Conversation Between A Student Of Landscape Architecture With His Tutor - IELTS Listening Sample Answer
IELTS listening section consists of two conversations and two monologues. This IELTS Listening topic - A conversation between a student of landscape architecture and his tutor is IELTS listening topic part 3. This section consists of the following IELTS listening question types:
- Multiple-choice questions
- Short answer questions
- Diagram labelling
Audio Transcript:
You will hear a student of landscape architecture discussing a project with his tutor. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
Pause the recording for 30 seconds.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
Tutor: So, let's hear what you're doing for your next project.
Student: I've decided to design a roof garden for a supermarket. I've been looking at some on the web and I think that a garden on top of a building is the up-and-coming thing.
Tutor: Okay, so you've done a bit of leading already. What benefits would there be for the client? Why do you think a supermarket chain would be willing to meet the expense of construction? You do realize that would be the first thing they raised.
Student: Yes. I know but I'd explain that in spite of the initially high expense, they would save their margin approximately five years. Well, I'd have to do sums. I mean calculate specifically years.
Tutor: Yes. How would this saving come about?
Student: Mainly through our heating and air con bills. The extra insulation offered by having a layer of living plants in the soil would make a huge difference.
Tutor: Okay, but they might feel the expense of maintenance would be an issue. After all supermarkets don't normally employ gardeners.
Student: What I thought was if they made it a community garden rather than a simple low maintenance green roof.
Tutor: So there would be public access.
Student: Oh, yes. Then there'd be a sense of ownership in the local community and people could take responsibility for it, instead of the supermarket paying a commercial company and really boost their public relations.
Tutor: That's a good point. And have you been looking into how roof gardens are built nowadays?
Student: I'm still exploring that, but if I take advantage of the latest technologies for roof Gardens, it shouldn't be too difficult. But in any case you have to use lightweight materials.
Tutor: But that's a matter of making the right choices. You can even use quite traditional ones such as wood for the planting areas.
Student: Yes. That's what I thought. It will look good and it isn't too heavy.
Tutor: But for the basic construction, the issue you have to address first, is the material used between the building and the garden.
Student: You mean the barrier fabric, which ensures there's no chance of rain water leaking down into the building?
Tutor: Yes, nowadays that is very good and quite easily sourced.
Student: Then on the other hand, there's the business of water within the roof garden itself.
Tutor: You mean drainage? That's an important feature of the construction in any roof design.
Student: Yes, but I think most drainage issues have been well understood for quite a long time.
Tutor: Okay, but another thing is with plants in an exposed situation. You usually need to find ways to optimize rainfall.
Student: Yes, because rainwater is best for the garden. If you can store it for when it's needed. What I've been looking at are some buildings which use fairly conventional storage tanks, the kind that have been in use for decades, but have them linked to modern automatic watering systems.
Tutor: Sounds complicated.
Student: It's less so in practice than it sounds, I think. I've been researching them and actually the latest ones definitely work very well and they can be electronically regulated to suit the local microclimate.
Tutor: mmm...That sounds interesting. You seem to have been doing some thorough research. Make sure you reference all your sources when you write it up.
Student: Yes. Sure. There's one more aspect. I just like to run past you if there's time. I want to include a light feature in the design.
Tutor: Of course.
Student: I've got a sketch here.
Tutor: Let's have a look then.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.
Pause the recording for 30 seconds
Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
Student: Well, I was really impressed by something I saw in a roofing combo and I'd like to design something similar. You have an area of planting and I'm thinking of installing this lighting in an area filled with low-growing evergreen shrubs.
Tutor: mmm….You'd have to have lights and things well away from anywhere children might be..But I can see this could be very effective, if a bit complicated. How would it work? On this drawing, this is a section view, you have this low wall on the right.
Student: Yes. That's it. This is just one element and these areas would be repeated all around the planted area. I think this will probably be a wooden wall using reclaimed timbers with an angled ceramic top surface.
Tutor: Perhaps even rich tiles like they use on roofs?
Student: Oh, yes, that would be just the sort of thing and that would make it weatherproof. And then the heavy duty electric wiring comes up through the floor just outside the planted area and into the wall. Then it's brought through to a projector low in the side of the wall. And that sends a beam of light along the fiber optic cable.
Tutor: So there's no electricity in the actual lights? The fiber optic goes across the surface of the soil in the planting area.
Student: Yes. That's the beauty of it.
Tutor: Mmmm...
Student: The shrubs will soon grow to cover it up of course and then the cable goes past a wooden post which is between the shrubs and can be a support for them as they grow bigger, and then runs up into each element of the installation.
Tutor: So the light beam is carried up to the top of each element and illuminates a kind of conical glass cap. I see. Is that the bit which would glow in the dark?
Student: Yes.
Tutor: And what's the cup supported on? Is it a wall?
Student: No, it's a slender acrylic rod like the stem of a flower or mushroom, which the cable runs up inside of.
Tutor: Well, I'll be interested to see the final drawings.
Student: Thank you. I'm looking forward to putting it all together.
Section 3
Questions 21-30
- 21 and 22
Choose TWO letters, A-F.
Which TWO possible objections to a roof garden are discussed?
- problems of access
- the cost of construction
- the time needed to install it
- who will look after it
- how to support
- weight of it
Questions 21 and 22:
Answer: B/D (in any order)
Explanation: The two possible objections as cited by the tutor are, the cost incurred in the making, and who will look after the rooftop garden that is being made.
Also check:
- 23 and 24
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Which TWO recent developments in the roof-garden building are mentioned?
- waterproof barrier materials
- drainage systems
- tank designs
- lightweight construction materials
- watering systems
Questions 23 and 24:
Answer: A/E (in any order)
Explanation: The two new things that have been suggested by the student for the rooftop garden are, waterproof barrier materials and watering systems. The barrier fabric ensures that there is no leaking of water.
- 25-30
Label the diagram below.
Write the correct letter A-H.
- wall
- electric wire
- fibre optic cable
- wooden post
- glass cap
- acrylic rod
Question 25:
Answer: F
Explanation: In the drawing, there is a low wall on the right, which will be probably of wood using reclaimed fibers.
Question 26:
Answer: H
Explanation: The heavy-duty electric wiring would come up through the floor just on the surface of the planted areas.
Question 27:
Answer: C
Explanation: The wiring then is connected to the projector which is located on the side of the wall, and it sends a beam of light through the fiber optic cable.
Question 28:
Answer: D
Explanation: There will be a wooden post going through the shrubs and when the shrubs will grow bigger it will support.
Question 29:
Answer: B
Explanation: The light goes up at the peak of every element and gives out an illumination like a conical cap.
Question 30:
Answer: A
Explanation: The cable runs up inside through the acrylic rod.
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