This exercise was made by AI and has not been reviewed by a person. How it is made

Listening CEFR C1 Topic: Light pollution's disruption of nocturnal bird migration

Lights That Lead Astray: Birds and the Glow of Cities

What this tests: listening for detail, opinion, attitude, purpose and what the speaker implies.

Instructions

Listen to the monologue about how artificial light affects migratory birds. Then answer the seven questions, choosing the option (A, B or C) that best reflects what you heard.

🎧 Listen to the recording, then answer the questions. You can replay it as many times as you need.

1. According to the speaker, why do migratory birds veer towards city lights?

A — The light overwhelms their sensitivity to the Earth's magnetic field B — They mistake the brightening sky for the onset of daylight C — They are drawn towards warmth radiating from heated buildings

2. What point does the speaker make when citing the number of bird deaths from collisions?

A — It has been contested by other researchers in the field B — It applies mainly to small songbirds rather than larger species C — It exceeds many threats that receive far more public attention

3. Which quality of light does the speaker identify as most disruptive to bird navigation?

A — Cooler, blue-white light B — The overall brightness of the light, regardless of colour C — Warmer, amber-toned light

4. What does the Chicago example illustrate?

A — The measure was adopted mainly to cut the building's energy bills B — The initiative eliminated bird collisions at the building altogether C — A relatively small adjustment produced a sharp decline in bird strikes

5. What is the speaker's overall position on urban lighting?

A — It should remain unchanged, with efforts directed elsewhere B — It should be modified rather than removed C — It should be scaled back significantly, whatever the cost to residents

6. What does the speaker say happens to birds that circle illuminated buildings for extended periods?

A — They eventually settle on nearby buildings to rest before resuming their route B — They conserve energy by flying at a reduced pace while circling C — They exhaust the energy supplies they need to finish their migratory flight

7. How does the speaker characterise the 'lights-out' initiatives adopted by cities like Chicago and New York?

A — A mandatory policy enforced by national regulators B — A permanent ban on decorative and building lighting C — A voluntary, temporary measure tied to migration periods

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🎬 Video walkthrough

This exercise read aloud, sentence by sentence: a pause to answer each question, the hint after the pause, then the answer and why. It gives the answers — try the exercise first.

15 min. All video walkthroughs