This is an IELTS Energy Podcast, Episode 1542 Diagram Labeling Practice for IELTS Listening Part 2.
Welcome to the IELTS Energy Podcast from All Ears English downloaded more than 35 million times with examiner-trained IELTS whiz Aubrey Carter and Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer.
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One of the hardest parts of the listening test is part two, where you will hear a monologue and you may get a diagram to label.
There are very specific strategies for this kind of question.
Listen in to get key tips today.
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Hello there, Aubrey.
How are you today?
How's it going?
I'm great.
Lindsay, how are you?
Good, but I have a question for you today.
Okay.
All right.
So on IELTS, do we ever see diagrams anywhere on any of the sections?
Yes.
So you'll see it on writing task one for academic IELTS for sure.
You might have to write an essay describing a diagram, a process.
But we also see them on speaking.
They could be anywhere on the speaking exam and you might need to fill out a map or a process diagram.
On the speaking exam or the listening exam?
Oh, that's what I meant.
Listening.
Thank you for correcting me.
Yes, on the listening exam, right?
Listening could be any part of the listening exam, but especially we see this on listening part two, where there's a monologue, one person reading, sort of a description of a process or the layout of a place.
And then there'll be a diagram, either a map or a process, where you will either maybe you'll match, you know you'll fill out A through E somewhere, or you'll write, you'll fill in the blanks to complete the diagram.
Okay.
And the key with monologues is staying tuned in, listening fully, because one voice can get long right.
So we'll address this in today's episode.
But this episode was based on a question from Sergio Valentin.
Shall I read the question?
Yeah, absolutely.
All right.
Sergio says, I've been listening to your podcast for a month.
I like it.
You guys are amazing.
Very fascinating.
Well, thank you, Sergio.
We appreciate that.
That's awesome.
Thank you.
I have one question for you, please.
How can I work on my listening?
Do you have any ideas?
And what if you make an episode talking about that?
Okay.
Yes.
Yeah.
So this is interesting.
We get a lot of listener questions like this sort of general, like how can I improve my listening score?
How can I work on listening?
So first of all, you need to be listening to a lot of English, right?
Podcasts, TV shows, audiobooks.
You need to be taking in a lot of English.
Of course, practice listening exams, but you need to be learning strategies and practice them in those practice exams and practice question sets.
Yes, 100%.
So we're kind of really zooming in then today.
We're not staying broad.
We're going into one type of listening question, right, Aubrey?
Yes.
And this is one of the trickier question types diagram labeling for IELTS listening, because you have to complete labels on a diagram by hearing the audio recording.
And instead, like if it were multiple choice, you could be listening for specific things.
With diagram labeling, you just sort of have the clues of the other text on the diagram.
That's all you have to go on.
So we need to be very strategic and use our strategies.
Where are these common, this kind of question?
Yeah, it can come up.
Anywhere, but it is most common on section two with that monologue.
And these questions require you to listen, like you were saying, Lindsay, to one voice.
It's often a tour or a description of a place or a process.
And then you use that information to label.
But like you said, our mind wants to wander when we hear a lecture, when we hear one voice.
This is a skill you need to practice regularly for it not to be the most interesting audio you've ever heard and really be able to key in and listen for those details.
Do you notice that about your mind, even when you listen?
I do.
I listen to podcasts, like news podcasts.
And let's say the host will ask the journalist something in depth and the journalist will go into some depth in the explanation.
And I'm really excited to hear it.
And then 10 seconds later, I realize, oops, I'm somewhere else.
And then it'll happen again.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So then I go 10 seconds back again.
Thank goodness.
I definitely gravitate more to podcasts that are conversations between two or more people.
It really holds my attention better.
So this is something you'll need to practice hearing a monologue sometimes quite a lengthy monologue and finding those answers.
Yeah.
So just understand your mind.
The human mind is designed to wander, is designed to have commentary of its own and have the strategy to work through it.
So let's go through what kind of steps we might follow here, Aubrey.
Yeah.
So first, read the instructions, right?
Even if you have read Instructions for many IELTS listening exams, you need to note for each question set how many words and or numbers are allowed.
It'll say something like no more than three words and or a number.
And your answer will be marked incorrect if you choose more than that given word count.
So don't skip the instructions.
Okay.
So reading the instructions is also a form of opening our brain box, because then we know what we're listening, what we're looking for right.
Yes.
And often-
The instructions won't include and or a number.
If it just says write no more than three words, for example, then likely you won't be hearing numbers.
That's a good context clue.
Interesting.
And then we're going to read the information that's given in the diagram.
We'll read the labels, the other information.
What else will we have to read in the diagram?
You're going to underline keywords so that you can listen for this information, to track locations or steps.
And, like you said Lindsay, this also opens your brain box so that you're ready to identify the appropriate information in the audio recording.
We're also going to want to pay attention to direction or process words.
So If we're looking at a map, we are, you know.
Think about words like above below, on the left, on the right.
