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Practice Listening: Fill in the Blanks (Type In) ID: #46036 Short Ethnic Conflict
Instructions ›
You will hear a recording. Type the missing words in each blank.
* Fill in the missing words into the blank fields
In  America,  there  is  certainly  the  potential  for  ethnic  conflict.  Categorically,  our  colossal  metroplexes  will  not  be    in  a  post-oil  future  —  and  despite  the  wishes  and  yearnings  of  many  people,  the  truth  is  that  no  combination  of  alternative    will  permit  us  to  continue  living  at  this  scale.  Some  of  our  cities  will  not  make  it.  Phoenix,  Tucson,  and  other  Sunbelt  cities  will  dry  up  and  blow  .  In  Las  Vegas,  the  excitement  will  be  over.  Other  mega-cities  will  have  to  downscale  or  face  extreme  dysfunction.  One  thing  that  almost  nobody  is  paying  attention  to:  the  skyscraper  will  not  be  a  viable  building  type  in  our    future.  Six  or  seven  stories  must  be  the  practical  limit  in  a  new  age  when  electric    is  not  necessarily  as  reliable  as  it  has  been  in  our  time.  Cities    with  mega-structures  will  have  a  severe  liability.

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct answer: sustainable

Explanation: Here you hear "will not be sustainable in". The sentence needs a word for a thing that lasts, so it ends in able.

Meaning: "sustainable" means able to keep going without running out.

Wrong options:

  • sustanable: It leaves out the "i". Write "sustainable". Only the exact spelling gets the mark.
  • sustainably: "sustainably" is a close word, but it ends in "y". The speaker says "sustainable", which ends in "e".
Correct answer: fuels

Explanation: The speaker says "alternative fuels will". The word comes after "alternative" and you need more than one.

Meaning: "fuels" means energy sources like oil or gas.

Wrong options:

  • fuesl: Two letters are in the wrong order. Write "fuels". Only the exact spelling gets the mark.
  • fuel: "fuel" has no "s" at the end. The speaker says "fuels", so write the "s".
Correct answer: away

Explanation: You hear "blow away." The sentence needs a word that tells how, when or how much.

Meaning: "away" means to a place far from here, gone.

Wrong options:

  • awey: It has "e" where the word has "a". Write "away". Only the exact spelling gets the mark.
Correct answer: energy-scarce

Explanation: Listen for "our energy-scarce future." The missing part shows little energy, so write the linked form.

Meaning: "energy-scarce" means having little available power or fuel.

Wrong options:

  • energyscarce: It leaves out the "-". Write "energy-scarce". Only the exact spelling gets the mark.
  • energy scarce: This has a space. The speaker links the two words as one idea.
Correct answer: supply

Explanation: On the recording you hear "electric supply is". The word after "electric" is a thing word that ends in y.

Meaning: "supply" means the amount of electricity available to use.

Wrong options:

  • suply: It leaves out the "p". Write "supply". Only the exact spelling gets the mark.
  • supplyed: "supplyed" has an extra "ed" at the end. The speaker says "supply".
Correct answer: overburdened

Explanation: Listen again to "Cities overburdened with". The sentence needs a describing word that ends in ed, showing a condition.

Meaning: "overburdened" means carrying too much weight or responsibility.

Wrong options:

  • overburdend: It leaves out the "e". Check the letters: "overburdened". A small spelling mistake loses the mark.
  • overburden: "overburden" is missing the ending. The speaker says "overburdened", with "ed" at the end.

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