Nanotyrannus Skeleton “Jodi” Sells for $47.3 Million at Sotheby’s

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 Jodi sold?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. At a university laboratory
   2. At Sotheby’s
   3. At a natural-history museum
   4. At a private research center
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   At Sotheby’s

   The transcript identifies Sotheby’s as the location of the auction.

   A Nanotyrannus skeleton called “Jodi” has been auctioned at Sotheby’s for $47.3 million.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the recording define as fossils?

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   1. Objects created by competing buyers
   2. Physical remains or traces of ancient life
   3. Displays produced by auction houses
   4. Records of prehistoric auction prices
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   Answer

   Physical remains or traces of ancient life

   The transcript directly defines fossils as remains or traces of ancient life.

   Fossils are physical remains or traces of ancient life.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   According to the recording, who sets an auction price?

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   1. Museum directors
   2. Government researchers
   3. Competing buyers
   4. Dinosaur specialists alone
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   Answer

   Competing buyers

   Competing buyers determine the price through their demand.

   At an auction, however, the price is set by competing buyers and reflects demand for that particular object at that particular sale.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What may a skeleton preserve for researchers?

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   1. Information about an animal’s body and its period
   2. Proof of every behavior the animal displayed
   3. The exact identity of every former owner
   4. Evidence of the auction’s final negotiations
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   Answer

   Information about an animal’s body and its period

   The recording says it may preserve bodily and historical information.

   A skeleton can interest researchers because it may preserve information about an animal’s body and the period in which it lived.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the recording say a high-profile auction can encourage?

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   1. Private ownership by all researchers
   2. Public interest in fossils
   3. Lower prices for collectible objects
   4. Agreement about every scientific question
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   Answer

   Public interest in fossils

   Publicity from the auction may increase public interest in fossils.

   Still, a high-profile auction can bring a prehistoric animal to a wider audience and encourage public interest in fossils.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How does the recording describe Sotheby’s?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. A scientific research institute
   2. An auction house
   3. A fossil-preservation charity
   4. A prehistoric animal classification system
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   Answer

   An auction house

   Sotheby’s is identified as the organization conducting the sale.

   Sotheby’s is an auction house, and the $47.3 million outcome shows the scale that interest in dinosaur fossils can reach.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What broader result does the transaction represent?

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   1. A decline in interest in prehistoric animals
   2. Another major example of commercial attention for a prehistoric specimen
   3. A scientific replacement for T. rex research
   4. A shift from auctions toward museum donations
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   Answer

   Another major example of commercial attention for a prehistoric specimen

   It adds another major example of prehistoric specimens gaining commercial attention.

   The transaction adds another prominent example of a prehistoric specimen receiving major attention in a commercial setting, while its connection to T. rex keeps the focus on a dinosaur familiar to many people.

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.