# The Paper Recycling Assignment: answers and explanations

The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS, Test 3, Listening Part 3

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

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 21 | pine forests | And they tend to come from pine forests. |
| 22 | water | It says water is added. |
| 23 | print | I think we should write print as the next step. |
| 24 | sort | and then it says it's taken somewhere so that someone or something can sort it. |
| 25 | remove ink | But this is how they remove ink. |
| 26 | introduction | But we could start thinking about an introduction. ... Well, I can start doing that. |
| 27 | council | What about contacting the council? ... Yes, I'll do that instead. |
| 28 | data | so what might really bring it to life would be to include some data. |
| 29 | first draft | so let's see if we can get the first draft done by then |
| 30 | tutor | Well, the best person would be our tutor. ... But he's taking a whole week's holiday |

## Why these answers are right

**21. pine forests.** The first box asks where the raw materials come from. Right after Melanie names getting raw materials as the first step, Alan adds that they tend to come from pine forests, so those two words complete the label.

**22. water.** This label comes after chopping the wood and before heating the mixture into pulp. Alan reads from the notes that water is added and then the mixture is heated, so water is the missing item.

**23. print.** The gap sits before distributing materials, after the paper leaves the machine. Melanie suggests writing print as the next step, because that is when newspapers and magazines are produced before being distributed to stores and homes.

The why and the trap for questions 24 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/the-paper-recycling-assignment/answers).

## Transcript

**Announcer:** You will hear two students discussing an assignment.

**Announcer:** First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.

**Alan:** Hi, Melanie.

**Alan:** What did you think of the assignment that we got today?

**Alan:** It looks interesting, doesn't it?

**Melanie:** Yes, Alan.

**Melanie:** I've always been interested in recycling, but there's a lot of research to do.

**Alan:** Yes, there are a lot of things I'm unsure of, so it's going to be good working with you.

**Melanie:** OK.

**Melanie:** Well, why don't we start by making a flow-chart from the notes our tutor gave us?

**Alan:** Yes, um, so on one side we could have the paper production cycle, here on the left.

**Alan:** And on the other side, the recycling.

**Melanie:** Good idea.

**Melanie:** Let's start at the top with the production.

**Melanie:** The first step in the process is to get the raw materials.

**Alan:** Yes.

**Alan:** And they tend to come from pine forests.

**Melanie:** OK, and then the bark is removed from the outside of the tree, and after that the wood is chopped up.

**Melanie:** That's the first three stages.

**Alan:** It sounds a bit complicated after that.

**Alan:** Um. It says water is added.

**Alan:** And then the mixture is heated and made into pulp.

**Alan:** Uh. This will be the thick paste that is used to make paper.

**Melanie:** Yes.

**Melanie:** You're right, because after that, they use a machine to make the paper, and we can put that right in the center of the flow chart, because it's also where the recycled paper joins the process.

**Alan:** Yes.

**Alan:** So once the paper has been produced in the machine, what happens then?

**Melanie:** Well, I think we should write print as the next step.

**Melanie:** Because this is when newspapers, magazines, et cetera are produced, and we could also add that they have to be distributed to stores and people's homes.

**Alan:** Right, then the recycling bit starts.

**Alan:** The old paper's collected, and then it says it's taken somewhere so that someone or something can sort it.

**Alan:** I imagine there are different kinds of paper, or things like paper clips that need to be removed.

**Melanie:** Yes, let's have a step after that.

**Melanie:** Now, how did our tutor say they do this?

**Melanie:** Oh yes, it involves chemicals.

**Melanie:** So, how is your chemistry?

**Alan:** Huh, well, not very good, I'm afraid.

**Alan:** But this is how they remove ink.

**Alan:** So, this is definitely going to need a bit of research.

**Melanie:** Right.

**Melanie:** The last step in the recycling section is similar to the last step in the production process, with heating and pulping,

**Melanie:** before the cycle begins again.

**Announcer:** Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

**Alan:** So, I think going through the processes helped.

**Alan:** Now we need to decide how we're going to do this assignment.

**Melanie:** Yes, I guess what we need to do is take the processes and divide them up between us.

**Melanie:** But we could start thinking about an introduction.

**Alan:** Yes, OK.

**Alan:** Well, I can start doing that.

**Alan:** I think I have enough to go on already.

**Melanie:** Good.

**Melanie:** And there are a few areas where we need a lot more information.

**Melanie:** I think I'll start with something easy.

**Melanie:** Let's say the paper collection.

**Melanie:** I could go to the resource center to do some research.

**Alan:** Well, I think a better idea would be to approach someone who's involved in the process.

**Alan:** What about contacting the council?

**Melanie:** Oh, good idea.

**Melanie:** Yes, I'll do that instead.

**Melanie:** They're bound to have some information.

**Melanie:** And I know just the thing to add to our work to make it even more interesting.

**Alan:** And what's that?

**Melanie:** Well, in my last assignment, I added a few pictures.

**Melanie:** And the feedback I got was that this wasn't academic enough.

**Melanie:** Hmm, so what might really bring it to life would be to include some data.

**Melanie:** Provided we can find some.

**Alan:** Yes, that sounds excellent.

**Alan:** Well, we certainly have a lot to do, and not much time to do it in.

**Melanie:** Hmm. You're right.

**Melanie:** I think we have about 5 weeks, so I suggest we create a plan of work today.

**Melanie:** The end of the month is nearly three weeks away.

**Melanie:** And then we have a few days holiday.

**Alan:** Yes, so let's see if we can get the first draft done by then, so we can take a short break.

**Melanie:** OK.

**Melanie:** Then after the break, we'll have just over a week to complete it.

**Melanie:** I wonder if we could get someone to review our work for us a few days before the deadline.

**Melanie:** So we can make some final changes.

**Melanie:** What about your friend Henry?

**Alan:** Well, the best person would be our tutor.

**Alan:** Henry's very good.

**Alan:** But he's taking a whole week's holiday, and there won't be enough time when he returns.

**Melanie:** OK, then, that's fine.

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

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

[Practice The Paper Recycling Assignment](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/the-paper-recycling-assignment)