10.2Listening practice 4: Recording 4, a lecture
- 1 reading text
Recording 4 is a single speaker giving an academic talk, and there is no second voice to help you. The compensation is that a lecture is well organised: the speaker signposts constantly. Listen for phrases such as there are three reasons for this, moving on to, and the key point here is. Those phrases tell you an answer is coming.
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
VERTICAL FARMING
Definition
• Growing crops in stacked layers, usually inside a 11 .................. building
• Light is supplied by 12 .................. instead of by the sun
Claimed advantages
• Crops are not affected by changes in the 13 ..................
• Uses far less 14 .................. than growing the same crop in a field
• Farms can be placed close to the 15 .................. , which cuts transport
• No need for 16 .................. , because there are no insects inside
Main limitation
• The cost of 17 .................. makes up most of the running cost
• Only works commercially for crops that are 18 .................. and grow fast
• Staple crops such as 19 .................. remain far too cheap to grow this way
Speaker's conclusion
• Vertical farming is a 20 .................. to field agriculture, not a replacement for it