If we're looking at a process, think about words like then, next, after this, and before.
Exactly, right?
Because you'll be looking at this diagram, hearing audio describing where things are or when certain steps happen, and you need to be able to keep track of which part of the diagram they're talking about.
What's our fourth tip, Aubrey?
All right.
And you've heard this from us before.
Be ready to listen for synonyms and paraphrases.
You don't always hear the exact words from the diagram in the audio or see it in the questions.
It's often going to be a parallel expression, a synonym or a paraphrase.
Yeah, they're not going to make it that easy to give you the exact word, right?
Exactly.
They want to challenge your vocabulary knowledge as well as your listening skills, so that you're not just looking for those words.
You're having to really understand what you're hearing.
Yeah.
So should we go through kind of an example here, Aubrey?
How do we find the diagrams?
Yes, we're going to give you practice.
You can see the diagram on our blog, allersenglish.com.
We have blogs for many of our IELTS episodes there and we have a diagram there that you can look at, but we'll describe it if you can't look at it right now.
The instructions say, label the diagram below, write no more than three words for each answer.
So there's a clue.
You're not going to hear numbers or write numbers.
And then we see a diagram that's labeled coffee production.
And at the top you have planting, with a little image of a little plant growing and then an arrow pointing to the next step.
And there's a picture of a hand holding like a little plant.
And this is our first question.
There's a number one under that.
So that could be multiple things, something about picking the plant right after it's been planted.
But something to keep in mind here is take clues from the grammar as well.
You're likely going to have a verb ing here because you had planting in the first step.
The next step will also likely be verb ing.
And I see verbs, ing verbs throughout the rest of the diagram too.
I see drying, pulping, packaging.
So yeah, that's a good context clue there, Aubrey.
Yes.
Yes.
And if you were to write, let's say, the next one does talk about picking fruit, picking beans, and you write pick the verb without ing, this would be considered wrong.
The grammar does need to match what else is found in the diagram.
Okay.
What else do we want to say about the diagram here?
Anything?
All right.
So then the next step, there's arrows going down, two separate arrows.
So it looks like there's sort of two options of this process.
Splitting, right.
So on one side is dry method.
And then splitting on the other side is our second question, number two.
So we can gather from this, we would probably underline dry method.
They're probably going to talk about this dry method.
And on the other side, it's going to be whatever this other method is called.
Hmm.
And then, at the very bottom of the diagram, everything is filtering together into one final step, right?
Right.
Our next question is number three under this dry method.
So that we have drying and then the next step that follows that.
And then number four is under this other method, whatever that is.
We have pulping, fermentation, and then another step.
And then like you said, at the bottom, it all comes down.
We have coffee beans, right? what would be done to the beans, and then packaging after that.
Okay.
So this gives us a lot of context to take a minute.
And again, if you're in our course, you'll understand how to really use these strategies in a step-by-step way that will increase your score, no question.
But it matters to take this little bit of extra time and look at this diagram, and not just look at it, but think about okay, what are we anticipating?
Okay.
Exactly.
Underline those key words, these processes you're going to hear, and then keep track of the arrows so that you have an idea of which steps come in which order.
Okay.
So is it time to?
Oh, we'll take a quick break and then we'll come back and we will actually do the activity.
We'll do the exercise.
Yeah.
We'll read the audio so that you can complete this practice.
Okay.
So good, so good, so good.
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Okay, Aubrey, we are back and I'm going to go ahead and read the audio.
So I am the voice on the audio that gets played in your test center.
And again, remember, this is a monologue.
This is not going to be a conversation between us.
So it might feel a little dry.
So don't let your mind wander.
This is good practice for you to focus in and not let your mind wander.
Exactly.
So here we go.
Good morning, everyone.
Today I'll be explaining the process of coffee production, from the early stages of planting to the final packaging.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, and understanding its production helps us appreciate the complex work behind every cup.
The process begins with planting the coffee seeds, usually in shaded nurseries.
The seeds are kept in rich soil and watered regularly until they sprout into young plants.
Once they're strong enough, they're transferred to open fields, where they can grow for several years.
Coffee trees typically take around three to four years to bear their first fruit, known as coffee cherries.
When the cherries are ripe, usually bright red in color, they are harvested either by hand or machine.
In many traditional coffee growing regions, handpicked is still preferred, to ensure that only the ripest cherries are collected.
After harvesting, the next crucial stage is processing.
There are two main methods, the dry method, where cherries are laid out in the sun to dry, followed by threshing, which removes the dried outer layers from the coffee bean.
Another alternative.
The wet method involves pulping the fruit to extract the beans before fermentation and washing.
Once the beans are produced and dried, they are roasted in large rotating drums at temperatures of about 200 degrees Celsius.
The roasting time depends on the desired flavor.
Lighter roasts are more acidic, while darker roasts have a stronger, more bitter taste.
After roasting, the beans are ground to a specific texture suitable for brewing.
