A Lecture About The Black Bear - IELTS Listening Sample Answer

Oct 1, 2021

IELTS Listening section comprises four sections that examine a candidate’s listening skills. The candidate hears four audios and answers 40 different questions. This topic - A lecture about the black bear is IELTS listening part 4 topic. The candidate needs to answer the following IELTS listening question types:

Table completion
Fill in the blanks

Audio Transcript:

You will hear a lecture about the black bear. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 35.

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 35.

The black bear or ursus americanus has a wide range inhabiting forested areas of North America including Canada, United States and parts of northern Mexico. Black bears are omnivores, getting their nutrition from a wide variety of plants and animals. The particular foods any one bear eats depends on what's available in the area where that bear lives, as well as, on the season of the year. Generally speaking plant foods make up 90% of the bear's diet. The rest of its meals consist of animal foods such as insects and fish. Bears have a relatively long gestation period. Mating takes place in the spring or early summer, but bear cubs aren’t born until the following winter. Usually two cubs are born at a time. Although some litters may have as many as five cubs. Bear cubs are dependent on their mother and may stay with her for close to two years. While black bears can live as long as 25 years, they have lived for as long as 30 years or more in captivity.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 36 to 40.

Now listen carefully and answer questions 36 to 40.

Much of the black bear's range coincides with the range of it's close cousin, the grizzly bear. Although these bears are somewhat similar in appearance and habits, it isn't difficult to tell the difference between them. Colour isn't necessarily a distinguishing characteristic, as both species of bears occur in a range of colours from almost blond to dark brown or black. Many black bears, however, have a patch of fur on their chests that is lighter in colour than the rest of their fur. Grizzly bears don’t have this patch.

Size isn't always a distinguishing feature either. Although grizzly bears are usually heavier with an average weight of two hundred and twenty-five kilos, black bears average a hundred and forty kilos in weight. Grizzly bears spend time digging in the ground for roots and tubers that make up part of their diet. The large muscles they need for this give them a distinct shoulder hump. This hump is absent in black bears, which don't do the same kind of digging.

The shape of the face and ears is also different in each species of bear. Grizzly bears have a depression between the eyes and nose and short round ears. Black bears on the other hand have a straighter profile and longer, more pointed ears. Grizzly bears are known for their fierce and long sharp claws. Black bears have shorter claws, which are better suited for climbing trees.

Questions 31-40
Questions 31-35
Complete the chart

with information about the black hear.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Range	Lives in 31_______________of North America
Diet	Ninety percent of diet consists of 32___________ Also eats 33______________
Cubs	Baby bear cubs are born in 34 __________________
Life span	Black bears live for about 35_____________ in the wild.

Question 31:

Answer: forested area

Explanation: Black bears resides in the forested area of North America. The places include Canada, United States and parts of northern Mexico.

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Question 32:

Answer: plant foods

Explanation: 90% percent of black bears live on plant foods, meaning they are omnivores. The remaining 10% is spent on eating fish and insects.

Question 33:

Answer: insects/fish

Explanation: Black bears also eat fish and insects but in very little quantity. It constitutes 10% of their diet.

Question 34:

Answer: the winter

Explanation: The mating season for the black bears is in the early summer or spring. But the bear cubs are born during the time of winter.

Question 35:

Answer: twenty-five years

Explanation: The average longevity of black bears is around 25 years in the wild. Though some manage to live for about 30 years in captivity.

Questions 36-40

Write A

if it is a characteristic of black bears.

Write B

if it is a characteristic of grizzly bears.

Which characteristics

fit black bears and which fit grizzly bears?

Has a patch of light fur on its chest ________

Answer: A

Explanation: Black bears generally have a patch of light fur on their chest that differentiates it from grizzly bears.

Weighs 225 kilos __________

Answer: B

Explanation: Grizzly bears are higher in weight than black bears. Grizzly bears weigh around 225 kilos.

Has a shoulder hump _________

Answer: B

Explanation: Grizzly bears have shoulder humps as their main work is to dig the ground for finding tubers and roots. They have the large muscle required for digging, and that gives rise to the humps.