Three scientists win Nobel medicine prize for research on brain activity
Listen to the B1 Daily News report “Three scientists win Nobel medicine prize for research on brain activity” and answer 5 comprehension questions.
About this practice test
Listen to the B1 Daily News report “Three scientists win Nobel medicine prize for research on brain activity” and answer 5 comprehension questions.
What you’ll practice
Understanding detail
Follow specific information and examples.
Interpreting ideas
Identify main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
5 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- B1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Single choice
How to approach this practice
Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.
News lesson for this practice
Read the complete article and use its text or audio alongside these exercises: Three scientists win Nobel medicine prize for research on brain activity.
Three scientists win Nobel medicine prize for research on brain activity
Read a transcript excerpt
Three scientists have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for research into how the brain controls individual nerve cells. The winners are Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel. Their work focuses on light-gated ion channels and a research method called optogenetics. These areas help scientists study how nerve cells become active or stop being active. The prize was announced Monday, October 5, at the Karolinska Institute…
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
When did the secretary reach the three winners?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- By phone on Monday
- At the ceremony on Tuesday
- By email on Friday
- In person on October 12
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- By phone on Monday
The secretary contacted all three winners by phone that day.
Thomas Perlmann, secretary of the medicine committee, said he reached all three winners by phone on Monday.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What happens after the medicine prize in the Nobel schedule?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- The Peace Prize is announced
- The physics prize follows
- The money is paid immediately
- The winners begin teaching
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- The physics prize follows
The recording says the physics prize comes next on Tuesday.
The medicine prize opened this year’s Nobel announcements.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why is the research important according to the recording?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- It helps researchers understand the brain
- It helps universities choose students
- It makes prize announcements faster
- It replaces all laboratory work
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- It helps researchers understand the brain
It helps researchers study brain activity and individual cells.
This gives researchers a way to examine the brain more closely and learn how its cells work.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Which statement about the winners is correct?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- All three work in Berlin
- Deisseroth works at Stanford
- Nagel works in California
- Hegemann works in Stockholm
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Deisseroth works at Stanford
The recording connects each scientist with a different university.
Deisseroth is based at Stanford University in California.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What does the committee say about the method’s use?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- It is still completely experimental
- It is used worldwide in brain research
- It is used only by the three winners
- It has no laboratory purpose
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- It is used worldwide in brain research
The method is used in laboratories across many parts of the world.
The Nobel committee said the method is now used in laboratories around the world to study the brain.
What to review next
Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.
Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?
The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.