A Strange Detector Signal Renews Questions About Dark Matter

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

B2. 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.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Where was the strange blip recorded?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. At Yale University
   2. In South Dakota
   3. Inside an NPR studio
   4. At a European observatory
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   In South Dakota

   The narration identifies South Dakota as the recording’s location.

   A strange blip recorded by a dark matter detector in South Dakota has renewed a basic question in modern science: Are researchers any closer to detecting dark matter?

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Who discussed the signal with Natarajan?

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   1. A laboratory engineer
   2. Scott Detrow
   3. A South Dakota journalist
   4. Another detector operator
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   Answer

   Scott Detrow

   The narration names Scott Detrow as Natarajan’s conversation partner.

   NPR’s Scott Detrow discussed the signal with Priyamvada Natarajan, a theoretical astrophysicist at Yale University.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What should scientists ask about the detector’s recording?

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   1. Whether it matches intended observations
   2. Whether it received enough publicity
   3. Whether it was recorded by NPR
   4. Whether it proves every theory
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   Answer

   Whether it matches intended observations

   They should compare the blip with the detector’s intended observations.

   Scientists may ask whether the blip fits what the detector was designed to observe or whether another explanation is more convincing.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the detector’s design help scientists evaluate?

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   1. The signal’s possible significance
   2. The host’s speaking style
   3. The location’s political importance
   4. The astrophysicist’s university ranking
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   Answer

   The signal’s possible significance

   Its intended purpose provides a standard for judging the unusual signal.

   Scientists may ask whether the blip fits what the detector was designed to observe or whether another explanation is more convincing.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What kind of perspective does Natarajan add?

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   1. A theoretical perspective
   2. A financial perspective
   3. A historical perspective
   4. A meteorological perspective
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   Answer

   A theoretical perspective

   She contributes a theoretical viewpoint to the discussion of the result.

   Natarajan’s participation adds a theoretical perspective to the conversation.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What remains open at the end of the report?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The question of direct detection
   2. The detector’s physical location
   3. The identity of the NPR host
   4. The existence of scientific laboratories
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   Answer

   The question of direct detection

   The narration concludes that direct detection has not yet been resolved.

   The NPR report therefore leaves readers with a measured conclusion: the search may be producing interesting clues, but the question of direct detection remains open.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What must happen for the recording to become more than an isolated fluke?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It must receive more media coverage
   2. Scientists must find a meaningful interpretation
   3. The detector must move to Yale
   4. Natarajan must repeat the interview
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Scientists must find a meaningful interpretation

   Scientists must interpret the signal and establish that it has broader significance.

   Its importance depends on how scientists interpret the signal and whether it can be understood as more than an isolated fluke.

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.