IELTS LISTENING

Paper Production and Recycling

Alan: Hi, Melanie. What did you think of the assignment that we got today? It looks interesting, doesn’t it?

Melanie: Yes, Alan. 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: Okay. 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 and on the other side the recycling.

Melanie: Good idea. Let’s start at the top with the production. The first step in the process is to get the raw materials.

Alan: Yes and they tend to come from _Q21 pine forests.

Melanie: Okay. And then the bark is removed from the outside of the tree and after that, the wood is chopped up. That’s the 1st 3 stages.

Alan: It sounds a bit complicated. After that. It says _Q22 water is added, and then the mixture is heated and made into pope. This will be the thick paste that is used to make paper.

Melanie: Yes, 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, so once the paper has been produced in the machine, what happens then?

Melanie: Well, I think we should write _Q23 print as the next step because this is when newspapers, magazines, etc 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 the old papers collected and then it says it’s taken somewhere so that someone or something, can _Q24 sort it. 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. Now, how did tutor say they do this? Oh, yes, it involves chemicals. So how is your chemistry?

Alan: Well, not very good, I’m afraid. But this is how they _Q25 remove ink. So this is definitely going to need a bit of research.

Melanie: Right. Uh, the last step in the recycling section is similar to the last step in the production process, with heating and pulping before the cycle begins again.

Alan: So I think going through the process is helped. 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. But we could start thinking about an _Q26 introduction.

Alan: Yes. Okay, well, I can start doing that. I think I have enough to go one already.

Melanie: Good and there are a few areas where we need a lot more information. I think I’ll start with something easy. Let’s say the paper collection. 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. What about contacting the _Q27 council?

Melanie: Oh, good idea. Yes, I’ll do that instead. That bound to have some information 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 and the feedback I got was that this wasn’t academic enough. So what might really bring it to life would be to include _Q28 some data provided we can find some.

Alan: Yes, that sounds excellent. Well, we certainly have a lot to do and not much time to do it in.

Melanie: You’re right. I think we have about five weeks. So I suggest we create a plan of work today. The end of the month is nearly three weeks away, and then we have a few days holidays.

Alan: Yes. So let’s see if we can get the _Q29 first draft done by then so we can take a short break.

Melanie: Okay, then after the break, we’ll have just over a week to complete it. I wonder if we could get someone to review our work for us a few days before the deadline so we can make some final changes. What about your friend Henry?

Alan: Well, the best person would be our _Q30 tutor. Henry’s very good, but he’s taking a whole week’s holiday and there won’t be enough time when he returns.

Melanie: Okay, then that’s fine.