A Monologue by a Student on the Process of Urbanization IELTS Listening Answers

Dec 9, 2022

A Monologue by a Student on the Process of Urbanization IELTS Listening Answers is a monologue on the processes of urbanization that is being carried out in our daily lives. A Monologue by a Student on the Process of Urbanization IELTS Listening Answers comprises of a total of 10 questions. A time frame of 40 minutes is allocated to the candidates to solve question in IELTS Listening. This topic in the IELTS listening answers comprises of questions as mentioned below:

No more than three words

In order to solve these type of questions, candidates are required to answer them based on a given cue. Moreover, candidates must strictly abide to the mentioned word limit. Candidates can prepare themselves by practicing more such topics from IELTS Listening Practice tests.

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Topic: A Monologue by a Student on the Process of Urbanization IELTS Listening Answers

Audio Transcript

Hi, good morning everyone. I’m here today to present my findings on the process of urbanization and its impact on the environment. As you know, urbanization involves the movement of people from the countryside to the cities. As this process continues, the cities of the world continue to grow. I will demonstrate how this growth is eating away at the planet’s most fertile land.

My research has focused on two studies that looked at land use in the United States. These have shown that since its independence, only three percent of all land in the United States has been built on. However, the same studies have also shown that the resulting loss of productive land is comparatively much, much greater. This isn’t so much of a problem in America as it has a relatively low ratio of people to land. However, most other countries are not so blessed, the impact of which could have dire consequences for the future. The real danger here is if this pattern were to be repeated by developing countries, it could have a major effect on the world’s food supplies in the next 50 years.

In order to reach this conclusion, several research methods were adopted. A group of scientists in the United States used a weather satellite that normally maps moonlit cloud cover at night. However, on nights when there were no clouds, they used the satellite to map the generation of heat from city lights. They then took the data and divided land use into three categories urban, semi-urban and non-urban land use. Next, they calculated how active the vegetation is in each region by using different satellites. When they combined this information with previous statistics and weather conditions, they came up with a number for total productivity for all areas.

So what did the results of this process of land classification show? Well, firstly, they proved that although only a tiny percentage of the land in the United States is urbanized, and 29% of land is used for agricultural purposes, the land which has been built on actually has the best soils. These were independently corroborated by a second team of scientists in San Francisco, whose results showed that this process is happening even faster in the southeastern corner of the United States. This means that land that is extremely productive from an agricultural point of view, is being taken over by lawns, golf courses and a few scattered trees. As a direct result of urbanization, the researchers in San Francisco calculated that every year 91 million tons of plants are ‘lost’ in the U.S.

So what does this mean for the future? Well, I have come up with some of my own ideas for practical solutions. Countries should calculate whether urbanization is happening on their fertile lands too; especially if they have large populations compared to the amount of land available, like India and China, for example. If it is, then every effort should be made to stop the process from happening. This can be done in many ways. One of them is to stop investing in the infrastructure of those areas. If people don’t have the facilities they need, they won’t want to live there. But in my opinion, the main solution here is to offer people financial incentives to move away from fertile land to areas that are less valuable in agricultural terms.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my presentation this morning. Thanks for your kind attention. I will now take any questions

Questions 31-40.

Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Impact of Urbanization

The effects of urbanization:

Example: in the U.S.

only 33______________ of land built on

loss of 32_____________ far larger

Could impact on world 33_____________ in future

Research methods:

a weather 34______________ for clouds was used

land use divided into 35__________________.

data used to calculate the 36_______________ of all areas

Results:

urban areas often built on the 37__________________.

a second study confirmed that prime land is being converted

38__________________ of vegetation is lost per annum

The future:

countries such as 39______________ and need to do investigations

stop investing in infrastructure in areas of fertile land

encourage people to move by giving them 40__________________.

Question 31.

Answer: 3%/ three percent/3 percent

Explanation: According to the reports, "just 3% of all land in the United States has been built on since its independence." So, three percent is the correct response.

Question 32.

Answer: productive land

Explanation: The same studies have also demonstrated that the resulting loss of productive land is comparatively much, much greater, as the speaker said. Therefore, producing land is the answer.

Question 33.

Answer: food supplies

Explanation: According to the speaker it could have a huge effect on the world's food resources in the upcoming 50 years. Therefore, food supplies are the solution.

Question 34.

Answer: satellite

Explanation: The answer here must be "satellite" because the speaker mentioned that a group of scientists in the United States used a weather satellite.

Question 35.

Answer: 3 categories/ three categories

Explanation: According to the report, land use was divided into three categories based on the data: urban, semi-urban, and non-urban land use. So, three categories should be the answer.

Question 36.

Answer: total productivity

Explanation:As the speaker said, they calculated the overall productivity across all categories and came up with a number. Total productivity must be the solution.

Question 37.

Answer: best soil(s)

Explanation: It can be concluded from the presentation that the land upon whic these have been build has the best soil composition. Thus, the answer for this question is soil.

Question 38.

Answer: 91 million tons/91 million tonnes

Explanation: It has been mentioned by the speaker that the US loses a total of 91 million tons of plants each year. Thus, the answer for this question is 91 million tons.

Question 39.

Answer: India (and) China

Explanation: The speaker quotes in the presentation that ‘they have large populations compared to the amount of land available, like India and China.’ Thus, the answer for this question is India and China.

Question 40.

Answer: financial incentives

Explanation: The speaker quotes in his presentation that in order deal with such issues, there is a necessity for appropriate financial incentives. Therefore, the answer for this question is financial incentives.

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