# Technology and Social Interaction

IELTS Academic Listening - 10 questions - 10 minutes - Summary completion, Multiple choice (choose more than one)

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS, Test 6, Listening Part 4. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## The recording

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

## Questions

### Questions 31-34: Summary completion

Complete the summary below. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

The 'weak-tie' theory: how friends-of-friends influence us
In 1973, Mark Granovetter claimed that the influence of 'weak-ties' can affect the behaviour of populations in the fields of information science, politics and **(31)** _____. Although friends- of-friends may be unlike us, they have similar enough **(32)** _____ to have a beneficial effect on our lives. An example of this influence is when we hear about **(33)** _____ because information about them is provided by weak-ties. Since Granovetter proposed his theory, other studies have shown that weak-tie networks also benefit our **(34)** _____.

### Questions 35-36: Multiple choice (choose more than one)

Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which does the speaker believe are TWO real benefits of online social networking?

- **A** people can gain higher self-esteem
- **B** people can access useful medical information
- **C** people can form relationships more quickly
- **D** people can improve academic performance
- **E** people can be reliably informed about current affairs

### Questions 37-38: Multiple choice (choose more than one)

Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO problems related to online social networking will increase, according to the speaker?

- **A** criminal activity
- **B** poorer grades at school
- **C** a decline in physical fitness
- **D** less work done by employees
- **E** loss of career prospects

### Questions 39-40: Multiple choice (choose more than one)

Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO claims are made by Robin Dunbar about social networking sites?

- **A** They are not helpful for developing certain social skills.
- **B** They cannot fully reveal a person's real character.
- **C** They are not a good starting point for building new relationships.
- **D** They do not encourage people to widen their social circle.
- **E** They will not retain their popularity with the young generation.

[Practice online with a timer and instant marking](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/technology-and-social-interaction) - [Answers and explanations](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/technology-and-social-interaction/answers)