Cambridge IELTS 13 · Listening · Test 2 · Part 4

Listening Test 2, Part 4: answers explained

The recording and its 10 questions (31–40). Every answer is explained with the words that give it away.

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Part 4 recording

Play it once, as in the exam, and answer the questions below as you listen.

Questions 31–40

Note completion
31 the ability to recall details, e.g. the time and ______ of past events
32 different to semantic memory – the ability to remember general information about the ______, which does not involve recalling … information
33 different to semantic memory – the ability to remember general information about the …, which does not involve recalling ______ information
34 the more ______ given to an event, the more successfully it can be encoded
35 to remember a ______, it is useful to have a strategy for encoding such information
36 most effective when memories can be added to a ______ of related information
37 the ______ of retrieval affects the strength of memories
38 memory retrieval often depends on using a prompt, e.g. the ______ of an object near to the place where you left your car
39 games which stimulate the ______ have been found to help people with schizophrenia
40 children with autism may have difficulty forming episodic memories – possibly because their concept of the ______ may be absent

Answers explained

Answer the questions first: finding the evidence yourself teaches more than reading it. The answers stay folded until you ask.

Question 31

location

What you hear

other information such as the location

Why

Episodic memories include details such as when an event happened ‘and other information such as the location’; the restaurant example repeats the idea with where you ate. Since the note already gives the time, location is the missing detail.
Question 32

world

What you hear

your general knowledge of the world

Why

Semantic memory is described as the factual memory you share with everyone, namely general knowledge of the world. The car example shows the same split: remembering where you parked is episodic, while understanding what a car is belongs here. So the missing word after "about the" is world.
Question 33

personal

What you hear

isn’t dependent on recalling personal experiences

Why

The lecturer says semantic memory isn’t dependent on recalling personal experiences, so personal completes ‘recalling ______ information’. Episodic is the tempting word because it was the topic of the whole lecture, but it names the other kind of memory, not a type of information.
Question 34

attention

What you hear

the level of attention you give to an event

Why

Successful encoding depends on the level of attention you give an event while it is happening, and distraction makes it hard. The note's "The more ______ given" calls for attention. Processing and strategy appear later in the same stretch, but they are about how you encode, not how much you give.
Question 35

name

What you hear

recollection of Charlie’s name is much easier

Why

The lecturer’s example is meeting someone called Charlie and linking him to an uncle with the same name, and recalling Charlie’s name is much easier with a strategy. What you are trying to remember is a name. Don’t write Charlie, because the gap needs the general noun, not the example.
Question 36

network

What you hear

linked to an existing network of information

Why

Consolidation works best when new information can be linked to an existing network of information. The note says memories are added to a network of related information, so network fits. Storing and strengthening are other words from that stretch but they describe the process, not the thing memories join.
Question 37

frequency

What you hear

depends on the frequency with which you try to retrieve them

Why

Strong memories depend on the frequency with which you try to retrieve them, and the next sentence says rarely used memories fade. Frequency is the noun the note needs after "the". Make sure not to write retrieval, which is already printed in the sentence.
Question 38

colour / color

What you hear

the colour of a sign close to where you parked

Why

To recall where you parked, the lecturer says, you might use the colour of a sign close to the spot. Colour (or color) is the property of the object that works as the prompt. Sign is the object itself, and it is already printed in the note.
Question 39

brain

What you hear

designed to keep the brain active

Why

Recent studies suggest computer-assisted games designed to keep the brain active can improve episodic memory in patients with schizophrenia. The gap follows "stimulate the", and brain is the word used. Medication is mentioned just before, but it controls symptoms and doesn't concern the games.
Question 40

self

What you hear

absence of a sense of self

Why

The lecturer links the difficulty to an absence of a sense of self, which is essential for storing episodic memory and impaired in autistic children. The noun that completes "their concept of the" is self. Social development is only mentioned as a possible benefit of treatment, a result, not the missing concept.

Part 4 audioscript

Part 4 · audioscript

Today, we’ll be continuing the series of lectures on memory by focusing on what is called episodic memory and what can happen if this is not working properly.

Episodic memory refers to the memory of an event or ‘episode’. Episodic memories allow us to mentally travel back in time to an event from the past. Episodic memories include various details about these events, for example, when an event happened and other information such as the location. To help understand this concept, try to remember the last time you ate dinner at a restaurant. The ability to remember where you ate, who you were with and the items you ordered are all features of an episodic memory.

Episodic memory is distinct from another type of memory called semantic memory. This is the type of factual memory that we have in common with everyone else - that is your general knowledge of the world. To build upon a previous example, remembering where you parked your car is an example of episodic memory, but your understanding of what a car is and how an engine works are examples of sematic memory. Unlike episodic memory, semantic memory isn’t dependent on recalling personal experiences.

Episodic memory can be thought of as a process with several different steps of memory processing: encoding, consolidation and retrieval.

The initial step is called encoding. This involves the process of receiving and registering information, which is necessary for creating memories of information or events that you experience. The degree to which you can successfully encode information depends on the level of attention you give to an event while it’s actually happening. Being distracted can make effective encoding very difficult. Encoding of episodic memories is also influenced by how you process the event. For example, if you were introduced to someone called Charlie, you might make the connection that your uncle has the same name. Future recollection of Charlie’s name is much easier if you have a strategy to help you encode it.

Memory consolidation, the next step in forming an episodic memory, is the process by which memories of encoded information are strengthened, stabilised and stored to facilitate later retrieval. Consolidation is most effective when the information being stored can be linked to an existing network of information. Consolidation makes it possible for you to store memories for later retrieval indefinitely. Forming strong memories depends on the frequency with which you try to retrieve them. Memories can fade or become harder to retrieve if they aren’t used very often.

The last step in forming episodic memories is called retrieval, which is the conscious recollection of encoded information. Retrieving information from episodic memory depends upon semantic, olfactory, auditory and visual factors. These help episodic memory retrieval by acting as a prompt. For example, when recalling where you parked your car you may use the colour of a sign close to where you parked. You actually have to mentally travel back to the moment you parked.

There are a wide range of neurological diseases and conditions that can affect episodic memory. These range from Alzheimer’s to schizophrenia to autism. An impairment of episodic memory can have a profound effect on individuals’ lives. For example, the symptoms of schizophrenia can be reasonably well controlled by medication; however, patients’ episodic memory may still be impaired and so they are often unable to return to university or work. Recent studies have shown that computer- assisted games designed to keep the brain active can help improve their episodic memory.

Episodic memories can help people connect with others, for instance by sharing intimate details about their past; something individuals with autism often have problems with. This may be caused by an absence of a sense of self. This is essential for the storage of episodic memory, and has been found to be impaired in children with autism. Research has shown that treatments that improve memory may also have a positive impact on children’s social development.

One study looked at a …

Part 4 recording

Questions 31–40

Answers explained

Question 31

Question 32

Question 33

Question 34

Question 35

Question 36

Question 37

Question 38

Question 39

Question 40

Part 4 audioscript