IELTS Listening Test Questions
1. Outdoor Activities
LISTENING
IELTS Listening Test Part:
4
Questions 1 - 10
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
The history of rambling
The Romantics:
The Romantics believed walking in the countryside was a way to 1___________ with nature.
The Enclosure Movement:
Public land, known as 2___________ land in the UK, was bought by private landowners.
Previously, this land could be used by the public for feeding animals or growing food.
The landlords often put up 3___________ and walls around the land.
The 19th century:
The growth of the 4___________ network made it easier for people in cities to reach the countryside.
The Rambler’s Association was founded to campaign for the preservation of footpaths.
The kinder scout trespass:
This aimed to protest the loss of walker’s 5__________ to the trails which they loved.
Some of the protesters were 6___________ by the police.
Eventually, a 7___________ was passed to protect walker’s rights.
The 20th century:
In the world wars, the military set up many walking routes for 8___________ purposes.
In the 1950’s and 60’s more people could buy a 9____________, and therefore travel to remote areas more easily.
The Rambler’s Association is now 10___________ as Ramblers.
Audioscript
Hi everyone, today I’ll be presenting my research into the history of rambling in Britain. The practice of rambling, or long walks in the countryside for enjoyment, has a long and storied history in the United Kingdom. In fact, rambling has been a popular pastime in the UK for centuries, with a rich tradition that dates back to the time of the Romantics in the 18th century.
The Romantic movement, which emerged in the late 18th century, was a reaction against the industrialization and urbanisation of society. The Romantics believed in the restorative power of nature, and saw walking in the countryside as a way to (Q1)connect with nature and escape the pollution and stress of city life. Famous writers and poets such as William Wordsworth, John Keats, and Lord Byron were all keen walkers, and their descriptions of the beauty of the English landscape helped to inspire a new generation of ramblers.
At the same time, areas of land that had previously been public land, (Q2)or common land as it is called in the UK, were being bought by private landowners thanks to the Enclosure Movement. Previously, this land had been owned in common by all members of the local village, or at least was available to the public for grazing animals or growing food. The new (Q3)landowners often put up fences and walls around the land, which prevented the public from accessing the trails they loved. To counter this, walking clubs and groups emerged to campaign for the rights of walkers.
During the 19th century, the popularity of rambling continued to grow, as increasing numbers of people discovered the joy of walking in the great outdoors. (Q4)The rise of the railway network made it easier for city-dwellers to escape to the countryside for a day or weekend. One of the most famous of the new rambling groups to emerge at this time was the Ramblers' Association, founded in 1905 in order to campaign for the preservation of footpaths and rights of way in the countryside.
Unfortunately, there continued to be friction between walkers and local landowners who wanted to keep people off their land. On 24th April 1932, 400 walkers from Manchester and Sheffield took part in what became known as the Kinder Scout Trespass, which aimed to protest (Q5)the restriction of walker’s access to their cherished routes, by illegally entering, or trespassing, on the private land blocking their trails. The walkers clashed with gamekeepers and landowners and in some cases the confrontations ended in violence, with (Q6)several of the ramblers being arrested and imprisoned. However, during the next days and weeks much larger trespasses took place, and the protestors began to gain more and more support from the public. Believe it or not, the Kinder Scout Trespass began a movement that culminated (Q7)many decades later in the passing of a law to protect public access to walking trails called the National Parks, National Trails and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Going back to the early 20th century, rambling was becoming increasingly popular as a leisure activity, with millions of people taking to the hills and valleys of the UK to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the countryside. During the two World Wars, rambling clubs played an important role in providing recreation and exercise for servicemen and women, (Q8)and many walking routes were established by the military for training purposes.
After the Second World War, the popularity of rambling continued to grow, with growing numbers of people joining walking clubs and exploring the countryside on foot. In the 1950s and 60s, (Q9)the advent of affordable car ownership made it even easier for people to travel to remote areas for walking holidays, and the publication of guidebooks and maps helped to popularise many of the country's most famous walking routes, such as the Coast to Coast Trail.
Today, rambling remains a popular pastime in the UK, with people of all ages taking to the hills and valleys every year to enjoy the beauty of the countryside. (Q10)The Ramblers' Association, now known as Ramblers, continues to campaign for the preservation of footpaths and rights of way, and to promote the benefits of walking for both physical and mental health.
Listening Answer Key:
1. connect, 2. common, 3. fences, 4. railway, 5. access, 6. arrested, 7. law, 8. training, 9. car, 10. known