Finally, once the coffee is prepared for sale, it is packaged either as whole beans or ground coffee and sealed to preserve freshness before being distributed to retailers worldwide.
Awesome.
Thank you for reading the audio for us, Lindsay.
Yes, you're welcome.
Yeah, so this is a great exercise here.
So because you knew in the diagram what which spaces were requiring blanks.
Number one was under this picture with a hand and something that had been picked.
And because you had identified planting came right before that step.
You would hear in the audio.
First you heard about planting, some details about that, and then they are harvested.
And then after harvesting, the next crucial stage.
So what is interesting here, you could not write harvested or harvest.
You would need to follow what you see in the diagram and write harvesting.
That is so incredibly important.
And if we're not studying IELTS strategy, we might not know that.
Okay.
So, but I have a question, Aubrey.
Why couldn't we write just cherries?
Yeah, that's another good question too, because the steps that you see in the diagram are these verb ing.
You need to match that right.
So if the first one said like seeds or plants, it was a noun, then it would be cherries or beans or something like that.
But because you look at this label.
You look at this diagram and you see that the steps are labeled with a verb I-N-G.
You need to match that.
And what about plant seeds?
Why can't we just use a different verb like plant seeds?
Is it the wrong grammar?
Seems like it is.
Yes, exactly.
It would need to be verb I-N-G.
Just like you mentioned, Lindsay, it's not even just planting.
All of these steps are labeled verb I-N-G.
Planting, drying, pulping, packaging.
So for these steps, you would also need that verb ing.
Okay.
Let's move on to number two.
What would be our answer for number two?
Yeah.
So when you looked at the label, you saw that One option was dry method, and you heard about this in the audio.
And then it named the other option for the method, which was wet method.
This was a little bit of an easier one where it's sort of just the opposite.
It could have been lots of different things, but you would need both words, wet method.
You couldn't just write wet.
You couldn't write a synonym for that, like who knows, liquid method, right?
You would need to write what you hear in the audio.
Yeah.
And these are kind of headings.
So we know that we need them to be parallel.
It makes sense, right?
Exactly.
And three is a difficult one because this would likely be an unfamiliar verb to you.
So under dry method, we see drying and then an arrow to the very next step.
So in the audio, they are giving you the exact word you would need to write.
It says where cherries are laid out in the sun to dry, followed by threshing which removes the dried outer layers from the coffee bean.
This is not a common verb, threshing.
So this is tricky, but probably because of that, IELTS would likely give you the exact word to write there.
Okay, good to know.
So if it's not a common word, they're going to give it to you probably.
Yeah.
Yes.
Or that would potentially be one of the labels in the diagram threshing.
And maybe you would have to write drying.
That would be more familiar to you.
Right.
Got it.
And then let's move on to number four.
So before number four, we've got pulping, fermentation.
So what would go into four?
Yeah.
So you heard about pulping and fermentation, fermentation.
And then it said involves pulping the fruit to extract the beans before fermentation and washing.
So that number four would be washing.
Good.
And then number five, Aubrey, what goes into that blank?
Yeah, this is a little bit trickier because what you hear in the audio is after roasting, the beans are ground to a specific texture suitable for brewing.
But what you see in the diagram is coffee beans, then an arrow to this step and then packaging.
So because the picture does not show coffee grounds, even though coffee beans is a noun.
That's a picture of coffee beans.
The picture shows some kind of process.
It looks like maybe a coffee grinder.
So this is, again, a verb ing step.
Grinding is what you would put here.
Yeah.
Wow.
Okay.
This kind of thing takes a lot of practice, I think, doesn't it?
Definitely.
Yeah.
This is not something you can just assume.
Oh, I understand when I listen to English.
I'll be fine.
I'll get all of these answers correct.
You definitely need strategies and you need to practice.
Okay.
Good stuff.
What's our final takeaway for today, Aubrey?
Yeah, just like that, right?
If you need a high IELTS listening score, you are going to need to practice strategies.
So we share a lot of IELTS practice here on the podcast, but if you want, Because every type of question, each question set does have slightly different strategies, right?
These strategies for identifying information in the diagram and matching grammar, for example, matching labels is very different from the types of strategies you'll use for multiple choice questions, for example.
So you need a system of strategies.
Yep.
And in our course we do go through strategies for each type of question on every section of the test.
So Aubrey, where can our listeners go to get into the course?
Yes, go to allersenglish.com slash keys, K-E-Y-S.
All right.
We hope to see you there very soon, everyone.
Have a good rest of your day, Aubrey.
I'll see you back here on the show next week.
All right.
Awesome.
And be sure to check out the blog, guys, to get that diagram.
It will definitely be easier to see everything we were describing if you can see that visual image that you would have on the exam.
So go to allersenglish.com for that diagram.
All right.
Sounds good, Aubrey.
Have a good day.
Bye.
Awesome.
You too.
Bye.
Thanks for listening to IELTS Energy.
Hit subscribe now, and don't forget to find your estimated band score at allearsenglishcom.
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