El Niño is intensifying heavy rain and flash-flood risks in the Southwest, scientists say
About this practice test
Listen to the C1 Daily News report “El Niño is intensifying heavy rain and flash-flood risks in the Southwest, scientists say” and answer 7 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:
7 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
- C1. 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: El Niño is intensifying heavy rain and flash-flood risks in the Southwest, scientists say.
El Niño is intensifying heavy rain and flash-flood risks in the Southwest, scientists say
Read a transcript excerpt
An exceptionally strong El Niño is helping create conditions for heavier rain and flash floods across the American Southwest, scientists say. The climate phenomenon is not the only cause of the recent storms, but it is making intense precipitation more likely across the Southern United States. El Niño is a natural warming cycle in the Pacific Ocean. During this episode, unusually warm seawater is releasing additional moisture into the atmosphere.…
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Which locations experienced Sunday evacuations?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Northern New Mexico and central Arizona
- Peru and Ecuador
- Nevada and the Colorado ski town
- The Four Corners states and the Pacific Ocean
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Northern New Mexico and central Arizona
The narration identifies northern New Mexico and central Arizona as evacuation locations.
Flash floods on Sunday prompted evacuations in northern New Mexico and central Arizona, while a Colorado ski town prepared for its main river to rise to catastrophic levels.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What had occurred during the previous week?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- The El Niño reached its December peak.
- A wet storm caused days of flooding.
- Scientists issued evacuation warnings in Ecuador.
- The main river reached catastrophic levels.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- A wet storm caused days of flooding.
The earlier storm produced several consecutive days of flooding in southwestern states.
Another wet storm had subjected southwestern states to days of flooding the previous week.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Who calculated the estimate exceeding 20 trillion gallons?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Daniel Swain
- Ryan Maue
- Jeff Masters
- Randy Cerveny
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Ryan Maue
The narration attributes the calculation to Ryan Maue, a former NOAA chief scientist.
More than 20 trillion gallons of water fell across the Four Corners states and Nevada during the past two weeks, according to calculations by Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What does the recording say about the current precipitation?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- It is typical for this season.
- It is unusually heavy for this season.
- It is confined to coastal areas.
- It is less severe than conditions in Peru.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- It is unusually heavy for this season.
Daniel Swain characterizes the precipitation as unusually heavy for the season.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the Southwest was experiencing an unusual degree of heavy precipitation for this time of year.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What factor besides El Niño may intensify current conditions?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Lower atmospheric moisture
- Human-caused ocean warming
- Reduced storm movement
- Earlier evacuation decisions
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Human-caused ocean warming
The narration links higher ocean temperatures to human-caused climate change.
The world’s oceans have also warmed over time because of human-caused climate change, and researchers say that higher baseline temperatures can make El Niño conditions more intense.
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Question 6 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
When is El Niño expected to peak?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Sunday
- The previous week
- December
- Several years afterward
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- December
The recording explicitly places the anticipated peak in December.
The El Niño is expected to reach its peak in December, but its influence could continue for months afterward.
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Question 7 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What action do experts emphasize for residents in vulnerable areas?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Ignore forecasts until flooding begins
- Relocate permanently before December
- Prepare early and follow local evacuation warnings
- Rely exclusively on informal weather reports
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Prepare early and follow local evacuation warnings
Experts recommend monitoring forecasts, preparing beforehand, and following official warnings.
Experts have advised residents in vulnerable areas to monitor forecasts, prepare in advance, and follow evacuation warnings issued by local authorities.
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.