting a personal trainer is a good way to start your fitness program. Obviously, there can be significant costs involved but if you've got someone there to encourage you and help you achieve your goals you're less likely to give up. Make sure you get someone with a recognized qualification though or you could do yourself permanent damage.

Whatever you don’t join a gym and as you're sure you'll make good use of it. So many people waste lots of money by signing up for membership and then hardly ever go. What happens to their good intentions I don't think people suddenly stopped caring about improving their fitness or decide they have more important things to do. I think people lose interest when they don't think they're making enough progress that's when they give up hope and stop believing they'll ever achieve their goals. Also what people sometimes don't realize when they start is that it takes a lot of determination and hard work to keep training week after week and lots of people don't have that kind of commitment. One thing you can do to help yourself is to set manageable goals. Be realistic and don't push yourself too far. Some people advise writing goals down but I think it's better to have a flexible approach. Give yourself a really nice treat every time you reach one of your goals and don't get too upset if you experience setbacks. It's a journey there are bound to be difficulties along the way.

Questions 11 – 16

What advantage does the speaker mention for each of the following physical activities?

Choose SIX answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-G, next to Questions 11-16

Advantages

1. not dependent on season
2. enjoyable
3. low risk of injury
4. fitness level unimportant
5. sociable
6. fast results
7. motivating

Physical activities

11. using a gym ……………
12. running ……………
13. swimming ……………
14. cycling ……………
15. doing yoga ……………
16. training with a personal trainer ……………

Question 11.

Answer: Fast results

Explanation: the speaker mentions that despite all the time management required to fit Gym in a schedule, it provides fast results in a shorter period of time.

Also, check:

Question 12.

Answer: Fitness level unimportant

Explanation: The speaker says that it doesn’t matter what the fitness level of a person is when he decides to run, anyone can do running at their own pace.

Question 13.

Answer: Not dependent on the season

Explanation: Running can be stopped by snow or ice, but an indoor pool is always available to people and is not affected by the season

Question 14.

Answer: Enjoyable

Explanation: Cycling acts as a refreshing activity in good weather, although some fanatics are crazy to go in bad weather

Question 15.

Answer: low risk of injury

Explanation: Yoga helps in developing both mind and body and is risk-free as compared to other activities, although there is some risk for people who are not very flexible

Question 16.

Answer: motivating

Explanation: although a trainer is not always necessary, a good trainer can always act as a motivation and also help people avoid injuries and other risks.

Questions 17 and 18

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

For which TWO reasons does the speaker say people give up going to the gym?

1. lack of time
2. loss of confidence
3. too much effort required
4. high costs
5. feeling less successful than others

Question 17 And 18

Answer: loss of confidence and too much effort required

Explanation: Many people sign up for gyms because they realize later that they cannot put up with the effort required and they also don’t see enough progress.

Questions 19 and 20

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO pieces of advice does the speaker give for setting goals?

1. write goals down
2. have achievable aims
3. set a time limit
4. give yourself rewards
5. challenge yourself

Question 19 and 20

Answer: have achievable aims and give yourself rewards

Explanation: The speaker says that having realistic expectations and goals and rewarding yourself after every goal is a good way to keep yourself motivated to stay in the gym.