SIGNPOSTING WORDS

For Listening Section 4, you will hear a talk by a student or an expert on an academic
subject. Speakers often use signposting words to move from one topic to another, or to help
connect their ideas.
Listen to six short extracts from different Listening Section 4 talks. Complete the
extracts below.
1. OK, __________ the late 19th century, when a great deal of changes were taking place.
2. Now, __________, I wanted to give you some background information.
3. So, __________ some possible reasons for this.
4. __________, I’d like to talk about some future projects.
5. So, __________ did we reach?
6.I’ll __________ what this machine can do.
COMPARING AND CONTRASTING IDEAS
Sometimes, the focus of a talk will be comparing or contrasting (saying what is the same or
different about) several different things. The information may be organised as a table that you
need to complete.
You are going to do a table completion task. First, study the table and then answer
questions 1–5 below.
1. Which of the following do you think you will hear?
A. The names of all the plants, then all of their origins, then finally, a discussion of all the
positives and negatives
B. A full description of one plant that also contains some references to the other plants listed
C. A complete analysis of one plant at a time, describing its origins, then finally its positives
and negatives
2. What type of information will you need to write for Question 1?
3. In which column will the questions focus on the benefits?
4. In which column do the questions focus on the drawbacks?
5. What information will you need to listen for in Question 8?
 Plants that changed the world
Plant Origins Positives Negatives
It led to
Central and South • In Ireland, the
• changes in
America Brought to 4 __________ became
2 __________
potatoes 1 __________ by dependent on potatoes.
• people moving to
the Spaniards in the • Disease led to mass
another country to find
16th century 5 __________
new 3 __________
• It played an important
role in US history. • Led to increases in slavery
tobacco The Americas • Known as the first • Became a cause for
6 __________ crop in 7 __________
the US.
The 9 __________ imposed
Helped bring about
8 __________ China on it became a key event in
independence in the US.
the American Revolution.
It started 10 __________ It led to increases in the
White Mulberry China
between East and West. spread of disease.
"In my talk today, I’m going to be looking at plants that have had an impact on our world and
our history. Let’s start with the potato. It was originally one of the staple foods of Central and
South America and when Spanish explorers travelled to the Americas some time in the 16th
century the potato found its way into Europe. This had several important consequences. In
particular, it almost totally altered people’s diet in many European countries. The potato is also
believed to have been responsible for the start of a new trend – that of migrating to America.
So you could say that the humble potato actually allowed many people to change their lives.

However, there were also problems associated with this crop. Largely in Ireland, where the
poor were very much reliant on the success of the crops. Sadly, a disease in the crop spread
rapidly across the country and led to widespread potato crop failures in the mid-1800s. This
meant that millions died from starvation as a result.

Let’s move on to look at another plant from the same part of the world, the tobacco plant. This
originated in the Americas and had an enormous influence on the way North America
developed in the 1800s. It’s famed for being the original cash crop there and for funding a
great deal of the development that occurred during this time.
On the downside, the success of this crop resulted in a greater demand for slaves to work the
crops and this eventually led to war breaking out between the Northern States and those in the
South.

Now, the next plant I’d like to mention is one known and used all around the world. Tea. It
originated in China and in terms of its historical significance, it played a large part in the US
independence from Great Britain. This came about because the British government declared
that the colonies had to pay a tax on the produce brought into America. It was because of the
protest against these taxes that the American Revolution came about.

