# The Aluminium Coke Can: A Presentation Idea: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 1, Test 4, Listening Part 3

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 1, Test 4, Listening Part 3. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 22 | 300 million | they produce 300 million aluminum drink cans each day. |
| 23 | paper clips | It says here outstrips the production of nails or paper clips. |
| 24 | magazine pages | thinner than two pieces of paper..." from this magazine says. |
| 25 | three times | three times the pressure of a car tyre. |
| 26 | thicker | and it's thicker at the bottom. |
| 27 | label | draw another line from the body for the label. ... Label. |
| 28 | dome | it says the bottom of the can is shaped like a dome |
| 29 | flange | Yes, it's a flange. ... FLANGE. |
| 30 | 25% | And say that it constitutes 25% of the total weight. |
| 31 | scored opening | the opening is scored, so that it pushes in easily ... I'll label it scored opening. |

## Why these answers are right

**22. 300 million.** The first line of the fact sheet needs the daily number of cans made in the US. Ilmar reads that 300 million aluminum drink cans are produced each day, and Dawn repeats three hundred million, so that figure fills the gap.

**23. paper clips.** The note compares can output with nails and one other everyday item. Ilmar says can production outstrips the production of nails or paper clips, so the second item, paper clips, completes the comparison, with outstrips meaning more cans are made.

**24. magazine pages.** This gap asks what a can is thinner than two of. Dawn reads from the magazine that today's can weighs about 0.48 ounces and is thinner than two pieces of paper, so pieces of paper fits, and pages is accepted as the same idea.

The why and the trap for questions 25 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/the-aluminium-coke-can-a-presentation-idea/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** Section 3.

**Announcer:** Two students, Dawn and Ilmar, are discussing a project that they are working on together.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 22 to 25.

**Announcer:** Now listen to the first part of the conversation, and complete the fact sheet by filling in the numbered spaces 22 to 25.

**Ilmar:** Hi, Dawn.

**Dawn:** Oh, hi, Ilmar.

**Ilmar:** I'm glad I bumped into you.

**Ilmar:** I've just found a great idea for the presentation we've got to do for Dr Banks next month.

**Dawn:** What, the one on everyday objects?

**Ilmar:** Yes...

**Ilmar:** Look at this article.

**Ilmar:** It's really interesting.

**Dawn:** Uh. The aluminum Coke can.

**Ilmar:** You know, uh, Coca Cola can, soft drink cans.

**Ilmar:** Look, let's sit down here.

**Ilmar:** Have you got a minute?

**Dawn:** Uh. Sure, I'll just get my bag.

**Dawn:** OK, so you think we can get a presentation out of this article?

**Ilmar:** I'm sure we can.

**Ilmar:** First of all, we can provide some interesting facts about the aluminum cans that we drink out of every day.

**Dawn:** Like?

**Ilmar:** Well, here it says that in the US, they produce 300 million aluminum drink cans each day.

**Dawn:** Wow, three hundred million.

**Ilmar:** Exactly.

**Ilmar:** That's an enormous number.

**Ilmar:** It says here outstrips the production of nails or paper clips.

**Ilmar:** And they say that the manufacturers of these cans exercise as much attention and precision in producing them as aircraft manufacturers do when they make the wing of an aircraft.

**Dawn:** Really?

**Dawn:** Let's have a look.

**Ilmar:** They're trying to produce the perfect can, as thin but as strong as possible.

**Dawn:** Mmm...

**Dawn:** this bit's interesting...

**Dawn:** "today's can weighs about 0.48 (nought point four eight) ounces: thinner than two pieces of paper..." from this magazine says.

**Ilmar:** Yeah, and yet it can take a lot of weight.

**Dawn:** More than 90 pounds of pressure per square inch, three times the pressure of a car tyre.

**Dawn:** OK, I agree.

**Dawn:** It's a good topic.

**Announcer:** Now look at the diagram of the aluminum can, and at questions 26 to 31.

**Announcer:** As the conversation continues, label the can by completing the notes in the numbered spaces 26 to 31.

**Ilmar:** What I thought was that we could do a large picture of a Coke can, and label it, and then talk about the different parts.

**Ilmar:** Look, I've done a rough picture here.

**Dawn:** OK, so where should we start?

**Ilmar:** Well, the lid is complicated.

**Ilmar:** Let's start with the body first.

**Ilmar:** I'll do a line from the center of the can.

**Ilmar:** Like this, and label it "body".

**Ilmar:** What does it say?

**Dawn:** It's made of aluminum, of course, and it's thicker at the bottom.

**Ilmar:** Right.

**Ilmar:** So that it can take all that pressure.

**Dawn:** And then I think you should draw another line from the body for the label.

**Ilmar:** Right.

**Ilmar:** Label.

**Ilmar:** The aluminum is ironed out until it's so thin that it produces what does it say?

**Dawn:** Uh. A reflective surface suitable for decoration.

**Ilmar:** That's right.

**Ilmar:** Apparently it helps advertisers too.

**Dawn:** Yes, because it's so attractively decorated.

**Ilmar:** Good.

**Ilmar:** And then there's the base.

**Dawn:** Yes, it says the bottom of the can is shaped like a dome, so that it can resist the internal pressure.

**Ilmar:** That's interesting.

**Ilmar:** I didn't know that.

**Dawn:** Nor did I.

**Dawn:** OK, so going up to the lid, there are several things we can label here.

**Dawn:** There's the rim around the edge which seals the can.

**Ilmar:** Got that.

**Ilmar:** And there's a funny word for the seal, isn't there?

**Dawn:** Yes, it's a flange.

**Ilmar:** What does it say about it?

**Dawn:** Well, the can's filled with Coke or whatever.

**Dawn:** And after that, the top of the can is trimmed, and then bent over to secure the lid.

**Ilmar:** That's right.

**Ilmar:** It looks like a seam.

**Ilmar:** We could even do a blowup of it like this.

**Ilmar:** FLANGE.

**Dawn:** Yes, that would be clearer.

**Dawn:** I think we should label the lid itself.

**Dawn:** And say that it constitutes 25% of the total weight.

**Ilmar:** 25 percent.

**Ilmar:** So it's stronger than the body of the can.

**Dawn:** Hmm. So to save money, manufacturers make it smaller than the rest of the can.

**Ilmar:** Didn't know that either.

**Ilmar:** So, how do we open a can of coke?

**Dawn:** Hmm.

**Dawn:** First of all, there's the tab, which we pull up to open the can.

**Dawn:** And that's held in place by a rivet.

**Ilmar:** Hmm, I think that's too small for us to include.

**Dawn:** I agree, but we can talk about it in the presentation.

**Dawn:** We can show the opening though.

**Ilmar:** That's the bit of the can that drops down into the drink when we pull the tab.

**Dawn:** Yeah, hopefully.

**Dawn:** Sometimes the tab just breaks off.

**Ilmar:** I know.

**Dawn:** Anyway, the opening is scored, so that it pushes in easily, but doesn't detach itself.

**Ilmar:** OK, we can show that by drawing a shadow of it inside the can, like this, I'll label it scored opening.

**Ilmar:** Great, well, I think we've got the basis of a really interesting presentation.

**Ilmar:** Let's go and photocopy the article.

**Dawn:** Fine, I'll take it home and study it some more.

**Announcer:** That is the end of section 3.

**Announcer:** You now have half a minute to check your answers.

[Practice The Aluminium Coke Can: A Presentation Idea](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/the-aluminium-coke-can-a-presentation-idea)