IELTS Listening: multiple-choice

Listen to the following recording on the subject of multitasking.

Click here to listen

1. How does the first speaker describe multitasking? Choose ONE answer.

A) it is a myth
B) it is efficient but distracting
C) it reduces the time that tasks take

2. Which TWO statements are true according to the second speaker?

A) people who can multitask are more effective
B) people should always focus on one thing only
C) we need permission to get things done
D) the brain is less productive when we are distracted
E) organisations are unproductive if they are constantly on-line

Comments

[Bener]

Hi Simon!

1-A

2-B and E

[Thangnx]

Dear Simom!
1-A
2-B and E

[saad]

Hi simon
1- A
2- B and C

[Zakir]

1. A
2. C and E

[Genray]

1. A
2. B,E

[Cameli82]

1. A
2. B, C

[sezzy]

1.A
2.C and E

[Tereza]

1.A
2.B,D
I hope so,because second question is tricky.

[Marcus]

1. A
2. B. E

[ducnscc]

My answers is:
1.A
2. B; E

[Behnam]

1-A

2-B + E

[arfa]

Hi Simon

My answers are
1. A
2. B, D

[Ohya]

1. A
2. B.E

[Ali]

1- a
2-c , e

[raja]

1.A
2.B,E

[Rasagna]

hi simon

I got above 7 in each section of ielts. This is because of your immense help from your site and material. THANK YOU SO MUCH.I hope you will continue giving suggestions to every one following this site.

my score

Listening:9
Reading :7.5
Writing :7
speaking :8

[nisha]

here are my answer-
1- A
2- B and E

[toto]

1.A
2.C,E

[Charles Wang]

1)A
2)B.E

Thank you Simon!

[Trang_jesse]

I think
1. A
2. B-C

[mei]

1.A
2.D E

[SEUNG]

1-a
2-C,E

[Harry]

1 A
2 B E

[Seema]

1.A
2E,D

[Tariq Mehmood]

Hi, Simon.
1.A
2.B,E

[Jean-Luc]

1 is easy.

I say the correct answers for 2 are D and E. The other answers for question 2 are wrong because of the following reasons:

A is the complete opposite of what the speaker says.

B is wrong because it contains the word "always". The speaker says "...there are times" when people should just focus on one thing.

C is wrong because the "permission" that the speaker is talking about is "permission to go offline", not "permission to get things done".

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWERS FROM SIMON:

1) A

2) D, E

If you found question 2 difficult, read Jean-Luc's explanation (just above this comment).

Keep working hard!

...

Congratulations Rasagna. I'll keep going with the site as long as I can.

Best of luck

[Ohya]

Hi Jean-Luc,
I want to ask if "to check out communication network" means "to go offline". Or I just listened the wrong words. Thanks.

[saman]

hi Rasagna

good for you because of your score, can you help me, please
.

[lexie]

1. a
2. c and e

[Jean-Luc]

Hi Ohya,

Yes, essentially that's what the speaker means. You can think of the phrase "check out" as meaning "leave with proper indication". It's similar to "sign out" which I'm sure everyone here is familiar with.

The way it's used here is a bit tricky because the term "check out" is usually used with regard to hotels and supermarkets - to "check out" of a hotel is to properly leave (the opposite of "checking in"), and to "check out" at a supermarket means to pay for the things you put in your shopping basket. The more common term for disconnecting from the Internet is "sign out" or "log out", and IMO it's unusual to say "check out of the communications network". None of the dictionaries I looked up define the term "check out" as such. The way it's being used here sounds almost slang-like. I think the speaker deliberately used it this way to be provocative and catch attention. I wonder what Simon thinks?

I can see how this would throw off many non-native speakers. I myself don't remember the last time I heard "check out" being used in this manner. But after you've listened to so much material you get better at guessing the meaning of unfamiliar phrases through context clues. In the speaker's case, he's obviously against distractions in the work environment, so "checking out of the communications network" is likely to mean removing yourself from it.

[Ohya]

Hi Jean-Luc,

Thank for your detailed explanation.
I understand it now!!

[farah neelam]

Hi simon,
during listening test i heard the word "pitza" so i wrote "pitza" instead of pizza.i would like to ask whether it would be considered correct or wrong.

[farah neelam]

Hi Simon,
during my listening test i heard the word of "TV" so i wrote down "T.V".would i be penalized for such thing or not.
secondly, should i need to write "Television" instead of " TV".

[Jean-Luc]

Hi Farah,

"Pitza" is incorrect.

"TV" should be acceptable. "T.V" looks strange so don't write that.

[Simon]

Farah: Jean-Luc is right.

[Sayeed]

1. A
2 B E

[bithin]

1. A
2. B, E

[Wonwin]

HI simon,

Could you show me the full transcript ?
Thank you very much!

[zhandos]

A C E

[Iva]

A, B. E I think????

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWERS FROM SIMON:

1) A

2) D, E

[Oneida Keel]

I say the correct answers for 2 are D and E.

[Tanveera sheikh]

1)B
2)C,D