The final plant I’ll look at today is the White Mulberry. Again, it originated in China and had an
enormous influence on development in this part of the world, in particular in establishing trade
between the East and the West. Sadly, the increase in trade brought with it the spread of
disease and weapons.
Using notes to follow a talk
The headings in a set of notes can help you in the same way as the headings in a column.
Read the notes below and answer questions 1–4 below.
1. How is the information organised differently, in comparison with the table in 2.1?
2. How will this help you to follow the talk?
3. What new topic will you hear about, which was not in the table in 2.1?
4. For which question do you need to write a nationality?
 Plants that changed the world
Prehistory: flowering plants
• arrived about 130 million years ago
• became an essential source of 1 __________

2737 BC: tea

• discovered in China, played a key role in USA, China & UK
• led to financial problems in Britain – a Chinese ruler insisted all tea was paid for with 2
__________, which had to be sourced from other countries

202 BC: White Mulberry

• in demand from 202 BC when it was essential in the production of 3 __________
• trade routes led to the spread of different 4 __________ but also made more people ill and
encouraged the exchange of dangerous products (e.g. 5 __________)

16th century: the potato

• originated in Central and South America, brought to Europe by the 6 __________
• it was rapidly accepted because it was cheap and contained lots of 7 __________
• helped prevent one specific 8 __________
• 1845–1849 – large-scale failure of potato crops led to a million deaths in Ireland and the
9 __________ of another million people
In today’s lecture, I’m going to talk about the part that plants have played in our history,
something most of us probably never give any thought to. Flowers began changing the way the
world looked almost as soon as they appeared on Earth about 130 million years ago. That’s
relatively recent in geologic time – if all Earth’s history were compressed into an hour, flowering
plants would exist for only the last 90 seconds. Without those flowering plants, it’s likely we
wouldn’t be here. They are fundamental to our existence, forming a vital part of our food
supplies.

If we look further on in time, to the year 2737 BC, we arrive at the discovery of tea by a
Chinese emperor, when a leaf fell into a cup of hot water. This discovery eventually played a
very important part in the history of China, the USA and the UK. For Britain, where demand for
tea was high, there were financial implications when a Chinese emperor declared that it could
only be bought with silver, which they were then forced to find overseas.

A second influential plant emerged around 202 BC in the form of the White Mulberry. It became
extremely sought after and it remained so until 220 AD because white mulberries provide food
for the worm that creates silk. This luxurious material was responsible for establishing
extremely valuable trade routes. And it was along these same routes that different religions
made their way around the world. But, unfortunately, they also caused the spread of previously
unknown diseases, as well as weapons of war such as gunpowder.
In today’s lecture, I’m going to talk about the part that plants have played in our history,
something most of us probably never give any thought to. Flowers began changing the way the
world looked almost as soon as they appeared on Earth about 130 million years ago. That’s
relatively recent in geologic time – if all Earth’s history were compressed into an hour, flowering
plants would exist for only the last 90 seconds. Without those flowering plants, it’s likely we
wouldn’t be here. They are fundamental to our existence, forming a vital part of our food
supplies.

If we look further on in time, to the year 2737 BC, we arrive at the discovery of tea by a
Chinese emperor, when a leaf fell into a cup of hot water. This discovery eventually played a
very important part in the history of China, the USA and the UK. For Britain, where demand for
tea was high, there were financial implications when a Chinese emperor declared that it could
only be bought with silver, which they were then forced to find overseas.

A second influential plant emerged around 202 BC in the form of the White Mulberry. It became
extremely sought after and it remained so until 220 AD because white mulberries provide food
for the worm that creates silk. This luxurious material was responsible for establishing
extremely valuable trade routes. And it was along these same routes that different religions
made their way around the world. But, unfortunately, they also caused the spread of previously
unknown diseases, as well as weapons of war such as gunpowder.
Finally, moving into more recent history, we come to the 16th century and the potato. It
originated in Central America but it was the Spanish who introduced it to the European diet.
There, it quickly became popular because not only did it cost little to grow, but it was also a
food source that was rich in vitamins. So much so that its arrival has been credited with ridding
Britain of a disease known as scurvy. However, it is perhaps more famous now for the potato
famines of the mid-1800s in Ireland. The Irish people were so dependent on the crop that its
widespread failure over this period caused the deaths of over a million people and the
emigration of a further million to mainland Britain, Canada and the US.