# Monosodium Glutamate: A Flavour Enhancer Explored

IELTS Academic Listening - 10 questions - 8 minutes - Multiple choice, Note completion

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 7, Test 4, Listening Part 4. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## The recording

6 minutes of audio. Practice it with the player on the page; the transcript is on the answers page.

## Questions

### Questions 31-33: Multiple choice

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

31. The speaker says the main topic of the lecture is
   - A. the history of monosodium glutamate.
   - B. the way monosodium glutamate works.
   - C. where monosodium glutamate is used.

32. In 1908, scientists in Japan
   - A. made monosodium glutamate.
   - B. began using kombu.
   - C. identified glutamate.

33. What change occurred in the manufacture of glutamate in 1956?
   - A. It began to be manufactured on a large scale.
   - B. The Japanese began extracting it from natural sources.
   - C. It became much more expensive to produce.

### Questions 34-40: Note completion

Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG contains
glutamate (78.2%)
sodium (12.2%)
**(34)** _____ (9.6%)
Glutamate is found in foods that contain protein such as **(35)** _____ and **(36)** _____.
MSG is used in foods in many different parts of the world.
In 1908 Kikunae Ikeda discovered a **(37)** _____.
Our ability to detect glutamate makes sense because it is so **(38)** _____ naturally.
John Prescott suggests that:
sweetness tells us that a food contains carbohydrates.
**(39)** _____ tells us that a food contains toxins.
sourness tells us that a food is spoiled.
saltiness tells us that a food contains **(40)** _____.

[Practice online with a timer and instant marking](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/monosodium-glutamate-a-flavour-enhancer-explored) - [Answers and explanations](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/monosodium-glutamate-a-flavour-enhancer-explored/answers)